Phantom's Percussions future....

[PRPhan4ever]

I have to take issue with one statement, The judge liked content better than performance but still not with the top 5. Lower on Friday. I think Fergussion formally at Glassmen and director at matrix would be a great choice. The brass arrangements over the past couple of years have been mediocre at best. Need a change there too

I agree ... brass has to 'meld' with the battery as a whole ensemble unit -- hasn't been that way the past 3 years. One, they need a 'draw' -- someone with a good track record to attrack talent & KEEP IT! (future MM's & tech staff) Will others in DCI instructor positions 'want to leave' where they may be currently to head over to Regiment to try and cure all their ills? I highly doubt it -- NOT without a hefty price tag attached. They may have to shell out big $$$ for a name to write 2014 & beyonds percussion, and, additional $$ for others to teach it! I truly thought, that when Rennick & Shaw as well as jamey Thompson teamed up in 2006... I was like: "They FINALLY have got some good name talent that may stick around a while" It did for a while. Well, Jamey went with other corps, Shaw & Rennick stayed till 2010 and that was that .... I hate to think of what will happen in Rockford, but, it's painfully evident that what is/who is in place now may not be the best for what PR needs (or wants). As others have pointed out, Brass, is not far behind percussion in need of improvement. 2012 score/brass book was already written before Don Hill went to PR, and since then, the writting at times is disjointed and either one volume or very piecemeal. take this year... the pieces did not seem to fit together IMHO. ( SEE: http://livingattheopera.com/blog/2012/07/22/a-musical-marriage-made-in-the-heavens-phantom-regiment-drum-and-bugle-corps-and-giacomo-puccinis-opera-turandot/ ) If "I" were in the upper eschelon of Regiment's Board, I may have to decide who to keep, and who not to. Keep Gains & Thompson and put out the 'in search of sign...' for percussion and brass... it's a sad scenarion, but kids march where they want to, for the music, instructors they want to be taught by and play. Easy to surmize... no abundance of talent showing up in Rockford, no congruent staff & teaching from year to year.... may signal trouble on the horizon

Edited August 12, 2013 by PRPhan4ever

[chaos001]

I agree ... brass has to 'meld' with the battery as a whole ensemble unit -- hasn't been that way the past 3 years. One, they need a 'draw' -- someone with a good track record to attrack talent & KEEP IT! (future MM's & tech staff) Will others in DCI instructor positions 'want to leave' where they may be currently to head over to Regiment to try and cure all their ills? I highly doubt it -- NOT without a hefty price tag attached. They may have to shell out big $$$ for a name to write 2014 & beyonds percussion, and, additional $$ for others to teach it! I truly thought, that when Rennick & Shaw as well as jamey Thompson teamed up in 2006... I was like: "They FINALLY have got some good name talent that may stick around a while" It did for a while. Well, Jamey went with other corps, Shaw & Rennick stayed till 2010 and that was that .... I hate to think of what will happen in Rockford, but, it's painfully evident that what is/who is in place now may not be the best for what PR needs (or wants). As others have pointed out, Brass, is not far behind percussion in need of improvement. 2012 score/brass book was already written before Don Hill went to PR, and since then, the writting at times is disjointed and either one volume or very piecemeal. take this year... the pieces did not seem to fit together IMHO. ( SEE: http://livingattheopera.com/blog/2012/07/22/a-musical-marriage-made-in-the-heavens-phantom-regiment-drum-and-bugle-corps-and-giacomo-puccinis-opera-turandot/ ) If "I" were in the upper eschelon of Regiment's Board, I may have to decide who to keep, and who not to. Keep Gains & Thompson and put out the 'in search of sign...' for percussion and brass... it's a sad scenarion, but kids march where they want to, for the music, instructors they want to be taught by and play. Easy to surmize... no abundance of talent showing up in Rockford, no congruent staff & teaching from year to year.... may signal trouble on the horizon

This year's music didn't flow well at all. The GE Music scores reflected that as well as the brass score Finals night where Lo thought they were out playing their content. The musical changes made from the camps to Finals were disappointing. It was definitely a less musical score after it got hacked to pieces by the brass staff.

[Phantombari1]

The bottom line for me is what future is being built that will sustain the corp. at the top. At this point it seems like it's an "if we (Farrell's) aren't running things, no body will" scenario.

Which might explain the inconsistencies.

[eric49]

The bottom line for me is what future is being built that will sustain the corp. at the top. At this point it seems like it's an "if we (Farrell's) aren't running things, no body will" scenario.

Which might explain the inconsistencies.

I think you have hit the nail squarely on the head!!!!!!!!!

