DCI Magazine Winter, 2009

Winter 2009 | Vol. 3 No. 2

The Magazine of Marching Music’s Major League™

DrumCorps International

Dead Heat THE STORY OF THE CLOSEST FINISHES IN DCI HISTORY

Knight’s Pride AN ARIZONA BAND DIRECTOR’S COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

Pointing

theWay

HOW DRUM CORPS PUT ALUMNI ON THE PATH TO MUSICAL SUCCESS

DCI Corps March ON WASHINGTON

THE SCENE AT PASIC PRO TIPS FOR BRASS, PERCUSSION & COLOR GUARD CORPS INDOOR FOR WINTER, HOT GEAR & ’09 EVENTS

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FROM HALF TIME, TOWhereTHE BIG TIME. will your Pearl drums take you?

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“My path to DCI started here.”

– TONY NUNEZ MUSIC INSTRUCTOR AND DCI ALUMNI

Gards Music, Glendora, CA

The local community music store is often the first stop on an amazing musical journey.

For Tony Nunez, it’s where he took his first lessons, picked up his first rental instrument and purchased instruments of his own. But most of all, it was where he came to find support, advice and inspiration.

Your local music store has everything you need to embark upon—or continue—your own musical journey. To locate a music retailer near you and learn more about the proven lifelong benefits of making music, visit www.wannaplaymusic.com .

Indianapolis Welcomes...

DCI World Championships Indianapolis is honored to host the DCI World Championships, August 4-8, 2009. We know how exciting it is to perform at the highest level. We do it every time someone visits. That’s why we believe DCI chose Indianapolis as its new home.

If you have been here before, you know Indy is a great destination. If it’s your first time visiting the Circle City, go to www.indy.org for more information on where to stay, what to do or where to eat.

We are glad you are here, can’t wait to serve you and wish everyone success.

www.indy.org

DrumCorps International

WINTER 2009

Mandarins

6 From the Top The drum corps community offers support and solidarity in difficult times

9 Sidelines Ticket information… Internships… Drum corps at the inauguration… A volunteer from Down Under, and more!

18 Scene at…PASIC Faces from around the 2008 Percussive Arts Society International Convention

FEATURES 22 Performer Pipeline Marching in drum corps has helped alumni land in ensembles from Blue Man Group to Disney World to the New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Four former members share how their experience on the field led to work on some big stages.

31 Too Close to Call Three times in DCI history, the World Championship Finals have ended in a dead heat. We asked judges, members, directors, staff and media what made those nights special, and tell you why it will never happen again.

20 Commitment to Excellence Former Blue Knight Martin Hebda has restored the Pride in an Arizona high school’s marching program.

39 Brass Lesson Using your lip “as a reed” for better embouchure,

by Jeffrey Nelson

44 Gearing Up Get ready for spring training season with the latest in apparel, equipment and accessories

40 Percussion Lesson Mastering complex patterns by breaking them down

by Bret Kuhn

46 Age Out Broadway trumpeter, composer, arranger and producer Jeff Kievit spent 14 years in the Hawthorne Muchachos

42 Movement Lesson Targeting training to where it will be most effective

by Gary Granata, PhD

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DrumCorps International THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF MARCHING MUSIC’S MAJOR LEAGUE Volume 3 Issue 2 Dan Acheson Executive Director Chris Weber Communications Manager Bob Jacobs Marketing Quarterback Lora Morton Manager of Promotion Services John DeNovi Director of Business Development

Standing United astor Robert Schuller is well-known for his phrase, “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” As we anticipate the historic Inauguration of a President-Elect promising a new direction for the United States, we also find ourselves in the middle of a time of mounting economic challenges. As a result, we realize that our corps members, their families, friends and our community of fans are faced with difficult choices, often forced to prioritize life decisions… especially those related to involvement in music-making activities like the marching arts.

The very essence of the drum corps experience comes into focus during this period of adjustment. Drum corps participants learn many life lessons during their rigorous practice, performance and touring schedules. One of the most poignant and timely examples relates to overcoming adversity by setting goals and focusing their achievement. While these students attempt to master a composition, an instrument or a dance move, they learn to overcome potential obstacles to their success, and in doing so are able to rise above the ordinary to achieve the extraordinary.

Now is the perfect time to follow the examples of these elite and committed students, especially for those of us who have been blessed with the realization of our own dreams in the performing arts. If we believe our own unique experiences have dramatically shaped our personal lives, then we’re obligated to take steps to ensure that these character-building opportunities for the achievement of excellence are continued for future generations.

As “tough people” who will undoubtedly break through this latest round of “tough times,” I encourage you to join with the young men and women of Marching Music’s Major League,™ and to set your sights on what is possible when people work together for the achievement of a common goal. I wish you the very best for a New Year filled with success in all that you do.

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Daniel E. Acheson Executive Director/CEO Drum Corps International Marching Music’s Major League™

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Custom Published By: In Tune Partners, LLC Irwin Kornfeld CEO Will Edwards President Angelo Biasi Publisher Emile Menasché Editor-in-Chief Jackie Jordan Creative Director Mac Randall Senior Editor Adam Perlmutter Associate Editor Chris Previc Associate Editor Robin Stein Production Director Don Helsel Operations Director Joan Ferrara Business Manager Illustrations Trevor Johnston Photography Johnny Gilbert, David Rhodenbaugh Sid and Linda Unser Contributors Debbie Galante Block, Gary Granata, Bret Kuhn, Danny Miles, Jeff Nelsen, Adam Perlmutter Drum Corps International is the world leader in producing and sanctioning competitive marching music and related stadium events for the world’s most elite marching music ensembles. Editorial and business contact is P.O. Box 3129 Indianapolis, IN 46206, phone: 317-275-1212, fax: 317-7130690. Drum Corps International Magazine is published in Fall, Winter and Spring each year.

Nonprofit organization U.S. postage paid at Long Prairie, MN, permit #2223. Copyright ©20082009 Drum Corps International. All rights reserved.

of all things yamaha The Hub is the new online multimedia experience from Yamaha. Building on award-winning Yamaha podcasts, The Hub is a truly unique resource to serve all of your musical needs.

With media content for a diverse lineup of products—including synthesizers, trumpets, Steinberg software, drum sets, pianos and guitars—The Hub brings the depth and breadth of the Yamaha family into one easy online interface available any time you like.

Subscribe to specific podcasts and RSS news feeds, download content for your iTunes®, iPhone® or iPod®, tag videos to your favorite social networking site, and grab product brochures and reference materials in PDF format for future use. The Hub also features exclusive performances, clinics and backstage interviews from worldrenowned Yamaha artists.

We invite you to explore The Hub of all things Yamaha. It’s all free and easily accessible.

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Sidelines

News and Notes from Drum Corps International

2009 Premier Events Announced Saturday, June 20 Annapolis, MD Friday, June 26 Normal, IL Saturday, June 27 Stanford, CA Saturday, July 4 Pasadena, CA Saturday, July 11 Orlando, FL Denver, CO NEW FOR ’09!

Thursday, July 16– Saturday, July 18 DCI Southwestern Series Dallas, TX Houston, TX San Antonio, TX NEW FOR ’09!

