Cadets 2006

[davidp]

You have to question the running off the ramps and jumping off. Is this safe? It certainly doesn't look it. And if it isn't 100% safe - is this a responsible design decision?

I think if it hadn't been for the CG person slipping and getting hurt in Cookeville, they would have been abl to finish their show, even in the rain. When she slipped, the officials stopped the show (I didn't even see that happen (there's too much to watch in their show, IMHO), but that's what I heard stopped it).

[chris ncsu]

I think if it hadn't been for the CG person slipping and getting hurt in Cookeville, they would have been abl to finish their show, even in the rain. When she slipped, the officials stopped the show (I didn't even see that happen (there's too much to watch in their show, IMHO), but that's what I heard stopped it).

Hop said nobody was injured/slipped in Cookeville.

[jordsterr]

I'm just amazed at the current contenders for all time greatest jumping to conclusions champions posting on this thread.

While there may or may not be design flaws in this show, I would venture to say that there could be issues with design in any show. I have designed a number of shows, and sometimes, my best idea doesn't come off the way I would wish. That happens. Making the attempt to try something new is difficult, but I've never met any design team that doesn't hope that what they come up with will be cool and that the audience will be receptive.

What works is in the eye of the beholder. Although I bleed Maroon and Gold, my personal favorite show last year was the Blue Devils. That was a fabulous concept, and I was totally entertained from beginning to end. I believe that their placement had less to do with a design that didn't work, but rather a concept that had won the previous year in WGI, and the same people brought it to DCI. A lot of the same judges judge both, so they knew.

At any rate, I'm tired of debating whether they should amplify or sing or use oboes. I just want my corps to be great and for the students to learn great things. By all accounts, that is the case. I have heard no sign that this is a tough year. Not placing first does not a poor year make. We were a better, safer and happier corps in 88 than in 87. 87 was wonderful....just 88 was better. Speaking for myself alone, it was painful to watch the group next to us in 87 who had so desperately wanted to win. Seeing many of them openly weep was hard. By contrast, it was a real joy to spontaneously break ranks to shake the hands of the Madison Scouts who were next to us in 88.

So, eveything that I read, that I see on the internet, and that I have seen in person points to a wonderful season of growth for the members. I'm sure it's also a season of growth for the people trying to create something new.

A couple of years ago, member surveys pointed to a desire by the members to go back to being the corps on the edge. I appreciate that fact. It's why I went there to begin with.

This corps is in the process of winning. No, they are not going to come in first place, but they, like a lot of corps this summer, will win.

Jordi Vilanova

[X DM]

uh - no.

they just had a ton of ageouts last year - more than any other corps

and "competitive slide" is a huge stretch

If..... and that's " if "..... the Cadets drop from 1st to 4th or 5th this year, what other Corps will have fallen 3 or 4 places this year except possibly Madison ? And when have we last seen a Cadets Corps out of the top 3 AND a Crossmen Corps out of the top 12 in the same year ? Collectively that's unprecedented. I'd say that's a competitive slide....... and as for the" most age outs "at the end of last season, the Blue Devils were the Corps last year with the most age outs from the info I had heard.( But I won't quibble on that point )....... also, the notion that the Cadets have young members this year after lots of age outs from last year, is like saying Duke Basketball lost some key veteran players from last year's team . Somehow that just doesn't generate a lot of sympathy from around the Country with the available talent that Duke can draw upon to reload, you know what I mean ?

Edited August 7, 2006 by X DM

[Wild Nights]

Well, I usually don't agree with a lot of what you say about Cadets, but when you put it this way, it makes sense, and sounds like it's coming out of the mouth of one of the founding members of DCP, rather than that of a fifteen year old borg. b**bs

Oh yeah, and I like your new avatar pic better too. The white rabbit freaked me out a little. :P

[Gil-galad]

The Cadets show this year is good.... just not quite as good as last year.

My dad-- who knows very little about drum corps actually put it quite well: "It's kind of like a Hollywood sequal. It's bigger and flashier, but not better by any means."

[Fran Haring]

There was feedback in the left speaker stack throughout the program - an annoying clicking. You could hear the snares in the mics through the speakers - the bass drums kept coming through the mics as well. Not good. If you are going to base a large portion of your program on amplified elements - you need to get the amplification part right.

George, you are 100 percent correct on this, IMO.

I support the use of amps/electronics/vocals, when done in a professional manner.

But if a corps is going to, in effect, bill itself as the "best of the best" in marching music..... then its entire product HAS to be better than what high school bands are putting on the field... any amplification/vocalization has to be done at the highest level possible. Quite frankly, I've seen several high school bands make much better use of amplification/vocalization than this year's version of The Cadets.

I hope that if The Cadets use vocals/amplification next year, they bring that part of their program up the level of excellence displayed by their hornline, drumline and color guard.

Fran

[X DM]

The Cadets show this year is good.... just not quite as good as last year.

My dad-- who knows very little about drum corps actually put it quite well: "It's kind of like a Hollywood sequal. It's bigger and flashier, but not better by any means."

