Halftime Magazine March/April 2010 by Halftime Magazine

March/April 2010

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Volume 4, Issue 2 March/April 2010 ISSN 1939-6171 ®

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Christine Ngeo Katzman christine@halftimemag.com

Advertising Account Executive Erich Steinert erich@halftimemag.com (310) 577-6104

Art Director Jana Rade, impact studios

COVER PHOTO Ken Martinson/Marching.com

Editorial Assistant Elizabeth Geli

Editorial Intern Sabrina Lochner

Accounting/Admin Assistant Guido Jimenez

Contributing Writers Catina Anderson, Brittany Baumeister, Mary Karen Clardy, Dennis DeLucia, Haley Greenwald-Gonella, Matt Jones, Chase Sanborn

Contributing Photographers Lionel Harris, Jolesch Photography, Ken Martinson/Marching.com, Holly Metz, Ryan Miller, Christine Nelson

Web Developers Mike McCullen and Jeff Grant Integrated Communications

Advisory Board Dr. Arthur C. Bartner, University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band Tony Fox, University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band Anthony L. White, Los Angeles Unified School District Charles F. Whitaker, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism Peter G. Riherd, Entertainment Weekly Steve Goldberg, University of Southern California Marshall School of Business

Chief Technology Officer Joshua Katzman

Logo Designer Timothy Watters, Teruo Artistry Halftime Magazine is published by Muse Media, LLC, P.O. Box 661355, Los Angeles, CA 90066 Phone: 310-594-0050 Fax: 310-390-5351 Website: www.halftimemag.com

pring is just around the corner. Growing up on Long Island, N.Y., I always looked forward to one of the first signs of spring: yellow daffodils in my parents’ garden, oftentimes poking up through the last snow covering. I enjoyed looking at the yellow blooms, partly because their cup-shaped center reminded me of brass bells. This year, spring couldn’t have come soon enough. The 2009-2010 season will be remembered as one of the coldest winters in history. Record lows swept the Eastern seaboard, with back-to-back blizzards in many parts of the United States. In mid-February, Mid-Atlantic cities such as Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia received several feet of accumulation over several days, prompting President Barack Obama to coin the term “Snowmageddon.” According to an AOL News article on Feb. 10, “54.9 inches had fallen on the capital, burying a record for the snowiest winter since recordkeeping began in 1888.”

Throughout the season, the snow wreaked havoc on marching competitions. WGI Sport of the Arts cancelled its Pittsburgh Regional and Raleigh color guard event while the US Scholastic Band competition cancelled its Upper Darby Indoor show. School closures and unsafe road conditions often led to cancelled rehearsals. Despite these challenges, guard and percussion groups continued to work hard to perfect their programs in preparation for various circuit and national championships. Palmetto Percussion, which rarely experiences snow in South Carolina, even rehearsed outdoors in several inches of snow. So to all the guard and percussion groups, we wish you luck through the rest of the season and look forward to cheering you on at championships. Musically Yours, Christine Ngeo Katzman Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Subscriptions: Halftime Magazine is published six times per year. In the United States, individual subscription price is $14.95 per year, and group subscription price is $9.95 with a minimum of 10 copies. Cover price is $4.95. Printed by Royle Printing Company in Sun Prairie, Wisc. 2

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Features Fully Equipped?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Students bringing action figure guns and ROTC drill rifles to school have been suspended due to states’ zero-tolerance policies on firearms and look-alike firearms. How have these policies impacted the use of rifles in the color guard activity? Not much. By Sabrina Lochner

Musical Museums.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 There is no such thing as “The Museum of the Marching Arts” … Photo courtesy of Woodwind & Brasswind.

yet. In the meantime, you and your group can learn about music from several different institutions throughout the country. By Elizabeth Geli

The Role of Retailers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 The music store is more than just a place to buy your instrument and supplies. These days, many retailers are also serving as advocates and educators, repairing instruments on site at marching competitions, sponsoring groups and hosting clinics to improve students’ skills. By Sabrina Lochner Photo courtesy of the Museum of Making Music.

16 20 Departments Publisher’s Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Readers’ Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Noteworthy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ColorGuard4Life; VH1 and DoSomething.org Battle of the Bands; Four Corps Win $25,000 in Chase Giveaway; Top 10 Marching Moments of 2009: Results; Detroit All City Marching Band

Sectionals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Focus on Phrasing for Flute; Audition Advice; Organizations to Know for Percussion; In the Toaster for Guard

Gear Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ACU-LIFE Premium Music Earplugs; High Performance Flag Pole Regionals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Calendar of events organized by region Direct From. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats; Prairie View A&M Behind the Baton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Don’t Scare the Freshmen Fitness to the Max. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Hear Ye, Hear Ye For Fun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Crossword: Brass on Display

Web Exclusives • More

Q&A with Bethune-Cookman and Prairie View A&M • Photos and Videos of the “Top 10 Marching Moments of 2009” • Disney Art for Music • And More ... Read these stories and more exclusively at www.halftimemag.com/articles/web-exclusives/index.html

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Culture • The State of Music Education and Its Benefactors • 2010 WGI Winners • And More ...

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Halftime Magazine exists to serve you, and we look forward to more of your comments. Send your letters to christine@ halftimemag.com.

Readers’ Letters I don’t mean to sound too I think it would be a good idea straightforward about this, to publish a main article about but how do I find out more different marching techniques, for about marching scholarexample bent-leg and straight-leg. ships? It may be a good idea to inform If it helps, I’m planning to your readers on what the two styles march with the Pride of the are and how to spot the difference. Southland of UTK [University As you may or may not know, of Tennessee, Knoxville]. more and more DCI World Class Thank you for any inforcorps are starting to switch from mation you can give me to straight-leg marching. I think help. it would be wise to inform the — Chris Blankenship marching fans now that bent-leg is Note from the Editor: Check becoming more and more mainout the article “Get Paid to stream. March” in the March/April — Austin Chavez 2008 issue to read about Note from the Editor: Check out stipends offered by various “The Art and Technique of HBCU” colleges and other scholarin the March/April12009 issue of9:34 1890WGI_HalftimeMag_halfpgAdTOSS_113009.qxd:Layout 12/1/09 ships that are available. Halftime Magazine for a description and comparison of these styles.

Hello Halftime, I love your magazine so much! Actually, I love it so much that I have a technology class at my school, and right now we’re working in Photoshop, and our teacher wants to make a magazine cover in it. Well I decided to make Halftime Magazine. … Here’s the final. — Lauren Ayoub I currently run an indoor color guard in Cecil County, Md. We have been competing in The KIDA circuit, (Keystone Indoor Drill Association) … For the 2011 indoor season, we are looking to switch to a different competitive circuit. I am excited to know that Page USSBA1is finally into the world of Indoor! AM — Laura West

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ColorGuard4Life When you pack away a set of flags at the end of the season, you know there’s a chance they’ll never again see the light of day. But there are other options: Unclutter your group’s storage area and make some money by selling old equipment online. ColorGuard4Life is a new website for color guard consignment. Send in your “gently-used” flags, poles, costumes, tarps, rifles and other equipment. When ColorGuard4Life sells your stuff, the company takes a 40% cut and then sends you the rest of the money.

“School budgets are getting tighter and tighter, and we think this is a service that can help them,” says Kc Kasserman, vice president of operations. Beyond the benefit of making and saving money, consignment also helps to recycle old equipment and reduce the environmental impact of the marching arts. “The average spend is from $500 to $5,000 for new color guard equipment every year,” Kasserman says. “It piles up really quickly.” Kasserman and his wife, Tammy, who serves as the company’s president, were college band sweethearts at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., and both marched Carolina Gold, an all-age drum corps. Kc pursued a career in business while Tammy has worked as an assistant band director for 19 years. Kasserman runs ColorGuard4Life full time—an advantage he feels sets the company apart from competitors. “The fundamental service is basically the same, but we’re full time,” he says. “If you call us or send us an email, we’ll respond to you right away. We also take online credit cards.” ColorGuard4Life joins the color guard consignment market with other existing services such as GuardCloset.com, TheGuardRoom.com and UsedFloors.com. 6

VH1 and DoSomething.org Battle of the Bands DoSomething.org and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation have teamed up with Nick Jonas to promote the Battle of the Bands campaign. Students can create and submit videos of their “garage band, glee club, freestyle, orchestra or any other musical performance,” along with a testimonial about why music education matters to them. Judges will choose the winner based on “creativity, strength of argument, number of votes, use of social media and overall participation.” The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 for his or her school music program and a trip to New York to perform at the Apollo Theater for music executives and a live audience. Five winners will earn $1,000 for their schools and other prizes. “Music inspires creativity and keeps kids in school,” said Jonas at the event launch. “But there are thousands of students who do not have access to the benefits of music education. Don’t let our music be silenced.” In addition, VH1 Save the Music Foundation and DoSomething.org will present the most compelling testimonies and performances to members of Congress. For contest rules, visit www.dosomething.org/bands.

Four Corps Win $25,000 in Chase Giveaway Four drum corps competed for a $1 million grant in the Chase Community Giving campaign on Facebook. The program allowed not-for-profits to submit their “Big Ideas” and solicit votes from Facebook friends. One hundred groups— including Carolina Crown, The Cavaliers, Colts (under the name Legion Aires) and Phantom Regiment—received $25,000 and moved into the second round. The corps’ “Big Ideas” included expansion of community outreach, a new training facility and a new mobile kitchen. Jim Coates, COO of Carolina Crown, happened to be at a dinner with people from two of the corps when he heard the news. “We realized that in order for us to have any strength that it would be good to go promote the activity in general and advertise to vote for all four corps at the same time,” Coates says. All four corps finished in the top 50 percent among national charities such as the American Cancer Society, Kiva Microfunds and the National Autism Association. The winning charity was Invisible Children, a group that helps war-affected children in Africa. According to Coates, this program taught him and the corps valuable lessons to help shape the future of the drum corps activity by creating a stronger unified message. “Although we told people to vote for all four, they didn’t do it,” he says.“First you should have an allegiance to an activity in general. We need people to understand that we’re about more than just competing on a football field; it’s about a lifechanging experience and creating excellence for young people.” Read the corps’ “Big Ideas” at http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving.

