High School Band Directors and Drum Corps

[Hook'emCavies]

1 hour ago, JimF-LowBari said:

His WWII experiences definitely shaped his priorities. Treated the band members like adults and you had to call him by his first name. Drove some of the other teachers nuts “don’t call him Whit, call him Mr Gingrich”. “If I call him Mr Gingrich he won’t answer me”. 
Was in pit orchestra for some HS musicals and he directed us for some shows. 10 o clock rolls around and it was “go home and get some rest”. Guy directing the play would flip and would be told “we know what we’re doing, these kids got school tomorrow “.

 

That is an awesome story. You can learn a lot from someone like that.

[KVG_DC]

There really wasn't much overlap in my HS band in Indiana and Drum Corps in the 80s if only because our summer schedule didn't permit double doing. We had a LOT go on to do DCI after graduation though, Star, Bluecoats, Cavies, Madison.  

When Star came on the scene, it was much easier for some crossover.  I can think of one marcher who did DCI and NOT our band cause "our show was so simple and rehearsals were waste."   But we had two marchers I can remember who did do our band shows. One from Cavies who, interestingly, marched alto sax with us.  He did brass of some sort with Cavies.  And one Mello player who marched with Star.  They both joined us after the DCI season ended and thus after our band camp when we had most all the show learned. But they were SUPER fast learners because, frankly, even though we were a BOA national finalist and ISSMA state contender, our show was easy compared to what DCI did.

They elevated our rehearsal attitudes.  They were pure professionals with zero wasted time on the field during practices and although neither were seniors, in both cases the senior class section leaders idolized them (we all were enamored with DCI) and adopted the 'don't waste time you could be doing x' when your section wasn't being directly worked with on the field.  

I remember running the tenor saxes in a line drill over and over and over (we were the front line in a block on the first move and set the blocks movement). even though staff weren't working with us directly 

[OldSnareDrummer]

My way way BITD high school band director absolutely 100% hated drum corps and everything about it. Probably 25% of the band was in corps, too. The guy's first name was Dick, so the jokes about him were easy pickins'. 

[deftguy]

3 hours ago, Chief Guns said:

My son's high school definitely encouraged drum corps. The school has housed corps during the SoCal part of tour every year since 2007 I believe. Crown, BD, BK, SCV are just some of the few to house there. 

Plus quite a bit of the band's staff is on staff for different corps.

I remember my son's sophomore year (2019), they did a family day and show reveal which happened to coincide with DCI Finals that Saturday. I remember only like 20% of the staff was present because the rest of them were in Indy at Finals with their respective corps.

Till this day, I never understood why they chose to do family day/show reveal the same day as DCI Finals lol. 

Can I guess your son's high school is Vista-Murrieta?  If so, no wonder they encouraged drum corps. VM's band is very good. 

[greg_orangecounty]

High School Band Directors used to not like Drum Corps at all.  Most of the dislike centered on an old stereotype – somewhat based in reality – that all Drum Corps do is BLAST and don’t care about musicianship, or least of all intonation.  They didn’t encourage it all.

I assume it’s all changed now as I can’t tell the difference between a Drum Corps and marching band except for the presence of (ack!) woodwinds.

 

 

[Terri Schehr]

2 minutes ago, greg_orangecounty said:

High School Band Directors used to not like Drum Corps at all.  Most of the dislike centered on an old stereotype – somewhat based in reality – that all Drum Corps do is BLAST and don’t care about musicianship, or least of all intonation.  They didn’t encourage it all.

I assume it’s all changed now as I can’t tell the difference between a Drum Corps and marching band except for the presence of (ack!) woodwinds.

 

 

My junior high band director was so cool about drum corps that he played old Fleetwoods of Cabs, Sky, and Yankee Rebels for us.  Hosted Norwood Park for a camp.  That’s how I joined.  My high school band director was completely against my being in drum corps.  He’d practically snarl at me for not doing summer band for two years.  I did do summer band my last two years of high school and went back to drum corps again after high school. 

