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From Marching and Concert Bands to Orchestras and Jazz Bands, instrumental groups who take part in a Disney Performing Arts program – whether that’s in a performance or in a workshop or festival – share a common bond. And now, Disney Performing Arts is celebrating this bond and commemorating this once-in-a-lifetime experience with an exclusive badge of honor. So, if you think your instrumental group has Ears for the Arts, then there is no better time to plan your next Disney Performing Arts trip. For more information, contact your travel planner or call toll-free 1-866-320-8303.
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Music Enlistment Option Program..There are few truly great career options; serving as a Marine Corps Musician is one of them. If you have what it takes to become both a Marine and a Marine musician, you will play at some of the world’s most honored events. Precision, discipline, and honor will be represented in every note you play. And as a Marine, you will distinguish yourself from the rest. To schedule an audition, call 1 800 MARINES or visit MARINES.COM.
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Volume 5, Issue 5 September/October 2011 ISSN 1939-6171 ®
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Christine Ngeo Katzman christine@halftimemag.com (310) 594-0050
Art Director Jana Rade, impact studios
Assistant Editor/Web Editor Editorial Interns Jeremy Chen and Lydia Ness
Marketing Intern Jonathan Harrison
COVER PHOTO Ken Martinson/Marching.com
Contributing Writers Lane Armey, Chris Casteel, Mary Karen Clardy, Haley Greenwald-Gonella, Matt Jones, Ken Martinson/ Marching.com, Ben Pouncey, Chase Sanborn
Contributing Photographers Carmen Borup, Scott Christian, Rose Johnson, Ken Martinson/Marching.com
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
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 now only $1 per student per year with a minimum of 25 copies sent to the same address. Cover price is $4.95. Send subscription orders to: Halftime Magazine P.O. Box 15247 North Hollywood, CA 91615 Halftime Magazine is published by Muse Media, LLC P.O. Box 428738, Cincinnati, OH 45242 Phone: 310-594-0050 Fax: 310-390-5351 Website: www.halftimemag.com Printed by Royle Printing Company in Sun Prairie, Wis. 4
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ecently I took my daughter and son for a “Day Out With Thomas.” To nearly every toddler, Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends are household names. With wooden and electric train toys, temporary tattoos, balloons, a jumpy house, photo opportunities and a 20-minute train ride with a life-size Thomas engine, the event was a momentous occasion, especially for my 2-year-old. She was full of energy, extremely happy, sad to leave—and then exhausted during the drive home. That’s the way that we all probably feel after a big event. For the 5th year in a row, Halftime Magazine showcases the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships—perhaps one of the biggest events in the marching arts (page 20). Over three days, 36,617 audience members filled Lucas Oil Stadium. Despite the shaky economy, finals-night attendance grew 9.2% compared to last year. But high school and college bands don’t need to be content with simply participating in or attending events; they can be involved as hosts. “Be Our Guest,” page 29, shares the tips and experiences of three different bands and the many events they have provided for their marching communities. And Halftime Magazine is excited to announce our own event—Band Camp for Adults—in partnership with Marching Roundtable, an online resource for band directors, instructors, other marching professionals and parents. The event is scheduled for the spring of 2012. With leading clinicians and keynote speakers, Band Camp for Adults will offer a wealth of information on leader-
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The Big Event: Drum Corps International welcomed 36,617 audience members over its three-day championship event. Photo of The Cadets by Ken Martinson/Marching.com.
Elizabeth Geli
ship development, technical instruction, show design, marketing and fundraising/ budgeting. For band directors, caption instructors and band boosters, the experience gained from our camp will help ensure that your band remains on top— both on and off the field. Check www.halftimemag.com and www.marchingroundtable.com for more information. As we’ve all come to experience, events are a great learning experience. Events can invigorate us. And events can create or renew lifelong friendships. We hope you join us for our inaugural event and that the events you attend or host this fall season are huge successes. Musically Yours, Christine Ngeo Katzman Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
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With leading clinicians and keynote speakers, Band Camp for Adults will offer you a wealth of information on leadership development, technical instruction, show design, marketing and fundraising/budgeting. For band directors, caption instructors and band boosters, the experience you gain from camp will help ensure that your band remains on top—both on and off the field.