Inaugural Parade: The Lesbian and Gay Band Association made history as one of dozens of marching ensembles that participated in the 2009 inauguration for President Barack Obama. Photo courtesy of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association.

Top Marching Moments of 2009: Results

Enjoy our second annual top 10 marching moments. 10. WGI Winners: Many groups competing for WGI Guard and Percussion Championships made great accomplishments. These included Santa Clara Vanguard’s undefeated season; State of Art’s and OC Indoor’s debut and win; Pacifica High School percussion’s four-peat; and Los Alamitos percussion’s sweep. 9. Debut of the Sound Wave: Major League Soccer debuted its first marching band, the Sound Wave, to entertain fans at Seattle Sounders’ games. Comedian Drew Carey, an owner of the team, influenced the creation of the band. 8. Western Carolina Awarded Sudler: Western Carolina University won the 2009 Sudler Trophy. Created by the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the award has been given since 1982 but took a hiatus in 2008. 7. Troopers Comeback: For the first time in 23 years, the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps made finals in Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championship competition. Fred Morris also received Director of the Year award. 6. Avon on Top Again: The Avon (Ind.) High School Marching Band became the first group to consecutively win the Bands of America Grand National Championships in 18 years. Avon also won the WGI Scholastic World championships. 5. Carolina Crown Takes Second: For the first time ever, Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps placed in the top three at Drum Corps International World Championships. 4. The Blue Devils Win 13: The Blue Devils set records with its 13th championship. It’s also the first corps to win the World Class and Open Class in the same season. 3. Michael Jackson Tributes: The King of Pop’s death on June 25, 2009, spurred many marching bands to pay tribute. Among college bands, at least 50 groups performed Jackson’s music. 2. USC Performance With Radiohead at the Grammys: At the 51st Grammy Awards, 32 members of the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band performed “15 Step” with Radiohead. Paste Magazine deemed the performance one of this decade’s “25 Best Live Moments on TV.” 1. Inauguration Parade: 108 groups (including 30 middle and high school bands and several all-age ensembles) out of 1,382 applicants welcomed President Barack Obama in one of the most anticipated presidential inaugurations. The Lesbian and Gay Band Association made history as the first lesbian or gay group to participate in an inaugural parade.—CNK Note from the Editor: To see photos and videos of these top marching moments, visit our “Web Exclusives” section at www.halftimemag.com.

Detroit All City Marching Band Despite a dire music education situation in the Detroit public schools, a glimmer of hope has emerged for their marching band students. Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb announced the return of the All City High School Marching Band. The All City band was formed in 2001 to accept an invitation for the 2002 Tournament of Roses Parade, and the band played at various events until 2004 when it went defunct due to a lack of funding. “I welcomed the opportunity to revise the band because in the schools without band programs, there are still students who receive training and try to get scholarships for college,” says Benjamin Pruitt, supervisor of fine arts for the Detroit Public Schools. “This would at least allow them to perform in an ensemble” Bobb secured a $25,000 pledge from a private group, the Pickard Family Fund, which will match the first $25,000 donated in support of the band. In addition, the Detroit Public Schools made an initial donation of $25,000. They are currently soliciting more donations to reach the band’s needed start-up cost of $125,000. And while this money could have been used to reinstate music programs at individual schools, in some ways it can go farther by supporting the All City group, planners say. “I admit that is the way to go,” Pruitt says. “I would love to see us return to the days of old when we had instructors at all the elementary, middle and high schools, but it doesn’t look good for that to be the case ever again in my lifetime.” In 2001 the All City band drew its 300 members from 19 high school marching bands. Currently, out of 22 total high schools (including alternative high schools), only nine still have instrumental music; of those, only six have marching programs. “I would feel this would be a success if we could get together a band of 100 or more,” Pruitt says. “The Detroit schools were a model for the nation and had the best programs in the country, but everything rapidly declined about 10 years ago.” According to Pruitt, some students at schools without marching programs have continued to take private lessons or participate in outreach programs sponsored by the local Michigan universities and other community groups. These students will be welcomed into the All City group as long as they can successfully complete the audition process. The band will hold auditions in early June and rehearse five days a week throughout June and July, then resume once-a-week practices during the school year. Although the band has not yet scheduled any performances, they will likely perform in local Detroit parades and are hoping to receive more invitations for special events. To make a donation, visit www.detroitpsfoundation.org.

March/April 2010 7

Focus on Phrasing By Mary Karen Clardy

Phrasing begins with the basic building blocks of music, scales and arpeggios, and musical expression adds content to basic notes and rhythms. As a woodwind family member, the flute requires specific skills that are different from clarinet or saxophone, so it’s important for flutists to practice fundamentals of embouchure, breath control and technique discussed in previous columns. Musical Content. Remember that printed notes represent sounds, so practice singing or whistling first to develop a sense of musical phrasing. Hear the starting pitch with the internal ear, then add inflection to music through the natural rise and fall of the line. Focus on phrasing and technical practice simultaneously, adding direction and flow to basic notes and rhythms. Think of spinning the air column throughout the phrase to project and sustain the direction of the line. Bare Bones. Practice scale and arpeggio exercises slurred in ascending and descending patterns to develop a sense of phrasing. Scales and arpeggios outline the bone structure of a key, so practice both with a clear sense of phrasing. Think forward to points of arrival at the top and bottom, and move eyes ahead to prepare for smooth connections. Tight fingers, hands and arms create vertical phrasing, so avoid mechanical finger actions in smooth phrases. Attention to phrasing adds maturity and artistry for flutists, improving confidence in performance at every stage of development. Note From the Editor: For more tips as well as exercises and orchestral excerpts to help with your phrasing, check out Mary Karen Clardy’s newest book, “Flute Fundamentals II: The Art of the Phrase” (Schott ED 30019).

About the Author Mary Karen Clardy, professor of flute at the University of North Texas in Denton, appears as a soloist, chamber artist and teacher throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia and South America. A renowned author, Mary has published more than 10 books from European American Music, Leduc, Schott and Universal Edition. Her students are consistent prizewinners in international competitions and occupy prominent orchestral and faculty positions throughout the world. Visit www.mkclardy.com.

brass

winds

Leading instructors provide practical tips for each section of the band.

Audition Advice By Chase Sanborn

As I write this, aspiring music students anxiously prepare for university auditions. Meanwhile, faculty members hope that talented and teachable young musicians will arrive to join the ranks. Here’s a little advice from the juror side of the table. Relax! We’re on your side. We understand how nervous you are. We want you to play your best. Just be yourself, and concentrate on making music rather than trying to impress. Memorize. Plan to play your audition without music; however if allowed, bring the music in with you if it will make you feel less anxious. Don’t warm up too much! Concentrate on tone, airflow, articulation and response, then put the horn down until it’s time for the audition. Listen to your favorite music. Bring your iPod along and listen to music prior to your audition. The more music you have in your head, the more likely it is that music will come out of your horn. Dress Comfortably. Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable, but dress in a manner that indicates maturity, self-respect and a sense of personal style. Don’t Fret Unduly. The difference between a “good” or “bad” audition is much greater to you than to us. As long as you prepare your material thoroughly and are not completely incapacitated by nerves, we’ll be able to hear how you play. Finally, understand that getting into the program of your choice will not make you a musician. Conversely, not getting in will not prohibit you from being a musician. University is a few years out of a lifetime of study. If you don’t get into the program of your choice this year, go somewhere else or study independently, then reapply next year. The more you know when you arrive, the more you’ll get out of the program. In music as in life, those with determination and staying power are the ones who will succeed. As Winston Churchill said: “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Good luck!

About the Author Chase Sanborn is a jazz trumpet player based in Canada and the author of “Brass Tactics,” “Jazz Tactics,” “Tuning Tactics” and “Music Business Tactics.” He teaches at the University of Toronto and is a Yamaha Artist. Chase has just released his fifth CD, titled “Double Double.” Visit him on the web at www.chasesanborn.com.

By Dennis DeLucia Today, drummers and percussionists have a wealth of information and opportunity available to them. Here is a list of organizations that you should know about and interact with.

The Percussive Arts Society (PAS),

www.pas.org, hosts the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), which offers clinics, concerts, an expo and the Marching Percussion Festival. PAS offers two DVDs involving marching percussion: “The Historic Drummers Heritage Concert,” a video of a 2002 concert that featured individuals such as Jeff Queen, Marty Hurley, John S. Pratt, Jim Kilpatrick and Alfons Grieder as well as drum lines in contemporary, “ancient” (fife and drum), pipe bands and “show bands”; and “The Rudiment Project,” which features artists and educators demonstrating the study of rudiments in marching, concert and drum set applications. Drum Corps International (DCI), www.dci.org, is the governing body for all “junior” corps activity. It sponsors or authorizes more than 100 competitions from June to August, culminating in the DCI World Championships. Two events are broadcast to more than 400 movie theaters annually: “The Countdown” is a pre-season event, and “Big, Loud & Live” is the live broadcast of quarterfinals. WGI Sport of the Arts, www.wgi.org, governs indoor percussion and color guard competitions from coast to coast, culminating in championships each April. Bands of America (BOA) is sponsored by Music For All, www.musicforall.org. The organization hosts events for marching and concert bands, color guards, percussion ensembles and jazz bands. Its biggest events are the Summer Symposium in late June and Grand Nationals held in November.

