Drumline Magazine Fall 2014

AUTUMN 2014

St. Michael’s Drumline Ontario Champions

MAGAZINE

SPECIAL FEATURE INSIDE

Canadian Drumline Association Quebec & Ontario Championships

Bassline Tuning La Fete de la Musique Riders Drumline

From the Editor

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS is published bi-annually by

After a summer off to reflect and recharge, the fall is a fresh start to a whole new year of drumline.

Looking back, the 2013-14 drumline season was amazing for Canada. The FAMQ worked together with the CDA and created the first ever Circuit québécois de drumlines with three competitions, concluding with a provincial championships in April. Two Ontario drumlines made the trip to compete in Montreal, and at least five directors have said they will likely make the trip this spring! Drumline is truly developing into a national activity and community. To help foster that community, Drumline Magazine is shipping directly to ensembles from coast to coast.

Looking forward, the fall also means football. We can all enjoy seeing and hearing our local drumlines performing, as well as ensembles performing with CFL teams on national television such as St Michael's and the Riders Drumline.

Personally, I find the crisp clean air of autumn invigorating, and a reminder of the fresh start to a new season with new performers and new drumline shows to write. Designing a show with a theme the entire audience can recognize and relate to can be challenging, but also exciting. I bounce ideas off friends and family, and my students too. If the performers are excited and passionate about their show, that positive energy transmits directly to the audience for fantastic results.

So put your creative pen to paper - or mouse to computer program. Go cheer on a drumline at a football game and buy a hotdog, bring your friends and maybe a drum too!

And spend a few hours on a rainy Sunday or late night iPad session watching a ton of drumlines on YouTube. You won't regret it!

Drumline Magazine 280 Perry Street Unit 10A Peterborough Ontario K9J 2T7 (705) 743-6669 FAX: (705) 743-6660 TOLL FREE 1 877 248-9932

Publisher Michael Bell

Editor-in-Chief Michael Beauclerc

Copy Editors Kaela Jacobs, Barbara Muir Paul Pietrkiewicz, Lorraine Morford

Translation Michael Deliakis

Contributors Jim Bailey, Lee Beddis, Martin Hotte, Gareth Skipp, Jack Brompton, Chad Morford

Staff Writers Michael Deliakis michaeld@drumlinemagazine.com

Adam Beauclerc adamb@drumlinemagazine.com

Michael Lombardi Michael Beauclerc Editor-in-Chief

michaell@drumlinemagazine.com

Chris Bagg chrisb@drumelinemagazine.com

Danny Lamoureux dannyl@drumlinemagazine.com

Sébastien Hinse

OUR TEAM

sebastienh@drumlinemagazine.com

Andrew Ball andrewb@drumlinemagazine.com

Erin Douglas erind@drumlinemagazine.com

Photography Gareth Skipp

Adam Beauclerc

Chris Bagg

Erin Douglas

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

www.skipp-photography.com

Tony Hansen trimman99@shaw.ca

Christian Jamal, Sandra McDuff

Website www.drumlinemagazine.com

National Advertising Michael Deliakis

Michael Lombardi

Andrew Ball

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

DO YOU HAVE YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF YOUR LOCAL DRUMLINE BEAT? CONTACT US AT editor@drumlinemagazine.com DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

4

1 (877) 248-9932 info@drumlinemagazine.com

Email Art To: art@drumlinemagazine.com

DISCLAIMER Drumline Magazine claims copyright in all original advertising and editorial materials created by its employees or subcontractors and reproduced in this publication. The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors or omission in ads beyond the amount paid for the space occupied by the portion of the ad in which the error occurred. c 2014

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

INSIDE

drumline: CONTRIBUTORS Gareth Skipp With a background and education in theatre, dance and voice, Gareth Skipp has been designing and instructing marching programs for over 25 years. He has taught in Canada, Germany, Korea and the USA.

Jim Bailey Jim Bailey is currently the educator relations manager for D'Addario & Co. He has served as Associate Percussion Caption Head for the six-time DCI World Champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. Jim has been honored with an array of awards which include: University of Indianapolis Honors Percussion Scholarship, 1995 DCI World Champion, and was crowned with the Percussive Arts Society's International Solo Champion in 1996.

