sdstar Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 A friendly observation from someone more than twice as old as an ageout: if you want to get a head start on the rest of your life, don't worry, it'll be waiting for you when you're done with drum corps. It may seem important now, but looking back, you'll remember another year of drum corps more than you'll remember another year of work. Everyone's situation is different, but you can always do school or work. You can only do junior corps now. My point? If you have no choice, then do what you have to do. If you do have a choice, think long and hard about giving up an opportunity that will be lost forever. And no, I'm not old and bitter; I'm middle-aged and lovin' life. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n8thedrummerboy Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 A friendly observation from someone more than twice as old as an ageout: if you want to get a head start on the rest of your life, don't worry, it'll be waiting for you when you're done with drum corps. It may seem important now, but looking back, you'll remember another year of drum corps more than you'll remember another year of work.Everyone's situation is different, but you can always do school or work. You can only do junior corps now. My point? If you have no choice, then do what you have to do. If you do have a choice, think long and hard about giving up an opportunity that will be lost forever. And no, I'm not old and bitter; I'm middle-aged and lovin' life. B) This is true, and once again I must enthusiastically state drum corps was one of the best experiences in my life. However, there are several other musical youth activities one can only do for a limited time. For example, Interlochen Arts Camp. It is a wonderful summer arts camp that only takes campers through high school. Yes, you can march after this you age out from "high school camps," but the age limits conflict. There are several other highly worthwhile musical festivals and summer activities that are only available to people during the same age periods junior corps allow. Yes, I think one should think long and hard before giving up a junior corps experience, but you must fairly think of other opportunities you may not have a chance to take advantage of too. Drum Corps is great, and life changing, but it isn't the only activity that changes lives for high school and college students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smj02 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 I thought about marching, and I was even asked more than once to fill a hole in a perennial finalist corps, but I passed on the opportunity. I had several reasons. Music has always been a hobby for me, not a future career, and I felt that a summer of marching would be a bit too intense for my taste. I was able to get enough musical satisfaction out of the performing ensembles at my college. At the time I was more interested in writing music and drill, as I was also charged with those responsibilities for our all-non-music-major student-run collegiate marching band - at least for what would have been my age-out summer - and I got a lot of that done over that summer, when I otherwise would have been committed to marching. But the main reason that I didn't march was that I was (and still am, although to a lesser extent) really skinny, and at the time was a picky eater, and picky about a lot of things in general. I knew I wasn't mature enough at that time to handle a whole summer of the spartan corps lifestyle. In retrospect, that was absolutely the correct decision for me. I harbor no regrets about not marching...and the opportunity may present itself in the future in the form of DCA (not for at least the next couple of years though, as I'll be finishing my doctoral work). As a fan, I've gotten all I could ever have hoped for - the opportunity to view some great performances in person, and many more through DVDs, CDs, and the web...the opportunity to learn from some of the best designers in the business by examining the fruits of their labor...and the opportunity to experience the end result of a long summer of hard work by seeing the look of satisfaction on the performers' faces. I know that look well, as I've experienced a similar satisfaction through my own musical performances, or presenting the results of some of my graduate research. I've never felt more connected with the drum corps community, and content with my role as a fan, than when I saw the faces of members of the Blue Saints last summer as they passed in review. I became misty-eyed when I saw them holding their heads high, eyes straight ahead, and not at all concerned with whether the audience thought they were "good" or not, for they had just given their all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdstar Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 However, there are several other musical youth activities one can only do for a limited time. For example, Interlochen Arts Camp. It is a wonderful summer arts camp that only takes campers through high school. Yes, you can march after this you age out from "high school camps," but the age limits conflict. There are several other highly worthwhile musical festivals and summer activities that are only available to people during the same age periods junior corps allow. Good points. Just to clarify, my comments were not directed at people making hard decisions between once-in-a-lifetime opportunities; rather to those who are raring to roll up their sleeves and get on with life. That may be the right decision for some, but I reiterate: real life will wait and will be there for you when you're done doing the things you'll never have a chance to do again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davam Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 (edited) Short answer? Youthful ignorance. Here's the long answer: I'm 45 years old. When I was in high school in the late 1970s, I was