Wednesday, July 22– Saturday, July 25 DCI Southern Series Hattiesburg, MS Murfreesboro, TN Jaksonville, AL Atlanta, GA Friday, July 31 Saturday, Aug. 1 Allentown, PA 2009 DCI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Indianapolis, IN Tuesday, Aug. 4 Open Class Quarterfinals Michigan City, IN Wednesday, Aug. 5 Individual & Ensemble Competition Thursday, Aug. 6 World Class Quarterfinals Friday, Aug. 7 Open/World Class Semifinals Saturday, Aug. 8 Open/World Class Finals

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ifty days… 41 states… more than 100 spectacular events. Starting on June 20, the 2009 Drum Corps International Summer Tour will bring the exciting performances of the world’s most elite and exclusive marching music ensembles to passionate fans across the United States. This year’s tour marks the creation of new “Series” events that will bring opportunities for an even greater number of fans to enjoy top drum corps in their prime form.

DCI Southwestern Series: On July 16 and 17, DCI World Class corps will perform in Houston and Dallas. Corps will be split into two tracks, p e r f o r m i n g w it h t h e i r respect ive g roupi ngs i n Houston or Dallas before flipping locations the next evening. On July 18, all corps will h e a d t o S a n A n t o n i o’s

Alamodome in a single-event showdown. Corps will be seeded based on scores earned the previous two nights in Houston and Dallas.

DCI Southern Series: Split into two groupings, all 21 World Class corps will perform at M i d d l e Te n n e s s e e S t a t e Un i v e r s i t y i n Murfreesboro on July 23 and 24. Fans will also be able to see half of all World Class corps in either Hattiesburg, MS (July 22) or Jacksonville, AL (July 24), followed by a return to the Atlanta Georgia Dome, where all 21 World Class corps will be showcased in one very special event.

Other key dates: June 26 in Normal, IL; Ju ne 27 at St a nford; Ju ly 4 at Rose Bowl Stadium; July 11 in Denver, CO, and Orlando, FL; and finally July 31–Aug. 1, when all World Class corps take the field in Allentown, PA, for one of the last stops before heading to the World Championships in Indianapolis. Visit DCI.org/schedule for a complete list of ’09 Summer Tour events. www.dci.org 9

Sidelines Internships

The Academy

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Corps Indoors

rum corps may just be gearing up for spring training, but you can catch corps members on the percussion lines and the color guards of Winter Guard International this winter and spring. A number of Drum Corps International groups compete at WGI events, including the Pioneer Indoor percussion ensemble, which has won WGI’s Percussion Independent Class A titles the last two seasons; others come from the Academy, Carolina Crown, Santa Clara Vanguard, Blue Knights and the Cavaliers. An abundance of other drum corps have individual members who keep up their skills in the off-season by participating with other WGI units.

The winter guard season kicks off in February and carries on through the finals in April at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. As is WGI’s custom, the Color Guard World Championships (April 2-4) and the Percussion World Championships Santa Clara (April 16-18) take place on separate Vanguard weekends. Learn more at WGI.org.

View Corps of Yore Performances from the 1972 Drum Corps International World Championships are now available on video for the first time.

Hall of Fame member and Drum Corps World publisher Steve Vickers teamed up with the Troopers on the new DVD set that captures the action at the Whitewater, Wis. Finals, as well as material from the Troopers 1971 season and a short documentary about the restoration.

The performances have been digitized and restored from reel-to-reel tapes acquired from the personal collection of the late Troopers director Jim Jones. Purchase at drumcorpsworld.com.

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Want to learn what it takes to be part of the world’s top marching music organization? Drum Corps international’s internship program gives motivated candidates real-world experience and a chance to work alongside an experienced group of professionals dedicated to the performing arts. While winter slots are filled, opportunities are available for summer 2009 (May through mid-August). To qualify, you’ll need a minimum of one year of college coursework or related experience, though requirements may vary for some positions.

Summer interns work full-

Relive the 2008 World Championships All the drama from the 2008 World Championships is now on DVD and CD. The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen (16:9) format and boasts Dolby Digital surround sound. DVD volumes include all World Class corps in addition to the Open Class Finalists. A three-CD audio set also features all 20 World Class corps. Order at store.DCI.org.

“Star” Search

time (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) and may put in substantial weekend hours while traveling to and working at DCI events. While the positions are unpaid, summer interns may have the opportunity to travel and be involved extensively with off-site Drum Corps International events and the annual World Championships. Applications should include a resume and cover letter and can be emailed to internships@ DCI.org. Deadline is Feb. 2, 2009. Learn more at DCI.org/internships.

The Star Alumni Association of Indianapolis, Indiana has announced that a Star Alumni Corps will perform at the DCI World Championships in Lucas Oil Stadium on August 6, 2010 with rehearsals to begin in April, ’09. Alumni of Star of Indiana, Brass Theater, Blast!, Shockwave, Cyberjam, Mix, and Star United to participate in the Star Alumni Corps. To that end, the Association is looking for missing alumni.

For more information on the Star Alumni Association please visit staralumni.org.

Sidelines Corps March in the Inaugural Parade

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A Colt Alum’s Got “Talent”

ormer Colt Jason Polsgrove knows all about performing in front of judges from his days on the Dubuke, Iowa corps’ cymbal line. And that ability to stay focused under pressure certainly must have helped him as a member of the six-piece percussion ensemble The Cadence, which made the top 20 on NBC’s reality show America’s Got Talent. “I am being introduced to some Jason Polsgrove (left) and the Cadence on America’s Got Talent

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and televised so that millions of Americans will be able to view this significant occasion.

“Our inclusion in the Inaugural Parade is an incredible honor,” said C olt s d i r e c t o r G r e g O r wol l. “ We w i l l be proud to represent the state of Iowa in this historic event.”

The upcoming parade will be far from the first appearance by a drum corps in a presidential event. John F. Kennedy himself was an honorary member of the Boston Crusaders. The Troopers of Casper, Wyoming, performed as part of Presidents Bush’s 2001 inaugural ceremonies. However, t he Spartans of Nashua, New Hampshire win the prize for the most Presidential Inaugural Parade appearances, including those of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush, Sr., as well as both of President George W. Bush’s.

very crazy opportunities, and I am going to take every one I can get to be able to play drums for people around the country,” Jason writes on his MySpace page.

Polsgrove, who marched with the Colts in 2006, joined the Springfield, Missouri-based Cadence in 2007. (The group has formed in ’03.) To get on America’s Got Talent, the group sent in a video audition through MySpace.com and was among those chosen from a pool of more than 100,000 entrants. The 21year-old psychology major at Missouri State University a nd h is ba nd mates a re already benefitting from the national exposure. “We’ve been given a great opportunity,” Polsgrove said. “We hope we’ll be able to use it as a springboard into something more.”

Tickets Available Now With the excitement of the New Year upon us, Drum Corps International is gearing up for all the excitement of the 2009 World Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Single-event World Championship tickets went on sale in December, and other Summer Tour events will be coming online throughout the spring.

Be sure to check DCI.org/tickets for upcoming on sale dates and more.