Lee Beddis

THIS ISSUE Page 6 Riders Drumline Page 8 Drumline Download Page 10 Fete de la Musique Page 12 Keep it Simple Page 14 Calgary Stampede Band Page 16 CDA Ontario Champions Page 20 Musical Design Page 22 Quebec Championships Page 25 BC Day of Drumline Page 26 Marching & Movement Page 28 Rudimental Development

With a drum corps career spanning three decades and a reputation for building great programs quickly, Lee Beddis is one of DCI’s and WGI’s most sought-after percussion authorities. He is currently the Percussion Caption Arranger/Supervisor for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. Lee has also instructed the 1996 DCI World Champions Phantom Regiment, 2009 DCI silver medalist Carolina Crown, and many others. Additionally, Lee has served as the Battery Caption Head/Arranger for the WGI Independent World Class percussion ensembles Redline, the Wheaters, and SPYE. When he is not teaching, Lee is in demand as a highly-regarded judge and clinician across North America

Martin Hotte Martin Hotte has over two decades of experience as a drumline instructor with numerous ensembles. In one of his first experiences as a drumline composer, he won a bronze medal with Spirit Performing Youth Ensemble at the 1997 Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships. He has taught several marching bands in Michigan, and was the percussion head of the five time Drum Corps Associates world champions the Syracuse Brigadiers, capturing two high percussion awards during his tenure. From 2003-09, Martin taught and composed for the WGI ensemble North Coast Academy.

Jack Broumpton Jack Broumpton has served as Assistant Professor and Chairperson of the Music Dept. at Laurentian University, Instructor of Percussion at Cambrian College, and as the President of the Ontario Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. Jack has adjudicated for Musicfest Canada, Northern Ontario Musicfest, the Alcan Jazz Competition, Ontario Drum Corps Association and the Canadian Drumline Association where he is entering his 4th year as Chief Judge.

Chad Morford Chad Morford marched DCI in his youth, studied music at St. Francis Xavier University and has a Master's degree in Education from D'Youville College. He is the director, designer and/or arranger of the championship winning ensembles Colborne Public School Drumline, and Oak Ridge Percussion. Chad is also the cofounder and Assistant Director of the Canadian Drumline Association.

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

5

THE WORLD’S ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED SOLELY TO DRUMLINE & MARCHING PERCUSSION

NEXT ISSUE: SPRING 2015 RESERVE YOUR ADVERTISING SPACE

NOW!!

(705) 743-6669 TOLL FREE 877 248 9932 CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

Drumline: FEATURE

Riders Drumline By: Matthew Stone

All Photos Republished by permission of The Saskatchewan Rough Riders

Rider fans have always marched to the beat of their own drum, but just last year it became official.

Drumlines have long been a staple in professional football south of the border. Until recently, most CFL teams couldn't claim an ensemble of their own. The Roughriders organization had previously tried to form their own drumline with little success. That changed in 2013 when a partnership with the University Of Regina Conservatory Of Performing Arts was formed, and the pieces finally started falling into place.

The Roughriders tapped Corey Taylor and Tyler Taylor (no relation) to put together a team of percussionists that would have a monumental task—providing the beat to a chorus of 35,000 fervent fans. Working from personal experience, Corey and Tyler knew that they would be able to find players who had aged out of traditional marching bands, but were not necessarily ready to hang up the drums. Employing a mix of targeted recruitment and open auditions, the search was on for players who would be up to the challenge.

“Drumming gets into your system and it's hard to get it out,” says Corey. “The problem with drum corps style drumming such as the (now defunct) Regina Lion's Band is that once you reached 18-21, there is nowhere else to go. We wanted to give people the opportunity to keep on doing what they love.”

The first auditions for the Riders Drumline took place at Taylor Field before the start of the 2013 season. Candidates were asked to play a simple piece to prove they had some prior ability, but the new Drumline directors were primarily looking for enthusiasm and commitment. Corey and Tyler found that people from all walks of life were willing to come out and take a shot at being part DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

6

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

of something special. By the time the team had formed, it was with players from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds including a veterinarian, an accountant, a punkrock drummer and many more.