Youth Education in the Arts (YEA),

www,yea.org, sponsors the US Scholastic Band Association, www.usbands.org, which has hosted thousands of marching band competitions since 1988. This year the organization will launch its first “indoor” circuit for drum lines and color guards. Explore! Join! Enjoy!

About the Author Dennis DeLucia is a percussion teacher, arranger, clinician and judge. A former member of the West Point Band, he is best known for his successes with championship corps and bands. He has been inducted into three of the major Halls of Fame: Drum Corps International, WGI Sport of the Arts and the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

guard

percussion

Organizations to Know

In the Toaster By Catina Anderson

I don’t know when or where the phrase originated, but for years I’ve heard coaches yelling out, “Keep it ‘in the toaster’” as a reminder for performers. Maybe you’ve never heard it? Maybe you’ve heard it more than you would like to remember. Either way, here’s what it means and how you can make sure you are “in the toaster.” What? Imagine a gigantic toaster with its long narrow slot in the top. If you are asked to perform your equipment skill or phrase while keeping it “in the toaster,” it means to do the work in a two-dimensional, vertical plane. Imagine yourself standing inside the bread slot, and perform the equipment phrase without letting your equipment hit the inside walls. Why? One of our primary goals is to “clean” the show, so that every individual looks the same during ensemble equipment phrases. The angle of your equipment is crucial to how “together” the phrase appears to the audience. If one person performs a flourish “in the toaster,” parallel to the sidelines and vertical throughout the spin, but the next person performs that same spin with a slight angle (perhaps the shoulders turned a bit to the corner or even just a slight bend in the wrist), causing the tip of the flag to cut through the plane instead of being vertical as the flourish spins behind the head, then the skills will appear different. The performer who was cutting the vertical plane with their flourish is not “in the toaster” or at least they would be hitting the sides of it. How? So, it’s a fun analogy, but how can you put it into practice? Find a large open wall and stand approximately two feet away with your back to the wall. Then, without moving your body, try doing a basic vertical skill such as a flourish. If you hit the wall as you go behind your head, you’ll know that you need more bend in the wrist to stay in your vertical plane (that imaginary toaster slot). You can use this same exercise with any challenging phrase that needs to be performed “in the toaster.”

About the Author Catina Anderson has been involved in the color guard activity, first as a performer and then instructor, for the past 20 years. She is a consultant at Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Va. She is also the founder/editor of www.colorguardeducators.com, a website for color guard coaches. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Towson University and a master’s degree in education from Marymount University.

March/April 2010 9

By Elizabeth Geli

High Performance Flag Pole

ACU-LIFE Premium Music Earplugs

ew studies suggest that hearing problems are starting to develop in people much younger than usually expected— and marching band participants are especially susceptible. ACULIFE Premium Music Earplugs from Health Enterprises are hoping to be part of the solution to this problem. “More than 25 percent of high school seniors who play in band suffer some type of hearing loss that is irreparable,” says Brendan Leonard, president of Health Enterprises. “This is serious.” These special musician’s earplugs differ from traditional foam earplugs in that they do not block out sound—they reduce sound with a special open-flow technology. Harmful impact is kept out of the ear while allowing musicians to still hear them-

selves and others play as well as directions from the podium. This technology also prevents the “stuffed-up” feeling sometimes experienced by people wearing traditional earplugs. “For the price of a Coke and burger, you could offer hearing protection,” Leonard says. While many bands see earplugs as an optional luxury or just for drummers, Leonard urges all musicians to use them. “Whether it’s ours or someone else’s, use it—because the cost of not doing it cannot be reversed,” Leonard says. Contact Health Enterprises for special not-for-profit rates.

ay goodbye to the hardware store and hello to the High Performance Flag Pole from ColorguardUSA.com and Randall May International. “Right now poles are basically just a pipe; these poles are designed specifically for spinning,” says Peter Gomez, a color guard designer and choreographer who brought this idea to Randall May. “The weight balance system inside them is what’s unique.” The precision balance system contains multiple weights that can be added and removed as needed with an interlocking design. The end of the flag screws in securely, so that there is no chance of the weight falling out of the flag like traditional bolts or fish weights. “My main mission behind the whole thing was to give people the opportunity of having a piece of equipment that is geared solely to make the color guard activity better,” Gomez says. The pole itself is made from aircraft brushed aluminum tubing. The end caps are made of translucent and resistant silicone. Gomez tested out the new poles at three schools: Chino, Upland and Glen A. Wilson High School in Southern California. “The feedback that I’m getting from the kids is that they don’t want to pick up other poles now, just these,” Gomez says. To order go to www.randallmay.com or www.colorguardusa.com.

Major Events by Region West WGI Guard Mar 6—Union City, CA—Union City Regional Mar 13—Mesa, AZ—Phoenix Regional Mar 20-21—Etiwanda, CA—Rancho Cucamonga Power Regional

WGI Percussion Mar 13—Union City, CA—Union City Regional Mar 20—Northglenn, CO—Denver Regional Mar 20-21—Temecula, CA—Temecula Regional

Tradeshows Mar 11-13—Sacramento, CA—California Association for Music Education

Midwest WGI Guard Mar 13-14—Indianapolis, IN— Indianapolis Power Regional

WGI Percussion Mar 6-7—Indianapolis, IN—Indianapolis Regional

Music for All Mar 4-6—Indianapolis, IN—Music for All National Festival

Tradeshows Mar 28-30—Bismarck, ND—North Dakota Music Educators Association

Northeast WGI Guard Mar 20-21—Monmouth Junction, NJ—South Brunswick Power Regional

WGI Percussion Mar 6—Trumbull, CT—Trumbull Regional Mar 20—Mullica Hill, NJ—Mullica Hill Regional

USSBA Indoor Mar 6—Old Bridge, NJ—Old Bridge HS

Mar 13—Bridgewater, NJ—BridgewaterRaritan HS Mar 13—Stratford, CT—Bunnell HS Mar 20—Pompton Plains, NJ—Pequannock Township HS Mar 27—Norristown, PA—Methacton HS

Tradeshows Mar 18-20—Boston, MA—Massachusetts Music Educators Association Apr 8-10—Hartford, CT—Connecticut Music Educators Association Apr 21-24—Pittsburgh, PA—Pennsylvania Music Educators Association May 20-21—Orono, ME—Maine Music Educators Association

South WGI Guard Mar 6—Grand Prairie, TX—Dallas Regional Mar 6—Ft. Lauderdale, FL—Ft. Lauderdale Regional Mar 13-14—Fayetteville, GA—Atlanta Power Regional Mar 13—Powhatan, VA—Richmond Regional Mar 20-21—Houston, TX—Houston Power Regional Mar 20-21—Orlando, FL—Orlando Power Regional

WGI Percussion Mar 6—Roebuck, SC—Spartanburg Regional Mar 13—Boca Raton, FL—Boca Raton Regional Mar 13—Cantonment, FL—Pensacola Regional Mar 13—Gilbert, AZ—Phoenix Regional Mar 20-21—Nashville, TN—Nashville Regional

Tradeshows Mar 3-6—Charleston, SC— American Bandmasters Association Mar 4-6—Charleston, WV—West Virginia Music Educators Association Mar 20-24—Albuquerque, NM—Music Teachers National Association Apr 14-17—Nashville, TN—Tennessee Music Education Association

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Students bringing action figure guns and ROTC drill rifles to school have been suspended due to states’ zero-tolerance policies on firearms and look-alike firearms. How have these policies impacted the use of rifles in the color guard activity? Not much.

About the Author

It’s Tradition: West Johnston High School uses rifles for many of its performances including its 2009 field show, in keeping with the traditions of the color guard activity. © Ken Martinson/Marching.com

Sabrina Lochner, a senior at Syracuse University, is an editorial intern for Halftime Magazine. She is majoring in magazine journalism and political science and minoring in architecture. She currently serves the Syracuse University Marching Band as head drum major and has served as the band’s associate drum major for two years. She has played the clarinet since fifth grade and is a sister of Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority.

By Sabrina Lochner

hree drill rifles in Marie Morrow’s car led to 10 days of suspension in February 2009. Her car was parked in the Cherokee Trail High School’s parking lot in Aurora, Colo. Morrow, a high school senior at the time, was planning on using the replica rifles to prepare with the Douglas County Young Marines for a drill competition. But Colorado state’s zero-tolerance policy for guns and “facsimile”—or look-alike—guns on school grounds drew attention to her rifles and led to punishment. Even a toy plastic gun, small enough to fit in a Lego man’s hand, almost got fourth grader Patrick Timoney suspended when he brought it to his Staten Island, N.Y., school just last month. In Oregon this past January, 8-year-old Austin Anderson was suspended for bringing a toy gun for an action figure to school. Several states like Colorado, Florida and Texas have forms of zero-tolerance policies that date back to the mid-90s. The rules are designed to keep schools safe, especially after incidents like Columbine in 1999. But what do the zero-tolerance policies mean for color guards? Well, most school districts, like the Lakeview School District in Minnesota, have made exceptions for guard equipment. And some states have revised the zero-tolerance policy to add discretion.