OBAMA: PAUL MORIGI/WIREIMAGE.COM, THE CADENCE: NBC PHOTO: CHRIS HASTON

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wo Drums Corps International units will be coming to Washington, DC this January to participate in th e I na u gu ra l Pa r ad e marking President-Elect Barack Obama’s swearing in as the country’s 44th President. The Cadets of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and the Colts of Dubuque, Iowa, have accepted invitations to march in the The Colts and Parade, which will take The Cadets (right) place down the Capitol’s will perform at Barack Obama’s Pennsylvania and inauguration.

Constitution Avenues to the White House. They will join approximately 70-90 other organizations in the Parade, each chosen to participate out of a pool of nearly 1,400 applications. The Inaugural Parade tradition stretches as far back as the nation’s first Inauguration, when George Washington took the oath of office on April 30, 1789 in New York City. This year’s event will include a procession of marching bands, floats, and citizens’ groups and will be open to the public

Stanbury is a Corporate Partner of Drum Corps International.

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STAND OUT!

Sidelines

Wonder from Down Under A volunteer comes all the way from Australia to tour with the Troopers

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drum corps performance is the product of countless hours of planning, conditioning, and rehearsal but none of that hard work would translate into on-thefield glory if it weren’t for the work of the dedicated volunteers working behind the scenes. Drum Corps International volunteers support the activity by preparing food, running logistics, and generally helping corps staff and members shine.

While most volunteers come from either a specific corps’ home base or from close to a given venue, some travel from all over the world to participate in drum corps. Twenty-two-yearold Kassandra Forro, who’s involved with music back home, trekked all the way from Brisbane, Australia to volunteer with the Troopers.

“I work in electrical retail by day, and outside of that, I’m a coordinator at an all-ages music venue,” she says. “I’m also one of the organizers of the ‘Stuff The Stocking’ charity concerts held across the East coast of Australia. I’m currently working on an STS festival for Brisbane as well as three international shows for 2009. Total we will have about 20 events happening in Australia and across the world in ’09.”

Forro’s interest in U.S. drum corps was sparked by her boyfriend, Bryce Higgins, who plays euphonium for the Troopers.

“He was marching his fourth year in DCI and third season with Troopers in 2008,” she says. “2009 will be his age-out year. I always kind of struggled to understand why he was so in love with the drum corps, and how he could find running round the football field for three months in the summer so much fun—I grew up in a country where any form of marching music groups are few and far between. So when he was starting the processes for camps for ’08, I started to research it and learn more about the activity and about Troopers as an organization. I love music and travel—and a good adventure—so it was a very easy decision to make to vol-

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unteer with Troopers.”

She had to quit her day job back home to do it, but Forro was on tour with the Troopers from the beginning of May through the season’s end in August. “It was worth it,” she says.

“I had to move stores but I got my day job back via text messages when I was at a show in Texas!”

Forro worked the food truck on tour, and reveled in telling her family back home about the Wyoming weather (“cold”) bus trips (“crazy”) and the copious amounts of grilled cheese she served. “What surprised me most—I don’t know if I was surprised or amazed—was the dedication these kids had to what they were doing,” she says. “There were times during all days where I couldn’t sit in the stands and watch brass rehearsals for more than 10 minutes because of the cold and the wind. Yet these kids were out there for up to 14 hours a day! Sure they would come in cold and complain about Wyoming having ridiculous weather, but straight after their break they would be back out there for the next block, ready to get stuck back in.

And as the season progressed they became even more dedicated to what they were doing.”

Ultimately, it was that sense of drum corps community that has Forro working out a way to come back for more in 2009. “I never really got the whole drum corps thing until I was on tour, then by the end of the season at the very last show, I found myself crying in the stands at the performance I had watched grow since May,” she says. “Just the scale of everything, and the dedication not only the kids but also their parents, fans, and staff members had toward the organization was awe-inspiring. The number of fans who could pack into the stadium, the length of the tour, the emotions you see when people watching a performance: I have done a lot of music work in the past but Drum Corps just towers over anything I’ve ever known.”

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Scene at PASIC

By William Hawkins

he Percussive Arts Society International Convention is one of the highlights of the drum community calendar, a long weekend in November filled with gear demonstrations, performances, and educational clinics that add up to the largest percussion event in the world.

But it also has a “small world” vibe, offering the more than a

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chance to see—and hear—old friends. This year’s PASIC, held in Austin, Texas, boasted some 130 exhibitors, stellar players (including impressive work from DCI corps), equipment ranging from traditional to high tech, and clinics by worldclass percussionists. Ever vigilant, Drum Corps International’s photographers were on hand to capture the action. << 1 Kurt Wilber of D’Addario/Evans shows some skin. << 2 CEO Craigie Zildjian poses with a cymbal-weilding Al Moffatt at the Zildjian booth. << 3 Roland’s Tim Root gets his sticks in motion at the Roland booth.

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<< 4 Pro-Mark’s Mark Petrocelli, Bruce Salyers, Don Click, and Pat Brown stick around for a photo.

>> 5 Yamaha’s Troy Wollage and Bob Conaway lay the mallets down. >> 6 Clinician Nick Angelis puts on a demonstration with the sticks. >> 7 Members of Phantom Regiment’s percussion section bask in the afterglow of a great performance.

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8 Pearl’s Colin McNutt, The Cadets and Murray Gusseck, Santa Clara Vanguard take a break from their clinic.

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9 Beatnick’s Rusty Membreno (left) and Scott Strittmatter (right) pose with Eric Truelove, winner of the World’s Most Accurate Drummer contest.

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10 Ludwig’s Grant Henry, Brandon Sims, Gary Devore, and Victor Salazar take some time out at the Ludwig booth.

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>> 11 Randall May holds up with his company’s Stadium Hardware. >> 12 Dynasty signature artists Paul Rennick, Percussion Director, Phantom Regiment and Scott Johnson, Percussion Director Blue Devils >> 13 Vic Firth’s Marco Soccoli, Andrew Tamulynas, Vic Firth, and Ben Davies 18

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Commitment to Excellence

By Adam Perlmutter

Martin Hebda Director, Pride of Casa Grande n 2001, Martin Hebda became the third director in several years of the marching band at Casa Grande Union High School, in Casa Grande, Arizona. In the seven seasons since, Hebda has transformed what was originally a modest half-time show band at football games into the Pride of Casa Grande—one of the top competitive ensembles in the state of Arizona.

Hebda, 33, has an impressive musical background. He took up the piano in first grade, then started on the trumpet in fifth grade. He attended the prestigious Air Academy High School College, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and in the early 1990s played two-valve horn and soprano in the Blue Knights. In 1998, Hebda received a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Arizona.

Hebda’s training gave him the discipline and know-how to go about systematically improving the Pride of Casa Grande. “The first year was about making marching fun again,” he says. “I’d let the students tell me what they wanted to play, and arrange a lot of tunes for them. At the same time, I taught them discipline—they needed to be at all the rehearsals and act a certain way to the staff. They needed to

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memorize all the music—on the f ield t here’d be no stands. I brought kind of a drum-corps mentality and incorporated drum corps-style visual warm-ups.”

