Best Drum Major

[cccmommy]

Gotta be George Parks

[K2SMA]

Gotta be George Parks

Yes, you have to include George Parks, Winky, and Jimmy if you're discussing "all-time" best. Yes, Beth was VERY good, too, and I dare say broke some new ground! Tom listed a number of other impressive people, too. Corky was just inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame.

We look for "personality" in DCA drum majors, and I think we're blessed with the best! DCI conductors don't get the years on the podium to build a public persona.

But perhaps this discussion was on the current class of DMs. And you can't do it "right" in DCA being a DCI automaton. Might as well otherwise just set Dr. Beat and an amplifier out on the podium... but that may be off topic.

[TomMoore]

Josh Decker also gets the "Best Use of Likeness in Corps Promotional Movie Poster" award.

Seriously, I chime in here only to add that Josh's leadership skills during rehearsals, during the week and behind the scenes are are great as his skills on the podium. The Balance in Blue is blessed to have Josh on its team.

[cin4057]

I've always had a problem with drum majors who are human metranomes.

I've always seen the drum line as the ones who keep time. Dad taught me that.

I guess I'm prejudice in that I always thought my father,Truman Crawford was the best example in this respect.

He had a way of directing, where you could actually see the flow of the music in his every movement. Just ask anyone who was fortunate in being directed by him.

I think one of his best tools was his voice. He sang as he directed, while his hands directed the ebb and flow in the volume and dynamics of the piece. He was really quite remarkable.

I remember asking Dad about the subject of "the metranome style of directing" once and his reply was that it was the drum lines job to keep timing. That it was the drum majors job to guide the music.Finness it.

I learned at my Dads knee. I learned from one of the very best in this field.

Being a drum major is an art. It can be quite beautiful if done correctly.

And it's not easy!

You have to BE the music. You have to project it in your every movement. Your facial expressions.

[zarblap]

Eddy Reese,,,,,Rochester Phoenix& St.Joe's Alumni, also Willie from real St. Joe's

For flash&dash, I'd give it to Allen Smythe

Edited September 30, 2006 by zarblap

[zarblap]

This thread is...who is the best CONDUCTOR? The DM who knows how to conduct from a musical point of view, not from a showman point of view.

I always loved watching Beth Fabrizio conduct with Cru in 1990.

Corky also did a great job when he took to the field once in a while

Edited September 30, 2006 by zarblap

[dafepd]

Tom:

Let me preface this by adding that there really are and have been some incredible conductors throughout the DCA RANKS. My bias aside, I must agree with you here that Josh Decker is an amazing Conductor and Corps Leader for the Buccaneers. What I find truly awesome about Josh is that he indeed is an awesome human being both on and off the field. He reminds me of a young George Parks without the mace. I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to march under both.

Dave Faust, Reading Buccaneers

1982 Percussion

2006 Brass until Wildwood

[TomPeashey]

this is fun

everyone makes valid points... I think that the criteria has to be multi faceted...

1. Leadership

2. Conducting Ability

3. Showmanship

All mentioned are great... George Parks the best? VERY hard to argue with that. Alan Smythe certainly thought so - talk about coming from the horses mouth...

At DCA in Scranton, I remember standing with Truman Crawford as he watched his last DCA Championship and the young lady fresh out of High School was conducting the Hurricanes and he said - "she is definitely the best CONDUCTOR I've ever seen at that age and maybe at any age"... no THAT was something coming from him...

[LegalEagle50]

the young lady conducting the Hurricanes at that time would have been Jamie Cutrone. she won quite a few "Best Drum Major" awards during her time with the corps. :)

[zarblap]

I've always had a problem with drum majors who are human metranomes.

I've always seen the drum line as the ones who keep time. Dad taught me that.

I guess I'm prejudice in that I always thought my father,Truman Crawford was the best example in this respect.

He had a way of directing, where you could actually see the flow of the music in his every movement. Just ask anyone who was fortunate in being directed by him.

I think one of his best tools was his voice. He sang as he directed, while his hands directed the ebb and flow in the volume and dynamics of the piece. He was really quite remarkable.

I remember asking Dad about the subject of "the metranome style of directing" once and his reply was that it was the drum lines job to keep timing. That it was the drum majors job to guide the music.Finness it.

I learned at my Dads knee. I learned from one of the very best in this field.

Being a drum major is an art. It can be quite beautiful if done correctly.

And it's not easy!

You have to BE the music. You have to project it in your every movement. Your facial expressions.

your dad was a great man and one of best horn arrangers ever , I went to high school at Niagara Wheatfield in Sanborn, NY and are Music director,Norm Bemish was a personal friend of your dad. I think they were college room mates, but we always had a direct connection to him. My cousin got directly into the Navy Band without having to even do basic training and retired after 30 years. I've always loved the origanal composition he wrote for the 68 Chicago Royal Airs!!!!!!! Thank you for your post,Douglas Beecher Edited October 1, 2006 by zarblap