in marching band and really enjoyed it. Then one summer, our band director took us to a drum corps show. I absolutely loved it. I thought it was the best thing in the world. I bought a Phantom Regiment T-shirt. But I had no idea that those performers were kids just like me. I thought these were professional groups, so I never even thought that I could join one. My band director never talked about the corps or that they were made up of high school and college kids. In college, I was in marching band. One day at rehearsal I was wearing my Phantom Regiment T-shirt. Another kid in the band asked me if I marched with Phantom. I just laughed in a "Are you kidding me?" way and said I was just a fan. It wasn't until 1988, when I was 26, that drum corps re-entered my life as one of the high schools where I was living at the time hosted a competition. I was immediately hooked, and it's been my passion ever since. Do I regret not marching when I was younger? You bet. But I can honestly say I didn't march due to out-and-out ignorance. And that's totally on me. I was a self-absorbed teenager who couldn't see beyond his own little world. Why don't/didn't I march senior corps? It doesn't really interest me. I really enjoy being a fan. As much as I regret not marching when I was younger, I don't feel like I have to do it now that I'm older. But that doesn't mean I don't love the activity, and I don't think it makes me less of a fan because I didn't march. True, I can't swap stories about all-day rehearsals, hours on the bus, lining up for finals, etc., but I can certainly discuss shows I like, shows I don't like and the direction I think the activity should (or shouldn't) head, because I'm in those stands, averaging about a show a week throughout the summer, spending hundreds of dollars each summer, because I love it. Edited June 7, 2007 by davam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertrombone Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 (edited) A friendly observation from someone more than twice as old as an ageout: if you want to get a head start on the rest of your life, don't worry, it'll be waiting for you when you're done with drum corps. It may seem important now, but looking back, you'll remember another year of drum corps more than you'll remember another year of work.Everyone's situation is different, but you can always do school or work. You can only do junior corps now. My point? If you have no choice, then do what you have to do. If you do have a choice, think long and hard about giving up an opportunity that will be lost forever. And no, I'm not old and bitter; I'm middle-aged and lovin' life. B) Second the motion...ditto. March. Anywhere. As many years as you can. And for anybody who didn't march junior corps, do a senior corps sometime. It's not the same, but it's similar enough to give you a taste of what junior corps is about. And applause sounds the same at 33 as 21! Hrothgar--they'll teach you any brass instrument you want to learn. It may not be top 6, but one year elsewhere and you'll be good enough for just about anything. Glassmen and Spirit had APB's for brass this week. Edited June 7, 2007 by silvertrombone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek334 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 I became misty-eyed when I saw them holding their heads high, eyes straight ahead, and not at all concerned with whether the audience thought they were "good" or not, for they had just given their all. That is what it's all about :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 I marched before, and was at a show one time at the....yep....hot dog stand. I was talking to a kid (maybe she was a bando, I don't know) who seemed thoroughly impressed with the Corps she was seeing and said "I'd love to do that, but it's too much time". When I asked her what she usually does during the summer she replied "Well, I mostly hang around the house or go to the mall with my friends". I stopped her right then and there and said "THAT'S too much time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek334 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Yes, I think one should think long and hard before giving up a junior corps experience, but you must fairly think of other opportunities you may not have a chance to take advantage of too. Drum Corps is great, and life changing, but it isn't the only activity that changes lives for high school and college students. The one thing about DCI that was always different about the festival scene, that I always appreciated alot was drum corps was always about the corps, about the ensemble, about coming together as a group. We, we, we as opposed to I, I, I. I know I learned things doing drum corps (responsibility, accountability, confidence) that go way beyond the musical aspect. Of course my trumpet professor could never quite understand what the heck was the big attraction (I kind of omitted the fact I was playing lead mello), but I knew I just had to do it, at least one summer. In the 12 years since, I've attended an awful lot of conferences, camps, festivals, and competitions, have performed all over the world and have had some great musical opportunities, and I must say, that one summer of drum corps is still one of my fondest memories and greatest personal accomplishments! I guess to make a long story short... if you dream about marching, then do it. If you like the more casual side of supporting the activity from the sideline, that's great too!!! It is a significant amount of time to dedicate to one activity, even if you just march a summer, especially when there are so many different options out there, but if its something you have to do, then find a way to make it happen :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 (edited) "Not March": I did march. 1958-1968 Still do. Elphaba WWW Edited June 7, 2007 by elphaba01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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