It was only a few short years before the band started getting some attention. “In 2002, we had good retention—just over 100 students,” Hebda says. “That year, I raised standards and was able to bring a higher level of expectation. By the third year, we were beginning to get noticed a r ou nd t he s t at e of A rizona; we were 120 and growing, still pushing our limits.”

Hebda credits much of the Pride’s success to his nine-member staff, who have extensive drum corps experience. “I feel that it is the staff that makes our band great,” he says.

“Most of my staff members marched with DCI units. They bring the newest and most innovative instructional techniques from some of the best drum and bugle corps out there: the Blue Devils, Cadets, Santa Clara Vanguard, and others.”

Hebda also acknowledges the role of his return students— many of whom go on to march in drum corps—in helping elevate standards. “Freshmen just want to fit in and don’t want to hold the group back, so by increasing the ability of the older members I push the bar higher—and freshmen meet it.”

All of this group effort has paid off handsomely. The Pride of Casa Grande’s accolades include 2006 Bands of America Finalist at the Northern Arizona Regional; third place overall at the 2006 Fiesta Bowl Field Show Competition; and three straight years of receiving a Superior rating at the Arizona State Marching Band Competition.

Hebda, though, is most gratified by his students’ accomplishments off the field. “I preach the need to be classy, and some of my proudest moments occur when my students are complimented for their conduct off the performance field,” he says. “They are not only learning about the music, they are taking away life lessons and building character.” Learn more about the Pride of Casa Grande at bogleband.org/joomla.

New Edition

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By Patrick Dunnigan

Practical ideas from one of the leading authorities on marching.

Both new directors and seasoned veterans will find valuable advice in this book. 134 pages, hardcover, $18. (Prepayment required except on school purchase orders. Please add $5 shipping.)

National School Marching Award After many requests from directors, we introduced this new award two years ago to recognize outstanding contributions on the field. It honors the musical contributions and dedication of student leaders whose example inspires other students.

Each year give your most deserving band members the student award, a 5" x 7" walnut plaque with a beautiful color picture, $41. Engrave students’ names on the matching walnut wall plaque for the band room. (10 1/2" x 13") $82.

The Instrumentalist The magazine school band and orchestra directors have depended on for over 60 years.

Each issue is filled with great articles: • Interviews • Teaching ideas • Instrument Clinics • New Music Reviews 1 year $21 (12 issues), Student rate: $11 (Delivery outside U.S. add $16, Canada $12)

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HE U.S., DRUM CORPS HAVE BECOME A

R PIPELINE

By Chris Previc

Blue Man Group is just one of many great ensembles that use the talents of drum corps alumni.

Not everyone who marches in a drum corps does so with the intention of pursuing a career in the arts.

But according to corps alumni—and the people who hire them—being in a drum corps gives those who dream of performing after their marching music career comes to an end a valuable leg up.

According to Dave Westerskov, Talent Casting Director from Walt Disney World Entertainment, the

traits Disney looks for in a cast member include “varied and diverse musical talent, along with performance experience and training” which he called “essential components” for making the cut. “A high caliber training is what really seems to set performers apart,” he says.

Drum corps training has led many DCI alumni to success as working musicians. One need only look at

the rosters of military bands or the cast lists of musical stage shows like Blast! or Blue Man Group to see them littered with many of drum corps’ best and brightest from years gone by. Individuals have also had a chance to shine: It’s hard to imagine, for example, that world-famous trumpeter Adam Rapa (adamrapa.com) would be lighting up stages from Paris to Tokyo without first setting drum corps fields ablaze with the East Coast Jazz from 1994 to ’00. Al Chez is another notable alum who has logged many hours onstage with the CBS Orchestra on Late Night with David Letterman.

So if high-caliber training is a key to getting the gig, then our question became, What is it about the drum corps experience that stays with players as they enter the professional ranks? We asked several alumni now working as professionals— a Disney cast member, a member of Blue Man Group, a freelancer and a player with the Metropolitan Opera— how drum corps helped launch their careers, and how the drum corps family continues to support their success.

RICH VIANO: Preparation

Backstage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Orlando, Florida, Rich Viano is getting ready to practice. He has just wrapped up a performance with the conga-jamming, timbale-banging, wow-factor world percussion group, the Village Beatniks—he is the musician leader of the five piece ensemble—but while he has a small break, Viano is reading some drum parts for a pick-up orchestra that will soon be performing at a special event.

“This group will only play once,” Viano says. “Once.”

That word takes on a new significance when you understand that Disney’s constant aim is to “offer the greatest entertainment on the planet.” It’s a high goal, and there is a lot of accountability to uphold to achieve a mission statement like that, especially if it’s a one shot event. It’s up to every cast member to take it upon themselves to be prepared.

Viano must play the piece perfectly with a metronome because there will be a click track that controls electrical elements, additional sounds, lighting, fireworks, and other aspect of the performance. “The rehearsal for this performance will be a quick rundown of cues and character roles,” 24

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RICH VIANO Instrument: Percussion Marched: Suncoast Sound ’84-88, Star of Indiana ’89 Affiliation: Disney, The Village Beatniks Web: disneyworld.com

which means there is no time to work the music—the perfection must be there from the first note to the last. On his way back to his drums, Viano hits on what it takes to be a professional at Disney: “You’ve got to be able to sight read music, work well with others, practice until you get it down,” and “bring the goods to the gig—always.”

Rich Viano says he learned and honed all these professional skills while playing in many a great drum line with the Suncoast Sound and Star of Indiana.

“Drum corps gave me the chops and ability to learn a large body of literature,” says the longtime Disney cast member, who got his start playing in the popular Future Corps ensemble at Epcot in 1990. “Future Corps would keep 40 songs in their book at any given time,” and Viano credits drum corps with teaching him to break things down into small parts, to isolate segments, and to make the most of every rehearsal opportunity. “Nervousness,” he says, “is just a lack of preparation.”

But while learning how to work on a professional level is important, Viano says that drum corps’ bigger impact on him was the lesson of “paying things forward.” Viano says he wouldn’t be the person he is today without the support of so many drum corps family members, and over the past eight years with the Boston Crusaders he’s worked to give others

© BMP / PHOTO BY JAMES PORTO

“A SENSATION!” —TIME Magazine

Blue Man Group is best known for its wildly popular theatrical shows that combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a unique form of entertainment. Band Directors, bring your group to see our group and get great rates throughout the year.

And now, for the months of January and February, drum corps members and their families can see any Blue Man Group show nationwide at a 20% savings! Just mention code DCI20.

Offer available for selected performances in January and February only. Limit 6 tickets per order. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer or on previously purchased tickets.

Subject to availability and prior sale. Orders subject to standard ticketing service fees. All sales final. No refunds or exchanges. Offer may be revoked at any time. Offer expires 1/31/09.

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the same opportunities offered to him. “It’s an ongoing family, and it’s a great path to follow.”