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Making a Home: The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps took home Drum Corps International’s top color guard award and the silver medal. Photo by Ken Martinson/Marching.com.
Features By the Truckload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Using traditional instrument cases as well as blankets and bungee cords, marching bands take many precautions to protect their equipment while traveling. By Lydia Ness
2011 DCI Champions .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 It was an angels/demons double team taking on the devils on the “battlefield” of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The epic showdown ended with The Cadets capturing its 10th Drum Corps International title on Aug. 13, 2011, denying the reigning champion Blue Devils from capturing a rare three-peat. While on the rain-swept fields of the Open Class Championships, Blue Devils B secured its own three-peat with a third gold medal in as many years. By Christina “Mav” Mavroudis
Be Our Guest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 If you or your band has ever dreamed of hosting a competition— or would like to improve your existing one—prepare and serve with flair. By Elizabeth Geli
Departments Publisher’s Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Noteworthy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Resources for Band Parents; International Dinkles Day; “band-Ing” Together for Joplin; Disney STEP Classic; Remembering 9/11
20 Web Exclusives
Sectionals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Need more marching band material? Making a Quality Recording; Efficiency vs. Brute Force; A Clean Read online-only articles at Sweep; Conquering Trouble Spots Gear Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 http://halftimemag.com/articles/web-exclusives/index.html EnVision Visual Performance Design; Mike Jackson Signature Stick; BlowDry Brass
Regionals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Calendar of events organized by region Direct From. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band Behind the Baton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The Experience for a Lifetime Fitness to the Max. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Take a Break For Fun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Bands Back to School
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International Dinkles Day By Elizabeth Geli
Resources for Band Parents By Elizabeth Geli Booster clubs and band parents, rejoice! Two new online resources for the adults of the music education world have emerged: BandBoostersOnline.com and the National Association of Music Parents (AMP). Both organizations are founded by people with years of experience in music education and focus on National Association connecting boosters through discussion and of Music Parents shared advice. AMP hopes to educate parents about the benefits their children will receive from music education and mobilize that force to influence legislators. “The site serves as a portal for parents to connect,” says founder L. Scott McCormick, former president and CEO of Music for All and Bands of America. “We want to bring together parents, teachers and the music industry to keep music and arts in our school system.” AMParents.org includes the latest information on advocacy, the benefits of music, education reform, fundraising and technology. McCormick along with other industry experts write for the site’s blog. “Even well-established programs wanted to know about websites, fundraisers, bylaws,” McCormick says. Registered fans can view site content, but members pay a $12 per year fee to engage in discussions and have access to downloads and monthly webinars. Booster groups can sign up together for a large discount, and AMP has partnered with several retailers to distribute free memberships to new music parents as they rent their children’s instruments. BandBoostersOnline.com is a website, blog and discussion board founded by Chris Neal, director of bands at Washington State University, inspired by his years of interacting with parents at the high school and college band levels. “The frustrations and concerns I heard were pretty consistent,” Neal says. “I thought it would be a great way to reach out to those programs and give them a way to reach out to each other and help them problem-solve through blogging and board discussions.” All content is free and publicly visible although signing in is required in order to post and participate in discussions. According to Neal, this project is very much a work in progress, and he hopes to add more guest bloggers, video seminars and articles featuring outstanding booster clubs. “This isn’t a money maker; it’s something that I do just to help,” he says. Join the discussion at BandBoostersOnline.com and AMParents.org. 8
Current and former band students around the world celebrated Aug. 25 by putting on their marching shoes for the first International Dinkles Day. Up-Front Footwear, manufacturer of Dinkles, created the new holiday to celebrate the iconic shoe and its fans. “Basically it was in celebration of our 25 th anniversary and also just a great way to show our fans what their Dinkles actually mean to them,” says Tom LaBarbera, director of sales. While the Savoca family had been making marching and majorette shoes since 1940, they debuted “Vanguard,” the first leather, flat rubber-soled band shoe and introduced the Dinkles brand in 1986. To celebrate the anniversary, the company encouraged fans to share their Dinkles memories, photos or videos via its Facebook fan page. “We got a lot of response especially on our Facebook page; there were essays, photos, videos,” LaBarbera says. “There was even a girl that was waterskiing in her Dinkles. It gave individual marchers and people across the country a chance to show how they use their Dinkles in action.” Aug. 25, or 8/25, was chosen both due to the 25th anniversary and also because of its pronunciation as eight-two-five or “eight-to-five,” the measurement of a standard marching step as eight steps in five yards. Dinkles hopes to send out rewards for some of the best submissions. “The entries are still being gone through, so we haven’t had a winner yet, and the prize is still a secret,” LaBarbera says. “Every year [International Dinkles Day is] going to be a new part of our Dinkles culture.”
