DCP Introductions

[JayM]

Hi. My name is Jay, though my real name is actually Jason Philip Mendoza. A girl friend in high school dubbed me "Jayzer", I adopted it as my screen name (AIM: Jayzer34), and it stuck.

I was born in Dallas, TX on June 6th, 1983, and was raised in Mesquite, a nearby suburb to the east. I was originally going to take a technology course as my 2nd elective in middle school, which would prevent me from enrolling in band. Band really wasn't a thought in my mind, until the middle school band director called my parents to tell them that I'd scored well on the Selmer Music Survey and that I could play whatever instrument I wanted. I didn't know what I wanted to play, so my mom suggested saxophone.

So I played saxophone throughout my middle and high school careers. All-City and All-Region Symphonic Band in middle school, but then music sort of disappeared as I sort of gave up my social life and music for my computer. I still did well in HS, playing tenor and alto saxophone in the top ensemble for most of my time there, soloing in percussion ensembles and jazz ensembles pieces. I went to Mesquite Poteet HS from 1997 to 2001, where we won the Texas AAAA State Marching Band Championship in the Fall of 1997 with a Ballet Sacra show. My senior year I soloed on soprano sax in Bernstein's Slava, which is what the picture in my signature is from.

I sort of became obsessed with brass instruments and drum corps in high school, and turned my attention toward playing those instruments rather than my saxophone. I ended up practicing on a trombone, Olds Ultratone V/R French Horn Bugle, a pocket trumpet, a euphonium, and a tuba, in that order. I left for Southwest Texas State University (they have since dropped the "Southwest" from their name) in the Fall of 2001 to pursue a degree in Computer Information Systems. I was originally going to play baritone in the marching band there, and I did for a couple of days, until I realized that holding a baritone up is a tad more difficult than holding a saxophone ever was. So, I switched to mellophone, an instrument I'd never played before. The trumpet experience helped here, and I became a good mellophone player. I guess I should mention I still had my braces on at this time. Ouch. This will come into play later.

I transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington in the Fall of 2002, and continued to play mellophone here at UTA up until the Fall of 2006. Yes, I marched 6 years of college marching band. The UTA Music Dept. has been in a state of constant change during most of my time here, to the point of having 4 different directors for the marching band in the last four years. This means that, including SWT, my college marching band directors have been James Hudson, Phil Clements, David Clemmer, Todd Zimbelman, and David Carbone. I believe a new director is coming next year as well, though I will not be marching.

I switched majors about 7 times during the course of my college career, mostly among CIS, Marketing, and Music Education, though I have finally settled on a degree in CIS, and I will graduate in December of this year.

Through an argument in alt.marching-band.texas (think RAMD for Texas Marching Band) over The Great Tie of the 1999 AAAA State Marching Contest™, I met a man who would be among those chosen as the 2001 Cavalier Brass Staff. We finally met in person when I transferred to UTA in 2002, and have remained good friends since.

I decided to audition for the Bluecoats in the Fall of '02, and attended a camp at Cedar Park HS. The night before camp, I had participated in a one-time Blast!-like production at UTA called "Synergy". Having a three-hour rehearsal followed by a performance that night, I may have over-hyped my playing a bit, and destroyed my chops (remember the braces?). I was unable to play at camp without a good amount of pain, and my playing audition was not received well. Even so, I was asked back to the next camp. It was at this point that me and my Cavalier brass staff friend decided that euphonium might be a better choice for me, considering my dental situation, and that he would begin to teach me lessons in preparation for the November 2003 Cavalier audition camp. That was the plan, anyway.

We had a few lessons and things were going well, when my friend got news that the Cavaliers had two baritone holes. This was in late April of 2003, so the Corps needed people who could get their dues in quickly, and who could instantly commit. I told my parents, and they agreed to let me march. On April 28th, I got the phone call from my friend saying I was going to get to wear the greens this summer. I was obviously elated. I moved in with the rest of the corps on May 23rd, and two nights later, I marched and played the 60-set Spin Cycle opener. Needless to say, I went into a bit of shock. I was holding up my good friend the baritone again, and he wasn't being any more forgiving. I almost ended up quitting during the first two weeks, but support from my parents, friends, the corps, and even corps alumni in the form of emails and phone calls helped me through it all. I had a great moment in Oswego, IL the day on or before our first show. We were holding our horns up in the arc forever, and Bertman was making everyone in the corps play the "fugue-like" lick that is sprinkled throughout the entire 2003 show (the rotating circles in the ballad as an example) individually. Some of the baritones were having problems playing it, and I guess I played it pretty well (because Bertman yelled out "tell me he's not good!") and after that arc session I got tons of comments from other corps members telling me that they didn't realize I could actually play the thing. I guess they had thought I was just some saxophone player. Needless to say, things went pretty well from then on.