ANTHONY PARRULLI: The Community Bond

In the ongoing family of drum corps, some paths complement each other in interesting ways. The Suncoast Sound drum lines of the 1980s that Rich Viano played in inspired a young drummer from Tampa named Anthony Parrulli to march. It’s a path that led Parrulli through the same Walt Disney World Resort gates as Viano (where he performed as a JAMMitor trashcan percussionist), ANTHONY PARRULLI and then into the theatrical world of the ’90s, and as it was making a comeback, Parrulli Blue Man Group. And while, Parrulli had entrenched himself in the Scottish pipe Instrument: started his Blue Man career in New band activity, even traveling overseas to play Performance Drumming Marched: York, he’s now just across the street in the Scottish world championships. But now Suncoast Sound ‘95, from his old Florida stomping grounds, everything was coming together, He was playSpirit ‘95 plying his trade at Universal Studios as ing tenor drums for his hometown corps, and Affiliation: Blue Man Group the current Blue Man Captain of Blue the show was on the road. Just after the Fourth Web: blueman.com Man Group Orlando. of July that summer, the corps ran into financial “I think mine is an interesting stor y, difficulties and was forced to cancel its summer tour. because most people don’t do drum corps for just “It was amazing to behold the support of the entire drum one year,” says the tall and slim Parrulli as he enters the corps community after that. Other corps opened up and took theatre for his two hour call before the night’s show, “and I us in. About twenty of us went to the Spirit of Atlanta,” would have loved to be able to do it more. Not everyone can where Parrulli finished the season. be in a top six corps or win a championship—but the lessons “That summer taught me a lot about adversity and adaptare just as valuable.” ing, but most importantly it taught me about the power of In 1995, Parrulli had been waiting six years to be in the bonding with a community,” Parrulli says as he puts on his Suncoast Sound. The corps had been deactivated in the early latex bald cap to prepare for the trademark blue greasepaint of the Blue Man character. “The Blue Man Group is all about community, about being able to identify with each other, embracing our strengths and weaknesses and putting something out there everyday for the world to see—and I got all of that from my drum corps experience in a big way!” And with that, Parrulli starts applying the greasepaint and prepares for another packed house.

JOE EXLEY: In the Zone

Our conversation moved to the streets of New York City, where we found one of its urban disciples running up and down the boroughs with a very large backpack.

The man’s name is Joe Exley and the large backpack contains a tuba. Exley is a freelance tuba player, which means he plays different styles with different groups on different days—whoever needs him the most. So today it’s Cuban style salsa at a recording session JOE EXLEY in Brooklyn for an independent movie score; Instrument: Tuba tomorrow it’s polka music for a private party Marched: in SoHo; a week ago it was part of a small Phantom Regiment ’90, orchestra for a new CBS TV News theme; Blue Devils ’91-92 26

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and yesterday he led a jazz-funk group at a gig uptown.

Another thing that’s old hat in drum corps and show It’s a heavy load, but Joe Exley (TubaJoe, as he’s known business alike is the never-ending need for focused personal around town) seems to take it in stride. “You have to learn practice. The Met will put on 220 performances of 25-30 to roll with things if you’re going to be a professional,” he different operas over a nine month season, and with four or says with a smile as he grabs the straps of his tuba case and five of these amazingly creative and intricate masterpieces slings it to the ground, using the wheels for a change as he in rotation at a time, one would have had to put a lot of walks up the block. “I definitely learned how to adapt in “grinding practice” in to become part of such an elite ensemdrum corps.” ble as this.

As he reaches the studio, his face becomes a model of But it appears that business is business, whatever the job focus, probably the same game face he had getting on his may be. Bond says, “a lot of my Phantom friends from uniform as a member of the Blue Devils and Phantom Rockford became successful in their chosen fields by applyRegiment in the early ’90s. Unlike drum corps, there was no ing the drum corps work ethic.” A few of Bond’s drum corps rehearsal before this recording session—and there is rarely colleagues went into professional music, like the great jazz a rehearsal for any of the 150 performances he’ll do this year. trombonist Chris Moncelli (chrismoncelli.com), but most He’s got to get it right this time, the first and only time. went into other professions. “Rockford wasn’t the wealthiest It’s about an hour later when he comes back out, the smile town, but a high percentage of us are now successfully doing returned to his face—the session has gone well. “You what we love,” says Bond. turn it on and you turn it off,” he says, another And maybe that’s the bottom line of this conlesson learned from his drum corps days. “But versation: doing something for the love of it.

PETER BOND it wasn’t just the shows,” Exley emphasizes, Sure, drum corps veterans say marching can Instrument: Trumpet walking back towards the subway, “the teach you to adapt to the moment and be Marched: most valuable lesson I learned was to get prepared, and that will give you the perPhantom Regiment ’71-77 into the performance zone during rehearsformance experience and training you Affiliation: Metropolitan Opera al.” And that’s where he’s headed now, need to gain the advantage in landing a Web: metoperafamily.org home, to get some long job. But after you get the tones and “wood-shedding” gig, there is a long career in for future gigs. ahead of you. It seems that, m o r e o v e r, d r u m c o r p s PETER BOND: helped these musicians to have success in their fields That’s Show by showing them the imporBusiness tance of community and the Still in New York, a gloripower of being passionate ously audible performance is about their work. That’s not underway. Peter Bond has just a good lesson for musileft the comforts of the pit cians, it’s a good lesson for orchestra at the Metropolitan all of us.

Opera House to appear on stage dressed in sandals and a robe to play a large herald trumpet for the “Triumphal Scene” from Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida. It’s powerful and moving, and it might invoke in you memories of Phantom Regiment’s use of herald trumpets in their 2008 production Spartacus.

And through another coincidence in our conversation, it just so happens that Peter Bond—now in his sixteenth season as a trumpet player in the Met’s orchestra—got an early start playing a soprano bugle for the Phantom Regiment of the 1970s.

“That’s show business,” smiles Bond at the stage door, “someone gives you a goofy uniform and a wig and says to go play this phrase in front of 5,000 people— well, if you’ve been marching in drum corps, that’s old hat.”

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Call

ve years Three times in fis International the Drum Corp hips ns World Champio ead heat. This ended in a d istoric h e s o th f o ry to is the s eir legacy. th d n a — s le tt a b CHÉ NAS

BY EMILE ME

or each and every one of them, the journey had started almost a year before, in steaming gyms, at auditions where you could smell the nerves and see the shimmer of adrenaline, at long, caffeine-fueled planning meetings, in composers’, choreographers’ and designers’ studios, at winter camps and at spring training—and then, daily for three months, on the buses and playing fields that are the terrain of a drum corps.

The journey had brought them all to the same patch of field, vast in its importance, but tiny compared to the many miles they’d already logged. There would be no more miles after this night, at least not for this year. This was the Finals; the day of reckoning; the night when one corps would separate from the www.dci.org

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“We knew a tie could happen but never really expected it to.’ —Broadcaster Steve Rondinaro rest and take a last stride forward as World Champions. In 2008, the Phantom Regiment made that final step by the slimmest of margins over the Blue Devils.

But theirs was not the tightest World Championship margin of all time. In fact, it wasn’t even Phantom’s “deadest” heat.

In three seasons, after all the steps and notes and drill, there would be no separation for the two corps at the top.

