dcsnare93 Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I'm pretty sure you will find strong DCI connections in every top BOA band. Keep in mind the top of BOA is maybe 5-20 bands in a country with how many high schools???? There's quite a few great band programs that don't participate in BOA, especially out west, but I agree. I don't think it's so much a matter of people actively avoiding DCI, there's just less corps than there are high school bands, different priorities, different interests, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I've had the distinct privilege to be educated, this year, about the Midwest HS marching band circuit through the studied eyes of a member here, who has shown me how distinctly important design is to the whole competitive marching band circuit and how that fact distinguishes the circuits. I've seen some amazing bands and amazing styles; YouTube has only made it easier. IMO, I'm convinced, still, that nothing approaches drum corps in the level of execution that it attains. Nothing. To be concerned that DCI might be losing designers to HS band doesn't ring with me. I'd much more expect to see drum corps infiltrating the design of HS Marching Band, and I think the evidence that I'm right is abundant. I don't see much disagreement on this point regarding the level of performance. Show design, however, is where the disagreements are happening here. Drum corps staffs have been 'infiltrating' the HS band scene for decades with corps-style design, even before DCI came along, thinking of bands like Bergenfield HS in NJ, where Dr Baggs and then Don Angelica (an alum of the band) were the band directors pre-DCI era. At least here in NJ, that infiltration exploded in the 70's as corps declined and competitive bands grew. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I'm pretty sure you will find strong DCI connections in every top BOA band. Keep in mind the top of BOA is maybe 5-20 bands in a country with how many high schools???? Well over 25,000...closer to 30K at this point. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I don't see much disagreement on this point regarding the level of performance. Show design, however, is where the disagreements are happening here. Drum corps staffs have been 'infiltrating' the HS band scene for decades with corps-style design, even before DCI came along, thinking of bands like Bergenfield HS in NJ, where Dr Baggs and then Don Angelica (an alum of the band) were the band directors pre-DCI era. At least here in NJ, that infiltration exploded in the 70's as corps declined and competitive bands grew. For those who need their morning coffee, the 1970's were 40 years ago in the last century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 (edited) There are all variations of marching band just as there are all variations of both good, mediocre, bad show designs. Bad ( and good ) show designs are not confined to BOA, anymore than they are to DCI, WGI. As for execution, this holds true as well. There are marching bands in BOA that execute their shows better than some DCI marching bands do, as well as vice versa. Whatever one's personal tastes are in marching band, one can find that out there today. And one is not " better " than the other, as we don't really know that unless they compete with one another and under similar agreed to judging criteria. All we can really say is which marching band's show we like, don't like. As for this marching band posted here from Oklahoma, I personally enjoyed their show design a lot, their music as well, and thus found them to be quite entertaining. Edited November 13, 2015 by BRASSO 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCorps Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 There are all variations of marching band just as there are all variations of both good, mediocre, bad show designs. Bad ( and good ) show designs are not confined to BOA, anymore than they are to DCI, WGI. As for execution, this holds true as well. There are marching bands in BOA that execute their shows better than some DCI marching bands do, as well as vice versa. Whatever one's personal tastes are in marching band, one can find that out there today. And one is not " better " than the other, as we don't really know that unless they compete with one another and under similar agreed to judging criteria. All we can really say is which marching band's show we like, don't like. As for this marching band posted here from Oklahoma, I personally enjoyed their show design a lot, their music as well, and thus found them to be quite entertaining. I agree...to a degree. You'd be hard-pressed to argue that a band outside of the BOA circuit has a design that COULD stand up to the top BOA contenders. And if they did have that design and talent level, I think the natural tendency would be to move to BOA to give their kids exposure to that level of excellence in an arena worthy of their time and effort. BOA is the standard for HS marching band as DCI is the standard for drum corps and WGI is the standard for indoor guard/drumline. Of course there are talented groups in other circuits but the level of design and execution excellence in those three spheres is unmatched pound-for-pound in any other circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 (edited) I agree...to a degree. You'd be hard-pressed to argue that a band outside of the BOA circuit has a design that COULD stand up to the top BOA contenders. And if they did have that design and talent level, I think the natural tendency would be to move to BOA to give their kids exposure to that level of excellence in an arena worthy of their time and effort. BOA is the standard for HS marching band as DCI is the standard for drum corps and WGI is the standard for indoor guard/drumline. Of course there are talented groups in other circuits but the level of design and execution excellence in those three spheres is unmatched pound-for-pound in any other circuit. I'd agree with this assessment too.( and it really does not conflict with my remarks, imo ). The best performing H.S. marching bands do tend to be found in BOA, and the better non H.S. marching bands can be found elsewhere, including DCI. As for the non H.S. marching bands, is the Texas A& M marching band better than the Blue Devils marching band ? I don't think we can say at all which is " better " as they do not compete vs. one another, and neither has agreed before hand on the judges, & judging system criteria to take place between them that would allow us to make such an unbiased decision on this. Thats my central point. Edited November 13, 2015 by BRASSO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Boy you are cranky when you get up from your naps! If you kids would stay off my lawn you wouldn't wake me up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brichtimp Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 To paraphrase the legendary William D Revelli, I know whether a band is really good by closing my eyes. Everything else follows in importance. IMHO, the greatest high school bands don't have the musical maturity and horsepower of BD, Crown, Cadets, et al. Design is up for grabs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 To paraphrase the legendary William D Revelli, I know whether a band is really good by closing my eyes. Everything else follows in importance. IMHO, the greatest high school bands don't have the musical maturity and horsepower of BD, Crown, Cadets, et al. Design is up for grabs. And, Garfield, where did William D. Revelli teach??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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