In the Clear Interestingly, despite the fuss about Morrow’s drill rifles, winter guards in Colorado have continued to operate without a hiccup. “We haven’t heard a peep [about the state’s look-alike gun policy], says Gary Arrasmith, one of Rampart High School’s band directors. In fact, Rampart High School’s winter guard

in Colorado Springs, Colo., was spinning its way to the top when Morrow was in trouble. Rampart’s Scholastic A winter guard placed second in the 2009 WGI Denver Regionals. Arrasmith believes that the color guard rifles don’t look as realistic as the ROTC rifles, which could explain why his guard has not faced any problems. “They’re usually white, and they don’t look anything like the real thing,” he says. Luckily, color guard members have been in the clear. “To date WGI has not received a single report of school districts restricting the use of simulated weapons for our events,” says Ron Nankervis, WGI executive director. If school districts did ban the rifles, he says that he hopes school administrations would see the historical importance of using the weaponry because of color guard’s military roots.

A Different Direction: In addition to traditional weaponry, West Johnston High School makes use of home-made equipment such as these “arrow rifles,” designed to fit the theme of particular shows. Photo by Jolesch Photography, www.jolesch.com. Courtesy of WGI Sport of the Arts.

Historical Roots Originally, military personnel with rifles would stand on either side of the American flag to protect it in battle. The flag was helpful in positioning troops and intimidating enemies. Slowly, a more artistic art form branched off the color guard. After WWI, Veterans of Foreign Wars started forming marching bands with color guards. At first, the flags were held in waist holsters, but eventually, members moved the flags and tossed the rifles and sabers. While the use of the American flag in winter guard shows has faded by group preference, many groups continue using the traditional rifles and sabers. The rifles are especially appealing to the Southridge High School winter guard in Beaverton, Ore., because they’re harder to master, says Angela Caceres, director March/April 2010 13

Up in the Air: The Milaca (Minn.) High School color guard has abandoned traditional weaponry and completely switched over to the Air Blade but not because of zero-tolerance policies. Photo by Christine Nelson, Milaca Bands.

of dance and guard. Not only does Caceres like the advanced equipment, but she notes the rifles’ background as a reason to allow the weaponry. “I just think the whole idea of banning a rifle and a saber is silly because of where this activity came from,” she says. “I mean, they’re not going to ban the football team from using a football.”

Alternative Equipment While most schools can still use rifles, some color guard equipment manufacturers are developing alternative products that look less like weapons. Band Shoppe released the Air Blade, a curved structure with holes for grasping, in 2008. “Really the concept started with the fact that we were looking to be innovative and creative and take a traditional product and maybe modernize it more,” says Linda Seib, sales manager of Band Shoppe. The Air Blade did not come about to specifically avoid using weapon lookalikes, but it offers an alternative to the traditional equipment. The Band Shoppe is seeing an increase in the blade’s sales, partly because it’s durable. “It’s like having that black dress in your closet; you need that piece that you can always rely on,” Seib says. 14

The Milaca (Minn.) High School color guard has abandoned traditional weaponry and completely switched over to the Air Blade. “We focus on parade performance in Minnesota; we do some pretty complex drill on the street, and we deal with wind a lot,” says director Andrew Nelson. “The simple fact that the blade has holes in it compared to a solid rifle makes it less affected by the wind, and to us that was very appealing.” Like Band Shoppe, Director’s Showcase International has produced new, alternative products. Director’s Showcase worked with a color guard to develop the sickle rifle. The guard was traveling internationally and needed a rifle that did not resemble a weapon, so it could pass through international security, says Jeff Dyson, Internet marketing director. Although the sickle rifle is the same weight as a traditional rifle, it spins differently, Dyson says. But that’s not the only thing guard members must consider before using sickle rifles. In WGI competition, these rifles are not legal pieces of equipment that count toward your required equipment time, says Bart Woodley, marketing manager. But, they can still be used on the floor and count toward performance time as long as one legal piece is being

used. Likewise, the WGI Color Guard Steering Committee decided that the Air Blade was not legal. Woodley explains that the WGI advisory board limits what is legal to protect the sport of the arts. “Without ties to the legal pieces of equipment, our activity loses its meaning,” he says. David Duffy, one of the directors of West Johnston High School in Benson, N.C., agrees that the scope of legal equipment should be limited in some manner. “Too many things being legal is too much; our activity will become too diverse,” he says. “People will start spinning laser beams and stuff like that.” But Duffy also sees the benefit of using alternative weapons. Throughout the past several years, the band has used or designed several rifles to fit the theme of a particular show. For example, it created a “space gun” for its “Martian Chronicles” show in 2007 and used a home-made “arrow rifle” to resemble the hands of a clock for its 2004 A Class winter guard show called “It’s About Time.” Since then, West Johnston has had several reincarnations of the prop anytime it wants arrow imagery. These include its 2008 fall show and last year’s indoor percussion program, Duffy says.

Still Spinning Although some guards are using more alternative equipment pieces, like PVC pipes decorated in electrical tape, many enjoy the traditional rifle. “I think overall everyone would be fairly upset [if rifles were banned] because the area has been growing in color guard for about five years,” Caceres says about the Oregon area. “All the directors of the circuit would probably meet and discuss how we would solve the problem. Whether it would be taking it out of the school district and saying, ‘OK we’re doing this as an Independent color guard.’” Luckily, Caceres’ guard has not encountered any problems despite the fact that the school’s town, Beaverton, adopted a ban on replica guns in public places in 2007. “It hasn’t been brought up, and I have not heard any discussion of that in the circuit with other guard instructors,” Caceres says. So for Southridge and most other color guards, practice will continue as usual. Guard members will arrive to practice, warm up, run chunks of the show and clean their performance, with rifles in hand.

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Photo courtesy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

By Elizabeth Geli

There is no such thing as “The Museum of the Marching Arts” … yet. In the meantime, you and your group can learn about music from several different institutions throughout the country.

About the Author Elizabeth Geli is an editorial assistant at Halftime Magazine. She has played flute and marched at Valencia High School in Placentia, Calif., and in the USC Trojan Marching Band, where she is now a graduate teaching assistant. She has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from USC and is currently working on a Master’s in Specialized Journalism (The Arts). 16

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Musical Instrument Museum

Cleveland, Ohio www.rockhall.com

Phoenix www.themim.org

isiting Cleveland will make you want to rock and roll all day and party every night instead because at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, you can spend several days exploring seven floors full of rock history. Recently, the museum also opened an annex in New York. “People come in thinking they will be here for an hour or two, and six hours later they haven’t seen everything,” says Todd Mesek, vice president of marketing and communications at the Rock Hall. “We sell two-day passes because people want more time. You can get sucked into the place pretty quickly.”

Honoring the Stars The Rock Hall aims to honor the genre’s greatest artists, preserve the history and artifacts of the music, and teach visitors about the profound social impact rock has had throughout history. “In essence we are one of the only institutions that really tell the story of rock and roll, not just what the artists did but also the social significance of it in our culture,” Mesek says. “It’s an art form that touches us like any art form, but it’s also a cultural phenomenon that has changed laws and elected world leaders. You don’t pump your fist to a book or a painting; you do to a song.” The permanent collections tell the story of rock and roll and include costumes, personal effects and instruments of some of rock’s greatest legends. The temporary exhibits have featured artists such as Elvis and Bob Dylan and currently feature Bruce Springsteen. Throughout the Rock Hall, there are interactive elements and kiosks, including a Hall of Fame Jukebox where visitors can hear virtually every version of every song ever recorded by an inductee.

Power to Move People The museum also prides itself on the educational opportunities and outreach programs that help teachers use rock to better engage with students, not just in music classes but also in geography, history, business and more. “At the end of the day, we feel like music is arguably the most powerful art form because it has the power to move people to change political dynamics and comfort us,” Mesek says. “It has something that other art forms don’t. It has power, social responsibility, something that’s worthy of being examined, and we’re trying to do that here.” And of course, marching students can rock too. “I really feel like a marching band might appreciate [the museum] more than the average person because they understand what goes into it,” Mesek says. “Someone who is a musician and is more educated and classically trained can appreciate the power of the music and the craftsmanship, and they can learn about how some of their heroes go about their craft and the result. “Someone that comes from that world of being an artist and performing in a group can appreciate the power of music.”

pening April 24, 2010, the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) bills itself as “the world’s first global musical instrument museum.” With a collection of more than 12,000 instruments from all over the world, visitors will be able to see, hear and play a large variety. “The goal of the museum is to celebrate music as a common cultural element and a common bond that unites all of humanity,” says Alan di Perna, media relations manager at the MIM. “Music is one thing that you find in every country. We’ll explore the similarities and differences between these instruments and the country that they come from.” Most of the MIM is organized into five Geo-Galleries featuring instruments from those areas of the world. A number of the galleries include instruments in marching band. The United States/Canada gallery, for example, has an exhibit on John Philip Sousa and the creation of the sousaphone. “There’ll be many opportunities to see how the music that students are performing and practicing fits into a global texture of other contexts,” di Perna says. “In the Italy exhibit, there’ll be an exhibit of brass instruments that are played by military bands [The Bersaglieri] that don’t march while they’re playing —they run while they’re playing. There are opportunities to experience things that will be familiar but unfamiliar in other ways.” The MIM will also feature an artist gallery housing instruments used by celebrities and an experience gallery where visitors can try out many of the instruments they see on display. Guests will receive headphones and transmitters that allow them to automatically hear instruments being played as they walk up to them; songs may already be in progress as the visitors get close to the display, so that everyone near the exhibit has a collective experience “There’s not a need to punch in numbers, but as soon as the visitor approaches the exhibit, the transmitter will send the appropriate audio,” di Perna says. “One advantage to that system is that everyone is hearing the same music at the same time, which we feel is very important because music is a shared experience.” March/April 2010 17

The GRAMMY Museum

Museum of Making Music

Los Angeles www.grammymuseum.org

Carlsbad, Calif. www.museumofmakingmusic.org

he GRAMMY Awards celebrate the best in music each year—now they have their own museum to preserve the history of the famous award show and use it as a lens to inform people about the music industry as a whole. “We’re trying to get people excited about music and illuminate the process,” says Katie Dunham, communications manager for The GRAMMY Museum. “So that when they hear songs on the radio, they are truly appreciating all the work that goes into it.”