Three times in five years, the long journey would end in a deadlock. A tie. So after a year with one of the closest margins of victory ever, the Finals of 1996 (Blue Devils and Phantom Regiment), 1999 (Blue Devils and Santa Clara Vanguard) and 2000 (Cadets and Cavaliers) serve as a reminder of how Championships ride on the smallest details.

1996: Phantom to the Fore As was the case in 2008, the Blue Devils went into the 1996 World Championships Finals in first place. “If you were a betting man, your money would be on the Blue Devils,” recalls composer, writer, and drum corps historian Michael Boo. “Everyone remembers the opening chord for Blue Devils— it was perhaps the loudest thing I ever heard on a drum corps field.”

In contrast, Phantom Regiment’s show built slowly—perhaps a metaphor for what would be a rise from fourth to first over the course of the Championships weekend.

“Their performance was magnificent,” says Boo. “They just nailed it in the Finals. It was the remarkable, searing intensity of ‘Defiant Heart’—everything just clicked. It started out with a slow, elegiac ballad that was very out of character for starting a show back then.”

The crowd loved the performance, but the result—both Blue Devils and Phantom Regiment in a flatfooted 97.4—stunned many observers. “1996’s tie—the first one, left me a bit tongue-tied,” recalls veteran drum corps broadcaster Steve Rondinaro, who was commenting on the event for Drum Corps International’s television broadcast. “We knew it could happen but never really expected it to. The fact that it involved the Phantom Regiment—the best corps to never have won a title up to that point—made it all the more dramatic. People in the stands seemed dazed.”

But the general atmosphere in the crowd was positive: “Phantom had been moving up, and they knew when to peak,” Boo says. “No one perceived them as the likely winner,

but they were judged on their performance.” It was a close night all around. “The Cadets were third and they were only half a point behind!” Boo says.

“I was part of the judging panel that resulted in the first t ie i n 1996,” says Joh n Ph ill ips, now Dr u m Cor ps International’s Judge Administrator. “I suppose a tie isn’t much different than a championship being determined by only a tenth—or in the case of last year a quarter of a tenth.

It is really an indication of exactly how amazing the performers are in both groups.”

1999: The Devil’s in the Details In 1999, history repeated itself—sort of. Again the Blue Devils were in front, and again they would finish the season deadlocked for first, this time with Santa Clara Vanguard. SCV had started the season as frontrunners, but as the Finals approached, the Blue Devils seemed to be the corps to beat.

“Coming into the night, Blue Devils had the momentum,” Boo says. “Much of their show

97.400

Winners of DCI the 1996 : Championship Blue Devils anntd e Phantom Regim

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e 1999 Winners of th hip DCI Champions Blue Devils anngduard Santa Clara Va “Rhythms…at the edge of time” had a Latin, ethnic percussion flavor” that audiences responded to.

“I wasn’t terribly focused on if we had a chance to win,” says Myron Rosander, who at the time was the drill designer of Santa Clara Vanguard. “In the back of my mind, I guess it’s fair to say that I always thought we’d have a shot…If I recall correctly, the Blue Devils had won the Semifinals by a very large margin, so it seemed like the die had been cast.

For me, it was really a non-factor going into the contest. I realize people find that hard to believe, but the fact remains, I never ever talked to SCV about competition or winning.

It’s not because I don’t think it’s important—as it’s a huge part of our activity. However, it always seemed like a given to me that we’d all like to win.”

“Santa Clara Vanguard was an interesting story; no one was expecting them to walk in and win,” Boo agrees. “They had a remarkable show. Conceptually, ‘Inventions for a New Millennium’ was stuff we hadn’t seen before and it was very intriguing for the audience.”

That audience connection was something Rosander had emphasized all season. “I felt like the tie was our win in a way,” he recalls. “It didn’t really seem possible after the Semis and I felt that many fans thought the Blue Devils were a lock—I know I did. So when the tie was announced, I was stunned and surprised. I think when the crowd started chanting ‘SCV, SCV’ in unison, that was the greatest feeling ever!”

The crowd was behind Santa Clara and acknowledged the great performance of the Blue Devils, but the novelty of the tie had started to wear off. “While ’96 was in a new venue for DCI—the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, an area not steeped in drum corps history—’99 was in drum-corps-storied Madison, Wisconsin,” Rondinaro says. “Camp Randall Stadium was packed with hard-core fans. When SCV and Blue Devils tied, unlike Orlando, this crowd was not dazed. These fans were clearly unhappy and made it known—loudly.”

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98.400 But on the field, the corps seemed pleased enough to share the glory. “I was standing near [Blue Devils brass arranger] Wayne Downey just after the scores were announced when he said, ‘Ya know Myron, a tie is much better than second place,’” Rosander says. “He said it so deadpan that it really cracked me up. We both had a good laugh.”

2000: The Last Tie The year 2000 was an important one for drum corps. A rule change had just been put in place that would allow corps to use B-flat horns, the same type of instruments used in high school and college marching ensembles, rather than traditional “bugles” in the key of G. It was a radical departure: Only two corps—Cadets and Blue Devils—would make the switch that first year. The others would stick to the old Gkeyed bugles.

As it happened, there was a battle raging at the top between the Cadets—with a show aptly named “We are the Future—music from the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration,” and one of the corps using the “old school” brass, the Cavaliers, playing a more traditional but emotionally engaging show called “Niagara Falls.”

After meeting head-to-head early in the season (where the Cadets prevailed), both corps started winning and building momentum towards the Finals in College Park, Maryland. (In an interesting footnote, while not facing one another directly until the Championships, the Cadets and Cavaliers took the field on different nights at both DCI Mid-America, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and at DCI East in Allentown, Penn. Each corps won on its respective night; at Murfreesboro, their scores were an identical 91.750.)

“We were ahead by as much as three points in mid July but it tightened up,” says Cadets Director George Hopkins.

“We had had a great year. The 2000 show was a gas and I was hoping that the corps would have a great experience. We had won quite a few shows coming into the Championships so we

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Tie Breakers

knew we had a chance to win.”

But when t he f i n a l re s u lt wa s “We have a tiebreaker in place but have not needed to use it at the World announced—97.65 for both the Cadets Championships since the last tie in 2000. Phew!” says DCI’s Judge and Cavaliers—the crowd had had enough Administrator John Phillips. The tie breaker system breaks down the score on of deadlocks. “That Finals very much the field and looks at individual components to determine a winner. Judges first ‘felt’ like a tie, but the crowd was boisterlook at General Effect. If that score is tied, the corps with the most captions ous,” says Boo. “The crowd loved both won takes the title. “In the final analysis however, each judge makes an individthe Cadets and the Cavaliers, but they ual determination and rates the corps using the system we have in place. The were sick of ties. We’d had three in five sum result is either a tie or a close finish. Regardless, it is not an individual phenomenon. I continue to believe that judging in DCI is more an art than sciyears. They were not chanting for one ence. There are too many variables to believe otherwise.” corps over the other, but they were just annoyed. They wanted a champion.”

“I felt drained,” Hopkins says. “It was time to go home. increased or decreased their score by just a fraction and We tried, we worked hard, and we had been part of a very affected the overall result.” special year. I was thrilled for all.”