“I'd never even played a percussion instrument before last year,” says Kristin Reilly, section leader of the cymbal line. “I'd been a member of the Lion's band for several years, where I mostly played flute. The Rider Drumline was a chance for me to expand my skillset, and to gain back some of that camaraderie I was missing.”

Of course, one of the added benefits of being part of the Riders Drumline is getting to watch all of the Rider home games at eye level. This was particularly true during the drumline's inaugural year as part of a Roughrider team that won a Grey Cup at home.

“Last year was a wild ride,” says tenor Chris Carmen. “We only started playing the games late in the season. The next thing we know we are right in the middle of all the action around the Grey Cup. That was an experience that will be hard to top.”

As the 2014 season kicks off, the Riders Drumline aims to go bigger and bolder for their second season. They've increased the size of the ensemble to twenty-four drummers, and have promised a more interactive and visually stimulating experience. The Riders Drumline also plans to be more active in the community. They will hold a joint youth camp with the University of Regina Conservatory of Performing Arts in late summer, and hope to inspire a whole new generation of percussionists. They want to build a lasting foundation, envisioning a future where Drumlines are a fixture across the CFL. There are already signs of that work bearing fruit, with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers set to debut their own Drumline this season. The Riders Drumline assures that the rivalry won't be limited to the football players, as they plan to travel to Winnipeg for the “Banjo Bowl” and a little friendly competition.

Challenges certainly persist for the Riders Drumline, but their confidence is high and they are motivated by a great team. For directors Corey and Tyler, they can finally move past the initial wrinkles and focus on taking the Riders Drumline to the next level.

“We are really catching our stride,” says Corey. “This is the year we bring it all together and truly become who we want to be.”

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

7

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

Drumline: DOWNLOAD

By Michael Lombardi Last time around, we established that creating a connection between Hollywood-inspired scenes and real high-end talent generates exposure both for the groups being highlighted and the greater drumline community. If this is how to keep the content relevant, the question remains, what impact does this have on new drummers?

Skill- as outlined in previous drumline download articles- is something that has become very easily attainable through rudimental sharing sites like drumlinechops.com. Sites like these release free, step-by-step videos to teach everyone from the absolute beginner to the seasoned veteran new, exciting things. However new drummers don't just need access to educational content; they also need the drive to improve and compete.

The last segment of Drumline Download posed the question what keeps online drumline content relevant? It explored the importance of the drumline world remaining in close relation to the leading edge of other online content to do so. The piece briefed content such as, drumline-inspired viral videos, memes, a sequel to the original Drumline movie, and more specifically, drumlinebattle.com. In an effort to expand on some of the ideas brought forth in the last issue, this segment will first provide an update on some current events and then delve further into the impact that such relevant online content can have on young, emerging talent.

For those of you wondering, 'Drumline 2' is currently in production, however Nick Cannon has decided to participate from the production side rather than take on the lead role this time around. In other news, the Drumline Battle group has managed to garner thousands of followers online through various social media outlets, and regularly releases videos of the latest one-on-one battle between a pair of its over 30 lines worldwide currently participating. That being said, online content is only useful to the growing drumline community if it stays relevant.

The basis of success in any new activity is a healthy combination of both skill and will. New drummers need as much motivation to move to the next level as they do the chops to get there; enter the will.

Someone with no drumline experience or connection to the community needs some bridge to spark their interest. The online world allows for a very seamless connection via all avenues described above between pop culture and the more regimented style of top-end drumlines. Drumline-infused versions of these models such as silly memes, viral videos, or 'battles' all contribute to bridging the gap that the non-drummer experiences before picking up the sticks for the first time. So with both the skill and will at their very fingertips, the web becomes an amazing tool for fresh drummers to pick up a pair and get chopping.

Vic Firth’s “LEARN THE MUSIC�

YouTube series allows viewers to see how demanding world class programs are in real time and slow motion.

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

Any way you chop it, relevant online content has finally allowed the outside world to mesh with the drumline community.

