Drum Corps interest

[JimF-LowBari]

Jr in HS and looking for somewhere to keep playing horn after I graduate as local Community College didn't have anything. And the local community bands had reputation of having ancient members. Follow band member asked if I wanted to join a "Drum Corps" that had just started. I was wondering why he asked since I played horn (not kidding) but said I'd stop by as place was 4 miles away.

Three months later that corps merged with my next corps as they were getting back on the field.

About 5 months after that I saw my first show and got interested.

Following month at our home show saw the toughest bunch of bleepers (NY Skyliners) ever to hit the field and thought "This is a #### of a lot more fun than MB".

Few weeks later finally competed in my first show....

During that time got to ride with some long term (decades long) members and filled in on the corps and DC history. Hooked baby....

Edited September 22, 2012 by JimF-LowBari

[Bruckner8]

1978 (Freshman in HS), saw the PBS broadcast. I only remember 27, PR, BD and above all, SCV. I asked my band director about it the next day. "You won't like it cuz they play the same music all summer, sleep on gym floors, live on busses and practice all day."

He failed to mention THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT AWESOME! lol, I was 14 yrs old, so everyone in those drum corps looked like gods. I assumed I had no shot anyway.

1979 or 1980, saw the broadcast again. Same convo with band director, but he said there'd be a drum corps at one of our band shows that fall. (I think they were called the Northern Lights, from Toledo area or SE MI) They weren't very good, but their sound was cool. Technically, my first live drum corps experience, lol.

1983, I meet a tuba player in college band. He played contra with SCV that summer. Next thing I know, I'm marching SCV in 1984.

[c mor]

At age eight, I saw the annual Lions Club Parade. The two local high school bands would trade each year being the first band, and the last band. In the middle, the local drum corps marched. I was captivated by the drum lines. I would run along side of the first band for a while...then run back to the corps and follow them...then to the last band. I did this every year for about six years. I also started drum lessons.

During the summer, the drum corps practiced at the high school field near my house. Finally, I turned 12. During one of their rehearsals, I walked up to someone on the sideline and told them I wanted to join. The director had me bring my mom back, and explained I was a little young. He said "Come back when your 14." Every time I saw/heard them at the field, I would go watch for a while.

Once I turned 14, I kept looking for when they would practice. It was summer 1971, and I went to a practice and joined. That day, they gave me a pair of cymbals, and the drum major took me aside and taught me some marching basics. I was learning a spot in the drill by the end of the day.

The fall season brought the start of a new drum corps year. Bob Kalkoffen came to teach. He sat us down in the music room of the junior high school at which we practiced, and let us know he was going to teach us to read music. He quickly scribbled some notes on the chalkboard, turned around and asked, "That probably looks like Chinese to you, doesn't it?" Most everyone else was nodding their head yes in agreement, but I was shaking my no, as it was, really, an easy 16th note pattern.

He scanned the room....and he saw me. He pointed at me. "YOU, PLAY THIS!" I, was, terrified!!! "me?" "I don't have any sticks." "Just tap it on the desk." he replies. I played the notes with my hands on the desk. He paused and stared at me. Then he whipped back around to the blackboard, and wrote another pattern. "Play this one." I did. "Your playing snare."

[chaos001]

That was no accident...It was meant to be.

O Fortuna, velut luna!

I'm sure my bank account would say otherwise. lol.

I was already into marching band by watching our local hs's at football games (they were quite good and competitive), but what I saw on TV took what i knew of the marching arts to another level.

[Marianne]

My two older sisters were recruited into corps by their HS friends. They were in a year or two when I guess I was considered "of age" (at the ripe old age of 10). Mom sits me down on a chair in the kitchen and asks me if I want to be in the drum corps with my two older sisters. I say "yes, of course I do!" The concept of actually being invited into something my two older sisters were doing was pretty alien to me, as usually they shunned me and tried ot keep me out of thier lives.

First rehearsal, and a girl of my approximate age and physical build latches on to me and tells me I am destined to be her partner as a fellow rifle. Apparently at the time, they paired people up on equipment by how they were built, all in the name of uniformity or something. By the time I was actually in the rifle line, such pairings up never happened. But my heart and soul was in that little stick of wood (and for a time, moulded plastic).