While not everyone we spoke with subscribes to the idea That year was also the end of a musical era for the corps. of a tiebreaker, there’s general consensus that it’s necessary.

“On the CDs (of the Finals) you could hear the difference “I believe this is a very good thing,” Rosander says. “When between the B-flat and G horns,” Boo says. “But live, it was all is said and done, it’s my feeling the audience really wants harder to perceive the difference. Yet by the next year, most a Champion to be decided. Ties just provide such a sense of of the corps were using B-flat instruments.” ambiguity that there’s an empty feeling associated with it. As long as the system of breaking ties has merit, I do think it’s Do the (after)math an important and positive part of our process.”

After three ties in five year, Drum Corps International’s Board But were the ties a bad thing? “I remember the 1996 tie of Directors heeded the fans wishes and set about insuring clearly,” Boo concludes. “ I was on the field with [DCI Hall that there would be no more ties at the top, developing a of Fame member] Michael Moxley. He told me ‘This is great tiebreaker system that remains in effect today. since twice as many kids get to go home with a trophy.”

“The 2000 tie in Maryland was unbelievable,” Rondinaro Yet ultimately, in any competition, closure is important. says. “Back-to-back ties? There was bedlam all around as I “The 2008 Championship was something else!” says tried to put it into some kind of perspective for the broad- Rondinaro, who has been covering drum corps for decades. cast. If the fans were clearly unhappy in Madison, they were “We figured it would be a razor-thin margin however it downright hostile in College Park. Not with the corps but went. In fact, tabulator Tom Kosin had his tie-breaker critewith a judging system that would allow this yet again. There ria out and ready to go. Thankfully it wasn’t needed. And were the Cadets and Cavaliers out there on the field sharing Phantom Regiment finally had a title all its very own.” the title while the stands erupted around them. That’s when DCI realized it had to do something.”

“Yes there was fallout that year,” Phillips recalls.

“The fans were chanting ‘No More Ties!’ as I left the stadium with the judging panel. Many fans and staff wrote to me after the season complaining. The reality is that any one judge could have

97.650 97.650 36

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Brass

By Jeff Nelsen

Lesson

Canadian Brass University of Indiana Yamaha Clinician

The Lip is a Reed hen we begin to play a brass instrument, we are told to make a buzz. We do this with our facial muscles—and often with too much muscle. During our search for higher/lower/louder/softer notes, we spend tons of time trying to relax our embouchure. So, one day I got fed up and just took away all the muscle, experimenting with adding a little bit at a time until I produced a sound. This path of discovery changed everything about my playing. I found myself enjoying increased resonance, a better pitch center, more efficiency and endurance, and better flexibility. Try the following four exercises to develop the ultimate embouchure efficiency for yourself. As demonstrated, see what happens when you move from using all the embouchure muscles to create sound to having facial muscles provide support around a passive reed (the lips) that vibrates in the mouthpiece.

W

1

1 Relax and breathe

Sit or stand in front of a mirror in order to watch your lips for optimal relaxation. Take a relaxed full deep breath and blow out a healthy “mf” type exhale while leaving your facial muscles completely passive. Repeat and, if possible, relax even more.

2

3

4

1Use the mouthpiece 1Turn the as a “straw” mouthpiece around

1Let the sound happen naturally

Put the small end of the mouthpiece in your mouth and blow out of it as if it were a straw. You’ll learn how to add the muscles in the corners of your mouth without adding extra muscle. Don’t grab the mouthpiece shank with your lips; just put the shank on the bottom lip and let gravity bring the top lip down. Air can leak around the sides of the mouthpiece shank.

Take a full deep relaxed breath and blow two seconds of “mf” air into the front of the mouthpiece in the same way as Ex. 3. Do not create a buzz. After two seconds, slowly bring your lips together until physics causes them to buzz.

Blow into the large opening without creating a buzz. Blow out in a totally relaxed fashion while letting facial muscles be as relaxed as possible. Make sure all the air goes through the mouthpiece and not out the side of the lips. Watch yourself in the mirror, trying to look as relaxed as possible.

Notes: This technique is less about lips vibrating against each other, and more about the lips getting caught in the air stream and vibrating within the air, against each other, and/or against the metal of the mouthpiece. Notice how relaxed the lips and facial muscles can be when relying on the air to cause a passive lip “reed” to vibrate. Finally, put your mouthpiece into your instrument and repeat Ex. 4. Don’t worry about what pitch comes out of the mouthpiece while in the horn; let the air/sound produce any pitch. Repeat. While doing each of the above steps, release all control for a while, then add “muscle influences” back in a very little bit at a time with each exhale. It helps me to think the “lip is a reed,” or “L.I.A.R.” (Yes, your lips may have been “lying” to you all this time!) This approach reminds us that we might not need all the muscle we’ve been using. Turn L.I.A.R. into a habit by practicing with a 10-minute timer. Each time the alarm goes off, stop what you’re doing and run through the four exercises. Have fun with this lesson, and if it doesn’t work the first time, be patient and try again. www.dci.org

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Percussion Lesson

By Bret Kuhn Clinician Yamaha, Zildjian and Remo

Positioning for Perfect Strokes ne of the most important aspects of becoming a great player is remembering that everything goes back to the basics. This includes 8â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, accent-tap, double and triple beat, rolls/drags and flams. Below is an example of an intermediate snare part. Now letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s X-Ray the music and take it back to the basics. Remember to make sure each example is perfect before going on to the next.

O

5 Example 1

5 Example 2

5 Example 3

5 Example 4

5 Example 5

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Here is the basic skeleton for the part. It is all accent tap with a triple beat at the end.

Remember not to slam the rim shots; they are for color and should have a relaxed stroke style.

Now we begin to ornament the part with grace notes while partially filling in some of the diddle rudiments in measure 3. This is called building from the front.

We will now finish filling in the diddles figures in measure 3, fill in the flam taps in measure 2, and set up the first diddle check in the last measure.

Now we start filling in the roll figures and finish filling up the first half of the paradiddle-diddles in the last measure.

Now we will finish the paradiddle-diddles in the last measure. Remember this is just one of many different ways we can X-Ray this musical example.

Movement Lesson

Gary Granata, PhD, RD Founder, PerformWell, LLC www.performwell.net Bayonne Bridgemen drum line, 1979-81

Conditioning Drum Corps: Strategies to Enhance Performance and Prevent Injury he physical demands of today’s drum corps require that marching members be well-conditioned athletes. Repetitive use injuries, normally associated with traditional sports, are on the rise in drum corps. Fatigue is a major cause of injuries and results from excessive time in an activity, inadequate physical conditioning and insufficient caloric intake (see “Fueling Drum Corps”, Drum Corps International, Fall 2008). Budgeting time to properly condition athletes is a challenge faced by both touring drum corps and collegiate athletic programs, whose practice time is limited by NCAA regulations.

Thus, collegiate sports programs have developed targeted conditioning exercises that are integrated into practice time. Drum corps can benefit by taking a similar approach. The design of any physical conditioning program must adhere to the fundamental concepts of overload and task-specific training.

T

Overload Training adaptations occur when physiological systems and muscles are overloaded or stressed beyond their normal limits; i.e. their training threshold. Overload is best achieved by varying both the intensity and duration of an activity. High-intensity exercises require that duration be limited, whereas duration should be extended when intensity is low.

