Why do DMs Corps-Hop?

[regisminae]

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this thread to me is the way in which recent DMs have suddenly started to chime in, after being absent from the conversation on their motives for the first ten pages or so. Maybe we aren't understanding the situation from the outside.

My observations and experiences are of course limited, but it seems to me that corps are (still) looking for the best-qualified candidates as their drum majors, just as they have for decades. "Qualification" includes many different things, though - from what I've seen, corps administrators still pay attention to charisma, influence within the organization, a candidate member's history and character, etc. as well as any musicality or technical proficiency as a conductor. Physical skills can be taught and learned, but to change who you are is a lengthy and awkward process. Successful drum majors have always emerged because of who, not what, they were.

If there is a greater tendency for corps to pick up drum majors from other corps, it's not because they know how to conduct already. It's because someone who has spent a year as a drum major already is familiar with the experience. From what I've seen, different corps do use their majors in different ways, but there is a common thread through it all. I don't know that I'm equal to the task of concisely describing it, but I've known wonderful marchers and people who were not able to thrive as the air-traffic controllers, executive managers, motivational life-coaches, and triage dispatchers that drum majors now are often called to be. All this while being an 18-to-20-something, at the same time one of the gang and completely cut off from their peers. Even the best that I've seen fight with it. It very nearly broke me.

Another thing that may be different now compared to the past is the nature of the community of drum majors within DCI. It's only been in the past few years that they've been brought all together for any period of time outside of their summer schedule of rehearsals and post-show retreats. They know each other, they learn from each other, they value being part of the community with each other, and they get to see each other as people, rather than just as the dehumanized avatar of their corps. Being a drum major thus becomes what they are, so if they do happen to move between corps at some point in the future, they already have the network and the experience to do their job well, which at the end of the day is every drum major's dream.

Of course, even with all of the talk about drum majors who move around, it's easy to forget that most don't. Those that I have seen have been among the most loyal and proud members of their units, truly worthy representatives of the best in their corps. And if you get a chance to talk with any drum majors from the last decade or so, I think you'd be impressed not just with stories they could tell of good moments or hard moments, but their sense of perspective about their experience and how it fit within and was simply part of the greater mission of the corps around them.

[normy diploome]

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this thread to me is the way in which recent DMs have suddenly started to chime in, after being absent from the conversation on their motives for the first ten pages or so. Maybe we aren't understanding the situation from the outside.

My observations and experiences are of course limited, but it seems to me that corps are (still) looking for the best-qualified candidates as their drum majors, just as they have for decades. "Qualification" includes many different things, though - from what I've seen, corps administrators still pay attention to charisma, influence within the organization, a candidate member's history and character, etc. as well as any musicality or technical proficiency as a conductor. Physical skills can be taught and learned, but to change who you are is a lengthy and awkward process. Successful drum majors have always emerged because of who, not what, they were.

If there is a greater tendency for corps to pick up drum majors from other corps, it's not because they know how to conduct already. It's because someone who has spent a year as a drum major already is familiar with the experience. From what I've seen, different corps do use their majors in different ways, but there is a common thread through it all. I don't know that I'm equal to the task of concisely describing it, but I've known wonderful marchers and people who were not able to thrive as the air-traffic controllers, executive managers, motivational life-coaches, and triage dispatchers that drum majors now are often called to be. All this while being an 18-to-20-something, at the same time one of the gang and completely cut off from their peers. Even the best that I've seen fight with it. It very nearly broke me.

Another thing that may be different now compared to the past is the nature of the community of drum majors within DCI. It's only been in the past few years that they've been brought all together for any period of time outside of their summer schedule of rehearsals and post-show retreats. They know each other, they learn from each other, they value being part of the community with each other, and they get to see each other as people, rather than just as the dehumanized avatar of their corps. Being a drum major thus becomes what they are, so if they do happen to move between corps at some point in the future, they already have the network and the experience to do their job well, which at the end of the day is every drum major's dream.

Of course, even with all of the talk about drum majors who move around, it's easy to forget that most don't. Those that I have seen have been among the most loyal and proud members of their units, truly worthy representatives of the best in their corps. And if you get a chance to talk with any drum majors from the last decade or so, I think you'd be impressed not just with stories they could tell of good moments or hard moments, but their sense of perspective about their experience and how it fit within and was simply part of the greater mission of the corps around them.

