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When did drum corps become just about winning?


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Additionally, those desirous of improving their skills and receiving appropriate instruction are, typically, bound for college music schools or other professional endeavors -- many of which spurn participation in corps as a needless waste of time and damaging to proper technique.

Unless the corps you are speaking of shares its brass technique with an influential music school.

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I have no doubt that musicians receive good instruction in corps and that they become better players as a result but, I would question that as a motivation for undertaking the greuling schedule and committment that characterizes today's drum corps experience. Surely, there are less taxing ways of becomming a better horn player. Additionally, those desirous of improving their skills and receiving appropriate instruction are, typically, bound for college music schools or other professional endeavors -- many of which spurn participation in corps as a needless waste of time and damaging to proper technique.

There are MANY factors involved when considering an individual's motivation to march drum corps. But I can say that for me and most people that I marched with, a major part of our decision to return year after year was because we believed in the educational approach and valued our growth as musicians. Our instructors were absolutely teachers, some of the most brilliant educators I have ever met. And we were absolutely students, in many many ways. It IS a university atmosphere, because aside from maybe 10 members, we WERE college students. And the whole experience was conducted with the same professionalism that you would expect in a collegiate environment.

And about the whole "corps as a needless waste of time/damaging to proper technique," the general musical approach of drum corps has changed for the better, particularly over the last decade or so, thanks to the influence of a small handful of educators and the way their ensembles have been regarded by the judging community. As a result, heads are slowly being turned in the professional community and drum corps is gaining status as a legimate medium for musical performance. Is everyone a believer? No, not even close. But what a few corps' are doing these days is absolutely valuable to aspiring professional musicians. As more and more organizations adopt an educationally sound approach to outdoor music, I think you'll see this negative sentiment change.

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Where I march, we don't talk about winning. We talk about being the best that we can possibly be.

And as much of a stereotype as it is . . . on AND off the field.

Edited by jake_the_hydra
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When did drum corps become just about winning? When did corps decide: "That's too hard to play. Water it down. It's boring, but it's clean."

As long as I have been around that's how it has been...probably LESS so today than pre-DCI.

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When did drum corps become just about winning?

Probably about 1/2 hour before the first second-place corps started #####ing about taking second place.

"Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing"--Vincent T. Lombardi

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You can go ahead and add us fans to that as well. Who do you go watch in the lot? Who's APD do you dowload, and who's do you skip? Where are you when the first corps goes on at a local show?

Bingo!

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Okay, sure, like this corps is the only corps that works the Green method...

I've got news for you! Madison was working the Green method before the Cavies were!!!!!!

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This is ridiculous...have you seen the programs corps do these days? I think they get easier the higher they rank. I could do that stuff in my sleep.

In fact I think I could perform two or even three of those shows at the same time, they're so easy. So ridiculously easy.

:feednotroll:

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Okay, sure, like this corps is the only corps that works the Green method...

I've got news for you! Madison was working the Green method before the Cavies were!!!!!!

Lemme think............Madison's first championship--1975. Cavaliers' first championship--1957.

Number of National Championships........Madison--2. Cavaliers--20.

Try again. B)

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