PurpleKnights Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 I've seen several high school shows attempting to imitate the famous Phantom of the Opera show to a T. Even the same props are made. None of those shows were ever very good... My high school band director told me that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. We always tried to do what corps did. We watched corps DVDs weekly, usually played music for marching season that a top 12 corps had done, and of course strove to mimic technique. Our uniforms were total Blue Devils ripoffs. Except, you know, purple. We played the same music that Cadets did in 2000 in '04. Our drill writer judged DCI finals this year. None of it was any more wrong than taking a play you saw in the NBA for your high school basketball team. (Of course, the ties between DCI and high school marching bands are much closer that high school and professional sports, but you get my point) So taking an entire show, music, drill, everything, from a corps, and putting it on the field for a high school band... I wouldn't say it's wrong. I'd just say it's CHEESY. Really cheesy. BTW, we did Richard Saucedo stuff this year, he's got some really great music. Difficult, tho'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravedodger Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 My college bought PR's 89 show and we played it in 90, note-for-note. Didn't do the drill or the drum book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newseditor44 Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 My college bought PR's 89 show and we played it in 90, note-for-note. Didn't do the drill or the drum book. Nothing like the Renegade Marching Band.... DOH! And where are they now?? (I say that has an alum, of course!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravedodger Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 (edited) Hey Jason, BC's marching band went under in 95--I think, but I wasn't there at the time. I've been playing with the concert band and orchestra (started in 94 or 95) since 1999. The music department just started a new winter drumline under Mark McGuire (formerlly of BHS and now at Liberty) and Dave Ellis (marched Freelancers and Blue Devils instructed the BHS drumline since the mid 90's). Edited November 28, 2006 by ravedodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaos001 Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 (edited) this trend of imitation, etc. is not surprising at all. especially when michael gaines and richard saucedo write drill and music for most of the best high schools in the nation...i.e. Lafayette out of Lexington, KY. Edited November 28, 2006 by chaos001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashofthunder Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Well, I think that high schools performing drum corps shows is a great thing, especially for bands that don't have the money to hire a top notch designer. Think about it: the bands could either hire a mediocre designer and get an original show that's designed in a mediocre fashion, or for the same amount of money, or even less, the high school could get a top notch, extremely well designed program. I think it's a no brainer. It's not like the bands will one-up the corps or steal the corps identity, and I say that whatever gets a kid interested in corps is a great thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpsanchez Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 It's a trend that shifts from decade to decade. Bands copy Corps or Corps copy Bands. Imitation is flattery, it's also boring. Just sayin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcf06 Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 well its pretty funny that cadets are doing sam hazos Ride this year, after it was done last year. Its not that it was ripped off. But seriously doesnt it get really tiring hearing the same songs over and over again every year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dciguy01 Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 What else is new... If you are going to copy a show, at least have some class and don't do it note for note...move for move. Put your own signature on the show and add something unique to the school's style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akagi Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Did anybody see the United Township High School Marching Band from Moline, IL this past fall? Their opener (and other parts of the show) was something of a note-for-note transcription of Phantom Regiment's 2005 show Rhapsody. I'm not sure if they bought the show, or just transcribed it. They performed it really well, but sometimes I wondered if their scores were because of their talent or their trascription of a J. D. Shaw show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.