Weaklefthand4ever Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 2 hours ago, lcarlton said: Ohio is a weird bag; the majority of the bands are non-competitive and are Big10 Clones with some going so far to literally copy Big Ten uniforms and shows. This also leads to a weird situation where we've encountered directors who outright ban, or discourage their students from marching DCI. This further goes for DCA as we had problems with that in Cincinnati Tradition and the Columbus Saints with HS students dropping weeks before finals because 1.) Can't miss the football game on Friday of DCA 2.) Director learns they are marching and makes them quit or lose their spot in band. We're considering advertising in OMEA this year and potentially going to the conference and setting up a booth. See...that worries me to no end. The directors of those bands should be happy that they have kids who are reaching out for an additional source of education. Do they somehow get penalized for marching holes? I'm guessing this comes down to outreach from DCA and the corps themselves to the directors and school system. Missing a competition because you're at rehersal with your corps....that I get. But a halftime show?!?!? DCI I can kinda get. I know when I marched, I had a director who had marched troopers and one who had marched Spirit. They understood that I would learn the drill and music and would be all in when I came to the next rehersal. I just want to know what happened. Surely not all of these cats in charge of band programs have gotten somehow screwed by kids marching corps. I think my directors also understood that if I was given an ultimatum, corps would win. The level of learning was much higher and I was gonna go where the talent was. Getting an A in band was not as important to me as being the best musician I could be was. You want an All State level player so you have some bragging rites? Then let them learn from the best in the business. This all sounds like an ego contest to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, Weaklefthand4ever said: I think part of what's missing is alumni involvement honestly. I can't even get my former dca corps to answer emails. They're busy though so I get it. I'll be going to a big band competition down here soon. And I'll be wearing both dci and dca alumni swag. Edit: In my area of the country, we went through an odd phase. In the mid to late 80s, all the band directors were former DCI guys and gals. Hell, my band director my freshman year sent me to my first camp with Spirit. They used their experience as alums to push the talent towards DCI. If you missed a show or camp, you used your corps experience to learn fast, catch up and lead. The next generation of band directors HATED corps. I truly don't get where it went so "wrong." The School Administrators hired those types for whatever reasons, that's what happened. I don't know if it was a negative reaction to the DCI Alumni types, or another factor. In Maryland, Hiring and interviews are done by a series of stock questions, all of which are looking for fantastic classroom subject teachers, but don't ask the hard and penetrating questions of the type that ask whether you'd be a fantastic Band Director. They end up hiring mostly great General Music teachers that don't have that kind of specialized, deep knowledge needed. When they do get someone really good, it's almost by accident in many cases. A few are astute enough to know their shortcomings, learn on the job, and become fantastic. Most... end up taking another job in the district after a couple of frustrated years and the cycle repeats itself. Edited August 14, 2019 by BigW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 12 hours ago, BigW said: DCA is chasing the DCI show model as hard as they can and still keeping fans until they're literally too infirm to come to a show in many instances (Dad for one). There's some kind of bridge to the young people that's missing, or not enough of it, or a lack of awareness. I'm thinking there are several links in the chain that are missing, but they need to be thought out. It's not just one point of failure. 1200 tickets sold for finals isnt keeping fans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 10 hours ago, Fred Windish said: The ‘aging’ DCA audience factor is substantial. Watching the early part of Peckville on Box5, I was shocked how older, heavier, and slower to move the audience was. I touch all those categories, myself ! Sounds trite, but things change and we all adjust. In my situation, enjoying drum corps from my living room is not a need, but a want. My support for DCA and DCI is as strong as it ever was, but manifests itself in changed ways. Agree with BigW, a variety of adjustments by DCA must occur to reverse the present decline in participation. hey just because i wasn in front of the camera doesn't mean i am older and slower. heavier is debatable, i ate a huge meal at the Loading Dock before the show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 4 hours ago, Weaklefthand4ever said: See...that worries me to no end. The directors of those bands should be happy that they have kids who are reaching out for an additional source of education. Do they somehow get penalized for marching holes? I'm guessing this comes down to outreach from DCA and the corps themselves to the directors and school system. Missing a competition because you're at rehersal with your corps....that I get. But a halftime show?!?!? DCI I can kinda get. I know when I marched, I had a director who had marched troopers and one who had marched Spirit. They understood that I would learn the drill and music and would be all in when I came to the next rehersal. I just want to know what happened. Surely not all of these cats in charge of band programs have gotten somehow screwed by kids marching corps. I think my directors also understood that if I was given an ultimatum, corps would win. The level of learning was much higher and I was gonna go where the talent was. Getting an A in band was not as important to me as being the best musician I could be was. You want an All State level player so you have some bragging rites? Then let them learn from the best in the business. This all sounds like an ego contest to me. to many administrators, football is everything, and holes get noticed. it's why the championships on Labor Day has become an issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: 1200 tickets sold for finals isnt keeping fans No, that number is pretty much unacceptable, but you'd think it's a point to grow from, and get better. A lot of us are frankly, dying off steadily right now.. Is this the total now from last year?? Add one for Prelims when I get off my duff. What's interesting to me is the regular season shows I have attended fairly recently have at least that in the stands. Hempfield, Peckville, Clifton, Nazareth, Ijamsville, Reading, Grand Prix, et al. Loaded question- why do those contests get those numbers and Finals can't? I would think it's for several good reasons. Edited August 14, 2019 by BigW clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 8 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: hey just because i wasn in front of the camera doesn't mean i am older and slower. heavier is debatable, i ate a huge meal at the Loading Dock before the show That might tempt me to go up there. I do like J.J. Banko's in Nanticoke as well for the seafood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 10 minutes ago, BigW said: No, that number is pretty much unacceptable, but you'd think it's a point to grow from, and get better. A lot of us are frankly, dying off steadily right now.. Is this the total now from last year?? Add one for Prelims when I get off my duff. What's interesting to me is the regular season shows I have attended fairly recently have at least that in the stands. Hempfield, Peckville, Clifton, Nazareth, Ijamsville, Reading, Grand Prix, et al. Loaded question- why do those contests get those numbers and Finals can't? I would think it's for several good reasons. according to the online ticket tool, if you do a rough guesstimate and know how many seats the stadium holds, thats what has been sold. No idea about last year, DCA never announces numbers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 (edited) 52 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: to many administrators, football is everything, and holes get noticed. it's why the championships on Labor Day has become an issue Yep and anything that interferes with “their band” or standing with school board is huge no no. Would be like football player skipping a game. Hell didn’t know our assistant HS band director (you know who) was involved with a corps until right before Finals. He was in line for the soon to retire band directors job and wasn’t going to jeopardize it by schilling for an outside group. Edited August 14, 2019 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted August 14, 2019 Share Posted August 14, 2019 1 hour ago, BigW said: That might tempt me to go up there. I do like J.J. Banko's in Nanticoke as well for the seafood. I miss the Porketta at the Glider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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