MADISON SCOUTS 2016

[HockeyDad]

And that just irks the Flammer. Apparently he wants the Scouts to just consist of performers from the local high schools of Madison East, West, La Follette, Shabazz, and Memorial along with just the locals attending the University of WI Madison; this, as opposed of the Scouts recruiting performers from some of the best musical academic institutions, not only from Texas, but from around the world. As Charles Schultz often penned, "Good Grief Charlie Brown!"

Don't forget Edgewood.

[lastknight]

...and look where they consistently end up.

Bad strawman.....I doubt that BD's membership is based in Concord (it wasn't 30+ years ago when I marched)....Nor Bloo's in Canton nor Crown's in Ft Mills nor Cadets in Allentown....

[GUARDLING]

To say the show is a swing and a miss is a bit harsh... I rather like it. It's in line with the current offering of performances you expect from top flight DCI corps, and it's no doubt a "Madison" show. Yes I would have predicted them moving up in the rankings this year based on recent history... but have you SEEN everybody else? The "bottom half" of World class has some amazing drum corps and shows. Everybody else has stepped up their games too and has made it that much tougher and that much more prestigious to make it in to Top 12.To me, this offering from Madison is great... yet also forgettable. It has no stand out moments.... and THAT my friends is all down to design... NOT execution.

Exactly. What people tend to forget is that in competition it's not just about your own corps getting better it's also that others around you slip or didn't improve. THIS can slide a corps downward even if they improved

[IllianaLancerContra]

The largest portion of the corps is from Texas. They do go to school together. There's also not many high schoolers who could march that show well and certainly not on the WI high schools. Maybe one of the Indiana or Texas BOA bands. Or even Kennesaw mountain.

Sadly gone are the days when a Corps would teach someone how to march &/or plan &/or spin. The biggest change (IMHO) from the 70s to early-mid 80s isn't electronics or pit or multi-key, etc- it is the fact that pretty much all the WC corps & most of the OC corps expect members to show up with considerable experience on their chosen equipment, and being a music (or dance) major in college is almost mandatory in the top units.

[jjeffeory]

It does matter. When drum corps membership was mostly local, members went to school together, hung out together, & could easily get together to practice, learn charts, & bond. Members were more inclined to stay with a corps because their buddies were with the corps. It was much easier to retain local members than out of state members. The drum corps activity must figure out a way to increase local membership, perhaps by offering a discounted in state tuition & a reduced tuition for returning members.

Ok,

I lived in Madison for a couple of years. The high school music programs in the area aren't really putting out enough local talent to field a competitive world class corps.

I was actually surprised when I went to a couple of MB contests there. So things have certainly changed in that regard over the years.

Much love and respect to Madison of course.

Edited August 7, 2016 by jjeffeory

[Stu]

Sadly gone are the days when a Corps would teach someone how to march &/or plan &/or spin. The biggest change (IMHO) from the 70s to early-mid 80s isn't electronics or pit or multi-key, etc- it is the fact that pretty much all the WC corps & most of the OC corps expect members to show up with considerable experience on their chosen equipment, and being a music (or dance) major in college is almost mandatory in the top units.

So.... for you it is Sad that today we are not seeing the Scouts, or the Bluecoats, Cadets, Academy, Crown,, etc.. for that matter, using 'local youth' who do not know how to march, play, and spin and teaching them those skills, as opposed to the corps seeking out the best most qualified youth from around the world for a highly competitive environment. If that is the case, then you must be really Happy with the competitive placements of Pioneer from 1973 to 2015 while also being Sad at the ever increasing extremely high achievement levels produced by the top WC corps during that same time frame.

[henry7184]

It does matter. When drum corps membership was mostly local, members went to school together, hung out together, & could easily get together to practice, learn charts, & bond. Members were more inclined to stay with a corps because their buddies were with the corps. It was much easier to retain local members than out of state members. The drum corps activity must figure out a way to increase local membership, perhaps by offering a discounted in state tuition & a reduced tuition for returning members.

Those days are long long long gone. It's not a bad thing. They God no corps is regulated to only have local members.

[henry7184]

I just know it. I just know it. Madison is out, BAC is in. Just watch! It's going to happen. I'm so bummed.

[IllianaLancerContra]

So.... for you it is Sad that today we are not seeing the Scouts, or the Bluecoats, Cadets, Academy, Crown,, etc.. for that matter, using 'local youth' who do not know how to march, play, and spin and teaching them those skills, as opposed to the corps seeking out the best most qualified youth from around the world for a highly competitive environment. If that is the case, then you must be really Happy with the competitive placements of Pioneer from 1973 to 2015 while also being Sad at the ever increasing extremely high achievement levels produced by the top WC corps during that same time frame.

Sad that there are so few corps left

[henry7184]

Sad that there are so few corps left

This.