Conditioning drills should challenge athletes, but not push them to the point of fatigue. Thus, an effective training regimen will progressively challenge an athlete’s training threshold while reducing the injuries caused by fatigue.

7 Task-Specific Training

Training adaptations are specific to the physiological systems and muscles that are stressed. Any activity that stresses the heart and lungs will improve cardiovascular endurance and enhance the delivery oxygenated blood to working muscles. However, increases in muscular strength and the muscles’ ability to utilize oxygen are limited to the specific skeletal muscles used in an activity. While the concept of task-specific training appears simple, conditioning regimens often violate this basic premise. For example, jogging is a popular exercise that effectively improves cardiovascular endurance. However, training adaptations are confined to the specific leg muscles used in jogging. Thus, jogging fails to properly train the leg muscles used to cut and sprint on a soccer field, run and jump on a basketball court, or march and dance on a drum corps field. Assessing the physical demands of each drum corps section is essential to designing specific conditioning exercises that meet the individual needs of performing athletes. And designing and integrating conditioning exercises that are specific to the unique demands of drum corps athletes is an effective and time-efficient strategy to enhance performance and reduce injuries.

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Halftime Magazineâ&#x201E;˘ enhances marching participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; love of music and performance by providing education, entertainment and inspiration in a bimonthly printed magazine and online community.

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Gearing Up

New and noteworthy instruments and equipment for marching musicians

Cut the Cord When you’re on the road, the last thing you want to deal with are headphone cords that tend to get all tangled up. Sennheiser’s award-winning MX W1 earbuds offer a completely wireless solution that’s designed to deliver superior sound. They also come with a case that doubles as docking station and can remotely charge the earbuds—perfect for carrying to rehearsals. sennheiserusa.com

Watch This Timex’s new Ironman Race Trainer series of watches features built-in digital heart monitors that can communicate with a Mac or PC via a USB device so you can easily track and record your fitness levels during all those intense rehearsal sessions and spring training. timex.com

These Pebbles Rock Samsung’s fashionable S2 1 GB flash MP3 player comes in five colors— black, white, red, green and purple—and can be worn around the neck like a pendant. It supports MP3, WMA, and OGG audio formats and stores up to 13 hours of audio. Easy-to-use playback controls on the back plate allow you to conveniently change tunes when you’re on the go. samsung.com/us

Safety Net Instrument cases can be pretty tempting to thieves. Conveniently, all of PacSafe’s travel gear comes with a tough, stainless steel locking device that will prevent your belongings from being tampered with or stolen.

PacSafe’s full line of products includes bags large enough to accommodate horns, as well as smaller cases for cameras, laptop computers, and handbags. pacsafe.com

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Marching Machine Roland’s new RMP-12 Rhythm Coach is the first electronic marching drum to feature Roland’s patented mesh head technology, which provides a more natural feel than other practice pads and electronic drums. Its built-in rhythm coach helps improve timing and accuracy, while a live marching mode makes it suitable for performance. rolandus.com

TAKING THE FIELD WITH COLOR

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Santa Clara Vanguard Percussion Section, PASIC 2006

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Age-Out

By Carolyn Keating

Then:The Hawthorne Muchachos Now: Professional Trumpeter, Arranger, Composer, and Producer

Jeff Kievit is testament to the power of belief, persistence, and focus, qualities that have helped him overcome tremendous adversity in his life and career. “Facing challenges head on . . . if you’re able to keep an eye on the target, you typically find a way to get there,” he says. “I think so much of that attitude, I got from my formative years [in the drum corps]. I’m still a Muchacho, and it’s made me who I am.”

Kievit found his calling after seeing the Hawthorne Caballeros in action when he was just seven years old. Shortly after, he joined the nascent junior drum and bugle corps the Hawthorne Muchachos, where he would remain for the next 14 years, working his way up through the ranks from second soprano to soloist, instructor, and arranger.

Renowned as one of the greatest drum and bugle corps of all time, the Muchachos faced their share of challenges. In 1974, en route to the World Championship, a clerical error put the corps at a scoring disadvantage after the prelims competition. Knowing that it would be difficult if not impossible to overcome the deficit, the Muchachos gave it their best shot anyway, and were swarmed by cheering fans after the corps jumped from seventh place to fourth. The following year, at the top of their game and a heartbeat away f rom claiming t he DCI Championship title, the opportunity was abruptly taken away from them when they were disqualified at the last minute for having an overage member. Yet Kievit views the experience as an important lesson in how to handle the cards life deals you. “How do you function when your entire life 50

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FROM TOP: COURTESY OF JEFF KIEVIT; SHERRY HEIER

JK Jeff Kievit

was based on this dream that’s now gone?” His answer?

Persevere and keep doing the best you can.

Now a first-call studio trumpeter and Grammy-nominated arranger and producer, Kievit’s perseverance has taken him to the top of his profession. He has performed, recorded, or toured with such artists as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Julio Iglesias, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Chuck Mangione, Vanessa Williams, Elton John, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, and Lenny Kravitz, among many others, and is one of the premier trumpeters on Broadway, playing f irst t r umpet for shows including Hairspray, Young Frankenstein, and 42nd Street. His trumpet can also be heard in films such as For the Love of the Game and On Any Given Sunday, as well as in various videogames and ads.

Yet in February 2007, Kievit suffered a devastating injury that could have ended his career. Just before a performance of Hairspray, he fainted from the effects of a stomach virus, in the process breaking his jaw—losing many of his teeth, fracturing his skull, and almost losing an eye. His injuries were so severe it was believed he would never play the horn again.

Yet through the heroic efforts of his doctors and K ievit’s own belief and conviction, he has overcome all odds to not only recover, but to play some of the best performances of his life.

“In the strangest of ways, it was one of the best things that happened to me,” Kievit says. “You have choices in how you react to things, and sometimes those are the defining moments. With the scar tissue that remains in my lower lip, I have to play about every three hours to keep it pliable. A nd I have to do warm compresses all day to keep it loose enough; otherwise I lose about 30% of my playing ability.

Consequently I have to spend more time working on it, and work at it harder than I ever have in my life—but I am so thankful—I love doing it!

“I’d hope and pray all day long that I’d have a chance to do this again, and if there was any way that I could do it, I was going to do it. So I have this renewed sense of focus. It’s my constitution, it’s my core, it’s my soul, it’s who I am.

Would I have had all those things without the drum corps?

I wonder.” Kievit is now working on a new CD.

Turn our next Drum Corps International event into a fund-raiser for your group!

Drum Corps International is the world leader in producing events for the world's most elite and exclusive marching ensembles for student musicians and performersâ&#x20AC;Ś and now, our events can be great fund-raisers for your group!

Group members will experience all of the amazing action, with spellbinding live performances which bring the excitement of these outstanding performances to life with the passion, motivation and excellence that only Drum Corps International corps deliver.

Call 317.275.1212 to speak with one of our Group Experience specialists today!

Or write GROUPS@DCI.org for additional information

DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL P.O. BOX 3129 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46206 www.DCI.org