8

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

Drumline: ROAD TRIP

DCI 2014 IN THE LOT Photos by Gareth Skipp

CAVALIERS

CAROLINE CROWN

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

THE CADETS

Send us your “In The Lot” photos to editor@drumlinemagazine.com BLUE KNIGHTS DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

9

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

Fête de la musique 2014

Drumline: ON THE SCENE

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

By Pacal Desparois Translation by Michael Deliakis

10

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

On July 12th, Musicfest (la Fête de la musique) took place for the fourth time in Trois-Rivières at the St-Joseph Seminary. Founded by the Stentors de Sherbrooke and the FAMQ in the summer of 2011, Musicfest showcases performances by marching musical groups such as drum corps, fanfare bands and drumlines. This year, the Diplomates linked up with the founders to host the event in Mauricie QC. In the early afternoon, the members of all participating groups met up, forming a “Mass Band”, to practice a piece together that would be presented to the Musicfest audience at the end of the evening. This year, the group performed the song Happy by Pharrel Williams, under the direction of Gabriel Fancoeur and composed by Thierry Pilote. The colour guards and choreographic ensembles weren't taking it easy either, performing a grandiose Spinfest choreographed by Chloé Chartrand, Vincent Thibert and Karine Lussier.

In the evening, the Ambassadeurs de la Montérégie showcased their talents in three movie theme music medleys, which, most notably included theme songs from Back to the Future, Star Wars, Spiderman and Jurassic Park, just to name a few.

The Éclairs de Québec also took to the stage, with an eclectic and energetic performance resembling an upbeat mix of A Space Odyssey, I Feel Good, Another Brick in the Wall, and Gangnam Style.

The Stentors de Sherbrooke chose Musicfest to perform their featured 2014 production, Magical Illusion.

Inspired by the soundtrack of the movie Now You See Me, the Stentors' show guides us through a world ruled by magic and illusion. Pay attention to their magic tricks, they're quick!

The Diplomates, a senior drumline and hosts of the evening, finished off the event with their 2014 show Never Too Old to Rock! The performance consists of rock anthems such as Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and We Will Rock You, Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer, Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water and Aerosmith's Dream On. Musicfest concluded with a performance by the Mass Band and Spinfest, bringing together all participants. An excellent finale for such a magnificent day!

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

Le 12 juillet dernier, a eu lieu au Séminaire St-Joseph à Trois-Rivières la quatrième édition de la Fête de la musique. Initié par les Stentors de Sherbrooke et par la Fédération des associations musicales du Québec à l'été 2011, la Fête de la musique présente des prestations de groupes musicaux de style marching comme les corps de tambours et clairons, les fanfares et les drumlines. Cette année, les Diplomates se sont joint aux commanditaires précédents afin de pouvoir tenir l'événement en Mauricie.

Dès le début de l'après-midi, les participants de tous les groupes se sont rencontrés pour répéter ensemble, tel un immense Mass Band, une pièce musicale qui sera présentée aux spectacteurs en fin de soirée.

Cette année, les musiciens ont joué Happy de Pharrell Williams sous la direction de Gabriel Francoeur avec des arrangements de Thierry Pilote. Les membres de la section visuelle (color guards) et des ensembles chorégraphiques ne sont pas en reste avec un Spinfest grandiose où les participants ont appris une chorégraphie de Chloé Chartrand, Vincent Thibert et Karine Lussier.

Lors de la soirée, Les Ambassadeurs de la Montérégie ont démontré leur savoir-faire avec leur spectacle 2014 constitué de trois medleys de musique de films. Le public a pu reconnaître des pièces de Back to the Future, Star Wars, Spiderman et Jurassic Park pour ne nommer que ceux-ci.

Les Éclairs de Québec ont, quant à eux, présenté un spectacle éclectique et énergique sur les airs de l'Odysée de l'espace, I Feel Good, Another Brick in the Wall et Gangnam Style.

Les Stentors de Sherbrooke ont choisi la Fête de la musique pour présenter en primeur leur production 2014 intitulé Magical Illusion. Inspiré de la trame sonore du film Now You See Me, le spectacle des Stentors nous transporte dans un monde où la magie et l'illusion règnent. Portez attention aux tours de magie qu'ils effectuent, ça passe vite!

