Jump to content

How Does the Activity Expect to Survive.


Recommended Posts

Flutes on the field in Open Class won't really drive anyone away, the same way that violins, guitars, and cellos in World Class didn't. Not to put too fine a point on it, but most people who call themselves drum corps fans don't show up to Open Class shows anyway, so....

If you want to find ways to make it affordable again, you're going to have to focus on growing the number of participating organizations so that more corps can compete regionally, rather than nationally, and short of coming up with $300 million in seed money to help create 100 new open class/local corps, you're going to have to focus on ways to utilize assets that already exist. 

On the point about band directors not wanting to do summer shows, as noted, that was once the norm, and, comes down to it, summer competitive marching band makes a lot more sense than fall competitive marching band. Give them an option that de-stresses the BOA calendar in favor of something more casual and lower cost, and you might find that some of the thousands of high schools who don't WANT the fall competitive band experience could do it as a summer school project (we're aware that the vast majority of high schools aren't into the fall competitive band thing, right?)

Edited by Slingerland
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Slingerland said:

Flutes on the field in Open Class won't really drive anyone away, the same way that violins, guitars, and cellos in World Class didn't. Not to put too fine a point on it, but most people who call themselves drum corps fans don't show up to Open Class shows anyway, so....

Point blank, old parts - none of the activity is about you. It's about the young people on the field. And if you think you're the heart and soul of the activity, hate to break it to you, but you represent about 12% of the tickets sold at Finals.  If you want to find ways to make it affordable again, you're going to have to focus on growing the number of participating organizations so that more corps can compete regionally, rather than nationally, and short of coming up with $300 million in seed money to help create 200 new open class/local corps, you're going to have to focus on ways to utilize assets that already exist. 

Plus, comes down to it, summer competitive marching band makes a lot more sense than fall competitive marching band. 

I never thought it was about me.  Even when I marched.  I’m not the one walking around thinking I’m the God or Goddess of all things drum corps.  They’re down on the track.

Edited by Terri Schehr
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, greg_orangecounty said:

And miss the stirring flute trill company front...!?  No way!

🙂

Sobering thought: Drum corps can do that now through the Magic Synth. Woodwinds are already here!

Arrrrg!

In a perfect world there would be 2 classifications:

1. Pure Brass and Percussion - US Marine Corps, West Point Hellcats, Old Guard, Greg, and Frank

2. Mic/String/Reed/Plug-in Corps - Yanni, Blue Man Group, Stomp, everybody else

Hot dogs would be served only at intermission, so as not to offend anybody.

All kidding aside, I think we all realize that Drum Corps is deep into the "adapt or die" cycle, and the "die" side is in the lead at present. Bold moves, managerial and artistic, must be made...and soon.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Slingerland said:

 On the point about band directors not wanting to do summer shows, as noted, that was once the norm, and, comes down to it, summer competitive marching band makes a lot more sense than fall competitive marching band.  

That might work.  Then, during the school year the musicians do jazz, concert, band, and other non marching options.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I say this every year when these type of threads are made.

Let's just say "Corps X's" tuition is $6000 a year.

  • May 15 to the second Saturday in Aug is about 12 weeks - 6000/12 = $500 a week.
  • 3 value meals from a fast food chain a day  3 meals a day x $8 meal = $24 - $24x84 days on tour and spring training = roughly $2000
  • Back the food out and 84 days of drum costs - $48 a day! A great price for the experience.
     

A local soccer camp at a university this summer is $800 for 5 days / 4 nights with meals and housing - That equates to over $13000 for the 84 days of drum corps.

Last thought, If "Corps X" charges $6000 for the summer and has a $1.8 million budget, then tuition is only 50% of their budget and the rest is done through fundraising and sponsorships. So, in essence, each member in the corps gets 50% off their actual cost per person to start by the corps lowering the costs for everyone.

I believe that EVERY single drum corps needs one or more "side hustles" ... Bingo, CrownSTORE, music festivals... Something to have a revenue source outside of normal drum corps "business." If it is something outside of our drum corps world and will attract more customers? Even better!

Do I believe some expenses for the corps could be managed better? Could the tour help reduce cost? Those are all great questions that I am sure the the directors of the corps, their respective boards, and DCI are having conversation about. 

As for the OP's dilemma? I would like to see more young people be in drum corps and for their to be more drum corps, but unfortunately, without a student getting financial help from their realm of friends and family or working your ### off and saving your money, drum corps is not for everyone. No matter how talented they are. I do know of some creative ways young people made money to march (that are legal). lol

I believe scholarships are also for members that have been in the corps for at least 2-3 years and not for people that jump from corps to corps. What if every age out with more than 2-3+ years with that corps marched for free if scholarships were only given to them? How great would that be? 

Just my $0.02 from a guy that has some practical experience with this. 

Flame away! 

