Auditions Today Vs. Yesterday

[Keith Hall]

Back in the 1970's, how many corps auditioned members? I would say not many since there were corps all over North America. Maybe Vanguard and Blue Devils?

Today there are only a few corps left and since there is a cap on how many members you can have I would image for some corps, they are coveted spots!

 

Thoughts?

[OldSnareDrummer]

The corps I was in:

Instructor: You got a pulse, kid?

Kid: Uh yeah, I think so.

Instructor: Ok, you're in. Grab a pair of sticks. 

Kids from my corps who went on to Cavaliers, PR or Black Knights basically walked in to rehearsal, played a few licks and they fit them into where ever there was an opening that suited their talents. Nothing even close to today's  process. 

[Terri Schehr]

They took me into the kitchen at the Skokie American legion hall. Handed me a longie v/r French horn that I had never played and asked me to play some scales.  In Guardsmen, I didn’t have to do anything because people knew me. 

[Keith Hall]

Mine was......"Oh good you play trumpet? Here's a soprano!? I also got the finger chart because it was a Valve/Rotor Getzen. I didn't have a problem.

[Jeff Ream]

mine in 1988 was "#### it's Wallys kid, lets see what he can do"

[KVG_DC]

A friend of mine marched Mandarins back when they were tiny.  He said they'd use the break before the hit the road to tour to literally drive around Sacramento and approach kids that were just hanging out in malls and stuff with, "Wanna tour the country this summer?"  If they were a go, they'd then figure out if they were good at hitting things or blowing through things, or twirling things. They trained a lot of people from scratch for a few years then had enough returning to make their mark in the A60 championships.

He's in awe of what they're doing now and can't believe the "little not very good group I was part of" is putting out shows like they have recently.

[IllianaLancerContra]

45 minutes ago, KVG_DC said:

A friend of mine marched Mandarins back when they were tiny.  He said they'd use the break before the hit the road to tour to literally drive around Sacramento and approach kids that were just hanging out in malls and stuff with, "Wanna tour the country this summer?"  If they were a go, they'd then figure out if they were good at hitting things or blowing through things, or twirling things. They trained a lot of people from scratch for a few years then had enough returning to make their mark in the A60 championships.

He's in awe of what they're doing now and can't believe the "little not very good group I was part of" is putting out shows like they have recently.

Any Corps can become championship caliber if they are willing to put in the effort (both on performance and management side).  

[Jurassic Lancer]

3 hours ago, Terri Schehr said:

They took me into the kitchen at the Skokie American legion hall. Handed me a longie v/r French horn that I had never played and asked me to play some scales.  In Guardsmen, I didn’t have to do anything because people knew me. 

I was in the same boat. I was recruited by a staff member to march Oakland Crusaders and I just showed up and was put in lead sopranos. Then, a rifle from Crusaders went to 27th and told George Zingali about me, I got a call and poof, I was a 27th Lancer.

[Terri Schehr]

19 minutes ago, Jurassic Lancer said:

I was in the same boat. I was recruited by a staff member to march Oakland Crusaders and I just showed up and was put in lead sopranos. Then, a rifle from Crusaders went to 27th and told George Zingali about me, I got a call and poof, I was a 27th Lancer.

After you marched a few years back then, people knew if you were good or a tick.  😂 

[Jurassic Lancer]

9 minutes ago, Terri Schehr said:

After you marched a few years back then, people knew if you were good or a tick.  😂 

Exactly