“band-Ing” Together for Joplin By Christine Ngeo Katzman All around the country, marching bands as well as music corporations and professional musicians are “band-Ing” together for the Joplin (Mo.) Eagle Pride Band, whose high school along with much of its city was destroyed by a tornado on May 22. Barry Manilow purchased a semi-truck full of instruments for the band. Stanbury Uniforms helped to collect more than $9,000. A student-led effort by Sadie King and Chris Heeter of the Grain Valley (Mo.) Marching Eagles raised more than $1,600. And thanks to readers and fans—with special recognition to the Medina (N.Y.) Mustang Band—Halftime Magazine collected nearly $2,000. According to Rick Castor, district director of instrumental music and the high school band director, more than 100 schools and groups have contributed to the band’s recovery. Webb City—about 10 miles away—and Little Elm (Texas) High School—330 miles away—were among the two that made the biggest impact, he says. Diana Williams from Webb City reached out to Castor on the night of the tornado and later sent emails to all the band directors in the state, raising more than $12,000. Since then, Webb City has also helped to collect instruments and participated in a joint concert. Meanwhile, Lanette Bowcutt, a band mom from Little Elm, heard about Joplin’s tragedy and instantly felt a connection. Her 16-year-old son plays tuba at Little Elm. “Realizing how much [band] meant to him, I knew that a lot of kids felt the same way,” she says. Photo of the Joplin Band, clad in “band-Ing” Together shirts, by Carmen Borup.
While Little Elm raised more than $3,500 by selling T-shirts, its biggest impact came as a resource for others who wanted to help. Through the Facebook page, “band-Ing” Together for Joplin High School Band, many other individuals and groups found out how to contribute. In fact, Joplin has received at least $60,000 in donations and hundreds of instruments that—through mentions in letters—can be directly attributed to the “band-Ing” page, according to Bowcutt. Little Elm also bussed 18 kids and 20 adult volunteers to help kickstart Joplin’s summer band camp. The Aug. 28 issue of People magazine showcased Bowcutt’s efforts. “I feel good that we became a communication tool for a lot of people who wanted to help but didn’t know how,” Bowcutt says. To donate to the Joplin Eagle Pride Band, send your check to: Joplin Band Boosters, P. O. Box 3303, Joplin, MO 64803.