For the first year or so, my position was as a rifle carrying guard to the American Flag (who happened to be my oldest sister). I learned to spin on the side in my spare time. One season, they needed an extra flag on the line in the corps show. Back then we served mostly as "markers" with each horn squad. Our flag work was pretty much just dips and pike positions and stuff. I don't ever remember spinning a flag while marching. I think it was basically our duty to do the drill, while the horn members guided off of us as they concentrated on playing thier music. This was also during the time of color guard shows in the summer, along with doing a corps show. I was still in the American Squad for the guard show, then had to run behind the bleachers and take off my uniform top to slap on a flag carrying sling, then put my uniform top on again. This was in the days of real live tops, not jacket overlays. So the quick change was a bit embarrsing for me. Then I'd march the corps show.

For parades, I also marched in the American Squad, but learned the parade rifle work just in case I was ever needed in the line. One weekend, my next oldest sister convinced me it would be a cool thing to stay up all night and not go to bed. So I went along with it. Problem was, it was the night before a parade. And, as luck would have it, when we got to the parade, I was suddenly thrust into the rifle line to do rifle work right along with the veterans. Serves me right I suppose.

Finally, one year as we begin to get ready for learning our color guard show, I am certain I'll finally be put on the "working rifle line." Much to my chagrine, I'm put in the American Squad once again. This time I'm ticked off. I deserve to be in that line. I start working out by going outside each day at home and strengthening my muscles by doing hundreds of spins on each hand, and tosses on each hand over and over and over. Finally, I challenge a girl on the line for her spot and win. I never looked back. Like I said, being in the rifle line was my heart and soul. A whole different world now, where guard members learn every piece of equipment.

[contrajedi8]

High school drum major camp.

One of the instructors marched 95 Cavaliers color guard.

Showed us the finals tape.

I was hooked.

[DallasManUFan]

By accidentally turning the channel on the TV to PBS in 1989.

Same thing only two years earlier. '87 Santa Clara Vanguard is my favorite show to this day.

[drumcorpsfever]

My brother-in-law, a drum corps alum himself, said you get a uniform, music instrument, march in parades, compete in shows, and get to travel. That's all I needed to hear. At 13 years old, I was handed a baritone horn - never played in my life. Less than a week later, I'm in a parade! Seven years in drum corps afterwards.

It's a game-changer for sure!

Edited September 26, 2012 by drumcorpsfever

[kdaddy]

By accidentally turning the channel on the TV to PBS in 1989.

Similar, but four years later in 1993. Still my favorite top six, along with my favorite Cadets, PR, and probably BD shows. Twenty years next summer... ####.

[MikeD]

As a 10 1/2 year old in 1964 my dad signed me up with the drum corps at his VFW post, the Hilltoppers. I was in the feeder corps; the 'big corps' was a decent Garden State Circuit corps, class 'B' in that era. First show I saw was the corps home show that had the big class A corps. I was a runner who ran to get a judge's sheets after each corps. I sat in a folding chair on the field area and saw Blessed Sac, Garfield, St Lucy's, St Kevin's, Audobon Bonbons and others.

The VFW adults fought each other and ruined the Hilltoppers; most of the big corps split off to form the Imperial Guardsmen, sponsored by St Raphael's church. The feeder became the only Hilltoppers in 65; we did parades only. dad made me stay with them through the summer of 67, and even he finally saw we'd never make the field, so he let me join the Guardsmen, who were a mid-level GSC corps. Played snare in 68 and double bass in 69 (I was big enough to carry the darn thing!!!).

After 68 a large group of Guardsmen joined Garfield, but I stayed an other year. After 69 a bunch of us decided to move to a class 'A' corps; our favorite was the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, so we started to check them out. Even though they were my favorite corps growing up, and I helped build their double tenors (a very smart Bobby Thompson using them to entice me!), I decided on Garfield, as I had more friends there. Played cymbals in 70 (I decided too late to join, so that is all that was left), triple tenor in 71 and baritone in 72.