[Chief Guns]

1 hour ago, deftguy said:

Can I guess your son's high school is Vista-Murrieta?  If so, no wonder they encouraged drum corps. VM's band is very good. 

Yes Sir! Vista Murrieta it is! Music program is phenomenal. 

[Jeff Ream]

13 hours ago, C.Holland said:

I think it depends on the schedule of your own group, the schedule of the circuit they want to march, and the individual student.  have a chat with them about managing expectations, attitude, and schedule.   Some are not great about coming back to band and being humble, others manage it very well.  Its all about managing expectations and attitude. 

this. it's really a kid by kid basis. my last teaching gig was a program with directors and staff with DCI and DCA experience marching and teaching and designing. But we knew some kids would struggle, so we talked with them positively but honestly about what to expect. the program to date continues to send kids to DCA and DCI.

Edited February 14, 2023 by Jeff Ream

[PopcornEater1963]

11 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

this. it's really a kid by kid basis. my last teaching gig was a program with directors and staff with DCI and DCA experience marching and teaching and designing. But we knew some kids would struggle, so we talked with them positively but honestly about what to expect. the program to date continues to send kids to DCA and DCI.

I think this is where I'm at...case by case. Kid by kid. That said...the corps I will be working with is in an area that has an embarrassment of talent available...directed by high school directors that in large part have a zero tolerance policy on highschoolers marching. It's school by school...but most have that policy. One of my initial goals is to approach directors with an honest look at the "risk/reward" of a kid participating. I think most are focusing on the risk...without seriously pondering the reward. I don't want to poo-poo the risk. We've all heard the horror stories of the kid that comes back and ends up being a pain in the ### to everyone ( his classmates, directors, other band leaders, etc.). I just don't think the "other side" gets enough promotion. The kid that comes back and can effectively be a "player coach" in assistance to his director. 

If I were a director ( I'm not...so it's easy to say)...I'd let kids APPLY to march DCI...and upon acceptance sign an agreement with the HS director of what is and is NOT expected of said kid when they return to the high school program. 

[mingusmonk]

19 hours ago, KVG_DC said:

There really wasn't much overlap in my HS band in Indiana and Drum Corps in the 80s if only because our summer schedule didn't permit double doing. We had a LOT go on to do DCI after graduation though, Star, Bluecoats, Cavies, Madison.  

When Star came on the scene, it was much easier for some crossover.  I can think of one marcher who did DCI and NOT our band cause "our show was so simple and rehearsals were waste."   But we had two marchers I can remember who did do our band shows. One from Cavies who, interestingly, marched alto sax with us.  He did brass of some sort with Cavies.  And one Mello player who marched with Star.  They both joined us after the DCI season ended and thus after our band camp when we had most all the show learned. But they were SUPER fast learners because, frankly, even though we were a BOA national finalist and ISSMA state contender, our show was easy compared to what DCI did.

They elevated our rehearsal attitudes.  They were pure professionals with zero wasted time on the field during practices and although neither were seniors, in both cases the senior class section leaders idolized them (we all were enamored with DCI) and adopted the 'don't waste time you could be doing x' when your section wasn't being directly worked with on the field.  

I remember running the tenor saxes in a line drill over and over and over (we were the front line in a block on the first move and set the blocks movement). even though staff weren't working with us directly 

My Indiana band director used to load up kids to take to drum corps shows. His son marched drum corps. We were also ISSMA contenders (different lass than you). We didn't do BOA. People marched Regiment, Cavaliers. Star, Glassmen, Bluecoats, Crossmen. But nobody would have dared march drum corps will *in* his high school program. I marched in high school with 20+ people that marched drum corps AFTER graduating. I once drove with a friend from Indiana, overnight. Friday night into Saturday morning, straight to Baltimore for a spring drum corps camp. We were 17 years old and it was just to 2 of us. He would have given us F's if we missed his band concert. 

 

Then again, his son became a regular ISSMA state championship band director elsewhere. And when I worked for him, he allowed students march drum corps. No problem.