DCJ Drum Corps Juniors

[kpoole]

I have been involved with Drum Corps in one way or another from 1952 until today. While I love what I call traditional drum corps, I do believe there is a place for DCI. I do not agree with some of the changes, but I support them for the type of member they have. I have started a non-profit corporation that it's goal is to start a new division of Drum Corps called Drum Corps Juniors. DCI currently has over 80% of its participants over the age 17. There is a glaring lapse in the drum corps experience from the ages 11 to 17. Drum Corps provided me my only music education and it provided me a life long hobby of drumming. Over 95% of the participants from 1950 until 1975 received their music education from traditional drum corps. These kids need to be able to experience the drum corps learning experience in their own town. Some people have said the vehicle for this is already provided by each world classes B and C corps. Yes, they do, in the same format of the current DCI corps. For many reasons it needs to be more of a traditional concept to be able to teach, participate, provide local membership, and mainly keep costs down. The organization "Drum Corps Juniors" has put together a set of guidelines that we have mailed to more than 150 organizations including current corps that asked for the info and the interest is off the chart. A few of those guidelines are...Membership limited to 11 to 17 in age. Members must live in a nearby local city providing the sponsorship. Current type of brass instrumentation will be used but a drastically reduced percussion section is planned. Basically if it can be carried safely it will be allowed. Thus all members must march rather than in a pit format. All corps are required to have a Color Guard that must march in the traditional military style and be able to present the colors of the US at any event they participate in. Judging is still being investigated but will definitely be centered around accuracy and include a Marching and Maneuvering category. Uniform design is scaled back and must show some significance to their community or sponsor. ie The Chicago Firemen or Denver Rockies. Finally, absolutely no involvement of any type of recorded music, synthesizers etc.

Remember, this is not in place to replace the current Drug corp format but a program to allow for local participation of younger musicians. We need suggestions, assistance, involvement, and members that have the following experience....Marketing/Public Relations, Judging experience, Site Corps Directors, and many many more. There is an open meeting for all interested in supporting and assisting with our mission being held in Chicago, Illinois at the Marriott Oak Brook being held on Labor Day weekend. Please respond to me at ku3553@gmail. com if you want assist or participate in the upcoming meeting. If you are interested in becoming a Board Director please let me know!

Happy Independence Day!!!!!!!!

[lindap]

I've always been an advocate of youth since I was a youth. May I respectfully ask that you change the DCJ to JDC please. Thank you.

[DAvery]

Seems no one is taking this on. I'll give it a shot, I'm stupid. First of all I appreciate the attempt to turn back the clock, to put the toothpaste back in the tube - but it ain't going to happen.

Over 95% of the participants from 1950 until 1975 received their music education from traditional drum corps.

In those days there was a huge difference between bands and drum corps. Not so much today, the experience is pretty much the same. Not because drum corps changed that much, but because bands changed. They have become more like drum corps. Also, most would consider that "music education" of BITD drum corps very limited.

Members must live in a nearby local city providing the sponsorship.

How far away? 10 miles? 20 miles? And from where? Why is this important?

All corps are required to have a Color Guard that must march in the traditional military style and be able to present the colors of the US at any event they participate in.

What does "traditional military style" mean? The must have a 6 to 5 step? Goose step? What? And no corps from Canada?

Uniform design is scaled back and must show some significance to their community or sponsor. ie The Chicago Firemen or Denver Rockies

What does "scaled back" mean? So If they were from Las Vegas they could dress as pirates, drag queens or hookers , but if they are from Louisville they can only wear a uniform of baseball bats or horses? Or maybe bourbon?

So your target market are current non-band students? I don't see many band students becoming involved in these types of ensembles. And speaking as a band director I would probably not encourage my students to become involved in something like this. It would seem to have very limited musical value.

Anyway, I wish you luck in your endeavor. I understand your desires, to go back to a much simpler time. But's it's like trying to go back to a time when professional baseball players had to work in the off season because they didn't get paid enough to live on. How do you go back to that time? With all this money around, how do you get rid of it? How do you convince the kid who wants to march in BD, that he really wants to march in Louisville Baseball Bats?

I would think most of what you wish could be done with just limiting touring within the existing model. You could also easily mandate the age changes and require a color pre. You would probably need to start with a small area, say the Chicago area. Maybe get 5-6 organizations to start these corps. You would probably need to provide a clear business model for these organizations, as all they would know would be bands and/or DCI. Have a competition every Saturday night during the summer and a championship in August. Eventually you can expand the area. Good luck.

[Tim K]

I am currently involved with getting a band off the ground at a Catholic school and there have been some people who know I love drum corps who want me to make it a parish-wide activity and start a full fledged drum corps. There are two huge limitations. First, money. Second, there are no corps to compete against and I'm not sure parades and exhibitions would be enough to keep the interest of a child. I think there's also another challenge to the proposal as stated. I am a key of g guy at heart, love traditional guards, and grew up during the carry-on days. I respect it and see it all as an art form. However, I also know when I marched in a CYO band in a circuit that included drum corps and drill teams in the mid to late 70's, we all wanted to do what drum corps did, namely play like Madison, have a guard like 27th, all while imitating the Bridgemen. Last Wednesday night I was in Bristol and the stadium was field with high school kids. I can guarantee you they will all return to their schools excited to invigorate their music programs wanting to wear gray like BAC to create a mood, have the moves and sound of Bluecoats, blast everyone away with brass power and percussion attitude like Cadets with the elegance and strength of Phantom all while having the "let's have some fun here" like Surf. So I think we would have to have junior versions of what we see today.

However, we probably all have ideas of how something like this could work and we are certain our ideas are best, and perhaps they are. There is also the possibility that this plan, as written, could work. However, the original poster's stats are what w should be paying attention to, namely that 80% of those involved in drum corps are over the age of 18. It's my guess that in the past, with perhaps the exception of the elite corps, that the numbers were the opposite, namely that 80% were under the age of 18. If you want to see some examples, look at the 1975 Legacy DVD and watch Finleyville Royal Crusaders, the 1976 Guardsmen, or the 77 or 80 Garfield Cadets. This is something that should be a concern and while we could say that bands are now better and school programs have improved, the same can also be said of drama and athletics, and many communities have drama programs for young people outside of school and most of your better athletes have opportunities in club teams, travelling teams, or AAU programs outside of school. It would be great of we had programs for younger kids and World and Open Class would be something to aspire toward, although as I say this, there are lots of young people in Spartans and 7th Regiment this year and while I've only seen Raiders once this year, they looked rather young, and interestingly, all three corps look better!

Edited July 7, 2013 by Tim K