What a wonderfully insightful and well presented post. Thank you.

[perc2100]

After reading all of this, I have a couple of observations. Now speaking from a different vantage point than all of you who have commented on this thread, a modern DM (08-09) of a finalist corps, Jim Jones runner-up,a non marching member, I think I am entitled to probably what may be the most accurate synopsis of this situation.

To start, most of you are incredibly off base, the veracity of some of the claims is FAR from an accurate description of what the DM/Conductor/Principal Conductor position is these days. I can assure you for almost ALL of the top 12 corps our position from a functional stand point is not very different corps to corps.If you question that, I can assure we communicate on tour every night with each other, before/after retreat, e-mail, etc. In fact Gene, made us almost incredibly accessible to each other. It is hard to read and see somewhat base-less arguments from people honestly who have never held the postion.

As mentioned prior, DMs aren't afforded the opportunity of a bad day. But also recognize, they are paying members that are held to an incredibly HIGHER standard than everyone who walks through the door as a MM. They are, part tour director, cheif student leader, motivator, liason between the staff and students, the director and the students, the volunteers and the students, the housing site contacts the staff and students, and the list goes on. Imagine 5 worlds colliding and that is the typical day of the modern drum major. It's fun and exciting, but again it's not a job, they pay just like every other member, have a seat partner like every other member (with a few rare exceptions) and so on. That being said there has to be an intrinsic value of "education" that must come from there experience. I personally looked at an education from a corps operations/music education perspective. I was blessed to learn from some of the best directors/a tour director/ brass caption head/and a percussion consultant in the activty, that CHANGED how I approach my own teaching and judging, non profit management, leadership etc. When there is something that threatens that educational experience, like most paying individuals when you yourself pay for a service, you take your business elsewhere. Further, from a MM perspective, if the corps can no longer meet the educational requirements a member seeks, they leave. I know the inline DM who left to go to Cavies. He's a great guy; I personally worked with him for 2 years. I also know him well enough to know that his education was better served at another ensemble. It has nothing to do with loyalty. He spent all (I'm pretty sure 7 years) of his marching career with that prior organization before he left. Don't tie anything to "my generations lack of loyalty and committment" We invest thousands of dollars (for some of you, it's your money) for 3 months out of the year for an education. We would be remise to make imprudent judgements on that investment in an environment that isn't enriching or cultivating. Imagine I take your entire 401k and Roth IRA and invest it in bit-coin. I'm pretty sure you'll be upset when I tell you I lost your life savings about 6-12 months from now. Which by the way at the rate in which we blow the activity into a financial behemoth, thats almost exactly kids have to do to march, that is to dump thousands of dollars into the activity. Or invest in a college degree for basket weaving for your son or daughter, and see if you don't feel like they just wasted thousands of your dollars.

I'll be honest being on the side podium sucks (I've been there, and you are just a metronome). You don't learn much and if your emphasis is on a well rounded education from the DM persepctive (corps/tour management, music education, leadership), you aren't getting it. I can count the number of organizations I have been a part of that I have seen the Asst. get cultivated on one hand, and that's because I'm having to help do it. So why not leave? I tell you what, go work in a dead end job, where you aren't learning, you aren't being cultivated and built up, you don't get any sort of praise (if you don't think it's a thankless job come spend 8 hrs with any one of us, I've been fortunate to be on both sides of the coin and you cherish the other side when it's there),you have a personality conflict with someone or a few people you are dotted line to, and see how unbearable of a situation that becomes and quickly.

Drum corps is supposed to be fun. In the least fun job that exists on the field, and I've personally been told by my directors in the past, "Your job sucks.", we find fun in doing what we do. DMs thrive on the stress the excitement and the opportunity.2% of what we do is on the podium. I remember numerous sleepless or 30-45 min nap nights to keep the corps going. When it ceases being fun or educational, like most normal people, we seek to find enjoyment by doing what we do elsewhere...

Great insight.

Also, FWIW, you're also pretty much describing High School band directors...