To College Music Majors

[Lance]

...If professors and deans dont' think drum corps doesn't have enough educational value for your universities to include in their course schedules then why is any college music major in a drum corps....

lance is confused

[CaballarosJr.]

And I'm quoting from an earlier post of mine:

As a graduate from a school of music, what you ask for is highly unattainable, and here's why:

Many universities rent out facility space on weekends for events on campus. A drum corps would require the use of practice rooms, performance halls, athletic fields (good luck getting the AD to acquiesce to your request), and dorm space. Tying up these resources with a unit that isn't even an institutional requirement, much less something that isn't a cash-cow immediately, makes no sense to administrators.

The schools that have marching ensembles are highly protective of their instruments. Rarely do they loan out equipment to students, so good luck with strangers who aren't officially affiliated with the schools. These ensembles already have reputations in the area/region. Why should they start something new when they already have bands/orchestras/choirs. You'd need student interest first, with faculty backing, and even then, you would still need a sympathetic ear from the owners of the purse-strings (donors).

Asking music students to start it is even crazier. Music majors take upwards of 13 classes a semester to get 15-18 credits. That doesn't include the time spent in practice rooms preparing for lessons, ensembles, and other academic coursework needed to graduate. I was lucky enough to get through 18 credits while working 20-25 hours a week and pass with honors (barely).

The University students would be in the DC. The university wouldn't loan instruments to strangers but university students already in other music and performance groups in the university.

As for your credit load. Drum corps would be part of your academic program that you would take like a regular class that would be part of the core requirements that the university would deem worthwhile enough to require for graduation. There wouldn't really be "starting up" a corps but scheduling classes. Just like it was in high school.

NCAA Drum Corps could start next week. The universities that music majors chose, they chose because of their vast music facilities. Most high school juniors start visiting schools in mid year until they choose the most perfect university.

If professors and deans dont' think drum corps doesn't have enough educational value for your universities to include in their course schedules then why is any college music major in a drum corps. Think why you are in DC then tell your Deans.

[Toby]

The University students would be in the DC. The university wouldn't loan instruments to strangers but university students already in other music and performance groups in the university.

As for your credit load. Drum corps would be part of your academic program that you would take like a regular class that would be part of the core requirements that the university would deem worthwhile enough to require for graduation. There wouldn't really be "starting up" a corps but scheduling classes. Just like it was in high school.

NCAA Drum Corps could start next week. The universities that music majors chose, they chose because of their vast music facilities. Most high school juniors start visiting schools in mid year until they choose the most perfect university.

If professors and deans dont' think drum corps doesn't have enough educational value for your universities to include in their course schedules then why is any college music major in a drum corps. Think why you are in DC then tell your Deans.

HAH! It's not just facilities, students also pick schools based who is on faculty, the personality of the school, total number of students, proximity to home, proximity of things to do, etc.

You also missed the part of where music students already have to take an already large number of classes to get their requirements done. You already have upwards of 100 courses in total to graduate, many only 1 credit for 3 or more hours of work or class time.

Drum corps was an escape for me, a chance to become a family with other people with a similar purpose. We were there because we wanted to be, not because it was a mandated class. How many college deans/presidents would take that as a reason to start a class? Somewhere between zero and nada.

[Toby]

Those competitions would get millions of viewers and exposure for Drum Corps. And help regular DCI Drum Corps get those high school non profits going. You aren't being sarcastic you are presenting a great idea that would get Drum Corps back in the public spotlight.

You assume that there would be a larger audience for this than any other drum corps/marching band/winter guard/winter drumline show. Because you think there is demand doesn't mean that there is a huge demand.

Your cart is 1500 miles in front of the horse.

[Lance]

HAH! It's not just facilities, students also pick schools based who is on faculty, the personality of the school, total number of students, proximity to home, proximity of things to do, etc.

You also missed the part of where music students already have to take an already large number of classes to get their requirements done. You already have upwards of 100 courses in total to graduate, many only 1 credit for 3 or more hours of work or class time.

Drum corps was an escape for me, a chance to become a family with other people with a similar purpose. We were there because we wanted to be, not because it was a mandated class. How many college deans/presidents would take that as a reason to start a class? Somewhere between zero and nada.

i think anybody who went to college under any major would agree with you, toby.

[NR_Ohiobando]

The University students would be in the DC. The university wouldn't loan instruments to strangers but university students already in other music and performance groups in the university.

As for your credit load. Drum corps would be part of your academic program that you would take like a regular class that would be part of the core requirements that the university would deem worthwhile enough to require for graduation. There wouldn't really be "starting up" a corps but scheduling classes. Just like it was in high school.

NCAA Drum Corps could start next week. The universities that music majors chose, they chose because of their vast music facilities. Most high school juniors start visiting schools in mid year until they choose the most perfect university.

If professors and deans dont' think drum corps doesn't have enough educational value for your universities to include in their course schedules then why is any college music major in a drum corps. Think why you are in DC then tell your Deans.

Hi there. I'm a Woodwind, Choral, and/or Strings education major. What do I do to fulfill my drum corps music core requirement?

But seriously, I'm assuming you are saying the NCAA drum corps counts as a Required Large Ensemble (Bands, Choirs, Orchestra). However, by doing this you are giving students the opportunity to NOT be in one of the bands or orchestras. If the bands and orchestras lose their talented brass players to a drum corps class, the quality of the ensembles will likely fall simply because they don't have the numbers to support all ensembles. Not really something the Dean would probably want.

Also, where the hell is this money coming from?

And by the by, have you SEEN the list of staff members it takes to run a successful competing drum corps? (10 or more is likely)

Have you SEEN the list of staff members it takes to run an average college marching band? (1 director, 1 drumline instructor, 1 colorguard instructor, 1 majorette instructor...)

Have you SEEN the list of staff members it takes to run a Band or Orchestra? (1 director)

It's not that I don't think it's not a good idea to have a university drum corps. Honestly I've thought about founding one myself. Unfortunately it's just not that feasible, especially considering you want this to consist of a competing and touring NCAA circuit.

When you think you have a good idea, always remember "Money?", "Time?"

Edited January 28, 2012 by NR_Ohiobando

[Michael Boo]

lance is confused

There's a lot of that going around.

[GUARDLING]

Those competitions would get millions of viewers and exposure for Drum Corps. And help regular DCI Drum Corps get those high school non profits going. You aren't being sarcastic you are presenting a great idea that would get Drum Corps back in the public spotlight.

when was drum corps IN the general public spotlight?

[MarimbaManiac]

If professors and deans dont' think drum corps doesn't have enough educational value for your universities to include in their course schedules then why is any college music major in a drum corps. Think why you are in DC then tell your Deans.

I'm a music major in the percussion studio of my University as part of my composition degree. I can tell you for a fact that the percussion faculty at my school openly derides drum corps and marching percussion because the fundamentals of the technique used both in the front ensemble and in the battery are counter intuitive to an orchestral technique. It's a completely different type of stroke and approach to the instrument than playing in an orchestra, and when students are paying tens of thousands of dollars for an orchestral education, anything that diverts you from the path is seen as a distraction.

The one thing drum corps gives you is monster chops. However in terms of technique, it's a step backwards from an orchestral education.

The percussion faculty at my University (and others in my area) urge the students not to participate in drum corps unless they are able to smoothly transition from drum corps technique to orchestral technique, something that's not as easy as it sounds.

.....however really, this is a small part of the bigger clusterfunk that is your over arching argument, and I probably shouldn't have wasted the energy required to reply to you....oh well.

Edited January 28, 2012 by MarimbaManiac

[FHdork]

This is getting VERY funny...