Engaging With Music The GRAMMY Museum particularly prides itself on its many interactive multimedia elements. “You can see 18 guitars on the wall, but you’re not learning much about it that way,” Dunham says. “We have touch screens, multimedia, things that you’re doing yourself. You can hear six songs in any given space, and you’re engaging with the music.” Throughout the museum there are many dynamic touch screens, interactive kiosks and pods that take the visitor through every stage of a song from writing to recording to engineering. “Even though we don’t necessarily explore the marching band activity itself, there’s certainly plenty of GRAMMY performances that featured marching bands,” Dunham says. “A lot of the Rose Parade bands come to the museum.”

From the Red Carpet True to its name, the museum also has a section dedicated to the GRAMMY Awards and show production, explaining the nomination process and even displaying some of the most memorable red carpet outfits. In addition to the permanent exhibits, traveling and temporary installations are also popular. Currently, “Michael Jackson: A Musical Legacy” is drawing large crowds. The museum hosts a number of education programs and special events. Due to the organization’s close relationship with top recording artists, some of them, such as the Jonas Brothers, have dropped in to speak with school groups. “This experience is great for music beginners and fans,” Dunham says. “The average experience is one or two hours, but I’ve known people to spend four or five hours.” 18

Photo courtesy of the Museum of Making Music.

he history of the musical products industry is something generally not known to the public, but you can learn all about that and much more at the Museum of Making Music (MOMM). A division of NAMM, an international music products association, MOMM started in 1998 as a member-only showcase and opened up to the public in 2000. “The goal is to showcase the history of the music products industry and music making but also provide a means for people to encourage the future of music making,” says B.J. Morgan, marketing and promotions manager for MOMM. “We share the stories of people who made instruments and engage the public to make music on their own as well.”

Vintage Instruments The museum displays more than 450 vintage instruments. The galleries are divided chronologically in 20-year periods, each showcasing the instrument innovations of the time, housing kiosks that play music samples, discussing the business practices in that era and displaying nostalgic recreations of a music store. “The collections help tell the story of music making in America,” Morgan says.

Time to Experiment Visitors don’t just look at the instruments; they get to play them too. The museum’s interactive area features guitars and percussion instruments for people to try. Soon the museum will add a set of The Beamz—laser beams that are played by running your hands through them. “We find that a lot of people enjoy the interactive area,” Morgan says. “A normal trip through the museum is an hour, but some families will spend an additional hour just playing on all the instruments.” Temporary exhibits have covered famed artists such as The Beatles or Glen Miller and explored specific instruments such as the ukulele or the violin. “We’ve had a few marching bands through, and I think what they really get out of it is a perspective as to where these instruments that they play really come from,” Morgan says. “They get a sense of not just how music has evolved but the evolution of the instruments.”

Rhythm! Discovery Center

Experience Music Project

Indianapolis www.rhythmdiscoverycenter.org

Seattle www.empsfm.org Photo courtesy of EMP|SFM.

Photo courtesy of Rhythm! Discover Center.

erhaps with the most focused subject matter of the music museums, Rhythm! Discovery Center explores all things percussion—its history, evolution and role in our everyday lives.

New Experience Rhythm! formerly existed as the Percussive Arts Museum in Lawton, Okla. When the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) relocated to Indianapolis, so did the museum, taking the opportunity to completely revamp its mission and image. “This new discovery center is more hands-on and interactive; the previous museum was more static; it was more of a passive experience,” says Jon Feustel, director of marketing and communications for PAS. “Here you’re going to be able to interact with the exhibits and touch buttons and watch videos and hear examples, and we have a whole room that’s dedicated to hands-on activity.” The interactive room contains percussion instruments that visitors can try as well as two acoustic Wenger practice rooms that allow the player to hear what they’d sound like in locales such as a recording studio or a concert hall.

Across Cultures Rhythm! opened in November 2009 with exhibits such as “Journey of a Rhythm,” which details the development of the clave rhythm across cultures and “Percussion from Stage to Screen,” a look at the life of Clair Omar Musser. Located in downtown Indianapolis and next door to the offices of Drum Corps International, Rhythm! is a short walk for anyone attending DCI World Championships or Bands of America Grand Nationals at Lucas Oil Stadium down the street. “A museum like this is important because it kind of gives us a way to reach out to the public and show them that there is more to drumming and percussion than what may be stereotypical or what they hear on the radio,” Feustel says. “When they’re at a Broadway play or watching a movie, they’ll know the sound might be coming from a percussionist or that one rhythm can be used in different countries around the world. For us, it’s an opportunity to share that appreciation for rhythm with everyone.”

he evolution of the Experience Music Project (EMP) has been as amorphous as the Frank Gehry-designed building it lives in. What started out in 2000 as founder Paul Allen’s plan for a Jimi Hendrix museum soon morphed into a popular music museum and experience, and then expanded into the Science Fiction Museum (SFM) and Hall of Fame.

A Place to Play The EMP goal is to inspire creativity in music while honoring past legends of the industry. “When people come to the museum, whether they’ve never picked up an instrument before or are a pro, there’s something they can do that is hands-on,” says Maggie Skinner, spokesperson for EMP|SFM. “We hope it will inspire them to create more music after they leave.” The most popular aspects of the EMP are the interactive elements. There’s a sound lab where visitors can play instruments, get tutorials and record a demo CD; an onstage experience where they can take home a DVD or concert poster of their performance; and, as part of the current rock photography exhibit “Taking Aim,” an area where guests can dress up in costumes to take and edit promotional shots that are uploaded onto Flickr and accessed at home. “That’s sort of our claim to fame, if you will, to have an interactive piece to every exhibition,” Skinner says. “It really helps us reach our younger audiences that are learning about music. They can understand with something that is more tangible and interactive than the typical exhibition.”

Education for Everyone EMP also hosts a number of educational programs and summer camps including a “Camp Rock”-style program for teens and annual Pop Conference in April that is free for the public. According to Skinner, students of the marching arts will enjoy the EMP and find something to interest them. “Anyone who’s a musician will get something out of coming to EMP,” Skinner says. “Maybe they aren’t guitarists or keyboardists, but they can take what they already know and try it against a new instrument. There’s something here at the museum for you if you listen to music or play an instrument. You can learn something new, definitely.” March/April 2010 19

The Role of Summer Session: Meyer Music is one of dozens of retailers that host Yamaha’s Sounds of Summer clinics. Photo courtesy of Meyer Music.

The music store is more than just a place to buy your instrument and supplies. These days, many retailers are also serving as advocates and educators, repairing instruments on site at marching competitions, sponsoring groups and hosting clinics to improve students’ skills.

hile marching with the Syracuse University Marching Band, Katrina Koerting’s clarinet split in half as she moved her instrument in a horn swing. “The top part flew off and smashed into the ground and bent the keys, so you couldn’t get any sound out of it unless you were playing a G, an F, an E or a D,” she says. Luckily, a repairman at a local music store fixed the clarinet within a week. For music retailers, repairing instruments is just one of the ways they support the marching arts. Nowadays, retailers find themselves in educator roles not only with their traditional individual lessons but also by hosting group clinics. They have also opened up their pocketbooks to provide financial backing to marching competitions.

Repair Technician These days, even repairs are being done innovatively. The Itasca location of Music & Arts Center—a Frederick, Md.-based retail chain with almost 100 locations— sends instrument technicians to marching band competitions. Under time restraints, they fixed a dropped clarinet right before a group competed in the Lake Park High

School’s Lancer Joust Marching Band Competition, and they gave another student a loner sax to play after he tripped and fell, says Pete Pacini, store manager. Similarly, family-owned McCutcheon Music in Centerville, Ohio, has been the official music store for the Bands of America (BOA) Regional Championship at Centerville High School for the past two years. The store sent two repair technicians to fix bent keys and other small catastrophes. Storeowners Jim and Debbie McCutcheon were surprised when they received an email to take on this responsibility, but they were excited to help. “We really like to be a supporting part of the music community here in our region,” Jim McCutcheon says. “We saw this as a way to add to the quality of the BOA program and also a way to meet people who may not know about us.”

Financial Supporter Other music retailers such as Meyer Music, a family-owned music store with three locations in the Kansas City area, supports competitions financially. Each year, Meyer Music sponsors the shiny trophies the top bands receive at several

In-Store Lesson: Mark Wood, electric violinist, gave a clinic last year in the Woodwind & Brasswind store. Photo courtesy of Woodwind & Brasswind.