Les hôtes de la soirée Les Diplomates, qui sont un corps sénior, ont fermé le bal avec leur spectacle 2014 Never Too Old to Rock!

Leur répertoire est composé de chansons rock tel que Bohemian Rhapsody et We Will Rock You de Queen, Living on a Prayer de Bon Jovi, Smoke on the Water de Deep Purple et Dream On d'Aerosmith.

La Fête de la musique s'est conclue avec la présentation du Mass Band et du Spinfest regroupant tous les participants. Une bien belle finale pour une magnifique journée!

11

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

drumline Department: KEEP IT SIMPLE

with Michael Beauclerc

Bass Drum Tuning

For our first article of the new “Keep it Simple” series, we will be discussing bass drum tuning. There are two fundamental ways to tune a bass drum section. The first is to have all the drums pitched very low and thunderous, which is ideal for unison playing at parades and sporting events when maximum volume is the goal. The second tuning style is to have the drums pitched highly for melodic drumming.

It is my experience that many drumlines default to the lower tuning for the fall season, and stay that way through the competitions in spring.

Due to the “boomy” acoustics of drumming indoors, tuning the drums higher will shorten each of the drum's sustain. This higher and more articulate sound clearly cuts through the rest of the drumline, helping the bass drum melodies to become much more audible to the audience and judges.

Please remember as you tune each individual drum that you: A) Crisscross from one tension rod to the next.

B) Taping the drumhead a few inches in from each tension rod produces the same pitch.

C) Both the right and left drumheads are the same pitch.

Begin with the bottom bass (lowest & largest). Tune this drum higher in pitch until the sustain of the drum is less than one second long – “One Steam”,....no “Boat”.

Next, tune the top bass (highest & smallest) to the highest pitch that you are comfortable with. Keep in mind that we do not want it to be the same pitch as the mulittenor drum four.

Finally, tune the middle drums to evenly fill the pitch range in between your top and bottom drums.

This “Keep it Simple” method of tuning bass drums works very well on any bass drum section, regardless of the number of drums or the drums' individual sizes. When using this K.I.S. method we are not looking for specific pitches or intervals. We simply want to hear each drum clearly during melodic passages when the entire ensemble is playing.

Photo by J Parker Staten

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

12

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

Drumline: CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to The Calgary Stampede Showband winning three consectutive WAMSB World Championships, and their fifth championship title!!

Photos by Mike Siewert

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

14

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

drumline EVENT

Canadian Drumline Association

By Jack Broumpton

Ontario Championships 2014 Saturday May 24 was a beautiful sunny and warm day at St. Michael's College, home of the third annual Canadian Drumline Association Ontario Provincial Championships, in To r o n t o . T h e s o u n d o f drumlines filled the air as competitors warmed up for their final performance of the C.D.A. Season. I was lucky enough to adjudicate Music Effect on that day along with Ted Olver (Execution Analysis) and Peter Jones (Visual). Each year we are so impressed by the improvement in all aspects of our drumline performances as they progress throughout the season.

COLBORNE PUBLIC SCHOOL

ST. MARTIN

MALVERN C.I.

ST. ROCH

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

BOWMANVILLE H.

S.

16

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

The performers this season rose to the challenge set by the show designers both musically and visually. Creative themes for shows such as St. Michael's College's popular “Suit and Tie” theme of Justin Timberlake's' music and Oak Ridge Percussion's performance of “Heartless - The Tinman's Quest” were particular highlights along with St. Marcellinus' performance of “Espionage”.

TRINITY BEARS

ST. MICHAEL’S JUNIOR

ST. MARCELLI

NUS

BLUE SAINTS DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

17

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

OAK RIDGE PERCUSSION

C.A.D.R.E.

FATHER HENRY CARR PERCUSSION.

One of the great things about the C.D.A competitions is the variety in performing groups that can be heard in an afternoon.