 

Edited by njthundrrd
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, ironlips said:

Sobering thought: Drum corps can do that now through the Magic Synth. Woodwinds are already here!

Arrrrg!

In a perfect world there would be 2 classifications:

1. Pure Brass and Percussion - US Marine Corps, West Point Hellcats, Old Guard, Greg, and Frank

2. Mic/String/Reed/Plug-in Corps - Yanni, Blue Man Group, Stomp, everybody else

Hot dogs would be served only at intermission, so as not to offend anybody.

All kidding aside, I think we all realize that Drum Corps is deep into the "adapt or die" cycle, and the "die" side is in the lead at present. Bold moves, managerial and artistic, must be made...and soon.

I teach my biology students that when faced with adversity a critter has 3 choices:  Adapt, migrate, or die.  Die is always an option.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, TOC said:

That might work.  Then, during the school year the musicians do jazz, concert, band, and other non marching options.

Or they could do both summer and fall marching.  Some schools did this in late 70s/early 80s. More options is not necessarily a bad thing.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Terri Schehr said:

I never thought it was about me.  Even when I marched.  I’m not the one walking around thinking I’m the God or Goddess of all things drum corps.  They’re down on the track.

I walked away for 10 years as real life interfered. If I don’t like I’ll just walk away again. No muss, no bother and definitely no griping about “real DC”. Guess I should gripe about “real NBA” and “real sprint car racing” as used to follow them in the past and now no interest 

Edited by JimF-LowBari
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, ironlips said:

Sobering thought: Drum corps can do that now through the Magic Synth. Woodwinds are already here!

Arrrrg!

In a perfect world there would be 2 classifications:

1. Pure Brass and Percussion - US Marine Corps, West Point Hellcats, Old Guard, Greg, and Frank

2. Mic/String/Reed/Plug-in Corps - Yanni, Blue Man Group, Stomp, everybody else

Hot dogs would be served only at intermission, so as not to offend anybody.

All kidding aside, I think we all realize that Drum Corps is deep into the "adapt or die" cycle, and the "die" side is in the lead at present. Bold moves, managerial and artistic, must be made...and soon.

I still think 50-cent beers at shows would bring in the crowds.

Even if the crowds are too drunk to care about what they're watching. 

  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Slingerland said:

Flutes on the field in Open Class won't really drive anyone away, the same way that violins, guitars, and cellos in World Class didn't.

Oh?  I know more ex-fans than current fans, and their opinions differ from yours.  

Quote

Not to put too fine a point on it, but most people who call themselves drum corps fans don't show up to Open Class shows anyway, so....

There is a whole separate set of issues behind that.

Quote

If you want to find ways to make it affordable again, you're going to have to focus on growing the number of participating organizations so that more corps can compete regionally, rather than nationally, and short of coming up with $300 million in seed money to help create 100 new open class/local corps, you're going to have to focus on ways to utilize assets that already exist. 

I am with you on the first half of this paragraph.  But why would any corps need to cost $3 million in seed money alone, much less a local corps?

Oh, I forgot... these corps would need woodwinds.

Quote

On the point about band directors not wanting to do summer shows, as noted, that was once the norm, and, comes down to it, summer competitive marching band makes a lot more sense than fall competitive marching band. Give them an option that de-stresses the BOA calendar in favor of something more casual and lower cost, and you might find that some of the thousands of high schools who don't WANT the fall competitive band experience could do it as a summer school project 

I do not recall summer marching band ever being "the norm" for scholastic groups.  Even the BOA "summer (sic) nationals" were held in June to catch scholastic bands at the end of their school year.

But again, if you want DCI to reach out to scholastic groups in order to generate an order-of-magnitude increase in the number of participating groups, there is no need to change the instrumentation rules for that.  There are several other changes, though, that DCI would have to make first.

1.  There has to be a complete restructuring of the concept of DCI membership.  After watching the corps population drop from 400 to a mere 40 on their watch, DCI still persists in denying membership to half the surviving corps.  Fixing that has to be step 1 in any growth plan.  Not willing to do that?  Then stay the course, and see if that financial iceberg is any match for the titanic strength of the current operating model.

2.  Next, there has to be a complete reversal of mindset.  The current system is focused almost entirely on exclusion.  Open-class corps are locked out of many shows.  Half of world-class are locked out of TOC shows.  New corps can hardly get in at all.  The 140-corps DCI must have a more inclusive attitude.

3.  So if we ever make it to step 3, what will the plan be?  Will outreach be to collegiate groups, or only high schools?  Will there be a separate scholastic division of competition?  How will events be structured to make this beneficial to both the scholastic corps and the pre-existing DCI corps?  A plan that answers those questions needs to be in place before you can expect 100 schools to jump aboard.

Quote

(we're aware that the vast majority of high schools aren't into the fall competitive band thing, right?)

To be honest, some music educators are not into competition, period.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...