Kansas and Missouri contests. “We make a financial contribution, which really goes right to the bottom line of their expenses,” Tom Meyer says. Likewise, the big, rock-star competitions—Drum Corps International World Championships and Music for All’s BOA Grand National Championships— receive some monetary support from NAMM, an international music products association. NAMM is just one of several sponsors of those events. “We want to support these really vibrant band programs,” says Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the NAMM Foundation. “And DCI is a remarkable national program; it is just the epitome of music making for many kids.” The music products industry also donates funds to music research. In the past 10 years, NAMM has given $3.2 million to music-related research. “We have this belief, this tradition, of believing that music is important for education, but we really needed the good, solid research to tell us why it mattered and why it’s important,” Luehrsen says. NAMM has also spoken with the United States Secretary of Education to stress music education’s importance as a core

academic subject, Luehrsen says. On a more local scale, music retailers are reaching out to the general community to help give kids access to music. “Our work with local charities such as the Boys & Girls Club and Salvation Army is starting to give a new generation of students the opportunity to learn music, a chance they may not otherwise have had,” says Jenna Grisham, school marketing manager for Woodwind & Brasswind. Similarly, Meyer Music reaches out to high schools in need. When a tornado hit Chapman (Kansas) High School in June 2008, Meyer Music donated $7,500 worth of musical instruments. “I don’t know if what we supplied totally got them back, but it certainly helped,” Meyer says.

Educator Not only do music retailers support memory-etching competitions, but they also provide hands-on learning experiences through private lessons, group clinics and online resources. An advantage of getting private lessons in a store is that you are surrounded by experts and products. “People need to

By Sabrina Lochner

f Retailers walk 15 feet from the lesson room if they need reeds, valve grease or sheet music; it’s all right in the store,” Pacini says. Meyer Music’s three locations have about 150 instructors that give more than 2,500 lessons a week, Meyer says. As an added bonus, students have a chance to participate in recitals. Meyer Music has its own recital hall, which seats 150, within its main store. McCutcheon Music only employs teachers with music degrees or people with résumés loaded with music experience. And they pack in teachers: 42. McCutcheon Music actually began in 1988 as a teaching studio and later created a retail store. “We’re an unusual store in that our focus is on education rather than on selling,” Debbie McCutcheon says. Budding musicians can also participate in group clinics. Yamaha’s Sounds of Summer program, hosted by dozens of music retailers, allows drummers and mallet players to learn from top drum corps and university instructors such as Tom Aungst, Lee Beddis and Bret Kuhn. Meyer has been hosting a clinic at a nearby high school since he became a Yamaha dealer about five years ago. “It’s a

March/April 2010 21

Winner, Winner: Choosing the winner of a guitar raffle at McCutcheon Music. Photo courtesy of McCutcheon Music.

good opportunity for students especially in 7th, 8th and 9th grade to be exposed to some top-level musicians,” Meyer says. “We have students that repeat year-toyear, so I think that they have a good time, learn some stuff and want to come back,” Meyer says. Woodwind & Brasswind, which primarily operates as an online music store, also hosts several clinics each year in its South Bend, Ind., location. While there is a lot to gain from inperson clinics, retailers are also harnessing our tech-savvy world to promote music within and beyond their immediate vicinity. Woodwind & Brasswind has partnered with BandDirector.com to bring videos to home computers. Musicians can watch webcasts of master classes, rehearsals, concerts, recitals and convention seminars through its website at www.wwbw.com/banddirectorwebcasts. And Meyer Music operates the website MidwestMarching.com, which is a database with information about marching competitions and bands’ scores. “We list every contest that’s going on in the nine states in the Midwest,” Meyer says. “It’s a service to a lot of parents and schools that aren’t even necessarily our customers.”

Directors’ Best Friend Regardless of whether music retailers are communicating with band directors through the Internet or in person, they want to create working relationships

with schools. “If you go back to the ‘50s or ‘60s, the school districts had musical instrument repair departments as part of the school,” Luehrsen says. “But that has pretty much fallen away.” What exist now are hand-in-hand relationships between music stores and schools for renting instruments, buying music and repairing equipment. “We have a road rep that comes to us every week from Music & Arts, and basically he travels about 45 to 50 miles to get to us,” says David Duffy, a director at West Johnston High School in Benson, N.C. Music retailers offer schools bulk pricing, which makes the purchases cheaper for the ensemble and for individual students. “Our school would usually get flip folders and lyres from a local music store, and it was just easier to go through school,” says Allyson Binversie who marched with the Roncalli High School Marching Band in Manitowoc, Wis., for four years. These deals can also help rescue music programs. “We’ve had many occasions where a special package deal was made

available, and a school was able to start or restart a music program,” Grisham says.

Savior? Currently, many students don’t really think about retailers’ broader musical efforts. “I think of a music store more as a repair and supply kind of shop,” Binversie says. “It’s nice if music stores provide extra educational opportunities.” Koerting echoes the sentiment. “While they’re there to hopefully help their profits, I think they honestly do care about music in general, or they wouldn’t have gone into it as a profession,” she says. The businesses, on the other hand, say they are truly fighting for music education. “There are countless reasons why music education is important: discipline, teamwork, cultural awareness, stress relief, sense of achievement, self-expression, sense of belonging and social development; the list could go on and on,” Grisham says. “Everyone associated with the music community has an obligation to help keep music alive.”

About the Author Sabrina Lochner, a senior at Syracuse University, is an editorial intern for Halftime Magazine. She is majoring in magazine journalism and political science and minoring in architecture. She currently serves the Syracuse University Marching Band as head drum major and has served as the band’s associate drum major for two years. She has played the clarinet since fifth grade and is a sister of Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority.

By Elizabeth Geli

Photos courtesy of Bethune-Cookman University

The Bethune-Cookman University band marched in this year’s NFL Pro Bowl, just another of its many accomplishments. Director Donovan V. Wells discusses his band’s high-profile performances and his teaching philosophies that make them possible.

he Bethune-Cookman University Marching Wildcats, known as “The Pride,” recently played at halftime of the NFL Pro Bowl, adding another accomplishment to the band’s long list of high-profile achievements. But for director Donovan V. Wells, every performance is high profile. Halftime Magazine talked to Wells about his experiences and philosophies.

Halftime: How did you become a band director? Wells: I came to Bethune-Cookman as a freshman in 1980 and graduated in ’84. I taught public school in Virginia for 14 years and then had a short stint at Hampton University, and after that Bethune called me and wanted me to come back as assistant band director. I came there in 1996. In 1997 I was promoted to director of bands and have been there ever since. I got my graduate degree from Norfolk State University. Halftime: What’s it like to work at your alma mater? Wells: It’s a great experience, and it’s a little more than a job or employment to you because you’re coming back to the school and your old professors

are there. You have a more personal job, and you go beyond the call of duty a lot of times. It has some drawbacks because you’re working with people who know you, and they ask for favors. There are a few drawbacks, but the pros outweigh the cons. Halftime: Your band recently played at the NFL Pro Bowl. Would you describe the experience? Wells: We only have about 3,500 students in the whole school, so for us to get these kinds of engagements is a huge opportunity for us. To go down to the Pro Bowl was uniquely special. It was the first time [since 1980 that] it was being played in the continental United States and not Hawaii, and the great thing about it was that it had a much more massive crowd; it was just about sold out. Every time we perform, we want the crowd to enjoy it and feel like they are a part of it. We put AFC on the field and then changed it to NFC and NFL, so that all the fans could show how much they love their team. The crowd responded very well, and to be on that stage was very great. Halftime: How did that compare to pregame at the Super Bowl last year? Wells: Super Bowl was really mindblowing and humbling at the same time. Growing up every little boy wants to be a star quarterback or running back; I was that little boy, but music took me on a different path. Still, a part of you always wishes you were throwing a winning pass at the Super Bowl—and here I am at 46 years of age; I’m not the quarterback, but I’m the band director. It was an unbelievable experience. Halftime: How about the Honda Battle of the Bands? Wells: That’s a great event that Honda has sponsored, and it’s the only one that exists for HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities]. We were fortunate enough to go five years in a row, and there are many bands that haven’t been selected yet. To be on that stage was great and exciting because each band is alike in a lot of ways, but each is different in a lot of ways. It gives me a chance to see a lot of bands I hear a lot about but don’t get to play against during football season. For the students they have a chance to network, meet and socialize with bands from other HBCUs. It’s a competition, but it’s not. It is the street credibility of

what the audience says. Everybody still is working hard for the crowd to leave there and say they thought we were the best. Halftime: What are some of your favorite special performances? Wells: Doing the movie “Drumline” was a proud moment for me because here you are having the first movie made about black bands, and we were asked to be a part of it. It gave us some validation that what we were doing was heading in the right direction and appreciated. Another performance I enjoyed was the opening of the Daytona 500 for Fox Sports. Playing at a packed football stadium can be intimidating, but playing at the Daytona with 250,000 fans is really intimidating. Halftime: How do you prepare your band for these high-profile events? Wells: We don’t do anything special when it comes to prep for high-profile events because we treat our regular events as high profile. Every event is high profile to us, and we expect a high level of expertise and excellence from our students. So that when you do get called for the Super Bowl, you just do what you normally do. I expect the same level at a pep rally as at the Super Bowl. Halftime: Your band has a reputation for creative drills. How do you accomplish the specific images? Wells: At the Pro Bowl, we made a formation of Michael Jackson on the field. We once made a profile formation of Barack Obama. These are some of the unique things that we try, and sometimes the band looks at me like I’m crazy. I sit down like an architect that draws it out and try to make a good visual picture on the field, not too cluttered. I charted six or seven Michael Jacksons before I found one that works. It’s trial and error, but if you want to be considered one of the best, you can’t do what everyone is doing. Halftime: What do you want your students to learn from being in The Pride? Wells: First of all I want them to enjoy it—but what I want them to take away has nothing to do with music. I want

them to take away the sense of being responsible, of doing the job, of getting places on time, being able to compete. This is a competitive world. When you get out of band, you need to be able to compete for promotions and raises. I hope that they take those kinds of things and apply it to their area of expertise and whatever their career is going to be in. The music part is the easy part. Our goal is to mold those young men and women into people who can go compete in the workforce, make a difference in the world and give back to the community. Note from the Editor: Read more of Wells’ thoughts in our “Web Exclusives” section at www.halftimemag.com.