On this special Saturday you could be impressed by the young performers of Colborne Public School in intermediate Class, appreciate the growth in Father Henry Carr's entertaining show “Stars above us, Stars among us�, in Premier Class; hear the beginnings of great things coming from new entries such as Malvern Collegiate and Bowmanville Secondary School in Concert Class while enjoying Sudbury's Blue Saints, one of the few D.C.I drumlines in Canada. And finally marvelling at the dedication and high performance level demonstrated by our most experienced drummers in C.A.D.R.E in Alumni class.

The Provincial finals had something for everyone and the large crowd was a result of the hard work and dedication all the performers, instructors, administrators, organizers and parents. Congratulations to all our competing groups and Championship winners. I can't wait for next season!

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

18

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

ST. MARCELLI

ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE SCHOOL

NUS

Ontario Championships

COLBORNE

Premier Class: St Michael's 97.4 Oak Ridge percussion 91.4 Father Henry Carr Percussion 86.6 Alumni Class: CADRE 96.1 Blue Saints 89.7 Intermediate Class: Colborne Public School 86.6 Concert Class: St Marcellinus 94.8 St Michael's Junior 87.6 Trinity College Bears 84.3 St Martin 72 St Roch 71.9 Malvern Collegiate 59.7 Bowmanville High School 58.6

HOOL

PUBLIC SC

ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE SCHOOL C.A.D.R.E.

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

19

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

drumline DEPARTMENT: Musical Design with Chad Morford

Selecting Repertoire and Arranging for Young Drumlines A few years ago my elementary school drumline performed their first marching show. The material they played was a combination of pep grooves I had written over the years, segue sections joining them together, with a few dynamics thrown in to maintain the audiences' interest. As the season was ending my students started asking me which pieces we would be playing next year. They wanted to perform an all new show with a theme like ones they had seen other groups do and assumed I would have no trouble turning any song they had on their IPOD into a complete arrangement. After settling on a theme, I eventually managed to arrange a few popular music tracks for my drumline and presented it to my students. Fortunately they enjoyed it and over subsequent seasons arranging and composing for a number of different ensembles I have compiled the following guidelines for choosing repertoire: 1) Iconic or current – An arrangement of an iconic or current song has several advantages. Performing a well-known piece of popular music will allow the audience to instantly recognize what you are playing.

When your audience understands what song you are playing it allows them to more easily appreciate any embellishments and modifications of the melodic structure you present to them. Like a contestant competing in a singing competition by performing a 'cover' of a famous track, a clever arrangement will allow the drumline to show off all their technical capabilities while staying true to the source material.

2) Opportunities for musical interpretation – Popular, recognizable music provides a familiar framework around which arrangements for drumline can easily be structured. Verses can be used to showcase

“Performing a well-known piece of popular music will allow the audience to instantly recognize what you are playing.”

sections by having the melody travel between them. Demonstrating your ensembles dynamic capabilities during a pre-chorus will help build excitement and interest so that the eventual chorus is delivered with maximum impact and effectiveness. Utilizing a songs bridge as a departure or release can easily be constructed around solo or soli sections but when the chorus is eventually reintroduced, be sure to vary its delivery from earlier in the piece in order to maintain interest.

3) Involve your students – I always ask my students if they have any songs they'd like to perform and often use one of their suggestions to build a show around. I have found that if the students are performing a piece of music they suggested, they will enjoy playing it more and are generally more engaged.

One way of thinking about arranging for drumline is by taking the Sonata form of a classical symphony. An example of this would be to introduce the melody or theme during the exposition with a soloist or in small group. During the development phase these ideas are manipulated and altered using and showcasing the technical capabilities of different sections of your ensemble. Finally during the recapitulation and possibly coda, the melodies and themes could be restated as a whole group to reinforce stability and for dramatic effect.

Any embellishments and manipulations of the melodies and rhythms will be more easily understood by your young musicians because of their familiarity with the original source material.

In closing, by using your own musical sensibilities and your students personal tastes in music, you can create a drumline show that is both musically dynamic and entertaining for all audiences.