I ended up marching from 2003 to 2005, and placed 1st with a 97.5 in the first-ever DCI I&E Saxophone Division, competing only against another brother in the corps. My gears are green/yellow, white, red with black cross, and black with white and gold sprinkles, in that order.

I am very passionate about my views in drum corps and music education, and I enjoy discussing both through this medium.

Edited April 1, 2007 by Jayzer

[Jared_mello]

Hi. My name is Jay, though my real name is actually Jason Philip Mendoza. A girl friend in high school dubbed me "Jayzer", I adopted it as my screen name (AIM: Jayzer34), and it stuck.

I was born in Dallas, TX on June 6th, 1983, and was raised in Mesquite, a nearby suburb to the east. I was originally going to take a technology course as my 2nd elective in middle school, which would prevent me from enrolling in band. Band really wasn't a thought in my mind, until the middle school band director called my parents to tell them that I'd scored well on the Selmer Music Survey and that I could play whatever instrument I wanted. I didn't know what I wanted to play, so my mom suggested saxophone.

So I played saxophone throughout my middle and high school careers. All-City and All-Region Symphonic Band in middle school, but then music sort of disappeared as I sort of gave up my social life and music for my computer. I still did well in HS, playing tenor and alto saxophone in the top ensemble for most of my time there, soloing in percussion ensembles and jazz ensembles pieces. I went to Mesquite Poteet HS from 1997 to 2001, where we won the Texas AAAA State Marching Band Championship in the Fall of 1997 with a Ballet Sacra show. My senior year I soloed on soprano sax in Bernstein's Slava, which is what the picture in my signature is from.

I sort of became obsessed with brass instruments and drum corps in high school, and turned my attention toward playing those instruments rather than my saxophone. I ended up practicing on a trombone, Olds Ultratone V/R French Horn Bugle, a pocket trumpet, a euphonium, and a tuba, in that order. I left for Southwest Texas State University (they have since dropped the "Southwest" from their name) in the Fall of 2001 to pursue a degree in Computer Information Systems. I was originally going to play baritone in the marching band there, and I did for a couple of days, until I realized that holding a baritone up is a tad more difficult than holding a saxophone ever was. So, I switched to mellophone, an instrument I'd never played before. The trumpet experience helped here, and I became a good mellophone player. I guess I should mention I still had my braces on at this time. Ouch. This will come into play later.

I transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington in the Fall of 2002, and continued to play mellophone here at UTA up until the Fall of 2006. Yes, I marched 6 years of college marching band. The UTA Music Dept. has been in a state of constant change during most of my time here, to the point of having 4 different directors for the marching band in the last four years. This means that, including SWT, my college marching band directors have been James Hudson, Phil Clements, David Clemmer, Todd Zimbelman, and David Carbone. I believe a new director is coming next year as well, though I will not be marching.

I switched majors about 7 times during the course of my college career, mostly among CIS, Marketing, and Music Education, though I have finally settled on a degree in CIS, and I will graduate in December of this year.

Through an argument in alt.marching-band.texas (think RAMD for Texas Marching Band) over The Great Tie of the 1999 AAAA State Marching Contest™, I met a man who would be among those chosen as the 2001 Cavalier Brass Staff. We finally met in person when I transferred to UTA in 2002, and have remained good friends since.

I decided to audition for the Bluecoats in the Fall of '02, and attended a camp at Cedar Park HS. The night before camp, I had participated in a one-time Blast!-like production at UTA called "Synergy". Having a three-hour rehearsal followed by a performance that night, I may have over-hyped my playing a bit, and destroyed my chops (remember the braces?). I was unable to play at camp without a good amount of pain, and my playing audition was not received well. Even so, I was asked back to the next camp. It was at this point that me and my Cavalier brass staff friend decided that euphonium might be a better choice for me, considering my dental situation, and that he would begin to teach me lessons in preparation for the November 2003 Cavalier audition camp. That was the plan, anyway.

We had a few lessons and things were going well, when my friend got news that the Cavaliers had two baritone holes. This was in late April of 2003, so the Corps needed people who could get their dues in quickly, and who could instantly commit. I told my parents, and they agreed to let me march. On April 28th, I got the phone call from my friend saying I was going to get to wear the greens this summer. I was obviously elated. I moved in with the rest of the corps on May 23rd, and two nights later, I marched and played the 60-set Spin Cycle opener. Needless to say, I went into a bit of shock. I was holding up my good friend the baritone again, and he wasn't being any more forgiving. I almost ended up quitting during the first two weeks, but support from my parents, friends, the corps, and even corps alumni in the form of emails and phone calls helped me through it all. I had a great moment in Oswego, IL the day on or before our first show. We were holding our horns up in the arc forever, and Bertman was making everyone in the corps play the "fugue-like" lick that is sprinkled throughout the entire 2003 show (the rotating circles in the ballad as an example) individually. Some of the baritones were having problems playing it, and I guess I played it pretty well (because Bertman yelled out "tell me he's not good!") and after that arc session I got tons of comments from other corps members telling me that they didn't realize I could actually play the thing. I guess they had thought I was just some saxophone player. Needless to say, things went pretty well from then on.