By Elizabeth Geli

Looking to the past, present and future, Dr. William F. McQueen III honors former director George Edwards while moving the band forward to several major performances including its fourth appearance in the Honda Battle of the Bands.

he Prairie View A&M University Marching Storm suffered a great loss in May 2009 when director George “Prof” Edwards was in a fatal car crash. In his memory the band continued to excel— going all the way to the HBCU band flagship event, the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. Halftime Magazine caught up with now-director Dr. William F. McQueen III to find out how he transitioned with the band and succeeded under such difficult circumstances. Halftime: What is your marching background? McQueen: I started playing trumpet in 5th grade. I got a scholarship to Florida A&M and graduated, then got my Masters at Florida State. I went to Michigan State for my Ph.D. and finished the recital and thesis but not the coursework. I came to Prairie View from 1978 to 1984 as director, then I went to law school. Came back to the university [and taught in the College of Business and the Division of Social Work, Behavioral and Political Science] and returned to marching band in 1998. This 2009 year I became head marching band director. I’ve been a part of the marching band and music scene for a long time. Halftime: How did you and the band deal with the tragic death of George Edwards? McQueen: It was difficult. Mr. Edwards and I were in the band together at FAMU; 26

he was a senior when I was a freshman. When I was at Michigan State, he was teaching in the public school system, so we saw each other there. I was band director from 1978 to 1984 [at Prairie View A&M], and then he became band director. I guess it could have been worse, but since I’ve been here working and recruiting the kids, it was better to have somebody like me in-house to take over rather than getting somebody else to come in and do things in a new way. It would have been difficult to have someone who didn’t know our traditions. Halftime: What did you do to ease the transition for yourself and the students? McQueen: The first three shows we did were dedicated to Mr. Edwards— Houston, Dallas and homecoming. At the homecoming show, we passed out 1,000 balloons to the audience. And in the middle of the show, we stopped and paid tribute to him, and everyone released the balloons. I had 35 white doves that did a spectacular show that had everyone in tears—it was very emotional and helped us to turn the corner and move on. There were a lot of alumni present and a lot of former band members that were there. Halftime: And how was the Honda Battle of the Bands this year? McQueen: Well this year was our fourth time participating. I’ve heard we had the best show there. Of course it’s not 1st place,

2nd place, 3rd place—it’s a showcase. To be invited is an honor, and that is the honor. Halftime: What special performances has your band participated in? McQueen: We played for the Houston Texans. We did the halftime show. We did a patriotic show and featured five piccolos playing “Stars and Stripes Forever” and did a majorette dance routine and band dance. We did the inauguration for President George W. Bush. Of course we’ve done the Rose Parade. We’ve done a halftime show with Destiny’s Child for the Dallas Cowboys. Halftime: What do you want your students to learn from band? McQueen: Well, leadership, discipline, hard work and more than anything, to learn that we are not here by accident— we have a purpose, and the university and the band should be better because you are a part of it. The band is better than it was when you got here; somebody’s life is enriched; someone was helped because you were there. Note from the Editor: Read more of McQueen’s thoughts in our “Web Exclusives” at www.halftimemag.com.

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Behind the Baton By Brittany Baumeister

Photo courtesy of Unionville High School

ou rush to the band room after school. After seeing a crowd of students huddled around a piece of paper, you shove your way through. You hold your breath as you read the paper: [Your name here], Drum Major. The first thing you do? Apologize to the kids you just bruised to get to the paper. The second thing you do? Prepare yourself for a stressful but rewarding year.

Band Camp For a new drum major, the first week of band camp can be more frightening than your band director’s mood at a competition. It is the band’s first and often lasting impression of you as a drum major. No pressure. But don’t lose all hope! There are a few things you can do to avoid being seen as the dreaded “jerk,” “moron,” “[expletive],” or worst of all—“mean drum major.” Don’t mess up. If you call out the wrong command at the wrong time, the band might end up marching into a creek. If you cut off a song at the wrong time, a couple of trumpet players may suffer from marchingrelated injuries. If you mess up at all, the freshmen will be terrified and confused. If by some chance, you do mess up, don’t show it. The first ones to notice a mistake will be know-it-all upperclassmen, especially those that were vying for your position. A simple twitch of the eye will give those kids enough fodder to make fun of you for a while. Also, if you show that you made a mistake, the freshmen will be very, very scared. If you show that you don’t know what you’re doing, how should they know what to do? A drum major is an actor and, while in the presence of the band, is always on stage. If you’re unhappy with anything, do not show it. Do not grimace, snarl or curse. Also, always listen to your superiors. If your band director asks for you to turn the metronome up, you sprint to the back of the field in the apocalyptic heat and turn it up. If the assistant band director asks you to get him a bag of cookies during break, you ask if he’d like a juice box to go with it. After all, if you don’t listen to the directors, why 28

A humorous take on being a leader and role model.

About the Author Brittany Baumeister is a junior at Unionville High School in Kennett Square, Pa. Next year will be her second year as drum major of the marching band. Her primary instrument is the clarinet, but she also sings and plays the saxophone. Brittany plans on majoring in music education in college.

should the freshmen? And if the freshmen don’t listen, it’s going to be a long, long year—guaranteed.

Rehearsals Three-hour rehearsals on weeknights can be very tedious. You’ll have to deal with frustrated directors and whiny students. Whatever you do, do not have a meltdown. Instead, have discreet stress-relieving techniques. While helping the band learn basic marching techniques, stare down the kid that always talks back. When he messes up due to your menacing glare, go and scold him for not focusing. Not only will you be letting your anger out, that kid will never talk back again. Is it cruel? Of course, but it’s better than having a meltdown.

Football Games The same thought goes through every band member’s head at least once: “If I’m in the band, why am I required to go to the football games?” The answer: You are the show. The football game is simply pre- and post-

show entertainment. The giant crowd of rambunctious students is actually there to watch the band, not some people throwing a ball made of a dead pig’s skin. Hard to believe, but true. For you, the drum major, this is common knowledge. However, other band members forget these facts. Put a smile on your face and get the band pumped for their halftime show. If you do, you’ll have a happier band and a better performance.

Competitions This is what the season is about: competing against equally obsessed marching band members to earn the right to say, “We rule supremely!” There are a few things to consider as your band walks off of the bus to ensure success. Do not use confusing commands. “Detail! Atten hut!” is a command that your band should know. However, “left oblique, harch!” is barely ever used and just sounds frightening. You’ll confuse the band by stating this for the first time 30 minutes before they are supposed to perform in front of hundreds of people, and some freshmen may die.

Also, don’t make up commands. “Detail! Walk forward to the fence and then stop talking, harch!” is not a marching command. Even the freshmen know that. Win or lose, your band makes an accomplishment at every competition. They should be happy with their performance and exhibit spirit. In other words, get the band to cheer. It creates unity while ironically keeping the drum majors from feeling idiotic while completing their long salutes after award acceptance. Plus, if you get freshmen to cheer now, imagine how loud they’ll be by senior year. We’re talking a wonderful, beautiful heap of pride. Brings a tear to your eye, no? There is much more to being a drum major than saluting and being permitted to yell at people. You are a leader. You are a role model to those that gaze at your brilliant whitegloved hands as you paint a musical picture. Such high expectations can lead to stress but never fear. As long as you never mess up and don’t mentally damage freshmen, you’ll have an incredible season.

Fitness to the MAx

By Haley Greenwald-Gonella

Hear Ye, Hear Ye Getting musician’s earplugs now as well as adhering to a few safety tips can prevent needing hearing aids later.

ne of a musician’s greatest tools is the ability to hear. It is important to protect one’s ears early on because, like the old adage says, a pound of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.

After dancing since the age of 3, Haley Greenwald-Gonella thought it was time to try a new art. In elementary school, she began playing the flute and was in the marching band in middle school and for the first two years of high school. She also played the bassoon during concert season. Dance drew Haley back while in high school. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine with degrees in dance and English. She is now attending the University of Southern California and is getting her master’s degree in Specialized Journalism (The Arts). Haley is also a certified registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance. She draws upon her dance and yoga training when it comes to all things fitness and the arts.

Meet Tom Tom Ryberg, a drum major in high school, was a composition major at Oberlin College’s Conservatory of Music, where he also played in a salsa band. Ryberg believes that being a drum major in high school is one of the reasons that his hearing is still intact. Being farther away from the musicians on the field, Ryberg received less exposure to the, at times, harmful low frequencies of the drums and horn sections. In addition Ryberg says he was “serious about [wearing his musician’s earplugs]” while playing in his salsa band. The musician’s earplugs didn’t “distort [the] sound” of the music but “blocked out high and low frequencies evenly,” he says.

Meet Paul On the other hand, 27-year-old Paul Cunningham notices from time to time while listening to music that he has the volume turned up to almost full capacity. Cunningham, who played tenor drums, was part of the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets from 2001 to 2002 as well as in 2004. Additionally, he was in the San Francisco Renegades in 2003. Cunningham did not consistently use earplugs. He started using foam earplugs while in rehearsal but found

them to be frustrating because they muffled the voices of his directors. Cunningham “remedied” this by only using one earplug. In 2000, Cunningham’s mother insisted that he get fitted for musician’s earplugs, which were “really effective at bringing all levels down to a reasonable frequency,” he says. Even though they were more expensive than the foam earplugs that anyone can buy in a drugstore, Cunningham agreed with his mother that the money was worth it instead of paying for hearing aids later in life.

