corpsband Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 High school marching bands have not really taken the place of hundreds of smaller drum corps. It might make some people feel better to say that, but it's not quite true. \ Disagree. HS Marching Band has not only taken the place of 100's of local corps, they have *expanded* the reach of the activity exponentially. And that reach is hardly limited to "affluent" school districts. OTOH your point about a drum corps being able to reach kids in low-income, urban areas is actually true. Unfortunately no one wants to pick up this ball and run with it. Instead of trying to field summer drum corps, the program should be fielding FALL drum corps where participation is far less costly, there's no touring involved, and it fits the schedule of the kids. What's stopping people from doing this? Their lack of imagination -- they think drum corps can ONLY happen in the summer. Take your local corps and compete with the rest of the marching bands in the fall. March in local parades. Maybe -- if things go really well -- a few of these corps could eventually put together a corps for the summer. Want local corps back serving these urban youth? Run your program in the Fall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Where I teach, about 50% of our kids are on free or reduced lunch plans. Where I teach, our marching band will be performing at the ISSMA State Championships next weekend at Lucas Oil. Those local drum corps were much worse than small high school marching bands today. Sorry, wrong on nearly all counts. That may be the case for you in Indiana, but here's the status in New England: - A few affluent suburbs have great music programs; - Cities have 70% reduced/free lunch & music has been removed (not just reduced) from its middle schools; - The number of kids currently in marching bands pales in comparison to the thousands who used to participate in local parade corps in the 60's & 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 - The number of kids currently in marching bands pales in comparison to the thousands who used to participate in local parade corps in the 60's & 70's. I'm going to have to look for numbers on this, because I can't believe that's actually the case. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 You make some great points, Jeff. I simply did not want the "all marching band kids are rich" statement to go un-rebutted, because it's just not true. As with anything, there are always exceptions to the rule. you're right...it's not for the rich. but in many ways, marching band has not taken the place of the smaller community drum corps 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 he's right...and he's wrong. When it comes to Urban areas, he's dead on. However, in rural areas it can be different. Some schools in rural areas have great marching band programs. Some do not, and with arts being the hot topic of budget cuts, more and more don't even have a band. Drum corps and marching band have some similarities yes. They also have differences. No matter how much people want to say they are the same, they aren't totally the same, never have been and never will be. And I know more than a few great marching bands that do zero in their community, so saying they take the place of smaller community corps of the past is a joke, because they were farmore involved in the community. Playing at the friday night football game doesnt make them active. it means they have to perform at them under orders. will we ever see the return of smaller community corps? maybe, maybe not. But the pigeon holing done by both sides of this argument is like watching congress....the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and neither side wants to yield and look at things more realistically. It's easier to speak in broad generalities and ignore a lot of facts that bring the real issues right into the middle. I see the only growth in small corps happening outside of DCI. SDCA (still holding in there) and DCA are the basis for small corps development. Because, if someone wanted to end up with $1M after running a drum corps...I'd say, start with $2.5M. Yeah, Jeff...have you been to parades lately? You know what's missing? All the marching bands. I remember when Grand Haven, MI had a II/III competition and a huge parade of like 35 drum corps. I think it used to be the first weekend of August each year. I don't think parades happen as much as they used to. They have become another expense that some communities cannot afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I'm going to have to look for numbers on this, because I can't believe that's actually the case. Mike Again, I think it depends on the region of the country but what I've seen in New England: 70's & 80's: Hundreds of kids in over 30 local parade corps (modern & ancient) in Connecticut alone; 90's - 2011: All marching bands shrinking - even the best programs; all thos parade corps reduced to a few left. Reasons why this has happened, in New England, in my opinion: - Economy: Parents can't afford lessons; - Budget cuts at middle schools & high schools; - Other activities have become more intensive: Some AAU Basketball; Baseball; Soccer are now year-round activities; - Attention spans: There is no short term pay-off for a kid in music - kids are easily distracted/lose interest; - Other things for kids to do: video games, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 (edited) I don't think parades happen as much as they used to. They have become another expense that some communities cannot afford. Must have read up on Harrisburg as they just cancelled their Holiday Parade. Question for MB people who might know. At the non-city parades I've been in there seem to be a lot of the local schools marching (HS and Jr High). At the city parades that doesn't seem to be the case. In fact I've seen some HS bands in almost street clothes doing the parade with about half the members. Any idea what the Heck might be the cause of that. Edit: Note to self to keep an eye out at the Halloween Parade in Gettysburg tonight for HS bands.... Edited October 25, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I see the only growth in small corps happening outside of DCI. SDCA (still holding in there) and DCA are the basis for small corps development. Because, if someone wanted to end up with $1M after running a drum corps...I'd say, start with $2.5M. Yeah, Jeff...have you been to parades lately? You know what's missing? All the marching bands. I remember when Grand Haven, MI had a II/III competition and a huge parade of like 35 drum corps. I think it used to be the first weekend of August each year. I don't think parades happen as much as they used to. They have become another expense that some communities cannot afford. it isnt just parades Tom. any kind of function in town. In the town I live in, the band does football games and the Halloween and Memorial Day Parade. Play an event because the mayor asked? rarely if ever.participate in the towns one day street fair? never. in fact if possible, they'd blow off a game to go get a score....even a home game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Must have read up on Harrisburg as they just cancelled their Holiday Parade. Question for MB people who might know. At the non-city parades I've been in there seem to be a lot of the local schools marching (HS and Jr High). At the city parades that doesn't seem to be the case. In fact I've seen some HS bands in almost street clothes doing the parade with about half the members. Any idea what the Heck might be the cause of that. Edit: Note to self to keep an eye out at the Halloween Parade in Gettysburg tonight for HS bands.... in cities, you may have schools with no marching band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 High school marching band, like drum corps, is an activity for the well to do. So, if you live in a good neighborhood with a good school district and go to a school with a functional music program, you can have the "drum corps experience." If not, forget it. The corps of days gone by reached out to kids at risk and gave them opportunities they would not have had otherwise. That simply does not exist today, and that's why HS bands have not replaced smaller corps. At its peak, there were, from what I have read here and other web sources, around 440 field corps in 1971. Most of these were the small local style corps...the number of national level corps was about the same as today. Consider an average size of those 400+ as what? 60 or so? A lot of the small local-style corps were in the 20-something hornline size, 12-ish drummers and 12-ish guard, so I am giving them even more. The total is around 26,000-28,000 kids competing nationwide, if those numbers are close to accurate. Look at the competitive band scene today...estimates I have read here are around 4,000 bands that compete at some level, again mostly local, not large BOA-caliber. What is the average size of those? Let us assume the same 60, to be conservative. Now you are talking 240,000 kids marching and competing at some level. There are many bands that compete that are not from well-to-do areas. and, there were lots of corps back in the day that were from the suburbs; they were not all inner city as you make it appear. So yes, modern competitive MB has indeed replaced the local-style corps, IMO. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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