I ended up marching from 2003 to 2005, and placed 1st with a 97.5 in the first-ever DCI I&E Saxophone Division, competing only against another brother in the corps. My gears are green/yellow, white, red with black cross, and black with white and gold sprinkles, in that order.

I am very passionate about my views in drum corps and music education, and I enjoy discussing both through this medium.

you also could have gone with "just look at my signature," haha.

[PhantomR]

I'm Conner David Boyd.

I don't have a very impressive background. I moved a lot, until 4th grade, where I ended up in a town called Clover, in northern South Carolina. I like it enough here... small town, big high school, good band program. I have really good friends.

I started band in 6th grade, playing trumpet. I switched to french horn in 7th grade, and it's now my primary instrument, though I still play trumpet. I started marching band in 8th grade. I also marched plates in my high school's indoor drumline this year.

I'm a junior in high school right now, about to be a senior, thankfully. I intend on marching mellophone again for my HS next year, and I also plan on auditioning on bass or snare for my high school's indoor line. I want to go to University of South Carolina to major in either History or music education. not sure yet.

A good friend and mentor turned me onto drum corps. The first show I heard (the one he made me listen to) was BD 2000. The first show I ever saw (via dvd) was Phantom 2002. I attended my first show in 2004, and have been hooked since.

I want to march Southwind in 2008.

I know... I'm not all that interesting. sorry.

~>conner

[liebot]

I taught lessons of course and also the Westlake Band program for three years as a marching/music tech.

So do you know Melody Munoz or Mark Godard? Mark graduated in '03 from Westlake and was in the marching band, and Melody graduated in '05. Both are pretty good friends of mine (and both go to Rice).

She graduated in December and is an RN at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.

I'm looking at TCH out my window right now.

Those are two kind of crazy/funny coincidences.

[NR_Ohiobando]

I'm Tom A

Born in June of 1989(which I'm pretty sure qualifies me to be in the group of people who can march until they are 22, but I could be mistaken). Born in the nice suburbishian town of North Royalton, Ohio about 20-30 minutes out of Cleveland.

I started out in music by taking piano lessons through part of elementary and middle school, but I hated it and didn't take it seriously so my teacher encouraged my parents to let me quit. Looking back on it I wish like hell I didn't quit. 4th grade we were handed recorders, which sounded terrible heh.

5th grade I started out in middle school band and was given the clarinet. Turned out I was pretty good at it. In 8th grade the Band Directors wanted some kids to switch over to new instruments. I wanted to switch over to "that instrument that was in that one Mickey/Broomstick scene in Fantasia." Of course, being the ignorant middle schooler I was, I thought the instrument was called the Oboe. About a week after I started learning it, I realized that I actually wanted to play Basoon, but since I already started playing Oboe, I stuck with that. Turned out I was pretty good at oboe too.

In 9th grade our marching band show was "Millenium Celebration". I decided to search for a recording so I could get a better feel for the music. What I found was something called "DCI 2000 Cadets Disney Millenium". It was actully a mid-season or pre-season recording of the Cadets 2000 show. I searched around for stuff with "DCI" in it, and eventually found a video of the Cavaliers' 2002 show. I was hooked.

Thankfully, North Royalton has one of the better music programs i the state. 3 years later, I am lucky enough to have played some great wind repertoire in a great wind ensemble. I can now play Clarinet, Oboe, Saxes(in jazz band), Mallets(in Indoor Drumline). Unfortunately brass instruments do not come so easy. I've tried learning just about every brass instrument there is so I can march in a corps in the future, but I just can't get the hang of buzzing at all. My friend says it's funny because I have no mid-range. I can play ridiculously high and low, but nothing in-between.

I also play in the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, and was lucky enough to go to Australia/New Zealand with them last year to premier a piece by David Gillingham in the Opera House. If any of you ever have a travel opportunity and enough money, go to Sydney, Australia. It's one of the most beautiful, clean, and all around nicest cities you'll ever go to.

- Funny story though. The performance in the Opera House was ok; we played a bunch of other stuff in our own concert before premiering the piece. One of the pieces was Irish Tune...better known as "Danny Boy", our conductor's favorite piece of all time. Anyways, the song was going perfect until a horn player's tuning slide fell out and hit the floor at a silent part in the song. Our conductors face was priceless, and a little scary heh.