"Sequelitis "...... it's rare when a movie sequel is as good or better than the first one. Once something wins, the natural inclination is to try and repeat the experience. Sometimes by making it bigger and flashier. But more oftentimes than not, the seqel never approaches what the first edition was able to do. Your Dad had it right.

Edited August 7, 2006 by X DM

[NR_Ohiobando]

In a completely different post...

As I often see a thread popping up around here about repetoire suggestions...I figured I might as well give a suggestion to the Cadets' future musical selections since so many people just want good old fashioned Cadets from 2000 back(although I include 2003 & 2001 in that.)

This year in my wind symphony we played the 4th movement of a piece by James Barnes simply called "Third Symphony". Our director read us info about the piece: (This isn't word for word, I remember the general ideas of the piece, but as to James Barnes' exact thoughts and words on the piece this is as close as I'll try to make it.)

- Third Symphony is a work composed by composer James Barnes. When he was asked to write a piece for someone, they had requested that it be about anything that Mr. Barnes wished it to be about. Also occuring during this time...his baby daughter Natalie who was recently born, had passed away. Third Symphony, simply put, is all the emotions he went through during this tragic and saddening time of losing his baby daughter. He defines it as the most emotional work he's ever written.

The First Movement encompasses all the anger, sadness, and mourning Barnes felt after losing his dear baby daughter, Natalie. It is a dark work, beginning with a great and rarely seen Tuba cadenza with a timpani occasionally stepping in the background. This obviously is reflecting his sudden loss of his baby daughter.

The Second Movement is his personal reflection of "hatred" toward certain people in the world. Since his loss, he has done much thinking about how the world works.

The Third Movement , simply titled (III. for Natalie) is an amazingly beautiful lovesong written as though the world still worked with his baby daughter alive in it.

The Fourth Movement(the movement I played) is his letting go of the past and looking toward a bright and joyful future. He is also expecting a new child. It is much different than the rest of the Symphony; very upbeat and fun(especially fun to play: one #### of a horn part, I was jealous) There is a "sunday school hymn" brought into play signifying Barnes' rememberence of Natalie called "I am Jesus Little Lamb" and the song makes several appearences during this 7 minute movement.

Three days after completion of the Third Symphony, baby Billy was welcomed into the world. -

Oh yeah, the music isn't half bad either.

I've thought about who would be fitting to play this, and I narrowed it down to the Blue Knights, Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Carolina Crown, and the Cadets of Bergen County.

I feel the Cadets and Phantom have the best chance of making the best of a possible show(although depicting a dying baby daughter might be "over the top" or just plain "cheezy").

Just kinda throwing this idea out there since no one is listening.

Oh yeah, the symphony itself is around 40 minutes long...as to shortening it to 11.5 is up to the corps.

Edited August 7, 2006 by NR_Ohiobando

[LAMystreaux]

In a completely different post...

As I often see a thread popping up around here about repetoire suggestions...I figured I might as well give a suggestion to the Cadets' future musical selections since so many people just want good old fashioned Cadets from 2000 back(although I include 2003 & 2001 in that.)

This year in my wind symphony we played the 4th movement of a piece by James Barnes simply called "Third Symphony". Our director read us info about the piece: (This isn't word for word, I remember the general ideas of the piece, but as to James Barnes' exact thoughts and words on the piece this is as close as I'll try to make it.)

- Third Symphony is a work composed by composer James Barnes. When he was asked to write a piece for someone, they had requested that it be about anything that Mr. Barnes wished it to be about. Also occuring during this time...his baby daughter Natalie who was recently born, had passed away. Third Symphony, simply put, is all the emotions he went through during this tragic and saddening time of losing his baby daughter. He defines it as the most emotional work he's ever written.

The First Movement encompasses all the anger, sadness, and mourning Barnes felt after losing his dear baby daughter, Natalie. It is a dark work, beginning with a great and rarely seen Tuba cadenza with a timpani occasionally stepping in the background. This obviously is reflecting his sudden loss of his baby daughter.

The Second Movement is his personal reflection of "hatred" toward certain people in the world. Since his loss, he has done much thinking about how the world works.

The Third Movement , simply titled (III. for Natalie) is an amazingly beautiful lovesong written as though the world still worked with his baby daughter alive in it.

The Fourth Movement(the movement I played) is his letting go of the past and looking toward a bright and joyful future. He is also expecting a new child. It is much different than the rest of the Symphony; very upbeat and fun(especially fun to play: one #### of a horn part, I was jealous) There is a "sunday school hymn" brought into play signifying Barnes' rememberence of Natalie called "I am Jesus Little Lamb" and the song makes several appearences during this 7 minute movement.

Three days after completion of the Third Symphony, baby Billy was welcomed into the world. -

Oh yeah, the music isn't half bad either.

I've thought about who would be fitting to play this, and I narrowed it down to the Blue Knights, Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Carolina Crown, and the Cadets of Bergen County.

I feel the Cadets and Phantom have the best chance of making the best of a possible show(although depicting a dying baby daughter might be "over the top" or just plain "cheezy").

Just kinda throwing this idea out there since no one is listening.

Oh yeah, the symphony itself is around 40 minutes long...as to shortening it to 11.5 is up to the corps.

Played this piece in college. . .awesome stuff and would transfer very well to the field.