bearz Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 OK, the thread about high schools emulating drum corps got me thinking. My HS band director hated DC. I graduated in 78, so obviously a looooong time ago, but the guy just hated it. Never mind that I came back from summer vacation with incredible chops, or that I learned incredible amounts about music, or that I went from a weak 3rd chair to beating the pants off the 1st chair, my band director just hated drum corps. Bad mouthed it at every turn and was quite rude about it. Did yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 i graduated in 87...he liked it, but didn't want to be like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonbuccsbass Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 I've heard of both circumstances, though it seems rare that the hate drumcorps mentality exists in band directors who are drummers. It usually winds up being the directors who are also brass players who hate it for one reason or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake_the_hydra Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 I've heard of both circumstances, though it seems rare that the hate drumcorps mentality exists in band directors who are drummers. It usually winds up being the directors who are also brass players who hate it for one reason or another. A lot of them hate/hated it for the same reasons college professors do/did . . . quality brass playing isn't always taught. In some situations, and this used to be much more true, it can hurt more than it helps. Also, if kids do the whole marching thing and then come back and act like jerks in their marching band, well . . . obvious. I don't know about the whole drummer thing. My band director didn't march corps, but his son did, and he actually helped me prepare my auditions more than once. But, I also didn't march in high school. And I was a good band kid. So . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malibu Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) I graduated in 1978. My high school band director loved drum corps! He let 27th Lancers use our stadium to practice in and in turn they gave a clinic in the summer of 1978. He would show us videos that he made of a clinic in West Chester, PA in 1976 with the Blue Devils in full uniform! THAT is what hooked me onto drum corps. Watching that video I couldn't believe the precision that was being done. I said they look like robots! He would gather us all in the auditorium to watch a video of the 1975 SCV Drumline. I know I have thanked him many times in person for giving me the opportunity to learn and experience a great activity. Edited November 2, 2006 by Malibu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGarrett Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Starting with my Jr. High band teacher, he hated drum corps. I came walking in with my new corps jacket on and he just gave me the evil eye and shook his head. My High School band director obviously had the same disdain for drum corps, he just never really said so or would even acknowledge that drum corps existed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmenjeffb Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 I graduated in 1978 and mine LOVED it !! He led to my being involved as well. Most of the directors I work for now also support it and would not stop a student from marching if the student wanted too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mingusmonk Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 He loved it. His son marched Phantom. He took many-a-student to their first drum corps experiences (including this one). Quite a few kids graduated from his band and went to Star, Bluecoats, Phantom and others. But there is no way in hell he would have let drum corps affect his high school band program. Nobody ever marched corps while in his band. And if I had missed any band events while trying out for corps during my senior year, my grades would have been severely affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleKnights Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Our director is a former caption head for Blue Knights and a former horn tech for Blue Devils. So. Yeah. Support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Graduated in '75 many moons ago, many.... many.... moons ago ($1 to headanimal DCPer Dave K.). OK, my head Band Director was retiring in a few years and didn't have the band compete. But he was of the opinion "outside of school was your life and it was none of my ### #### business". That was a direct quote as he went to the bandroom crapper to have his 15th cig of the day. (Said he was close to retirement.) Story on the Asst BD was a classic. Found out after two of us joined Westshoremen that he was head DM of the Lancers (local rival). Later found out he marched with Westshore until they disbanded in '72 then went to Lancers. Guy never said squat about DC even though he knew two of us marched. Guess he was keeping his nose clean until the head BD job came up. Weird part was Westshore thought he was recruiting for the Lancers until I set them straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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