Woodwind players who marched DCI

[HouserCD]

One of the interesting things about the Vanguard in 78 was that Rob Carson was the snare tech. and the line already had ten snares.  Almost half of the snares in that 78 line came from the Knight Raiders which folded the previous year. Those guys were taught by Steve Chorazy 75 solo snare champ and who also marched next to Rob Carson in 75.  

During our first tour one of the snares, Kenny quit as we were warming up for a show after a heated argument. It was really devastating. Gail drove him to the airport/bus station.  When we returned from the first tour Rob who had one more year of elligibility stepped in and marched during the break and 2nd tour to Finals.

[TRacer]

Mr. Carson told me about that incident over lunch at a band tournament we worked a couple of years ago. Some alums might question my sanity but there are times I wish I'd been able to march the 78-82 period like Mike M did not for the placements, but just for the changes the corps was undergoing and the boundary pushing concepts of the time. Unfortunately geographics worked against me and I wasn't the wunderkind talent Mike was. 

....which is a perfect segue for the OP of this thread:

My son began on piano at age 6, moved to violin for 2 years, then switched to trumpet at age 10. Both his mother ("the VK folks remember" and BK alum) and I had drum corps experience, and during the 2005-2007 years when his mom and I marched the Kingsmen Alumni Corps hornline he would often accompany us to rehearsals both on and off the field. He got an early "running" start at age 12. He went on his first tour six months later, and by "running" I mean that in the high velocity drill way as my very good friend wrote the drill for the corps that year, and he intentionally placed my kid at two critical points in the show to really tax his abilities and build his focus. The following year he volunteered to double on trumpet and mellophone, and again had highly exposed spots. 

Please let your sister know that opportunities exist, and it doesn't have to stop with just playing a brass instrument. My son is currently in his second year at SCVC, and when in the Bay Area he is being hosted by SCV's former DM from 86-87 (he is the Awesome Aussie Hat Toss DM Guy at the end of RCM on the 87 video) and as a result he is gaining further mentoring/leadership skills (and conducting skills) when not at rehearsal. He will have 4 years remaining after this summer, and his horizons are being expanded. 

Edited July 14, 2017 by TRacer

[ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar]

If I were to make a top-ten list of people I marched DCI with -- based on overall talent, attitude, work ethic, etc --  I'd say 4-5 of them started out as woodwind players, one of whom aged out with a championship ring.

Tell her to try out for her "dream corps" > practice > go to a camp and pick up as much info as she can > if she's cut, there are always spots available in Open Class/lower ranked World Class/DCA groups.

On 7/12/2017 at 11:35 PM, Stu said:

Hope this does not start a firestorm, but there is a chance within 4 or 5 years DCI may indeed incorporate woodwinds at some capacity. Just putting that out there as a possible option.

Even if you're not wrong, I'm still going to roll my eyes at this statement.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar said:

IEven if you're not wrong, I'm still going to roll my eyes at this statement.

While I too have reasons not to implement woodwinds into DCI (cost of maintenance and how fragile they are compared to brass) let's face it; you will just be joining those who roll their eyes at the insertion of,,,, electronics, amplification, microphone-singing, Slide-Trombones, Bb/F Brass, three-valves, two-valves, rotors (because real bugles have no valve or rotors and are keyed in G), grounded-percussion (this is for military marching drummers not lazy stationary mallet players), staging instead of drill, dancing, props other than flags/rifles, addition achievement scoring instead of subtraction tic scoring,... I mean if it ain't a corps in military issue uniforms on valveless brass bugles, marching sling drums, with just a flag/rifle color-guard it ain't real drum corps dang it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar]

3 minutes ago, Stu said:

While I too have reasons not to implement woodwinds into DCI (cost of maintenance and how fragile they are compared to brass) let's face it; you will just be joining those who roll their eyes at the insertion of,,,, electronics, amplification, microphone-singing, Slide-Trombones, Bb/F Brass, three-valves, two-valves, rotors (because real bugles have no valve or rotors and are keyed in G), grounded-percussion (this is for military marching drummers not lazy stationary mallet players), staging instead of drill, dancing, props other than flags/rifles, addition achievement scoring instead of subtraction tic scoring,... I mean if it ain't a corps in military issue uniforms on valveless brass bugles, marching sling drums, with just a flag/rifle color-guard it ain't real drum corps dang it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My statement was less about that and more about not answering the OP's actual question.

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar said:

My statement was less about that and more about not answering the OP's actual question.

But.... You connected your statement 'directly' to my post concerning the possibility of DCI implementing woodwinds, not to the OP's post asking the original question. So the rolling of your eyes would therefore be directly connected to my post and not his question.

[FTNK]

I was a clarinetist in HS marching band and a bassoon major in college. My last season was in Cadets (tuba). So, very doable.

[TRacer]

To the original poster...

As your sister will learn when (not if) she makes it, I hope she will become the "quiet drum corps ambassador" of her band. For example, last November as auditions were ramping up my son encouraged two of his "never marched" bandmates to attend the big 2-day joint (I.e., both the A and Cadet corps) SCV audition camp with him that was held in Buena Park in So Cal. They had a blast, plus fhey got to play with some heavy hitters, play Clowns, etc. His mom also told me he never let anyone at his school-- neither teachers nor his classmates-- know he was doing the Rose Parade with SCV in January...he simply dropped off everyone's radar, did the pre and main RP camps, then did the gig which came off so much better than the 2004 SCV effort (the one I did). When school reconvened after the holidays it was only when someone in one of his classes blurted out, "Hey, I saw you on TV!!" that word got out, and apparently he was really embarrassed. 

[IllianaLancerContra]

I believe Pioneer will teach someone to play brass.  Plus, they treat their members well.

[soccerguy315]

5 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

I believe Pioneer will teach someone to play brass.  Plus, they treat their members well.

this is a really good point... there are some corps that will let you pick up your new brass instrument and give it a go with the right attitude.

What better way to learn than by getting excellent instruction and playing your new instrument all summer? (obviously, is pricier than sitting at home).