In The News – Major League Of Marching Band

[Whiskey]

All I have to do is look at the Martins. If drum corps is good enough for them to respect, it's good enough for me. 

[Stu]

Just now, Pete Freedman said:

A drum corps is a kind of marching band, clearly.  However, marching band is a poor term for a drum corps because there is a more specific preferred term: drum corps or drum and bugle corps.  So when newcomers call a drum corps a marching band it makes perfect sense to advise them of the preferred term, drum corps.  But instead of saying, "It's not band" they should say something like, "We don't call it a band generally, we call it a drum corps" or just "More specifically it's a drum corps."  

There are so many conversations comparing drum corps vs. marching band, it's important that newcomers have the generally accepted terminology.  

 

Imagine someone new to the Indy 500 walking up to driver Takuma Sato and car owner Michael Andretti, congratulating them on just winning the greatest auto race in the world, and the reply is: "It is not auto racing; we do not call it auto racing; this is Open-Wheel Indy Car Racing!"  Really???  Are you sure that condescending snobbery would increase the fan base for the activity? And to me, a similar reply this way to a newcomer in DCI would also exhibit the same type of snobbery!!!

[Tim K]

13 minutes ago, Stu said:

a) While there may be some conflicts with scholastic summer camp situations, and in some cases the first week of school, DCI has not competed directly, nor indirectly, with any scholastic marching band performances since the 1970’s or earlier; so any teacher who is holding on to that type of animosity has to be near or at retirement age. (My belief concerning their animosity from the get-go, and even now, is that it is a fear; a reaction fear in order to avoid personal embarrassment if the kid from their own school program goes away to DCI and returns as a far better performer than their other students).

 

b) As for band directors who are ‘purists’; if they hold to that purism aspect in which you say is the reason why they hate DCI, then they would be hypocritical if they do not also despise the following treatments: Concert Band arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, ad infinitum.

 

I agree fear, or perhaps better put, insecurity is at the heart of it, and it's not just in music programs. You see it in sports as well. Kids who play for club leagues or AAU programs can find themselves in the benches in school programs. The logical solution is getting the music directors to get to know DCI, but if you're dealing with insecurity, it probably won't matter.

[Tim K]

53 minutes ago, Pete Freedman said:

A drum corps is a kind of marching band, clearly.  However, marching band is a poor term for a drum corps because there is a more specific preferred term: drum corps or drum and bugle corps.  So when newcomers call a drum corps a marching band it makes perfect sense to advise them of the preferred term, drum corps.  But instead of saying, "It's not band" they should say something like, "We don't call it a band generally, we call it a drum corps" or just "More specifically it's a drum corps."  

There are so many conversations comparing drum corps vs. marching band, it's important that newcomers have the generally accepted terminology.  

 

 

You're correct about the terminology. I subscribe to the Boston Symphony and most years attend a few Boston Pops concerts. I enjoy both equally. Though not as much the case now, the two  share many musicians minus principals, perform at the same venue, and the quality in my opinion is equal. However I have different expectations with the two. I don't want John Williams music from the BSO, I want Brahms. If Keith Lockhart has the baton in his hand, I'm not expecting Schoenberg. I want to be entertained. When I purchase BSO tickets, I expect one new work, one classic of the symphonic repertoire. At the Pops I want the same quality performance, but light classics and popular music. When I hear drum corps, I know what to expect. When I hear marching band I want woodwinds. When I hear drum corps I expect brass.

 

[GUARDLING]

5 minutes ago, Tim K said:

 

You're correct about the terminology. I subscribe to the Boston Symphony and most years attend a few Boston Pops concerts. I enjoy both equally. Though not as much the case now, the two  share many musicians minus principals, perform at the same venue, and the quality in my opinion is equal. However I have different expectations with the two. I don't want John Williams music from the BSO, I want Brahms. If Keith Lockhart has the baton in his hand, I'm not expecting Schoenberg. I want to be entertained. When I purchase BSO tickets, I expect one new work, one classic of the symphonic repertoire. At the Pops I want the same quality performance, but light classics and popular music. When I hear drum corps, I know what to expect. When I hear marching band I want woodwinds. When I hear drum corps I expect brass.

 

Is he right? When was the last time a Drum and bugle corps used actual bugles? or should it be drum and brass band..lol...all the same I think BUT he is right when said it is a preferred way of saying it.

[Tim K]

50 minutes ago, Stu said:

Imagine someone new to the Indy 500 walking up to driver Takuma Sato and car owner Michael Andretti, congratulating them on just winning the greatest auto race in the world, and the reply is: "It is not auto racing; we do not call it auto racing; this is Open-Wheel Indy Car Racing!"  Really???  Are you sure that condescending snobbery would increase the fan base for the activity? And to me, a similar reply this way to a newcomer in DCI would also exhibit the same type of snobbery!!!

I won't say I have never encountered drum corps snobs at shows, many who have no idea of what they are talking about, and I'm sure more than a few see it as their job to correct people, but you can  explain that drum corps use drums and brass but bands can use woodwinds in a friendly way. Also, I attend the Bristol, RI show (sadly now held in Cranston--I loved the old venue though parking is easier and the stadium is larger) and encounter lots of newcomers. They may use the word band, I'll use drum corps, but I never correct. Usually we talk about how a corps will be scored, where they come from, how many hours the practice, how far they travel, etc. If they go home still using band, the world will not end, but if I'm asked, they will get the proper terms but never in a superior way.

[xandandl]

1 hour ago, Whiskey said:

All I have to do is look at the Martins. If drum corps is good enough for them to respect, it's good enough for me. 

Martins?

[Tim K]

5 minutes ago, GUARDLING said:

Is he right? When was the last time a Drum and bugle corps used actual bugles? or should it be drum and brass band..lol...all the same I think BUT he is right when said it is a preferred way of saying it.

You could argue that bugles have not been bugles since the rotary valve was invented.  

[Stu]

52 minutes ago, Tim K said:

I agree fear, or perhaps better put, insecurity is at the heart of it, and it's not just in music programs. You see it in sports as well. Kids who play for club leagues or AAU programs can find themselves in the benches in school programs. The logical solution is getting the music directors to get to know DCI, but if you're dealing with insecurity, it probably won't matter.

And that insecurity is really unfortunate because it causes the director to look out for his/her own image as opposed to looking out for the best interest of the student!!

[Stu]

31 minutes ago, Tim K said:

 

You're correct about the terminology. I subscribe to the Boston Symphony and most years attend a few Boston Pops concerts. I enjoy both equally. Though not as much the case now, the two  share many musicians minus principals, perform at the same venue, and the quality in my opinion is equal. However I have different expectations with the two. I don't want John Williams music from the BSO, I want Brahms. If Keith Lockhart has the baton in his hand, I'm not expecting Schoenberg. I want to be entertained. When I purchase BSO tickets, I expect one new work, one classic of the symphonic repertoire. At the Pops I want the same quality performance, but light classics and popular music. When I hear drum corps, I know what to expect. When I hear marching band I want woodwinds. When I hear drum corps I expect brass.

 

By definition the Boston Symphony is an Orchestra.  The Boston Pops is by definition……. what?  A Popsicle?  Nope, Boston Pops is also by definition an Orchestra.  They may have different functions, but both are still under the banner of being Orchestras.  And just like the general term Orchestra encompasses both Symphony and Pops, the general term Marching Band also encompasses many sub-categories including marching ensembles that use brass and percussion but no woodwinds.