MikeD Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I guess the question is whether DCI-the-organization should have a presence or whether the individual DCI (and DCA) corps are the ones who belong at the event. I have seen a variety of DCI and DCA corps have recruiting tables at USBands shows I have attended. Going back a long way, here in NJ there were a bunch of individual shows with the kind of ratings you mention, but not an organized series like in Ohio. The state NJMEA organization used to sponsor a marching band festival that usually had one 'judge' who gave tapes to the bands, but no rating at all. Heaven forbid the state music educators actually would ever support a competition of any type back then! Also back in the 70's and into the 80's two of the NJ daily newspapers sponsored band festivals, the Herald News up in Clifton ran three Tuesdays in October, each night with 15 bands. Shows were a max of 7 minutes. since it was held at their school field the Clifton Mustang band got to perform at two of the shows. The Home News in Woodbridge also ran a festival, not sure how many bands were at that. Those shows were primarily attended by non-competitive bands, which at that time was most of them, though competitive bands often attended too. The only 'judge' at the Clifton show was a timing judge, always Moe Kazazian, a drum corps long-time judge. If a band was overtime two years in a row they got kicked out of the festival...and they held to this. OT: I worked the Clifton show while in college, and I also taught a band (Glen Ridge) that attended the show. The director was a former Cadet brass instructor. He taught his band the drill the 'drum corps way'...start at the left and exit out the right. Having worked the event, I gave him the bad news that at Clifton the band had to start at the right and exit out the left...he had to reteach the entire drill going the other way. Later on while assistant band director at a very good band near Clifton who also performed at the event (around 1977), we opened our show with Crown Imperial, starting in the corner in a block and opening into curving rays onto the field. The day we were performing at Clifton, the director and I went over the the field after school in our town and spray-painted dots on the field where the rays were supposed to end to give the kids marks to hit. We did this during the Clifton HS football practice, so we just walked around the field while the kids and coaches conducted practice as if we were supposed to be there! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Wonder if the Mid-States Band Association draws any attention from DCI or Glassmen (or Cincinnati Tradition). Being in the western part of the state, it might be out of range for Bluecoats. Interesting to note that according to your numbers, only about 20% to 25% of Ohio high schools have marching bands that "compete" (even including this OMEA rating system as "competition"). The band sizes surprise me. Were the bands you saw really as large as advertised? Sometimes, the number a band (or corps) puts in their pre-season PR does not fully materialize, or stay for the whole season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mingusmonk Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I guess the question is whether DCI-the-organization should have a presence or whether the individual DCI (and DCA) corps are the ones who belong at the event. I have seen a variety of DCI and DCA corps have recruiting tables at USBands shows I have attended. And DCI and corps have presence at some BOA events. There are 50 great states in the nation. How many have "state finals" events? How much $$ would go toward supplying and staffing 40-plus state events? At the large national/regional events (BOA, USBands, TOB, etc) you can cover more bands for your buck. Each of these hosts significant regional events with bands pulled from multiple states. Then they each host a championship of some sort, again from multiple states, and it spans multiple days across a weekend. I do like the idea of volunteers for "state" and smaller events. Have a standard promo packet. A volunteer can download and burn a DVD ISO, use FedEx office to print approved promos, etc, or just ship the stuff. FAQ material for volunteer to answer basic questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 when looking at the list of bands you put in your second post I noticed that during my years with Bluecoats I marched with kids from more than half of those schools listed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedawn Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Guys, band kids know about drum corps. They know how to join because they know how to use the computer. Bottom line is that drum corps isn't for every kid, and the finances involved are formidable. This is a lot of discussion about a problem that doesn't exist. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 The circuit I am tied to, Tournament of Bands has allowed corps to set up booths at their Championships for as long as i can remember, DCA and DCI, and do as well for their indoor Championships. I know DCI has print ads, and if you have looked the last few years, a TOB banner has hung at DCI regionals and finals. Local show hosts often allow corps to set stuff up...I know Jersey Surf and the Raiders are very active DCI wise at our shows, and DCA has several corps that have as well. Surf has also been an active sponsor in the TOB All Star Band that marches in the Philly Thanksgiving Parade every year, helping out with rehearsal space, feeding the kids, transportation and equipment. As the former percussion coordinator for the TOB All Star Band, my personal thanks can never be said enough to Surf for their assistance over the last 4 years with that project. Cavalcade of Bands, another local circuit, approaches things the same way we do. for USBands run events, if it is a local show hosted by a school, I have seen a variety of corps set up. if it is a USBands major show run and staffed by only YEA, then no other corps are invited. Likewise, I don't see YEA set up atany other circuits, but since several bands in our region do multiple circuits, they get the exposure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Also, there are two circuits in Western PA, PIMBA and LMBA, but I have no idea what they do...not driving to Erie to find out :tongue:/> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold_Bond Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Given that many WC Corps are having hundreds more auditionees show up at camp then there are positions in the corps, I think they'd disagree about any opportunuties being missed. "Kids" who want to march know the way, and the ones that don't wouldn't change their mind anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Gold Bond - I think you have indeed a valid point. But on the other hand, demand is still not high enough to facilitate creation of new corps, so more demand is still needed. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 (edited) Gold Bond - I think you have indeed a valid point. But on the other hand, demand is still not high enough to facilitate creation of new corps, so more demand is still needed. Mike One of the problems is that too many kids will try out for the top corps and if they don't make the cut, then they don't want to march. There are still lots of Corps... many with terrifically talented and caring staff...that have trouble filling out a full Corps. There is too much of an elitist attitude among too many kids and their parents these days that they have to... need to... march with the elite World Class Corps or forget it. Thats a shame, imo. Edited December 12, 2012 by BRASSO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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