My first DCI show was in 05 at Canton(Bluecoats home show). Which was awesome, though I wish we had better seats. I have a few friends in corps for their first time this year, one is lead Bari in Glassmen and the other is in the Southwind Colorguard(so Conner might get to see her this year).

anyways, In the future I'm hoping to go to either OSU or BGSU to get into Music Ed. Possibly even get into Drill/Show design.

Edited April 1, 2007 by NR_Ohiobando

[Fincis]

Hi. My name is Jay, though my real name is actually Jason Philip Mendoza. A girl friend in high school dubbed me "Jayzer", I adopted it as my screen name (AIM: Jayzer34), and it stuck.

.................................................

I am very passionate about my views in drum corps and music education, and I enjoy discussing both through this medium.

Good story Jason! I wonder how many people had the thought of quitting their first summer in a corps like The Cavaliers. I know I did my 2nd day at The Cadets. I got the same type of support from parents, members, staff, and alumni which really showed me how much of a family drum corps is. Of course,the thought of quitting anything never went through my mind again after that.

[raphael18]

My name is Brandon L. (forgive me for not putting my full name, but potential employer's love google now days)

I lived in and around the St. Louis County area pretty much my entire life. I marched in the Lafayette high school marching band from 96-2000 playing clarinet. My first exposure to drum corps was in 1995 when my band teacher had a video played for the class when he was out one day (I still remmember being particularly drawn to Madison and Regiment on the tape). I gained more exposure to drum corps through bandmates that marched in Phantom Legion and the Crossmen.

When I originally went to University of Missouri-Columbia in 2001 I majored in Music Education and performed in the marching band. While there I decided that I had to march drum corps, and started getting lessons in rudimentary percussion from a friend (he had marched in the Americanos in 99, and would go on to win div 3 with the 2001 Blue Stars). I went and auditioned for the Americanos, but didn't make the drumline. I was offered a chance to play baritone, and I picked it up fairly quickly. I was a section leader in both 01 and 02. After 02 I left the 'Canos, for many reasons, and went to Phantom Regiment for my age-out in 03 (along with 2 other baritone players from 'Canos - we all made it). I recently ended my marching career by performing in the Lindenwood University marching band in 05. My teaching history involves teching for several St. Louis area high schools from 2001-2007.

I left Mizzou after 2001, and stopped going to school full-time to march in 02 and 03. I then began attending Lindenwood University in the fall of 2003, and received degrees in both Political Science and Public Management, with a minor in Criminal Justice, in 2006. Currently I am attending the Drake University Law School, and will be doing a summer internship in the Missouri Public Defender's Office this summer. I can honestly say that if it had not been for my hard work, and the life skills learned through my drum corps experience, that I do not think I would be able to cope with the rigors of law school.

Well, think that pretty much covers the basics.

Edited April 2, 2007 by raphael18

[mellodramatic]

I'm Conner David Boyd.

I don't have a very impressive background. I moved a lot, until 4th grade, where I ended up in a town called Clover, in northern South Carolina. I like it enough here... small town, big high school, good band program. I have really good friends.

I started band in 6th grade, playing trumpet. I switched to french horn in 7th grade, and it's now my primary instrument, though I still play trumpet. I started marching band in 8th grade. I also marched plates in my high school's indoor drumline this year.

I'm a junior in high school right now, about to be a senior, thankfully. I intend on marching mellophone again for my HS next year, and I also plan on auditioning on bass or snare for my high school's indoor line. I want to go to University of South Carolina to major in either History or music education. not sure yet.

A good friend and mentor turned me onto drum corps. The first show I heard (the one he made me listen to) was BD 2000. The first show I ever saw (via dvd) was Phantom 2002. I attended my first show in 2004, and have been hooked since.

I want to march Southwind in 2008.

I know... I'm not all that interesting. sorry.

~>conner

Nothing personal, but I don't like your high school.

[PhantomR]

why not?

do you march crown?

~>conner

[Lucy65]

I'm Conner David Boyd.

I don't have a very impressive background. I moved a lot, until 4th grade, where I ended up in a town called Clover, in northern South Carolina. I like it enough here... small town, big high school, good band program. I have really good friends.

I started band in 6th grade, playing trumpet. I switched to french horn in 7th grade, and it's now my primary instrument, though I still play trumpet. I started marching band in 8th grade. I also marched plates in my high school's indoor drumline this year.

I'm a junior in high school right now, about to be a senior, thankfully. I intend on marching mellophone again for my HS next year, and I also plan on auditioning on bass or snare for my high school's indoor line. I want to go to University of South Carolina to major in either History or music education. not sure yet.

A good friend and mentor turned me onto drum corps. The first show I heard (the one he made me listen to) was BD 2000. The first show I ever saw (via dvd) was Phantom 2002. I attended my first show in 2004, and have been hooked since.

I want to march Southwind in 2008.

I know... I'm not all that interesting. sorry.

~>conner

You sound plenty interesting enough.

I think the Southwind idea is a great one.