Missing Corps

[JimF-LowBari]

But that is the thing, to get younger alumni corps out there, and get younger members involved in alumni corps. Because without that, the alumni corps are going to die off, most likely sooner than the competitive corps. Look at Reilly working very hard to get younger blood into the corps, by changing up their tunes and arrangements. :thumbup:/>/> Bridgemen are getting an influx of younger members and playing (from what their show lists) a good amount of '80's tunes, :thumbup:/>/>

If you have alumni corps out there playing 80's and 90's stuff, the younger people will come and that part of the activity won't die. Will the older crowd appreciate it? I would hope so, because if not, they are showing how selfish they are by only wanting to keep that portion of the activity for themselves.

Stalking at lunch time and wanted to respond as feel Liz and Jeff are on the same track as me. Haven't been gigging with the corps for a while but Hanover also has gotten younger over the last few years. In that case the BoD asked the members for ideas on how to survive long term. More than one response included "get away from mostly parade tunes" and in essence "more variety in the book". Seeing how long it's been since the area had a competing DC (who was the last before Westshore went inactive?) the only chance for survival IMO is to recruit folks who never did corps. Hell.. best bet is to go after people who aren't even sure what DC is about but might want to do "whatever the #### that group with drums and horns does".

Might be my lack of experience with other Alumni-type corps plus not being a Hanover alumni but think the corps might have a different "feel" of what they are. I tongue in cheek call them a town band that happens to be a drum corps but might be closer to the truth than I let on. When music is selected IMO it's to bring more variety to the audience and members and less "now this is Drum Corps". Since then the Bari line has gotten bigger and younger (thank GOODNESS) so something is going right.

And singing part of "Ave Maria" and "Men of Harlech"? Doubt if that stuff was ever dreamed of when the competing corps went kerplunk in the early 80s....

Edited May 8, 2013 by JimF-LowBari

[LegalEagle50]

And even though I haven't seen Hanover, I realized after I posted that I hadn't given them props, because from everything I have heard, they are on the track that will keep people coming in, instead of heading out (to the great beyond). I'm sorry if that upsets anyone, but sometimes you have to look at the cold hard facts. We talk about the competitive corps dying off all that time, but we tiptoe around the idea of alumni corps dying off because, frankly, well....people are dying.

This thread started off about Missing Corps. It would be a shame if 20 years from now we are sitting around saying "Remember when there were actual alumni corps?"

[JimF-LowBari]

And even though I haven't seen Hanover, I realized after I posted that I hadn't given them props, because from everything I have heard, they are on the track that will keep people coming in, instead of heading out (to the great beyond). I'm sorry if that upsets anyone, but sometimes you have to look at the cold hard facts. We talk about the competitive corps dying off all that time, but we tiptoe around the idea of alumni corps dying off because, frankly, well....people are dying.

This thread started off about Missing Corps. It would be a shame if 20 years from now we are sitting around saying "Remember when there were actual alumni corps?"

LOL - no offense taken as Hanover as always been off the beaten track in more ways than one... :rolleyes:/>

As for your other points the best (and scariest) line I heard about Alumni shows was a few years ago from someone who has been around corps longer than I have been alive (but sees things in a factual way): "Get the feeling we're playing for each other?"

And back to on topic (but relates to the Alumni type) discussions: used to be parades were a good way for corps to make themselves known to the public and potential members. Now there are less corps in parades due to less corps and the paying parades in the Northeast have tighter budgets. Add to taht the Alumni tpye corps that are getting older and can parade less.

OK - back to real life and off here for a while... so might respond in a week to whatever Liz posts....

Edited May 8, 2013 by JimF-LowBari

[MCL_Contra]

This one hits me harder since I was really impressed with the growth of this corps and after watching their show in 2009 I thought they would really become a corps to be reckoned with. It is very difficult to maintain an Open Class corps.

Yes it is as Music City Legend found out after 2009. We do still hope to be back soon though. In the mean time Mini-Corps will have to pave the way.

[Jeff Ream]

But that is the thing, to get younger alumni corps out there, and get younger members involved in alumni corps. Because without that, the alumni corps are going to die off, most likely sooner than the competitive corps. Look at Reilly working very hard to get younger blood into the corps, by changing up their tunes and arrangements. Bridgemen are getting an influx of younger members and playing (from what their show lists) a good amount of '80's tunes,

If you have alumni corps out there playing 80's and 90's stuff, the younger people will come and that part of the activity won't die. Will the older crowd appreciate it? I would hope so, because if not, they are showing how selfish they are by only wanting to keep that portion of the activity for themselves.

we've lived on 80's and 90's stuff exclusively at Westshore since 2002. Now we aren't as big as we were 3/4 years ago, but moving our only gig down the road 45 minutes scared some people off.

and do NOT want to do drill or parades. One show a year is enough