Disney STEP Classic By Elizabeth Geli
Step groups can step right up for the annual Disney STEP Classic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the Walt Disney World Resort, coming Feb. 18 to 19, 2012. “Disney’s STEP Classic is more than a show; it’s the stepping experience of a lifetime for young steppers,” said Keith Belton, executive director of the National Step Show Alliance (NSSA) and Certified Step Judge in a press release. “Disney has a great respect for the stepping art form, and this event reflects that.” New in 2012 is a division for educational and community center groups whose members are all ages 14 and under. The competition also offers divisions for community centers and middle/high school teams with participants up to age 19 and community college groups, club teams and Greek organizations ages 18 and up. Besides the competition itself, groups can participate in a Master STEP Workshop and the new Disney STEP Classic Leadership Workshop. In the past, groups competed for a $5,000 prize, but now the winner will receive the national title and the Mousecar Trophy. “This update aligns the Disney STEP Classic with the other performing competitions produced by Disney and focuses on the performance experience, the opportunity to interact with other step teams and enrichment activities,” says Sarah Domenech, public relations manager for Disney Worldwide Sales and Travel Operations. Last year’s champion was Gentlemen of Vision, a mentoring program for economically disadvantaged males from St. Louis, Mo. The group used the prize money for scholarships and looks back fondly on the experience. “100 percent of these young men had never been to Disney at all,” says founder Marlon Wharton. “It was a new and lifechanging experience, and the whole journey of how we got there and to actually win was like a dream come true. I had a lot of guys who were emotional and cried tears because of how much it changed our lives.”
September/October 2011 9
Remembering 9/11 By Ken Martinson/Marching.com Photo courtesy of the Gibson County High School Band.
As the nation commemorated the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, high school marching bands were among those leading the displays of patriotism. From a thematic field show to a mass band concert, these special performances were meaningful for performers and audience members. The Gibson County High School Marching Band from Dyer, Tenn., is dedicating its entire fall marching season to the victims and survivors of the terror attacks. The band’s show titled “Never Forget” includes music such as “New York, New York” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” The show incorporates audio clips and sound effects to take viewers through what band director Jeremy Tate says will be an emotional, yet inspiring, story. “At one point, the band will play behind a 40-foot wide screen featuring an image of the New York skyline,” Tate says. “During the closer, the guard will be dressed entirely in white, and the field will be lined with U.S. flags.” Senior band members were only in second grade at the time of the attacks, yet they were old enough to sense the emotion of the day. “Our show reminds me of the hardship our country has been through and has overcome,” says clarinet player Audrey Todd. “I feel I owe something to the brave people of that day. This is our way of honoring and paying tribute to them.” In New York, marching bands from 17 states and The Netherlands will perform at “The Band of Pride Tribute,” a mass band rally in New York City’s Times Square on Nov. 10. The bands will also march in the NYC Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11. Executive director Melinda Marinoff says the concert will include a variety of patriotic music plus a grand finale tribute to New York. The mass band will be conducted by Dr. Kenneth Dye, director of bands at the University of Notre Dame. And in the drum corps world, the Madison Scouts performed a show titled “New York Morning” and received a special artifact from the World Trade Center in recognition of its production. “The members of the 2011 Madison Scouts were given a very special show to perform, and night after night they delivered it with incredible emotion and respect,” said Chris Komnick, Scouts executive director, in a press release. “It clearly had impact on many who experienced those performances, especially our fans on the East Coast.”
Making a Quality Recording By Mary Karen Clardy
Developing skill and confidence in producing quality recordings is essential for musicians. With a few simple techniques and regular practice, recording quality will improve dramatically. Record Daily Practice. Current technology (cell phone/computer/web camera) makes recording easy, so make a habit of turning on the microphone each time you practice. It’s as easy as pushing a button, and after the initial shock of hearing your own sound played back without edits or enhancement, accuracy improves with each recorded practice session. Listen to Your Recording. With the score available, carefully listen to your recording for accuracy of notes, rhythms, dynamics, intonation and other details. Mark inaccuracies on the score as you listen, then listen to the recording again to confirm observations. Record the Same Selection Again. Record your music a second time. Be sure to play from the marked score, concentrating carefully on the inaccuracies and required corrections for improvement. Listen to the New Recording. Note the changes you made to notes, rhythms, dynamics and intonation in your new recording and compare it to the previously marked score. When listening this time, focus on tone quality, phrasing, vibrato, attacks, releases and breath control. Listen for noisy breaths, disruptive breaths that disturb phrasing or awkward breaths that take too long and interrupt rhythmic flow. Record Again. With careful attention to all previous corrections, record your piece again, listening particularly to the elements of tone quality, phrasing, musical flow and confidence. For improved tone quality and phrasing, maintain consistent air speed, forward direction and energy throughout the selection. Make recording a daily habit. With a disciplined approach, the quality of your recordings will improve dramatically.