CANADIAN DRUMLINE ASSOCIATION 2014/15 SCHEDULE Oct 5th, 2014 Ontario Educators Symposium Jan 10th, 2015 Ontario Solos Competition March 6th British Columbia Championships March 7th Alberta Championships April 10th Mississauga Regional April 24th Eastern Ontario Regional May 2nd Quebec Championships May 8th Brampton Regional May 23rd Ontario Championships More dates to be announced, visit www.canadiandrumlineassociation.org

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

20

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

Sandra McDuff

drumline EVENT

Canadian Drumline Association

By Pacal Desparois Translation by Michael Deliakis

Quebec Championships 2014

FFORTISSIMO The 2014 Quebec Drumline Championships took place for the first time on Friday, April 25 2014 at the Claude-Robillard Sporting Complex in Montreal. Organized by the FAMQ and the Canadian Drumline Association (CDA), the Championship hosted eight Quebecois drumlines and two drumlines from Ontario, to the great pleasure of the spectators in attendance.

The competing groups were evaluated on four criteria by a complete panel of judges, which included: Execution (Richard Bélec and Gilles Schetagne), Musical Effect (Mario Delisle and Michel Grégoire), Visuals (Louis-Philippe Parent and Martin Hotte) and Timing and Penalties (Luc Collard). The scores were verified by Alexandre Bernard and Robert Doyle.

The FAMQ and the CDA would like to thank all those who directly or indirectly helped to develop the Quebec Drumline Circuit and to establish this first-ever championship. Congratulations all!

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

22

Pour sa première édition, le Championnat québécois de drumlines a eu lieu le vendredi 25 avril 2014 au Complexe sportif ClaudeRobillard à Montréal. Produit grâce à la collaboration entre la Fédération des associations musicales du Québec et la Canadian Drumline Association, le Championnat a accueilli huit drumlines québécoises et deux drumlines de l'Ontario pour le plus grand plaisir des spectateurs présents.

Les groupes en compétition ont eu droit à un double panel d'évaluateurs : Richard Bélec et Gilles Schetagne en Analyse de l'éxécution, Mario Delisle et Michel Grégoire en Effet musical, Louis-Philippe Parent et Martin Hotte en Visuel ainsi que Luc Collard en Chronométrage et pénalités. La tabulation fût assurée par Alexandre Bernard et Robert Doyle.

La FAMQ et la CDA aimeraient remercier tout ceux qui, de près ou de loin, ont participé à l'élaboration du Circuit québécois de drumlines et à la mise sur pied de ce premier championnat.

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

LASER DRUMLINE

VICAS DRUM LINE

VICAS JUNIOR ROCKLINE

RCUSSION

OAK RIDGE PE

DES TITANS

DRUMLINE DU PHARE

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

23

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

COLBORNE P.S.

ST. THOMAS

2014 Quebec Drumline Championships Results CONCERT CLASS Laser Drumline St-Thomas Drumline Vicas Drumline Junior INTERMEDIATE CLASS Les Titans de Québec Colborne PS Drumline Drumline du Phare Vicas Drumline

SENIOR CLASS Ffortissimo Premier CLASS Oak Ridge Percussion

89.10 63.40 61.05

81.40 86.05

Thank you to Rockline Drumline for their performance!

78.25 77.20 64.35 61.90

OAK RIDGE PERCUSSION

DES TITANS

LASER DRUMLINE FFORTISSIMO

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

24

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

drumline: EVENT

BC DAY OF DRUMLINE

This past spring Abbotsford Senior Secondary School had the opportunity to host The Canadian Drumline Association's BC Day of Drumline, a Yamaha Canada sponsored workshop with none other than Michael Beauclerc. Although drumlines remain fairly rare in the Lower Mainland BC, Abbotsford is quickly becoming a small hub of these ensembles and hopes to encourage their continued growth throughout the province. The Abbotsford Senior Secondary School Drumline's director, Nancy Hasiuk, reached out to the province's ensembles, and despite the workshop being pulled together with only a few weeks' notice, 5 ensembles and a few music directors were available to attend. The event included a mass clinic on common technique issues Mr. Beauclerc frequently sees in young drumlines followed by a performance by each ensemble and finally, Mr. Beauclerc dazzled the students with some advanced playing tips and tricks.

Miss Hasiuk was elated to have the opportunity to host this event and is planning a Canadian Drumline Association competition and a summer drumline camp at Abbotsford SSS in the upcoming year. This dynamic genre is rapidly blossoming in the Fraser Valley, approximately an hour east of Vancouver, and Miss Hasiuk is excited to help lead its growth in the province.

