Drum Corps in the year 2040

[Rich Cline]

Glenn426   Posted 3 hours ago

If DCI is still around it will definitely be under different management. If DCI has folded there will be a new Organization branched out from WGI that will offer more performance opportunities for smaller groups. DCA will morph into this as the WGI influence has taken to having indoor gym shows during the summer.

Finals will move around again as the completely unfair practice of having Finals in Indianapolis is voted against by the groups around the country.

Solar and Electric Technology has been fully integrated and it has reduced the enormously high Fuel Cost associated with moving a fleet around the Country which has reduced the tour fees. The arts and education are emphasized and supported by the federal government so the Marching Arts activity has flourished as a result.

There are no more All-Male Corps, Every Corps in order to compete in this new Championship has to allow all genders in their membership, No Discrimination.

Corps in Canada have returned are supported by this WGI Group to have competitions in Canada and are very competitive with groups from the US as the designers from Canada have local groups to build up.

On the field Groups are separated by size, World Class are large 180 groups that perform on Football fields. The Open Class are smaller groups that perform indoors and have memberships of 80. The well established corps have both World and Open class groups that compete simultaneously. The Indoor Open Class championship is just as competitive and is considered the cutting edge of design as Electronics are fully integrated and live sampling allows for unending variety and style.Varied Lighting is the cutting edge as groups are allowed to manipulate the lighting of the groups and use it to maximize effect.

The Football field shows look similar to what we have today with the exception that there are marching woodwind members that are mic'd and have true ensemble balance to the brass. Because of the mic'ing there is just one player per part so the Woodwind section is between 8-12 players depending on instrumentation. The PIT is not planted on the front sideline as much, They are moved around depending on the show with the normal position being the back part of the field. The Brassline have intermediate dance training and are capable of elevated levels of movement.

Additionally:

IE Individual & ensemble competitions will be replaced with "Soundsport" & "Special Needs" competitions. "Special Needs" groups will be made up of "Age Outs" in their senior years.

[cixelsyd]

2 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

you think DCA will make it to 2040? Bold soul you are

No, I expect the DCA scenario will have run to completion before 2040.

[Jeff Ream]

16 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

No, I expect the DCA scenario will have run to completion before 2040.

I'm half betting on 2025

[Tim K]

17 hours ago, Corpfan said:

This will probably ruffle some feathers. I predict there will not be enough young people with a work ethic strong enough to field any corps by 2040. 

My grandfather was a great man, especially in retirement. He owned a drugstore and when my father took over, he would be at the soda fountain. You probably got an extra scoop when he was at the counter, jimmies and a cherry too. My father used to tell me how hard he worked when his father owned the store and how I did “half hearted work” and would never die from exhaustion. Turns out, my grandfather said the exact same words to my father when he was growing up. When my father took over the store, my grandfather worried he worked too hard. 

Regarding drum corps in 2040, the kids will not be working as hard, at least according to the generations that preceded them, and when HolyNOLA asks the same question in 2040,  from the comfort of a luxury retirement community in a warm state which hosts winter camps, those in 2040 will probably say there will not be a worth ethic in the young people so a corps cannot be fielded.

 

[Galen]

People will still be on here griping about how drum corps was better back when they marched. Just the only difference is that it will be coming from the kids who are currently marching today.  😋

[Tim K]

11 minutes ago, Galen said:

People will still be on here griping about how drum corps was better back when they marched. Just the only difference is that it will be coming from the kids who are currently marching today.  😋

Two years ago at the tour premiere, a group of high school kids and their band director sat near me. One kid loved old school drum corps. His top choice? Phantom Regiment 2008! He was probably about five years old in 2008. 

[Ediker]

7 hours ago, HolyNOLA said:

If you look at it from a business standpoint, the marching members are the "customer" of the corps, since they are the ones paying the majority of the costs for operations. With the way things are going with excessive props, constant uniform changes, more instruments, etc etc, corps are pricing out their customers. You can't blame rising dues on fuel...that has come down significantly over the last 10 years and looks to remain steady for many years to come. 

Seriously?  Are there corps where the membership dues even come close to covering the costs?  The customers are all the people filling the stands and swatting at the swarms of seat squatters wearing colorful outfits.  

[Slingerland]

15 minutes ago, Ediker said:

Seriously?  Are there corps where the membership dues even come close to covering the costs?  The customers are all the people filling the stands and swatting at the swarms of seat squatters wearing colorful outfits.  

The corps' revenues from appearances and DCI's split at the end of the season covers no more than 10% of operating expenses for the vast majority of corps.  Member dues make up a much larger share of the expenses than what the corps make from the audiences, so from that standpoint, yes, the members are 'the customers' (or at least the primary customers).

Edited June 28, 2019 by Slingerland

[HolyNOLA]

58 minutes ago, Slingerland said:

The corps' revenues from appearances and DCI's split at the end of the season covers no more than 10% of operating expenses for the vast majority of corps.  Member dues make up a much larger share of the expenses than what the corps make from the audiences, so from that standpoint, yes, the members are 'the customers' (or at least the primary customers).

[Triple Forte]

On 6/28/2019 at 8:51 AM, GlenI said:

I hope not. But why do you say this?

 Basically I don’t think drum Corps will be around it in its current form with tours and contests in 10 to 15 years because the model is unsustainable way too expensive. I mean how much are members going to be paying to be in i10 years from now 8 - $9000 ? 

Edited June 30, 2019 by Triple Forte