My First Time at a DCI Ensemble Rehearsal

[MikeN]

So I checked off a personal drum corps bucket list item - I got to attend an (indoor) ensemble rehearsal for a few hours as a DCI group put their show together. This may seem like old hat to you former members and staff, but for me a few things stood out that really made this an amazing experience.

Firstly, and mostly, I was amazed at just how *fast* the rehearsal moved. Drum major says the bars being played, signals the metronome, 4 beats tempo, 4 beats conducting, play the rep to the point specified, cut off, horns down, percussion staff is already talking about expression changes, brass staff talks about expression changes, horns back up, drum major signals the metronome... rinse and repeat. Sometimes it's the caption head talking, sometimes it's the section techs. Sometimes they'll throw in a 60 second water break. But overall, there's no down time, and the members are expected to make some pretty intricate changes on the fly.

Secondly, and related to firstly, the sheer speed and details to the rehearsal demand that each performer be 100% "in the moment." I think that's the life skill that the performers get from this, no matter what instrument they're playing. There is no time to space out or worry about anything other than what's in front of you, and that's expected right now for 4 hours at a time, 3 times a day. As an adult, I'm not sure I could manage that, and I'm pretty blown away that 16 year olds (and up) are nailing it.

... of course, when we fed them after, there are a lot of blank faces as they decompress for a moment... but on the whole it's very, very cool to see a group of kids presented with a challenge that frankly, very few people could accomplish, and nail it.

Finally, and this is a personal note, I probably learned more about how to play brass in those few hours than I ever knew in my life. Especially about warm air and keeping your tongue down (heard that more than once in that time!) ...

Mike

[xandandl]

So I checked off a personal drum corps bucket list item - I got to attend an (indoor) ensemble rehearsal for a few hours as a DCI group put their show together. This may seem like old hat to you former members and staff, but for me a few things stood out that really made this an amazing experience.

Firstly, and mostly, I was amazed at just how *fast* the rehearsal moved. Drum major says the bars being played, signals the metronome, 4 beats tempo, 4 beats conducting, play the rep to the point specified, cut off, horns down, percussion staff is already talking about expression changes, brass staff talks about expression changes, horns back up, drum major signals the metronome... rinse and repeat. Sometimes it's the caption head talking, sometimes it's the section techs. Sometimes they'll throw in a 60 second water break. But overall, there's no down time, and the members are expected to make some pretty intricate changes on the fly.

Secondly, and related to firstly, the sheer speed and details to the rehearsal demand that each performer be 100% "in the moment." I think that's the life skill that the performers get from this, no matter what instrument they're playing. There is no time to space out or worry about anything other than what's in front of you, and that's expected right now for 4 hours at a time, 3 times a day. As an adult, I'm not sure I could manage that, and I'm pretty blown away that 16 year olds (and up) are nailing it.

... of course, when we fed them after, there are a lot of blank faces as they decompress for a moment... but on the whole it's very, very cool to see a group of kids presented with a challenge that frankly, very few people could accomplish, and nail it.

Finally, and this is a personal note, I probably learned more about how to play brass in those few hours than I ever knew in my life. Especially about warm air and keeping your tongue down (heard that more than once in that time!) ...

Mike

Congrats.

Now on the next time you are there, you will be a vet who will have no excuse for not having his ear protection if nothing else but a great example to those kids of yours.

I agree it's an amazing spectrum of learning techniques in addition to an enjoyable entertainment. Glad you are volunteering. Corps would be unable to move without good folks like you.

[DrumCorpsRadio]

Great post -- sometimes we take for granted aspects of the activity like this one. I love going to ensemble rehearsals during the afternoon when I have tickets for an evening show. It's great to see the hard work in action and up close and often fascinating to watch the show segment that was being repped on the field in full uniform later that night.