mvbailey12 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 To the average student, I'm talking high school age or so, do "Big Name" staff additions mean much? I have read a few people put on the Pioneer posts that if Pio were to get the big name staffers, that it would attract students. I don't know if I believe that. Are there names out there that some people might know? Sure. But, personally, I can think of more corps directors names than actually staff members names. When I marched, I didn't think of who my instructors were, but more of the experience to come. The opportunity to be able to march in a beautiful setting that I was enamored with. Something that I had wanted to do since I was about 11 years old when I first saw Phantom Regiment in a parade in Harvard, IL. Then I saw Cavaliers, Star of Indiana, Vanguard, Velvet Knights and some others. This place where the marching bands that I knew couldn't even carry the water bottles of those who were marching in Drum Corps. I could be wrong, as I am at times, but I think that unless you have a well-educated person who is really a Drum Corps nut, the average marcher is not going to a corps based on being able play in (insert name here)'s section. But rather the interest that they have in that corps. That emotional connection when they saw them for the first time. The imagery that they render in their heads of being able to wear the corps uniform. I'm sure that there are people that go to certain corps to follow around there favorite staffer. But, if they are jumping around that much, they might have bigger issues, IMO. There are a few staffers that it would be great to learn from, to be able to pick their brains, to be mentored by, if you will, but I would think that it has to be a small percentage of marchers that have joined because they knew that a staff person was on hand. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wackywords Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 My 2 cents worth of opinion: Yes to some degree, particularly in the upper reaches of the activity. Another part of the equation is consistency/longevity of staff. You can become a "big name" staffer simply by staying put and building a quality program. Alternatively, you can bring in a big name consultant to help build such a program. The consultant doesn't have to tour, doesn't work in the day-to-day educational work of the corps, but comes in to help push things in a certain direction. When it comes to recruitment, the "big name" can be important for those with years of OC and/or WC experience who might be looking for a move to a different setting. But again, consistency of quality educational and administrative practices creates a solid environment that is generally well-received by the members and staff alike. That may be considered the same thing as "big name" in the recruitment game. Word of mouth is key, so if the corps is producing solid work in all program aspects (visual, musical, administrative) vet retention is likely higher and recruitment by vets and staff alike will likely be a large part of the long-term success equation. Then there's the question of what happens at the very top of the activity. When you've had consistency and someone leaves for any reason, who you get next DOES matter. I look at Cavies hornline, for example. Current caption supervisor Scott Atchison might not have been seen by all as a "big name", but his work with the Troopers through 2009 was surely viewed as a major plus. I would assume that his approach to brass pedagogy was discussed at length with the people at Cavaliers before he was hired. Similarly, I would apply the same thinking to Shawn Gwaltney, percussion caption head for Phantom Regiment. His lines at Spirit of Atlanta were incredibly good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmelloGuy Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I think it carries more weight with percussionists and color guard than hornline members. It's amazing how those sections will follow an instructor around, or even go to a corps that traditionally places lower just to be taught by someone. It might happen in the brass world some, but it seems like most of those members go to corps because they've always wanted to march there. Some people have grown up always wanting to be in Cadets, BD, Cavaliers... However, a lot of drummers might go to SCV just because of Paul Rennick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmelloGuy Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) double post Edited August 31, 2011 by AmelloGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowtown Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff = Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff = Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff= Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff (this should really be a circle) Can’t have one without the other and some will follow their instructors to a new corps that’s within the same tier but if a big name person goes to a much lower tier corps, I doubt many of the same will follow Any big name staff at a little corps ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I think it's a factor, but not necessarily the end-all/be-all. Like someone else in this thread said, I do think it's more prevalent in percussion & guard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff = Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff = Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff= Big Name Corps = Big Name Staff (this should really be a circle) Can’t have one without the other and some will follow their instructors to a new corps that’s within the same tier but if a big name person goes to a much lower tier corps, I doubt many of the same will follow Any big name staff at a little corps ? How little is little? I kind of consider the percussion staff at Blue Stars pretty big for a non-Championship contender. Madison certainly has a pretty big name staff/design team that very quickly turned the corps around from non-finalist to solid finalist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 What do you think? Sub-question: What's a bigger draw for membership: design team, or instructional staff? Caption Heads or designers? I kind of think for a rookie/newbie, designers will seem more enticing than Caption Heads, but I think people going from one corps to another will be more excited about Caption Heads. Someone on here made the argument that it's all cyclical, and that Top corps attract Top staff (which in turn attract top members). But there are plenty of instances of people going from a higher-placing corps to a lower-placing corps because of a Caption Head change (see SCV last season). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 The "average" WC performer is a 19 year old white male college student who is likely a music major. (http://www.dci.org/about/) I think staff names make a huge difference, especially when they're already being taught by college professors. Mike 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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