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DCI membership votes overwhelmingly to allow ALL brass instruments in


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The social connotations posted without context don't really make much sense. No one in the "real world" and unfamiliar with the activity see marching band or drum corps as two separate entities, and I'm guessing it's been that way for, well, forever.

The difference now is that many inside the drum corps world see less and less of the difference between the two entities.

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Provide official statistics on this claim please.

This USA Today article cites a few stats...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/13/teen-drivers-license/2891701/

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The membership was very supportive, citing the potential growth in interest by students in drum corps as a major driver.

I'm very, very late to this thread, but if this is the official reason, I would love to see what research drove this decision.

A met a woman at work who was collecting money for her daughter's band. I got into a conversation about drum corps with her. Turns out the daughter is an extremely good french horn player who just qualified for first chair in some "All State" band. In her marching band, she plays mellophone.

The daughter was familiar with drum corps and admires it, but her reason for not participating IS NOT the lack of french horns. She can play the mellophone. It's the extreme commitment of time it requires to participate in a top corps.

I honestly don't thing the inclusion of trombones or french horns or whatever is going to put any more butts in the stands anymore than adding synths did. If anything, the long line of changes that were supposed to help with growth has failed to do so.

It may have actually been more popular in the 70's and 80's than it is now. There certainly was more participation due to more active corps. Even though the quality of the corps weren't even close to what it is now, there still were paying customers. Go figure.

Instead of being on national television, the activity has locked itself into a subscription-only model and higher and higher ticket prices.

IMO, if the people who voted for this change actually believe this is going to help popularity, they really are delusional about what the real barriers to drum corps' growth are.

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If you listened to Dan Potter's Podcast about the Rules Congress this last weekend, he said that a lot of members were involved. A lot of DMs and member leaders went along for the Congress, and were a part of meetings. So I guess some of the kids are part of the decision making process.

' Not saying they should, but since they are of voting age, did they have a vote on the proposals, or simply invited there for their " involvement " ? If its mostly " about the kids " ( who foot the bill for this ) why not have a REAL change and let them vote on things, even if its not binding with the elected adult DCI officials ? Or is DCI not quite ready for that level of " change " yet ?

Edited by BRASSO
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This is where one has to be careful in how statistics are interpreted. CrownLeadSop claimed fewer kids are getting their drivers licenses today. The USA Today article cites a trend of ‘percentage’ not ‘numbers’. While it may be true according to the article that a greater ‘percentage’ of youth in the age 18 – 19 bracket in 2010 were delaying getting their licenses than those in 1996, there were actually more youth in that age bracket (living in the entire United States) in 2010 than in 1996. This translates into a situation where the ‘percentage’ might have been on the decrease in 2010, nevertheless the combined ‘number’ of youth in the entirity of the United States getting their licenses in 2010 was still actually greater than they were in 1996 because there were more youth alive in 2010 than in 1996.

However, in DCI today not only is there less ‘percentage’ of youth participating but there are also less ‘numbers’ participating. That is the main problem with citing the driver’s license study as being equivalent to the DCI situation.

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' Not saying they should, but since they are of voting age, did they have a vote on the proposals, or simply invited there for their " involvement " ? If its mostly " about the kids " ( who freight the bill for this ) why not have a REAL change and let them vote on things ? Or is DCI not quite ready for that level of " change " yet ?

They were allowed to give input and insight I believe, but if 150 people were allowed to vote on proposals, it would take forever to get anything done. Still pretty sure only the Board of Directors makes the votes. Would be like a school board letting all of the parents vote on decisions. But I'm sure you knew that, but just like posting open-ended situations on here

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They were allowed to give input and insight I believe, but if 150 people were allowed to vote on proposals, it would take forever to get anything done. Still pretty sure only the Board of Directors makes the votes. Would be like a school board letting all of the parents vote on decisions. But I'm sure you knew that, but just like posting open-ended situations on here

Fair point, and I get the logistical problems, and you're right, its probably not very practical. I'l just point out as a side note that while Parents have no say on school board decisions, they are afforded the opportunity to vote for the school boards. DCI, as I'm sure you are aware, affords the public no such vote in DCI for office holders ( not that I'd neccessarily seek a call such a public plebiscite, just pointing out the fundamental analogy diff. between DCI Boards and School Boards, thats all. )

Edited by BRASSO
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