It’s only fair I come out from under my rock for Mandarins

[denverjohn]

1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

yes but take scholastic away from WGI, and they're broke.

Adding Indoor Percussion and Winter Guard as an elective class (with high school credit) to suburban public high schools was a game-changer. This happened in the late 80's or early 90's I believe.

[Jeff Ream]

13 hours ago, denverjohn said:

Adding Indoor Percussion and Winter Guard as an elective class (with high school credit) to suburban public high schools was a game-changer. This happened in the late 80's or early 90's I believe.

where was this done??

[denverjohn]

54 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

where was this done??

Here in Colorado. Jeffco Public Schools. (Pomona HS) District 12 (Northglenn HS, Legacy HS) Just some examples. Many, if not most, shifted Marching Band block to mid-day (adjacent to lunch block) as well.

Incorporating Percussion & Winter Guard into the 7:30-3:30 ish schedule.  

[craiga]

4 hours ago, denverjohn said:

Here in Colorado. Jeffco Public Schools. (Pomona HS) District 12 (Northglenn HS, Legacy HS) Just some examples. Many, if not most, shifted Marching Band block to mid-day (adjacent to lunch block) as well.

Incorporating Percussion & Winter Guard into the 7:30-3:30 ish schedule.  

Also, many schools in Florida and Texas. But the idea of having guard or drumline classes during the school day is unheard of here in New England. 

[Chief Guns]

7 minutes ago, craiga said:

Also, many schools in Florida and Texas. But the idea of having guard or drumline classes during the school day is unheard of here in New England. 

The opposite here in SoCal. You can't throw a rock without hitting a drummer and/or drumline classes somewhere at a school.

You need drummers, just walk down the street out here and you'll have half your drumline filled before you even hit the crosswalk lol. 

[Jeff Ream]

On 11/24/2025 at 10:26 AM, denverjohn said:

Here in Colorado. Jeffco Public Schools. (Pomona HS) District 12 (Northglenn HS, Legacy HS) Just some examples. Many, if not most, shifted Marching Band block to mid-day (adjacent to lunch block) as well.

Incorporating Percussion & Winter Guard into the 7:30-3:30 ish schedule.  

thats very rare nationwide.

 

but i say take scholastic out and WGI is screwed is financial. sure World class gets the press and attention. scholastic pays the bills. all those registration fees for Dayton and regionals....regionals that allow Regional A for guards, concert classes opening up the A class in percussion.....scholastic is why that has happened. even in Winds scholastic is growing

Edited November 25, 2025 by Jeff Ream

[Jeff Ream]

and to clarify on why scholastic saves WGI:

 

Wc draws the crowd at dayton. scholastic units pay the bills with all of the groups that go to regionals and Dayton.....A class expecially, and on the guard side Regional A plays a part. percussion added A class for concert. all of those fees help pay the bills.

[perc2100]

On 11/22/2025 at 7:16 AM, Chief Guns said:

I don't want to speak for the poster, but maybe what he/she meant by saying "Took folks out" was maybe the 18-21 year olds who would have marched, chose to enlist and serve, where as if there was never a Gulf War, those kids would have been marching. 

If I am wrong, so be it, but that's how I respectfully interpreted his/her comment.

This and IIRC there were folks who were part-time in the Army Reserve or something that got called for active duty.  I was in HS at that time, so my memories are stories from friends (who were college aged DCI members at that time) that I don't recall details to anymore but I remember hearing about several folks who were marching in a corps/going to winter camps and then were called to duty to serve.  Some might've volunteered, some called via part-time Reserve call-ups.  Obviously not "drafted" but not necessarily "I signed up to go to war" either

[perc2100]

On 11/21/2025 at 7:16 PM, Tim K said:

I recall reading somewhere, probably on a thread on this site, that in general alums attend shows the first few years after aging out, then it drops off. I don’t recall the reasons but if you marched before the early 80’s, chances are you grew up in drum corps. Going to shows as adults and being involved as an alumni was due to it being an important part of your life.  Though most musicians today probably were in band in elementary, middle, and high school, chances are they only marched a few years in drum corps. They will probably not have the same ties to a corps as was the case back in the day. 

Two things DCI might consider to reconnect age outs is have social groups in Indy and perhaps at regionals where young people can gather. Maybe honoring anniversaries at shows like San Antonio, Atlanta, and Allentown might be of interest. At the 40th anniversary there was a huge reunion for anyone who marched. It was pretty successful. Parenthood also means people don’t have time. Try to have activities at shows that attract families. It could bring alums back and plant seeds for future marching members.

This tracks w/anecdotal evidence from my friends/alumni.  I know folks who marched in the 80's/early 90's who still go to local(ish) shows when they can but for the most part even folks I marched with in the late 1990's do pay much attention to DCI anymore.  I used to go to shows after aging-out when they were in my town but after a little more than a decade or so I stopped going.  I had the DCI season video subscription which was amazing living on the west coast with shows not lasting too late, and even better I could go back and watch shows I missed live.  When DCI stopped offering the service I wasn't impressed with the changes and stopped subscribing (I'm sure it's light years better than it used to be); I went to the movie theater events for awhile but that died off eventually too.  I haven't been to a live show in probably a decade or so now, and looking at next year's schedule it's unlikely I'll go to a show next year (though I might take a drive to go to a show or two to support students that may be marching, or I _might_ go see Bluecoats at the Rose Bowl or at Walnut or something).

You're right that DCI doesn't seem to do much regarding alumni engagement that I'm aware of: I don't even recall any "please donate!" type of mailings or emails after aging out.  It's like "either your former corps engages or nothing" is the ethos (which sucks if 'your former corps' folded a long time ago).  I agree if DCI did more alumni stuff that might help get some of us dinosaurs back spending money on DCI stuff again, going to shows, etc.

[DFA1970]

I looked up their bingo and why BD are now where they used to be and they ceased operation in May 2024. Not sure why but that's a money source they didn't have in most 2024 and 2025.