[fatbrassboy]

As an instructor (keyboard & brass -- NOT with a drum corps but with orchestra's and private students) I have to ask what type of talent is Phantom recruiting? Meaning, those drummers who want to march Phantom and not play as well as others (DCI corps ) just to fill the line? Or, those with extreme skills, that want to march Phantom because of it's traditions, history, music selection etc or -- as in the past 3 years a caption head who has vast knowledge experience as an indoor instructor, attempting to write for a HUGELY competetive DCI genre and isn't ensuring said 'talent' meets the rquirements of the book written? It happens .... To me, not being a percussionist, it (the past 3 yrs ) doesn't seem to flow with the music (and that is a whole different story - or cause for concern) -- unlike Rennick's writting, (both Sandy & Paul ) it was smooth, integrated and flowed with and throughout the brass parts. Not so with Shane's writting .... is it as it's been mentioned because the tech staff has changed, teaching styles vary and that could be another key point as well. Are the instructors teaching the SAME THING the SAME WAY? Students like adults, learn in various ways & speeds.. but if the talent is not there to begin with ... it may to be to no avail!

I have watched alot of videos (I know that says nothing s far as the teaching skills of those tech's or Shane's ability to write a good book ) and there are some good parts here & there ... but the pit seems (to me) have they're own thing, and the line theirs -- at times it doesn't even seem to fit. In the competetive nature of DCI, IT HAS TO! That is part of the judging criteria Yes there will be staff turnover, there will be new kids at camp next year... new book to write, but I just don't think Phantom has gotten better in the last 3 years... they have, as scores/sheets will show either been stagnant... or, gotten worse

How does an organization fix this? You (Phantom) will never get the Rennick's back... Marty Hurley is sadly gone ... BUT you can go out an seek a student of theirs (Rennick, Hurley etc) that will teach what is obviously working in DCI right now and that is having a great drumline/pit, year in and year out. What I see with Vanguard is the same CONSISTANT, CONSICE, TECHNIQUE and flow from pit to line to ensemble and it WORKS! I haven't heard that w/Regiment since 2010. SCV this year sounded GORGEOUS! And... hey... Regiment..... like others have pointed out... Rennick (or whomever) can be paid to write a book even tho he isn't on staff a Caption Head ... and others paid to teach it, but keep in mind those paid to teach it better be up to the challenge of playing it themselves as it was written and teaching it consistantly! having the same staff with teaching ideals that are the same is what makes that even more valuable. I think Shane is a great guy with mounds of technical skills and prowess when it comes to indoor percussion... but DCI, maybe not. Only the "Powers That Be" at Regiment are able to assess his skills and his work to date. Sadly, it hasn't given them anything to really say "We know it was the right thing".

Two words: JOHN WOOTON

[general_tsos_chicken2]

Two words: JOHN WOOTON

remember in 89 when PR didn't win because a weak percussion section?

lol ok, that was a long time ago

Edited August 12, 2013 by general_tsos_chicken2

[olddawg]

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Edited January 30, 2014 by olddawg

[kdaddy]

It seems that winning three Sanford trophies in five years has clouded a history that is peppered most commonly with 7th place finishes. Rennick's tenure is the best on average for Phantom's percussion sections. There are no excuses for the last three years, but it's important to note that the placements in Rennick's term are not the historic norm for Phantom's percussion.

Concurred.

Further, Regiment as a corps has finished in, what, an average of 5th or 6th over its history?

As much as we need to keep in mind this perspective, it's also important to think about the situation surrounding the finish. A "good year" is the culmination of many things, not just placement. As a fan, a 6th place finish doesn't bother me in the slightest, but I don't think it was a "good year."

[Johnwooton]

remember in 89 when PR didn't win because a weak percussion section?

lol ok, that was a long time ago

I beg to differ. 1989 is perhaps the best drum line I have ever been associated with. It was not a weak line. I don't ever like to make excuses but there was a judge that was biased. Someone Marty Hurley knew personally and they were mortal enemies. That line played really well that night and every night in 89. I usually use poor marks from the judges as fuel for the fire to get better. But this was different, it was the last show of the season and there was no getting better for that year. The drum judge single handedly stole the championship from the Phantom Regiment because of a grudge he had with Marty Hurley.

[Tim K]

Overall I enjoyed Phantom's show this year, but I felt they lost interest in the show as it came to the end of the season, which was the opposite of last year where at the end of the season, they got better and better. Last year's show was more difficult to perform and I would argue more engaging. There are two qualities of 2012 that were pure PR: an all classical book and a guard that did all kinds of great equipment work. I thought this year was similar to "Juliet," a pure story and included film music as well as classical, but unlike "Juliet" it was not new. I say this knowing that Phantom did have the arrangement I thought was the most beautiful musical moment of eth season--"Enigma Variations" moved me. However, even this arrangement lost steam in Indy.

I would say to Phantom: go back to what works best, straight classical music, especially music by 19th century composers. A person suiting near me in Indy though a PR revisit of Saint Seans Symphony #3 the way they did "New World Symphony" would be a great choice. I'd suggest Beethoven's 9th, perhaps with the film "Immortal Beloved" as a story. Also, use the guard for more than dancing. Keep it all female--it works, but somehow include a "Rockford File."

Since 1974, Phantom has placed everywhere from 11th to 1st, they'll rebound..