Jump to content

Park City Pride Alumni Corps To End 12 Season Run


DCP NewsFeed

Recommended Posts

AGAIN, article link just leads one back to the thread's first post; no further article accessible.

That's because the article was submitted directly to DCP by Park City Pride. There is no corresponding link to the corps website as a result.

If I add a link to the original article, that's because the article came up in my RSS feeds from various corps websites.

Another hint that the article is a direct submission is that I add the article to the Featured News billboard on the DCP home page. A little extra exposure for those who send us press releases.

There is a method to my madness. :D

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I'm very sorry to hear this news about PCP. As a member of the Crusaders Sr. Corps of Boston, I've seen them perform in many of the shows in which we have performed, and always enjoyed their showmanship and selection of music that was classic drum corps. And of course, I always got a kick out of their "sex cymbals" section. With PCP's decision, along with the Bridgemen's announcement that this would be their final year, things don't seem to bode well for the alumni corps activity.

By my way of thinking, a generation for an alumni corps lasts about 10 years. If you can't recruit new members, the corps dies. My Crusaders are in its 25th year, and remains strong, but of our approximately 45 brass players, only about 8 were with the corps when it started in 1991. We were helped by an influx of folks from other alumni corps that folded. It seems that very few of today's kids want to go from a DCI corps to an alumni corps, for many reasons. So I guess we have to enjoy it while we can. But being realistic, I am not optimistic.

Edited by Bossop
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm very sorry to hear this news about PCP. As a member of the Crusaders Sr. Corps of Boston, I've seen them perform in many of the shows in which we have performed, and always enjoyed their showmanship and selection of music that was classic drum corps. And of course, I always got a kick out of their "sex cymbals" section. With PCP's decision, along with the Bridgemen's announcement that this would be their final year, things don't seem to bode well for the alumni corps activity.

By my way of thinking, a generation for an alumni corps lasts about 10 years. If you can't recruit new members, the corps dies. My Crusaders are in its 25th year, and remains strong, but of our approximately 45 brass players, only about 8 were with the corps when it started in 1991. We were helped by an influx of folks from other alumni corps that folded. It seems that very few of today's kids want to go from a DCI corps to an alumni corps, for many reasons. So I guess we have to enjoy it while we can. But being realistic, I am not optimistic.

We at Les Dips ran into exactly that problem last year. Low membership due to aging members. This year we managed to recruit some 80 new members, mostly from the 1980s and '90s DCI and DCA corps from the Quebec and Ontario region. We should be some 60 brass, 15 drums and 16 flags.

In Quebec, there is absolutely no market for Drum Corps style brass marching or shows, except for parades. Going to the 'States for normal alumni drum corps style gigs is prohibitive, so we adopt our music to a more modem idiom that is entertaining to all, whether they know about Drum Corps or not. This means no 'old' drum corps music, not even our old 'greatest hits' such as Ben Hur, Nutcracker, Espana, Cavalliera Rusticana, etc. The style of playing is also different - no 'Park and Blow' stuff, more like a 'light' version of Blast.

We do present ourselves in a Drum Corps manner - precision playing, with spectacular drums and full colour guard visuals and that is well received by the general population. Not sure what a traditional drum corps fan would think, however, since we have added saxaphone, guitar and cello, to accomodate younger non-drum corps experienced players!

I guess what I am saying is that Les Dips aren't really an alumni corps, but closer to what Reilly is doing, but for our Quebec audience. It is the only way for us to continue to do 'drum corps' today for us older drum corps veterans!

Salut, Bob p.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We at Les Dips ran into exactly that problem last year. Low membership due to aging members. This year we managed to recruit some 80 new members, mostly from the 1980s and '90s DCI and DCA corps from the Quebec and Ontario region. We should be some 60 brass, 15 drums and 16 flags.

In Quebec, there is absolutely no market for Drum Corps style brass marching or shows, except for parades. Going to the 'States for normal alumni drum corps style gigs is prohibitive, so we adopt our music to a more modem idiom that is entertaining to all, whether they know about Drum Corps or not. This means no 'old' drum corps music, not even our old 'greatest hits' such as Ben Hur, Nutcracker, Espana, Cavalliera Rusticana, etc. The style of playing is also different - no 'Park and Blow' stuff, more like a 'light' version of Blast.

We do present ourselves in a Drum Corps manner - precision playing, with spectacular drums and full colour guard visuals and that is well received by the general population. Not sure what a traditional drum corps fan would think, however, since we have added saxaphone, guitar and cello, to accomodate younger non-drum corps experienced players!

I guess what I am saying is that Les Dips aren't really an alumni corps, but closer to what Reilly is doing, but for our Quebec audience. It is the only way for us to continue to do 'drum corps' today for us older drum corps veterans!

Salut, Bob p.

Whatever works best for you guys!!!

To me, entertaining the audience is what matters the most.

Edited by Fran Haring
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMO Hanover Lancers present themselves more as a local musical group than a drum corps (traditional or not). Haven't been with the group for a few years but they pulled in younger (iow no corps experience) people since the change and it works. More power to Les Dips for doing what it takes to come on playing.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMO Hanover Lancers present themselves more as a local musical group than a drum corps (traditional or not). Haven't been with the group for a few years but they pulled in younger (iow no corps experience) people since the change and it works. More power to Les Dips for doing what it takes to come on playing.

I agree, Jim... the Lancers have found a nice niche, IMO. A mix of young and old, with a range of music.

And man, what a horn line. They were great Saturday at the Burlington show. Drum line was not exactly chopped liver, either. LOL.

Edited by Fran Haring
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whatever works best for you guys!!!

To me, entertaining the audience is what matters the most.

The trick is to determine who your audience is to be and to be flexible in designing different shows for different audiences.

Salut, Bob p.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Need my sister to translate this :tounge2: (she used to speak French fluently and got around Quebec OK with it too)

Agree with Bob with the addition of determining what holds your membership base also.....

Edited by JimF-LowBari
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...