Maggie Whiteman Joins Seattle Cascades As Drum Major Consultant

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, LabMaster said:

But isn't there more than one and at least one or more has experience in their corps?  I mean usually?  So with experience wound a new DM learn from the experienced one?  Is that more typical in most top tier corps?

not always no. 

[lindap]

1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

not always no. 

I was a DM 1972-1979 with 2 corps. You speak truth. No coaching except from 1 bugle instructor and 2 arrangers. Hugs to you and the family over the holiday season.

[LabMaster]

12 hours ago, lindap said:

I was a DM 1972-1979 with 2 corps. You speak truth. No coaching except from 1 bugle instructor and 2 arrangers. Hugs to you and the family over the holiday season.

In a previous post I said I thought in most corps, the brass staff would help develop a DM.  That help along with added help from an existing experienced DM/s, would be the more likely scenario versus a DM consultant. I have to believe what I described would be a more typical situation.

[DFA1970]

Interesting about DM...I remember when the Glassmen folded the DM came over to BD that season to be one of the DM. I think it was for one year until he aged out (not sure). I always assume the DM was a previous marching member of the corp. I also believe that the DM before CC was the B corps DM before he came to the A corps to be their DM.

Edited December 13, 2018 by DFA1970

[lindap]

On 12/13/2018 at 11:50 AM, LabMaster said:

In a previous post I said I thought in most corps, the brass staff would help develop a DM.  That help along with added help from an existing experienced DM/s, would be the more likely scenario versus a DM consultant. I have to believe what I described would be a more typical situation.

I was DM 1972-1975 with a competitive corps and received assistance from 3 brass staff with an average 10 hours mentoring each at rehearsals with no experienced DM/s to mentor me ever. I took a break in 1976 and marched spare flag with a DCI finalist. I was then again DM 1977-1979 with a non-competitive corps. The DM experiences were completely different. The early years I had to learn and earn respect as a female DM for a corps with males on drums and horns, females on guard while I was their guard instructor. The second shift was for a young, talented all female corps that were musically dynamic and fun to conduct as a DM. You don't need a DM mentor when the corps is good. The DM simply gets to enjoy the music as did I. I was a lucky ducky:)

[shostahoosier]

I marched for drum corps for 4 summers and for two of them I had drum majors that had previously marched and for two of them I had drum majors that had just auditioned for the role.

From that experience, personally, I heavily prefer a drum major that is a vet. The drum majors that had never marched never seemed to fully understand what it was like to rehearse as a performer and sometimes even seemed to believe they were the highlight of the show.

I know plenty of excellent drum majors have never marched before, but I just always found it easier to identify with (and even approach) a vet-turned-DM.

[lindap]

28 minutes ago, shostahoosier said:

I marched for drum corps for 4 summers and for two of them I had drum majors that had previously marched and for two of them I had drum majors that had just auditioned for the role.

From that experience, personally, I heavily prefer a drum major that is a vet. The drum majors that had never marched never seemed to fully understand what it was like to rehearse as a performer and sometimes even seemed to believe they were the highlight of the show.

I know plenty of excellent drum majors have never marched before, but I just always found it easier to identify with (and even approach) a vet-turned-DM.

I tend to agree with you. Earning respect and trust takes time. Before I was DM, I was in guard, winter and summer for 4 years. In 1972, I was the first female DM since 1965 that wasn't a horn player or drill instructor. I had to learn music, read notes on a score and understand the terms of crescendo and decrescendo and more. The transition from movement to music took lots of practice, however, I knew the people I conducted and as a young marching guard instructor knew my friends on guard well. My friendships helped with my huge newly assigned responsibilities in which I didn't audition. I was told to be DM in 1972.

[MikeN]

I'm all for this, and wish my corps' budget could afford us such a role too.  Our brass staff are already running around trying to manage 72 of their own caption kids - DM's deserve professional development as well.

Mike

[FlamMan]

Drum major consultant? Drum major program? What???

[ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar]

If the instructor knows his/her stuff, I'm all for it.

I've dealt with vet DMs who either:

- Completely power tripped and lost the respect of the majority of members

- Did the opposite and treated their season on the podium like a vacation

The best DM I ever had (from a conducting standpoint) was a rookie straight out of HS. Unfortunately, our staff couldn't agree on how this person was supposed to lead the corps. A lot of moments of confusion.

TL;DR - vet or rookie ... it doesn't matter: pick the candidate that's the best conductor and has the best projected leadership qualities, and give them clear expectations. And work with them through out the season, not just the winter.