The staff merrigoround

[perc2100]

This quote is going to garner my first post on here in a year or two lol. Without trying to sound condescending, I am quite positive that Crown is happy with Thom Hannum as their percussion caption head. From an outsider's perspective it looks like they are only in the first stages of building their percussion program. Keep in mind that Matt Harloff and Donnie Vandoren came to Crown in 2003 and it took 7 seasons before they won the Jim Ott in 2009.

To me it's obvious that Crown percussion program doesn't have that far to climb but sometimes it can take a few years of recruiting and teaching before things really start to come together and gel...no matter how good the staff is. We can't all be as lucky as Star of Indiana '93 when Hannum brought in a truck load of his very finest and DCI-experienced students from UMass all at once.

(Not to derail, but coming from a guy in the brassline that year, the first camp I saw our percussion line, thoughts of the first US Olympic Basketball "Dream Team" came to mind...a true embarrassment of riches. The collective experience of the battery alone almost equaled the hornline ;) lol)

Very well said. It's easy to look at recaps this season and see the glaring deficiency score-wise of the percussion section, but that obviously doesn't come close to telling the full story. You make a great point about how long it took for the brass staff to build up their program, and even with DCI HoF designers & Caption Heads you typically can't build a Championship program overnight or in a season or two. And while Crown's percussion this year was not Sanford-contending by any stretch, they were good enough to keep the corps in the hunt & to win DCI: it's not ideal to have your goal "don't cost the corps DCI," but it's still a great effort to accomplish

[kdaddy]

You present an interesting question for those unfamiliar with Cadet history.

Cavaliers' music arranger Dr. Drew Shanefield, Crown's visual designer Leon May, Cadets' visual designer Jeff Sacktig, Bluecoats' visual designer Jon Vanderkoff, and former Boston Crusaders' and Crossmen's visual designer and still Cadets' drill tech Professor Jason DeGroff all marched next to each other in the same Cadet soprano line for several seasons. Each teched for a bit at Cadets, but it was really a case of so much talent and new opportunities for growth.

Michael Klesch, Crown's music arranger, marched Cadets as a Holy Bass Drummer, then as DM, then as music arranger and brass instructor; he dealt with Hopkins as a student, then a peer, now two gurus. One of the Harloffs also graced Cadet halls along the way before landing at Crown. Ditto for former Cadet contra Chad Pence now of Boston's staff.

Cavaliers' guard designer Andy Toth marched Cadets guard for a while while both Crown's visual/program man Keith Potter and color guard whiz Rosie Miller Queen marched in the Cadets' Color guard, taught by fabulous guard icons Peggy Twiggs and April Gilligan Martinez.

Again, so much talent and so many opportunities.

Percussion wise, Dr. Thom Hannum, Hopkin's college roommae at West Chester State, did teach Cadets percussion where he taught Tom Aungst. Hannum was part of the Star of Indiana faculty bought by Bill Cook and now arranges for Crown. Aungst went on to teach great Cadet drum lines and returned this summer to consult, to clinic, and to clean. He taught Zack Schichtler, Crown's percussion man while Hannum arranges there now, in the Cadet drumline. But Tom Aungst is also a parent whose son marched Crown this year (to keep that father-son relationship more special than an instructor-student relationship.) Dad won the drum trophy, son won the World Class gold. And there is the irony that a Holy Bass drummer, Michael Klesch, now Crown's music genius, has won the Ott award three peat and now a World Class trophy with Crown as well. What bloodlines!

I probably forgot someone in this mix amongst the parents (Cadets), the kids (Star), and the grandkids, (Crown). Salutes to all these corps. We're all family, and sometimes hassle as most siblings do but the love and respect remains even when not always voiced.

This is outstanding. Thanks a bunch for this!

[bernie_VKpit]

Cavaliers are reporting that Mike McIntosh is the new percussion caption head for the 2014 season.

http://t.co/EyVlIRysE7

Great news for the Green Machine?

[MikeN]

... hasn't he done it since 2010?

Mike

[actucker]

Cavaliers are reporting that Mike McIntosh is the new percussion caption head for the 2014 season.

http://t.co/EyVlIRysE7

Great news for the Green Machine?

While I have a ton of respect for Brian Tinkel and his abilities as an educator, McIntosh has presided over some of the best drum lines Cavaliers have ever seen. Him getting more involved is nothing but good news.

[UTLonghorn15]

... hasn't he done it since 2010?

Mike

He's been the arranger, but not the caption head, to clarify things.

[bernie_VKpit]

He's been the arranger, but not the caption head, to clarify things.

Correct. Just the arranger and designer.

[GREENBLUE]

While I have a ton of respect for Brian Tinkel and his abilities as an educator, McIntosh has presided over some of the best drum lines Cavaliers have ever seen. Him getting more involved is nothing but good news.

Tinkel did a fantastic job. In fact,much better then most expected (2011 high drums) but its exciting to hear McIntosh is back as caption head as well as designer.

Now to see what happens with the brass and drill.

[Stu]

Tinkel did a fantastic job. In fact,much better then most expected (2011 high drums) but its exciting to hear McIntosh is back as caption head as well as designer.

Now to see what happens with the brass and drill.

This is indicative to the revolving door staff problems all corps, except BD, seem to have. In most all corps, sans BD, when a corps wins a few captions some of the staff bails the next season for another corps; or if a caption that was previously winning happens to drop into a slump the corps administration shakes up the staff to garner someone they hope is better. However with BD: if the percussion, brass, whatever, takes fifth in their caption one year, wins their caption the next year, then drops back to fifth the next, ect.... Does BD fire Johnson, fire Downey, fire Meehan? Nope. Does Johnson, Downey, or Meehan quit? Nope. BD administration along with those aforementioned names stick it out together; they grit their teeth together; win or place fourth they come together as a loyal unit and attack the next season together. And then people in other corps, or on the outside looking in, wonder how the heck BD attains all of those 15 rings. Answer; they stick together through the thick and thin; they do not look elsewhere when they win; they do not look elsewhere for the better ride when they have a slump; they do not panic and can staff when a slump season occurs; they force themselves to suck it up and fix things 'together'.

[drilltech1]

This is indicative to the revolving door staff problems all corps, except BD, seem to have. In most all corps, sans BD, when a corps wins a few captions some of the staff bails the next season for another corps; or if a caption that was previously winning happens to drop into a slump the corps administration shakes up the staff to garner someone they hope is better. However with BD: if the percussion, brass, whatever, takes fifth in their caption one year, wins their caption the next year, then drops back to fifth the next, ect.... Does BD fire Johnson, fire Downey, fire Meehan? Nope. Does Johnson, Downey, or Meehan quit? Nope. BD administration along with those aforementioned names stick it out together; they grit their teeth together; win or place fourth they come together as a loyal unit and attack the next season together. And then people in other corps, or on the outside looking in, wonder how the heck BD attains all of those 15 rings. Answer; they stick together through the thick and thin; they do not look elsewhere when they win; they do not look elsewhere for the better ride when they have a slump; they do not panic and can staff when a slump season occurs; they force themselves to suck it up and fix things 'together'.

Will somebody please hit the needle arm! This broken record keeps playing the same blurb over and over and over and over again...