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7 hours ago, Bob984 said:

I have and will continue to support the corps.  However, I do have some suggestions to both the corps and also to DCI to increase donations.  In reality, as you have already stated, corps were operating on razor thin margins (and were more often in the red than not) even before this pandemic.  Many, including myself, saw the current model as being "unsustainable".  With most WC budgets exceeding 2 million dollars per year, and members paying $4000+ in fees to march, it has become an incredibly expensive venture.  Many kids are already "priced out" of the activity, and that will increase with a struggling economy.  What we haven't seen from most is an effort to curb expenditures.    Example....you don't beg for money and say that the situation is "dire", and then go spend $60,000 on props for the show....this actually happened last year.  if the corps and DCI announced pro-active plans to really cut things back, I think that they would receive more empathy from their supporters.  On the other hand, if they use the "everything will be fine" mode, and put the blinders on and try to move forward as usual, I think several corps will go bankrupt and become defunct, and DCI as the governing body may not survive. Talk is cheap, though.   Here are my suggestions....

(1) target budgets for 2021 should be in the range of $600,000 to $1,000,000.......ie cut in half or more

(2) go with a shorter season.....July 1 to August 7.  If the corps did 6 shows in 7 days (if they wish), they could still see 33 contests

(3) the first half of the season would be regional,  and the corps would not all be in the same weekend until Allentown.  Even then, there may be corps who do not go

     head to head until championships......this would actually ADD to the competitive suspense.....

(4) Instead of the lengthy "move in" camps that all of the corps are doing, camps would be weekends only through June.  More local/regional membership would be encouraged, and

     out of region kids could be paired up with those who are in driving distance.  All kids who wished to could work summer weekday jobs right up until tour.   Talented high school kids

      would not have to try to get permission to leave school early, and thus more of them would have the possibility of participation.

(5) Major cuts in instructional staff.  My suggestion...... one brass arranger, one percussion arranger, one visual designer,  3 brass instructors, 2 percussion instructors, 2 visual instructors,

      one guard instructor........11 total                            The days of 20-40 staff people can not be sustained     DCI staff will also need cut backs.

(6) If fuel prices remain down, that would be a good thing, and perhaps corps can negotiate a "fuel deal" or consortium if they guarantee purchase and/or pre-pay

(7) Decrease fees to $3000                Decrease the price for non-premium seats (30-40 yard line) and discount seats (0-30 yard line)

(8) no new horns, no new percussion/electronics equipment, return to uniforms that can be worn multiple years instead of yearly "theme costumes",

     no new guard equipment, maintain everything that you DO have and repair as needed.....   no props  (as they do not improve marching/playing/guard work).....

 

I know that some of the above suggestions might not sit well with some, but I do know that costs could be cut, there would still be great shows, and some fiscal burden

would be lifted off of the shoulders of the corps, their members, and fans.  The earlier pro-active measures are taken and advertised, the greater the chance of increased

empathy and support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can I add one?

#9.  If you can't carry it does it need to be heard?

I know I'm way old-school but the size of pits is out of control.  How many marimbas, vibes, xylos are really necessary!?  They are WAY too prominent  in the overall sound.  Who let this happen?  

Great post, Bob984.  I hope they listen.  

Edited by greg_orangecounty
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4 hours ago, Ghost said:

Interesting post Bob.  I quoted #4 because there will still be mm who have to fly to weekend camps.  Living in UT, I currently can only play on a travel softball team that borders UT.  Don't see DCI doing something similar.  If much of your proposal was adopted, DCI/DCP might have another G7-9 to chew on.

It wouldn't be perfect.  However, I think that do to economics, there will be fewer people flying to be in a corps next year.   The difference in my proposal  is instead of the full corps moving into a place and going crazy learning a drill for 4 weeks, rehearsals would still be weekend camps only.  Perhaps some kids who fly in stay at other kids homes and ride with them to rehearsals, and live at those members homes starting sometime in May/June......this used to happen frequently back in the day,.    One huge difference is that with this,  members can now possibly work during the week.....before, with all day rehearsals starting sometime between mid and late May, that made it impossible for a member to work during that time (and thus earn any money, either).  It also made it extremely difficult for high school kids to march......the exceptions being some administrators would allow a kid to take exams early and leave school early, and some also missed graduations.  I am not quite sure about your last statement.....my proposal reduces the costs for everyone..............if corps try to stick with 2 million+ dollar budgets and $4k+ membership fees, I think a significant number of corps might not make it to the field next year.

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4 hours ago, greg_orangecounty said:

Can I add one?

#9.  If you can't carry it does it need to be heard?

I know I'm way old-school but the size of pits is out of control.  How many marimbas, vibes, xylos are really necessary!?  They are WAY too prominent  in the overall sound.  Who let this happen?  

Great post, Bob984.  I hope they listen.  

I would settle for them at least turning down the mikes and the synths in the pit, so that the impacts sound like brass and not "thunder goo", and the marimba is not louder than the brass soloist..........I also agree that with mikes/electronics, there is no need for 15 people up there.............in this case, "more" is not necessarily "better".....rant off..........lol............

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4 hours ago, Bob984 said:

   Perhaps some kids who fly in stay at other kids homes and ride with them to rehearsals, and live at those members homes starting sometime in May/June......this used to happen frequently back in the day,.    

Do not the contracted mm with the BD have to find their own lodging during ST or is it just food the corps does not provide?

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On 4/21/2020 at 3:19 PM, Bob984 said:

 

(3) the first half of the season would be regional,  and the corps would not all be in the same weekend until Allentown.  Even then, there may be corps who do not go

 

     head to head until championships......this would actually ADD to the competitive suspense.....

A lot of fans in Atlanta and other regional sites (where all the corps compete) would likely miss their only opportunity to see all the Corps together if they couldn't travel to Allentown or Indy.

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On 4/22/2020 at 8:19 AM, Ghost said:

Do not the contracted mm with the BD have to find their own lodging during ST or is it just food the corps does not provide?

If I recall correctly, it was this way for Pacific Crest.  The daughter stayed with the family of a PC member.

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Thanks to everyone that is taking part in donating and driving donations to our organizations. Keep up the great work! Seems to me that is what this thread is about. There are, quite literally, countless other threads on this forum for telling all of the organizations all of the things they are doing wrong.

Edited by mingusmonk
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  • 2 months later...

As it has been the case in the last 3 years, the Stentors is launching it's 4th Fundraising Campaign which is gonna last until August 9th, the day the corps would have ended it's 2020 tour with a "home show", coming back from championship. 

The feeder corps La Releve Musicale, resumed rehearsal 2 weeks ago since the condition here allow it safely, while the Stentors is waiting for the right time to do so. 

As you know, there is no tour... but there is expenses that cannot be completely cut (vehicule maintenance, insurance, office cost, etc.). However, everybody is working on a volunteer and everything else have been cut. As everyone else, all of our fundraising has been down since march and our estimation for the fiscal year is: 

Revenus: 10 000$  vs Expenses 50 000$ (mostly spent between september and march). 

The goal of the campaign is to reach 40 000$. 

But if there is a number that we would prefer more than that one, it is to reach 1000 donations. A thousand donors would send a huge "we have your back". A 20$ feed a kid for 2 days... 100$ pay for 1 km of gaz on tour. Because tour will be back someday, so are we! Let's not wait until then to care about the future! 

Here is the link to our GoFundMe page: https://gf.me/u/ygknp3 

Feel free to "Like" the corps Facebook page. We are posting memories from the past, videos, audios a bit everyday for the lenght of the campaign.  

 

Thanks all!  Stay safe, see you as soon as possible. 

The Stentors 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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