OC Euph Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 The thing is, that is what happens to the mid and lower level corps. And despite that problem crown has been a power recently. Bluecoats too, despite not winning a championship yet. Slow and steady wins the race. Get great and innovative staff, have them buy into a philosophy, and keep the staff. If the talent is there then you will get it. And if the philosophy is good and the players buy in, some will stay. Some will leave regardless. And I hope this to be entirely true! We have seen a decline in the music arts in schools due to budget cuts, but I don't think we have a lack in Talent, just a lack of opportunity to showcase and build on these talents. recruiting will play a HUGE part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland1 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 And I hope this to be entirely true! We have seen a decline in the music arts in schools due to budget cuts, but I don't think we have a lack in Talent, just a lack of opportunity to showcase and build on these talents. recruiting will play a HUGE part. Well OCs first year in WC and they didn't lose any steps. I can only imagine the pride of the members that stuck around and aged out this year. I can imagine a decent amount staying this next season, its up to the leaders of the OC and cascades to build that sort of desire to stay and build something great. Imagine the crown players that built crown over the past two decades, especially in that jump to WC. Im not saying that the feeling the current champions have is not as great, but it would have been impossible without the corps members staying on and building the corps. I know they appreciate their effort in making crown what it is, and im sure the former members are immensely proud of what has been accomplished recently. The crown model can be replicated. NW might be the place to do it. That being said, each corps with few exceptions has had a rough patch in their history. Either rough to get going, or some kind of rebuilding mode in the middle of the their existence. We can't rush this process though. But OC has an edge on the cascades. Maybe renaming cascades to the seattle cascades? Give it a more firm identity regionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewubrassman1 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 There are definitely a few thing that need to happen with the Cascades organization: -RECRUITMENT: I tech with 2 high school marching bands in the NW, and neither gets any recruitment or exposure to the Cascades with the exception of the obligatory tent at each fall show. Is this the only thing that needs to change? Absolutely not. Oregon and Spokane have similar recruitment philosophies, yet their numbers reflect good health. What is missing? -THE SHOW: They cannot continue to play generic "McDrumCorps" shows. All this "artistic" original music with a seemingly-random theme glued on top just isn't going to work. The show absolutely plays into the ability to recruit. Oregon plays solid arrangements of recognizable music with a compelling theme. I'm not saying Seattle needs to do that verbatim, but they could definitely handle a little "re-branding." SCV and Madison have had wild success with this as recent as this year. Their shows are emotional and compelling, and you better believe they are seeing new levels of talent (though perhaps REnewed is more accurate) because of this. -THE MEMBERS: I know when I marched, there was a speech given at the end of tour that was all about going back to your individual programs and not being a total jerk because you just got done marching in the big time. I'm not sure if this speech is still given, but I can say from experience that not all MMs heed that advice. I've had kids in both of my programs come back completely changed. Some ways, for the better (technique, rehearsal etiquette, etc), but their demeanor and leadership has left MUCH to be desired. Other members of those groups see this, and think to themselves (and aloud) that marching DCI turns you into a jerk, and they no longer want anything to do with it. Perhaps a little damage control to this end would serve to help recruitment as well? These are just a few of my opinions. I know I kind of hit on some of the things other people have said. I've been stewing on this all summer, and really needed to finally get it off my chest! Let me know what you think! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv4corps Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 (edited) I would hate for Cascades to fold, but I don't think we are quite at that point yet. The Cascades supporters I talked to indicated that there are some dedicated folks behind this corps. They want to press on, to build slowly and realistically and to my knowledge, which is albeit not first hand, they are NOT considering folding. I did hear something that maybe someone else can corroborate. On semis day Cascades suited up and did a full on performance run-through at their housing site. Edited August 12, 2013 by luv4corps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavie95 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 There are definitely a few thing that need to happen with the Cascades organization: -RECRUITMENT: I tech with 2 high school marching bands in the NW, and neither gets any recruitment or exposure to the Cascades with the exception of the obligatory tent at each fall show. Is this the only thing that needs to change? Absolutely not. Oregon and Spokane have similar recruitment philosophies, yet their numbers reflect good health. What is missing? -THE SHOW: They cannot continue to play generic "McDrumCorps" shows. All this "artistic" original music with a seemingly-random theme glued on top just isn't going to work. The show absolutely plays into the ability to recruit. Oregon plays solid