CourtOfHonorMember Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Hi you guys. I have been marching four years and I am now twenty. I am struggling with a feeling I have never had before. I love the activity, but I have strange thoughts like, "Why am I doing this? Shouldn't I be doing orchestral stuff to prepare for university? Will marching this summer prepare me for the coming semester?" Have any of you ever felt this way? It's horrible, I hate these feelings and thoughts. What should I do? Would I be deserting my corps if I had to leave due to school commitments? Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcat Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Midseason, yes. That's desertion. After that, you'll have to decide whether your career was "good enough". But "preparing for university"... that sounds a little too convenient... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneseo_bari_87 Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 You can always delay your university work. You can't go back and march a drum corps year that you missed because you thought something else was more important. Doing drum corps and orchestral work during college will make you a better player and person. If it delays the development of your orchestral chops by a year or two, it is still worth it. Maching this summer will not prepare you for the coming semester. It will prepare you for your coming life. And yes, if you leave, you will live with feelings of deserting your corps, whether your corps feels deserted by you or not. Take a look at Chris Martin. He marched drum corps and has a pretty good orchestral gig now. Maybe try to email him and ask his perspective on the whole thing. http://www.trumpetguild.org/news/news05/319csoprincipal.htm http://www.dci.org/news/news.cfm?news_id=8...a1-0df553df863d Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF2K4 Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Take it from someone who didn't march this season because I needed to "prepare for college"... don't make the same stupid mistake I did. I regret not marching this year every day, especially now that the season has started. Whatever it takes, I'm going to march the last 3 years that I have. Whatever feeling of dispair you have now, I assure you, will be multiplied ten-fold if you don't march. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtOfHonorMember Posted June 21, 2006 Author Share Posted June 21, 2006 That sort of answers my questions, but why do I feel so burnt out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Devil Legend Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Let me say this........ The "life's lessons" you'll learn from drum corps will be well worth any burnout. I still use attributes I gathered from my DC experience to this day, business and pleasure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcat Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 If you feel "burnt out", it's your attitude. I had one burnout feeling in marching, and it was only after I made Finals, Aged-out, and came back to a university marching band that was good, but not used to the pace that I was working at. I bowed out for one non-competitive season, and I was transferring schools anyhow. If you're feeling burnt out about corps, you probably need to examine your situation, and how you feel about things... get through this season by pushing yourself. Do a tough I&E if you need a challenge. Perfect your show... otherwise you may want to question whether music is your thing. If you're "burnt out" now, you're going to get "burnt" later when it's practicing for low-paying gigs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACMellos2010 Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 I had that feeling in the middle of my years and took 23 years off. DO I regret taking the time off? For certain reasons I do and for others I do not. My reasons were much different than yours as I was not planning on embarking on a music career at all. As has already been said the lessons you learn in Drum Corps are lessons that can be applied to any aspect of life and make you more successful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 you are probably feeling a little burnt out due to the fact that you've been putting in all this practice and haven't had the release of doing a show yet. Wait until you get into the show day rythym and these feeling will probably pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footform Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 I won't pretend to know you or your needs and desires or to pass judgement. It is not at all unusual to feel burned out after several years marching, especially if you are preparing for a serious change in life (and going to university would fill the bill nicely). I wouldn't recommend leaving a corps you have committed to already unless there are other factors at work here that I wouldn't know. A couple of suggestions: talk to someone with the corps if there is one you have identified who seems like they would understand and help (I notice from your sig that you seem to be in a new corps this year, so also consider others you have had an understanding relationship with in past years); talk to someone in the university music program if you are worried about musical preparation (perhaps a trumpet exercise regimen can be devised that can make both you and the univ comfortable); do what you have done (contacting others for advice) and make your own decision about what is right for you. Drum corps is, indeed, about life. That won't make it easy, but it is your life and your decision. Feel free to contact me directly if you think talking to a stranger (parent/instructor) will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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