lucas97 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 In essence, the high school marching band has all but replaced and made irrelevant the local community-based drum corps. Hogwash. You must live in one of the towns fortunate enough to have a school music program that includes competitive marching band in it's curriculum. For every such town, there are at least four others that don't have that opportunity. Are those communities "irrelevant"? Oh, and what about kids outside the 14-18 age group? Are they "irrelevant"? Actually, your comment illustrates a component of the "new attitude" of DCI that is worth noting. Amid the DCI marketing focus on marching-band kids, many people are forgetting that drum corps can also serve kids who aren't already in a competitive marching band. So which is more important? Getting a music education, or getting a music education from some sort of marching organization? I never said that those communities without a scholastic music program (or the kids in them, for that matter) were irrelevant. I said that those communities WITH scholastic music programs have ALL BUT taken the place of the local community-based drum corps, making the local CORPS virtually irrelevant. As in, the kids in those communities with scholastic music programs who are interested in music are getting their music education from their schools. (Of course, as ALWAYS, the kid needs to have an interest in music to begin with.) It has made the drum corps activity (at all levels) much more of a hobby than serving a public need. In these situations, the public need for a local drum corps to teach their kids how to play a horn or drum is being met elsewhere to a large degree. From the National Center for Education Statistics (1999-2000): 94% of public elementary schools offer music instruction. 90% of public secondary schools offer music instruction. We can debate the quality of this instruction, of course. But we can also debate the quality of drum corps instruction as well...regardless of the era. This is not to say that a local community-based drum corps cannot be an enhancement to what is being offered at the scholastic level. As has been mentioned before, such a thing costs a lot of money and requires an operational team that is 1) knowledgable in how to run a business (non-profit or otherwise), 2) knowledgable in the area of music instruction, and 3) knowledgable in the area of public relations in order to galvinize public support for their program. Yes, it can be done. It's not easy. Those kinds of people can be difficult to come by. But WITHOUT those people, the odds of these local corps popping up again decreases dramatically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BariBrian Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 So which is more important? Getting a music education, or getting a music education from some sort of marching organization? I never said that those communities without a scholastic music program (or the kids in them, for that matter) were irrelevant. I said that those communities WITH scholastic music programs have ALL BUT taken the place of the local community-based drum corps, making the local CORPS virtually irrelevant. As in, the kids in those communities with scholastic music programs who are interested in music are getting their music education from their schools. (Of course, as ALWAYS, the kid needs to have an interest in music to begin with.) It has made the drum corps activity (at all levels) much more of a hobby than serving a public need. In these situations, the public need for a local drum corps to teach their kids how to play a horn or drum is being met elsewhere to a large degree. Yes I agree with that in some ways, however there were many towns in the 60's and 70's (mine included) that offered band programs, very good programs that were actually more in depth because back then they had the funding. Still Pittsfield Mass. was able to support seven drum and bugle corps. While I won't tell you that back then we didn't have band members marching, I will tell you that it was rare,very rare. Drum and Bugle corps was not a "Hobbie" it was a fraternity that was different from any other music experience you got with band. I believe the big difference between now and then is that drum and bugle corps. of today are run by mostly band people! Thats not a bad thing,,, but I do believe thats why drum corps has been drifting that way for some time, and it answers a lot of questions that us old geezers wonder about. I compare drum and bugle corps. of yesterday to my small town that I live in. Bare with me!! :sshh: I live in a small town (drum and bugle corp) that to some standards could be considerd dull. but I live there because its a nice place, the kids are nice, the people are nice, no crime Etc.Etc. Then we have people who move there from the (Band) city, BECAUSE they love the small town atmosphere. So they move in and start to get involved with the community. Soon they are at the board meetings and involved in the local politics. the next thing that happens is we start seeing changes that start to make our small town into a city. The city people don't even realize what they are doing because this is whats always been done in there former communities. Long story short. Why would anyone want to change so drastically that which they fell in love with in the first place? If you loved drum corps enough to try it out because it was different and refreshing or whatever, then why would you want to make it the same, as where you just came from? This is not a knock on band people at all. I feel that if anything you have refined the musicianship to an unbelievable level. I just feel that this could have also been accomplished while leaving the basics intact, thereby preserving what appealed to you in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 (edited) With all that's been going on in DCI over the years, with the corporate partners and such, who can tell me what these corporate partners are doing for DCI and more importantly THE KIDS who march in the units. Did DCI promise to advise all the corps to use company B's product because if the total sales for this year are this much, they will give DCI this much money. Or is it if the corps spend this much on instruments company A will be this for DCI. I may be speaking through my hat but what did DCI do for all the corps that have folded over the past 20 years. Did they offer a break on DCI dues, if they pay any, did they offer to send some help in the way of an accountant or someone to see how they can save the corps, not to my knowledge. It's just a shame that we have lost so many great and entertaining drum corps simply because there was no help from DCI. If someone from DCI reads this, could or would you please tell everyone what DCI did for the corps that have folded. Also does DCI have any programs in place for corps who find themselves starting to SINK. Edited April 23, 2004 by Old Dutch Boy Cadet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BariBrian Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 My Guess is no Rob. But there are a lot of folks who have come to DCI's aid here on this thread. Its to bad DCI doesn't care as much about the corps as these fine folks do about DCI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Not sure how you can have a small town or community type feel to a local DCI corps when members come from all over the country for auditions. I'm also guessing the pressure from competing against so many other talented players doesn't help a group like feel like a family. Wondering if DCI is doing anything to help corps just starting up like DCA does with the Mini-Corps/Class A programs (willing to explain them if needed). Someone said that DCI is not Junior corps but with the exception of DCM who else is left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BariBrian Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 (edited) Not sure how you can have a small town or community type feel to a local DCI corps when members come from all over the country for auditions. I'm also guessing the pressure from competing against so many other talented players doesn't help a group like feel like a family.Wondering if DCI is doing anything to help corps just starting up like DCA does with the Mini-Corps/Class A programs (willing to explain them if needed). Someone said that DCI is not Junior corps but with the exception of DCM who else is left? Not sure if you were understanding the simularities I was trying to get at with that story about the small town. Also the time from 60's and 70's most members came from the community (even the top corps) very few corps. had auditions and all kids were welcome. not just those who had musical backgrounds. but thats an excellent idea about the mini corps. Edited April 22, 2004 by BariBrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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