arrangements of recognizable music with a compelling theme. I'm not saying Seattle needs to do that verbatim, but they could definitely handle a little "re-branding." SCV and Madison have had wild success with this as recent as this year. Their shows are emotional and compelling, and you better believe they are seeing new levels of talent (though perhaps REnewed is more accurate) because of this. -THE MEMBERS: I know when I marched, there was a speech given at the end of tour that was all about going back to your individual programs and not being a total jerk because you just got done marching in the big time. I'm not sure if this speech is still given, but I can say from experience that not all MMs heed that advice. I've had kids in both of my programs come back completely changed. Some ways, for the better (technique, rehearsal etiquette, etc), but their demeanor and leadership has left MUCH to be desired. Other members of those groups see this, and think to themselves (and aloud) that marching DCI turns you into a jerk, and they no longer want anything to do with it. Perhaps a little damage control to this end would serve to help recruitment as well? These are just a few of my opinions. I know I kind of hit on some of the things other people have said. I've been stewing on this all summer, and really needed to finally get it off my chest! Let me know what you think! I agree 100% on all spots! Recruiting: the kids are there. I see them at the local shows and even at the theater show in Beaverton this year. They can't all be woodwind players, right? Even if they were I knew some that played brass in corps. Cascades definitely needs to style a show that kids recognize and want to play. A name change to Seattle Cascades would do them well. The corps itself needs to advertise throughout the fall and the staff would do well to recruit players from the bands they teach. Know how I started my 6 years of corps? My band director called me up after my sophomore year and asked me if I was interested in seeing the country. He called me on the 4th of July 1990. I joined the next day with Marauders and was in Utah with them on the 6th, learning the show as they went. He happened to be one of the brass instructors. Six years later I aged out with Cavaliers. It can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barifonium Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 If Cascades were to absorb Thunder and Columbians membership that would make a huge boost in corps size and feel this kind of more or less has to happen. Cascades going inactive would and will have HUGE implications and would adverse outcomes to the NW corps presence. Now call me a radical but I think we should... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 As the high school marching band scene slowly improves in the northwest, so too will the drum corps scene. The area has never been a hotbed of musical activity, with only a handful of competitive music programs spread out over an enormous amount of physical space. But, BOA is co-hosting a show in Hillsboro, OR this fall in preparation for a full-fledged, stand-alone BOA Regional in 2014, the region's first BOA show in almost 30 years. By "never" i assume you mean not in the recent past. I remember going to a show hosted by the Columbians in Pasco back in 1972, and there were 18 corps competing in three divisions. Three came from California, one from Edmonton, Alta., and the other 14 were from WA and OR. Here's a link to the corps and scores. Check out Black Watch. They won Class A a few years later. And you can see the precursors to today's Columbians and Oregon Crusaders. (OC was a C Class corps then!) Too bad Imperials didn't come out. 1972 Pasco Show Garry in Vegas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortAndFast Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I definitely think the Cascades woes are of their own making, and not a result of OC's rise. Maybe they have a strategy to fix - some insiders seem to think so. Generally I'd expect OC's growth to help other corps in the region. If more HS marchers are aware of DCI, and more want to march, they won't all be able to go to OC. You can definitely see the improvements in Spokane Thunder in the last few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OC Euph Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 I definitely think the Cascades woes are of their own making, and not a result of OC's rise. Maybe they have a strategy to fix - some insiders seem to think so. Generally I'd expect OC's growth to help other corps in the region. If more HS marchers are aware of DCI, and more want to march, they won't all be able to go to OC. You can definitely see the improvements in Spokane Thunder in the last few years. Yes I fully expect Oregon Crusaders to get enough attendance in auditions to have to turn people away in ALL positions this next season. Now I'd hate to see people lose an awesome opportunity to march with OC, but like we've all said there are 3 other Corps in the Northwest that could really use membership numbers that could benefit from OC's success! Which if any prospective members are reading this, If you get turned down, PLEASE think about any of the other 3 corps to join! You are not an untalented individual! Reach for the Stars!..... That was corny lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backstrom Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I don't know about Oregon but I think a huge factor in Washington is the lack of competitive high school marching bands. Out of all the large 3A or 4A schools in the Seattle area alone, how many competitive corps-style programs are there? Just a handful, if my assessment is correct. With that, very few will even get the opportunity to hear about drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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