Listen to Dr. Gugenheim Dr. Stephen Gugenheim, an otolaryngologist based in Modesto, Calif., says that prolonged periods of exposure to low frequencies, such as those produced by a drum line or tuba, can cause hearing damage and hearing loss. The amount of damage depends on the closeness of the ear to the low frequency sounds being produced, how loud the sound is, and the length of time that the ear is exposed to the sound. Gugenheim feels that it is important for those involved with marching bands to take breaks during rehearsals in order to give the ears a rest. They should also get a baseline hearing test along with yearly follow-up exams. And that ringing in your ears after a concert, that’s temporary hearing loss. If you’ve ever experienced that after being on the field, it might be time to invest in the health of your ears.

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MARCHING BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Matt Jones

Brass On Display 1

21 24

34 38

49 54

41 45

51 56

42 46

52 57

68. Exclamation from Sherlock Holmes 69. Takeoff times at the airport (abbrev.) 70. Former Baltimore football team whose marching band instruments are on display at the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards 71. See 5 Across 72. Fabric colorers

Across 1. Actress Pinkett Smith 5. With 71 Across, surf guitar king who will have one of his trumpets on display at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix 9. March composer the University of Illinois has a museum devoted to 14. Word before rock, jazz or rain 15. Singer Brickell married to Paul Simon 16. Helpers (abbrev.) 17. One of the Three Bears in “Goldilocks” 18. Where one of the stressed beats may land on in 8/8 time 19. Christian ___ (some highfashion dresses) 20. Some of his trademark bent trumpets are on display in many museums, among them The Smithsonian (2 words) 23. Actress Zellweger

43 47

24. Director Spike 25. Doc that may focus on head colds (abbrev.) 26. “___ making myself clear?” (2 words) 27. Computer key that helps you exit 30. Drug-related subject of a 2006 Tour de France scandal 33. The “D” in CD 35. Pose a question 37. What brave people use to fill in crosswords 38. His saxophone is on display at the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City, Mo. (2 words) 43. Regrettable 44. Opposite of neither 45. It follows “high” or “roll,” in marching 47. Sports fan’s favorite group, to that same sports fan (2 words) 50. Halftime Magazine staffers (abbrev.) 52. Ambient musician Brian

53. Noise you don’t want to hear from the audience 54. Keanu’s role in “The Matrix” 56. “Lady ___” (Chris de Burgh song) (2 words) 58. His cornet and bugle are on display at the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans (2 words) 63. Make a collection, as with books or instruments 64. “Elenore, ___ think you’re swell” (line from The Turtles’ “Elenore”) (2 words) 65. Aunts, in Spanish 67. All-time record holder in strikeouts ___ Ryan

Down 1. Freestyle music session 2. School- and learning-related 3. Change a major seventh chord by flatting the third and fifth, then doubleflatting the seventh 4. In ___ (confused) (2 words) 5. Go against, like with authority or gravity 6. “Gotcha,” to a beatnik (2 words) 7. ___ War Game (nickname for the annual Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers football game) 8. ___ over (dropped from exhaustion) 9. One-named “Smooth Operator” singer 10. Suffix after “psych-” or “mononucle-” 11. Last of the four events in tennis’s Grand Slam (2 words) 12. It may be tuned to G, D, A or E on a violin 13. Person who brings strength to a group 21. Letter that follows double-u, ex and wye 22. Spotted wildcat 23. Cool, 1980’s-style 28. Actress Zoe of “Avatar” 29. CBS show set in Las Vegas 31. Part of MPH 32. Calligraphy needs

34. Participating group in a musical 36. “Jazz” documentarian Burns 39. Singer Corinne Bailey ___ 40. Edgar Allan who wrote “The Raven” 41. It really feels like forever 42. Individual who marches to the beat of a different drummer, perhaps? 46. Pea holder 47. Sound in “Old MacDonald” (2 words) 48. Address to the whole group, in some parts of the Southern United States (2 words) 49. Went from two lanes of traffic to one, perhaps 51. Title for a knight 53. Mel who voiced Bugs Bunny 55. Last letter of the Greek alphabet 57. Jotted down for later 59. “The City ___ War” (song by Cobra Starship) (2 words) 60. ID numbers on tax forms (abbrev.) 61. One-named singer that married Heidi Klum 62. Crimson ___ (Alabama’s college teams) 66. Sound from a snake or a leaky tire

Solution For the solution go to Halftime Magazine’s website at www.halftimemag.com. Click on “Current Issue,” then “For Fun.”

About the Author Matt Jones is a 1998 graduate of Willamette University in Salem, Ore., where he majored in music education. Since 1994, he has also written crosswords for venues such as The New York Times, Games Magazine and Stagebill. He currently writes a syndicated weekly puzzle for more than 50 alternative newspapers across the country.

D R U M

1. Allentown, PA • 6/18 2. Chesapeake, VA • 6/19 3. Columbia, SC • 6/20 4. Pleasant Hill, CA • 6/20 5. Charleston, WV • 6/21 6. Louisville, KY • 6/22 7. Rio Rancho, NM • 6/22 8. Glendale, AZ • 6/23 9. Toledo, OH • 6/24 10. Normal, IL • 6/25 11. Clovis, CA • 6/25 12. Madison, WI • 6/26 13. Stanford, CA • 6/26 14. Washington, DC • 6/26 15. Stockton, CA • 6/27 16. Stillwater, MN • 6/27 17. TBA Southern, CA • 6/27 18. Mankato, MN • 6/28 19. Dublin, OH • 6/28 20. TBA Western, MI • 6/29 21. Ewing, NJ • 6/29 22. Dubuque, IA • 6/30 23. Ft. Edward/ Glens Falls, NY • 6/30 24. Medford, OR • 6/30 25. Oswego, IL • 7/1 26. Bristol, RI • 7/2 27. Cedarburg, WI • 7/2 28. San Diego, CA • 7/2 29. Salem, OR • 7/2 30. Walnut, CA • 7/3 31. Michigan City, IN • 7/3 32. Lynn, MA • 7/3 33. Hillsboro, OR • 7/3 34. Pasadena, CA • 7/4 35. Riverside, CA • 7/5 36. Tri Cities, WA • 7/5 37. Bridgeport, CT • 7/5

C O R P S

38. Ontario, OR • 7/6 39. Cumberland, MD • 7/6 40. Metamora, IL • 7/6 41. Columbus, OH • 7/7 42. Ogden, UT • 7/7 43. Pittsburgh, PA • 7/8 44. Loveland, CO • 7/9 45. Akron, OH • 7/9 46. Kalamazoo, MI • 7/10 47. Denver, CO • 7/10 48. San Jose, CA • 7/10 49. Brockton, MA • 7/10 50. Naperville, IL • 7/11 51. Dublin, CA • 7/11 52. Fairfield, OH • 7/12 53. Hutchinson, KS • 7/13 54. TBA Northern, IN • 7/13 55. Woodstock, IL • 7/14 56. Omaha, NE • 7/14 57. Sioux Falls, SD • 7/15 58. Corona, CA • 7/16 59. La Crosse, WI • 7/16 60. Groton, CT • 7/17 61. Paramount, CA • 7/17 62. Minneapolis, MN • 7/17 63. Tempe, AZ • 7/18 64. Rockford, IL • 7/18 65. Central, IA • 7/18 66. Manchester, NH • 7/18 67. Wichita, KS • 7/19

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

68. Kansas City, MO • 7/19 69. El Paso, TX • 7/19 70. Edmond, OK • 7/20 71. TBA Central, TX • 7/20 72. Van Buren, AR • 7/20 73. Broken Arrow, OK • 7/21 74. Dallas, TX • 7/22 75. Houston, TX • 7/22 76. Houston, TX • 7/23 77. Dallas, TX • 7/23 78. San Antonio, TX • 7/24 79. TBA Eastern, PA • 7/24 80. San Antonio, TX • 7/25 81. Lafayette, LA • 7/26 82. Denton, TX • 7/26 83. Ocean Springs, MS • 7/27 84. TBA, LA • 7/27 85. Hattiesburg, MS • 7/28 86. Gadsden, AL • 7/29 87. TBA, KY • 7/29 88. Milton, FL • 7/29 89. Murfreesboro, TN • 7/30

90. Atlanta, GA • 7/31 91. DeKalb, IL • 7/31 92. Rock Hill, SC • 8/1 93. Paw Paw, MI • 8/1 94. Centerville, OH • 8/2 95. Sevierville, TN • 8/2 96. Cedar Rapids, IA • 8/2 97. Salem, VA • 8/3 98. Massillon, OH • 8/3 99. Erie, PA • 8/3 100. Erie, PA • 8/4 101. TBA Northern, VA • 8/4 102. Eau Claire, WI • 8/4 103. South Lyon, MI • 8/5 104. Rome, NY • 8/5 105. West Chester, PA • 8/5 106. Allentown, PA • 8/6 107. Lawrence, MA • 8/6 108. Greendale, WI • 8/6 109. Belding, MI • 8/7 110. Allentown, PA • 8/7 111. Clifton, NJ • 8/8 112. Dubuque, IA • 8/8 113. Buffalo, NY • 8/8 114. Dayton, OH • 8/8 115. Toledo, OH • 8/9

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The 2010 Drum Corps International Tour

P R E S E N T S

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Open Class Quarterfinals • 8/10

Indianapolis, IN

World Class Quarterfinals • 8/12 Open Class Semifinals • 8/13 World Class Semifinals • 8/13 Open Class Finals • 8/14 World Class Finals • 8/14 DCI Premier Events are highlighted in red. Events and dates subject to change. rev 02/10

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