Lance Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 "Seems To Happen A Lot Lately":Yep: More and more like RAMD each and every day....... The "Intent" was to stimulate "Discussion". The numbers don't like my pretties. Slice and dice all you want. Elphaba WWW It might help if you gave the discussion somewhere to start. Simply saying "drum corps numbers have declined: discuss" is like saying "the sky is blue: discuss," or "India's population is increasing: discuss." Threads started like that will always be chaotic until the group finally defines the scope of the discussion. Just a suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Oz Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 (edited) A fantasy discussion: BOD: “The numbers are down” Stockholders: “Who’s in charge?” CEO; “But there were things beyond my control” BOD: “OK, fix those things you can control” CEO: “I’ll make it even better, more spectacular” Time passes BOD: “The numbers are down again” Stockholders: “Who’s in charge?” CEO; “But there were things beyond my control” Stockholders: “Strike two …” BOD: “OK, fix those things you can control” CEO: “I’ll get us on television!” Time passes BOD: “The numbers are down again” Stockholders: “Who’s in charge? Fire the dumbdonkey!” BOD: “You’re fired, dumbdonkey!” Yes, there are things DCI can’t control. And there may be more fans; and the pay-per-view theater and television events add to the exposure; and CD and DVD sales are (I’m guessing here) higher than ever; and the big shows are as well attended as ever. But the bottom line measure is that there are less and less marching members being “educated” each year. And that is, after all, the measure of an educational activity. Isn’t it? And yes the number of competitive bands has increased (a caveat – I don’t see hard statistics here). But I’d bet that the total number of bands hasn’t increased. (Anecdotal evidence: My high school had a non-competitive band when I was a student. Now it’s competitive.) But this forum isn’t about marching bands; it’s about a unique variant of marching music – drum corps. If you are not at least somewhat concerned about the vanishing drum corps, please wake up and smell the valve oil. [edited to beat the smut filter] Edited October 5, 2006 by The Oz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 (edited) When I research this census each and every year I state the facts as they are. You can give what ever reason you want for the numbers, but it is the state of drum corps at this time. I tip my hat to Chalet, and anybody else who works at starting new corps, such as her Renaissance. That job is most difficult today, and she's right about needing advice from those that have gone through it already. Anybody who loves drum corps needs to do whatever they can to help. We can't do anything about the numbers of the past, but we can do something about the numbers of the future. Edited October 5, 2006 by Northern Thunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScribeToo Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 2005 U.S. population - 296 million, under 18 - 73.5 million1970 U.S. population - 194 million, under 18 - 69 million 1935 U.S. population - 127 million, under 18 - 44 million Source: U.S. Census Bureau web site Thanks, Jim. I actually went to the census website but it's not very easy to navigate and find what you have here. Based on what you've provided, though.. here's an interesting statistic of my own: in 1935, approx. 35% of the population of the U.S. was under 18. in 1970, approx. 36% of the population of the U.S. was under 18. in 2005, approx. 25% of the population of the U.S. was under 18. Even without seeing a true trend graph (like, every 5 years, instead of every 35), I'd say that's a fairly significant decrease.. even though the actual numbers are going up (as are the numbers around the globe), the percentages are decreasing. Obviously, we'd also need to see population maps (where are these numbers increasing/decreasing), income/class data and also it would be helpful to dig even further to see if, in the population dense areas, youth programs are readily available and what their numbers/diversity are in order to make a real hope at a stab at a genuine reason for decline.. but I believe looking at population percentages alone can give us an idea that the decline can likely be attributed more to societal changes and ready availability of other programs than simply, "DCI killed them all." But that's just my speculative opinion.. based on wobbly facts I have no time to research and support. :) Stef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Laubhan Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 I agree with people who have pointed to high school marching bands as a reason that the number of active drum corps has declined. Maybe a more telling statistic would be "Number of competitive marching music ensembles"... or "Number of participants of competitive marching music ensembles." The marching music activity has evolved. Back in the day, HS bands didn't provide the competitive outlet that drew people to drum corps. That has all changed. Many, many bands who used to perform strictly at school spirit type functions now view it as dress-rehearsals for their competitions. The need for competitive musical activities has shifted away from community based drum corps to high school marching bands... and you'd be hard pressed to convince me that a lot of these bands aren't better than some of the old local parade corps ever could have hoped to be. At the same time, drum corps has evolved into the the "Major League"... for better or for worse, Drum Corps isn't an inclusive spot for "street kids" like it used to be. It's now the destination point for the elite performers of marching music. People will have verying opinions on whether or not this is good or bad, but I think that the quality of the performances have increased for the remain corps because of this shift, and while I don't have a study to confirm this, I'd imagine that the number of "competitive marching music participants" has infact increased exponentially over the years. Doesn't seem very doom and gloom to me, personally... in fact, I kinda like it better this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 The main reason so many corps have folded over the years is obvious, the all mighty buck, some have it and some don't !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Before everyone gets the wrong idea....competitive HS marching band did exist in the 1960s.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluehull Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 So many of the aforementioned reasons are true! I do hope I am terribly wrong, but we may lose another couple by February. Drum corps kids are generally high end types, and are suceptible to the academic pressures because of the options that they do have.. Social pressure is intense these days, and this translates into the employment sector. If a kid takes time off from the course, he/she may be passed by the class behind them. Its unfortunate, but this is the society that has evolved !! There is little room any longer for alternative constructive endeavors. Its now called survival! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Laubhan Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Before everyone gets the wrong idea....competitive HS marching band did exist in the 1960s.... Absolutely, but nowhere near the prominence that it exists now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glory Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Yep: More and more like RAMD each and every day....... The "Intent" was to stimulate "Discussion". The numbers don't like my pretties. Slice and dice all you want.Elphaba WWW Don't be coy. Your intent was to stimulate a wave of woe about the demise of drum corps at the guilty hands of modern show designers and their co-conspirators amongs corps directors and DCI. If I'm wrong, say so. And don't call me pretty. HH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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