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

25

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

Gareth Skipp

drumline DEPATMENT: MARCHING & MOVEMENT with Gareth Skipp

MOVEMENT DESIGN II In my last article on Movement Design I covered some important principles for creating an indoor drumline production on the move. There is another piece of the puzzle to think about when designing your indoor program: direction. In other words, that the linear or horizontal aspect of your show makes sense.

It has a beginning, a middle and an end. As simple as this sounds, you would be surprised how many competitive groups miss this critical aspect of design.

Within each piece of music or movement inside your program you also need to formulate a beginning, middle and an end as well - unless you are just playing a whole song in its original format - often impossible in a short program like indoor drumline.

Within each movement or musical piece, you need to develop some programming. An example could be: - An intro, build to an event (musical of visual), some section features (snare, tenor, bass, front ensemble) that display ability and talent - A climax (perhaps a unison impact involving the total ensemble) - And then either a conclusion or a transition to your next piece?

You can arrange that in any order to provide highs and lows within the piece.

From the big picture (total show), you want to make sure that your show has variety and direction. For example, if you have a slow piece, you don't want the same type of music/visual going on in the next piece. Where is your show headed? Is there a common thread or theme that ties it all together?

ON THE ROAD WITH DRUMLINE MAGAZINE Next Stop....

WGI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Will you start off slow and build the program to the end with your music choices? Or maybe you start off with a bang (a high energy piece) and then cut to a pretty ballad before featuring some cool sectional work that leads to a crescendo into a big ending. What you pick musically and in what order these music pieces are played also impacts the flow and direction of your show. There is not a cut-and-dried way to approach designing a show – always think outside the box. But your program needs to be obvious to your audience as well as your performers.

Each performance must be interesting, engaging and entertaining. Show emotion, attitude and tricks. Often it's the simplest embellishments both visually and musically that tantalize. Try to engage your audience's emotions. Surprise them! As long as you take them on your rollercoaster ride and it's fun or interesting or creates a feeling, you are on the right track. But the track has direction.

Think of your show as a pathway to a set of events. Keep in mind the principles I talked about before which are also important to write your show: Focus, Flow, Dynamics and Logistics. We're in it to develop skills, talent, team-building, and performance abilities. But we're also in it to have fun. You want take your audience on a journey of discovery, a unique and exciting experience, and you want your performers to have a blast taking them on the trip.

When everyone “gets it”, your program is usually a success.

Now go for it!

Gareth Skipp

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

26

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

drumline DEPARTMENT: RUDIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT

Double Beat

with Michael Beauclerc

“Double Beat” is a classic exercise that has been played by almost every competitive drumline in the last 60 years. It focusses on developing a solid double stroke on each hand, with the second note sounding as strong as the first. This modern variation has been simplified to only include a single syncopated rhythm, and a sixteenth note check pattern to help everyone understand the timing. The entire exercise grows in intensity for a climactic ending that students really enjoy.

www.drumlinemagazine.com

Drum "1"

Drum "2"

DRUMLINE MAGAZINE

28

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

MAGAZINE

CONNECTING THE MARCHING ARTS

CONNECT YOUR BUSINESS CONTACT: SALES@DRUMLINEMAGAZINE.COM TOLL FREE (877) 248-9932

CONNECT ONLINE!!

www.DrumlineMagazine.com twitter@drumlinemagazin facebook.com/drumlinemagazine

“Michael Beauclerc's publications “The Mad Practice Pad” and “Developing Modern Drumlines” have become the literal foundations for Canadian drumlines and marching percussion instructors.”

Canadian Drumline Association

“Developing Modern Drumlines provided the foundation for our burgeoning drumline. A must have for any band educator."

-Chad Morford, Band director, Colborne Public School

Available at your local music store or www.michaelbeauclerc.com

"The Mad Practice Pad" is a great book to use while warming up, practicing or developing a disciplined approach to control and overall chops!

—Jason Parent, DCI solo snare drum World Champion 1993, PASIC Champion 1994