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.
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Leading instructors provide practical tips for each section of the band.
Efficiency vs. Brute Force By Chase Sanborn
When the baseball player hits the ball, energy is transferred from the player to the ball, via the bat. How far the ball travels is determined not only by the strength of the player, but also by his or her ability to effectively transfer energy. The “sweet spot” on the bat is where the transfer of energy is most efficient. The brass player also deals with transfer of energy. The lips are set into vibration by the force of air, that energy is transferred to the horn, and sound emanates. An efficient brass player converts each bit of air into lip vibration, producing maximum results for a given amount of effort. Playing feels relatively easy and pleasurable. The inefficient player wastes energy trying to overcome poor playing habits with brute force. When brute force trumps efficiency, the sound is forced and choked, range and endurance suffer, and playing seems like a struggle. The brute force player is bound to encounter problems down the road. Eventually the “gears” will need to be rebuilt. Play Softly. Efficiency is best developed at soft playing dynamics. With a small amount of air travelling past the lips, an inefficient embouchure setting will simply not vibrate. Many of the strongest brass players advocate practicing quietly to make sure proper playing habits are instilled. Relax. Brass players are often encouraged to “relax” while playing. This concept can be difficult to grasp because playing a brass instrument is clearly a physical activity that requires muscular exertion. The key is to relax muscles that are not directly involved in the production of sound, eliminating unnecessary sources of tension in the body. Picture a slow motion video of a great running back at slow speed. Despite the high degree of muscular exertion, there is a sense of relaxation or ease. From this smooth flow of energy comes the phrase “ease of the athlete.” Developing a more efficient approach to playing your horn will reap benefits in every area of playing. Try to be loose and flexible and allow your body to find the easiest way to produce the sound.
About the Author Chase Sanborn is a jazz trumpet player based in Toronto. He is on the faculty at the University of Toronto and is the author of “Brass Tactics,” “Jazz Tactics,” “Tuning Tactics” and “Music Business Tactics.” Chase is a Yamaha Artist. Visit his website at www.chasesanborn.com.
By Lane Armey
In this issue’s column, we’re talking Quads and how to play the one thing every tenor drummer wants to do—the scrape/sweep. How do you get really good at playing scrapes across the drums? By focusing hard on playing one drum. One-Drum Approach. To play with good sound quality, you need to accomplish the following. • Keep all your fingers on the stick and your hands relatively flat • Turn your wrists • Play strong and “through” the drum • Control the rebound If you can do that on one drum, it’s now your mission to maintain that technique while moving around the drums. Scrape Technique. The best exercises for scrapes are those that reinforce your one-drum technique and then slowly build to multiple drums. For example play a bar of sixteenth notes with sticking RRLL-RRLL-RRLL-RRLL on drum two. Now do the same, but play the double rights as a sweep from drum 1 to drum 3. So the order of the drums is 1322-1322-1322-1322, all with that same RRLL sticking. The trick to scrape technique with good sound quality is keeping that right hand flat, turning the wrist and getting good sound quality on every note. In other words, the exact same things you should worry about when playing on one drum. Don’t change your “vertical” approach to drumming while moving your hand laterally. Check out some of the great content Bill Bachman has published that really gets into every detail of this idea. The Next Level. Once you feel good about that right hand scrape from drums one to three, it’s time to work on the inward scrape of the right hand from drums three to one. Then do the same for the left hand, sweeping out (two to four) and in (four to two). Those four little maneuvers are the building blocks you need. As you play with new patterns and much harder rudiments, always remember that the key is isolating the technique on one drum and being consistent as you move laterally around the drums.
About the Author Lane Armey is the battery percussion coordinator for Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif. During the past 10 years, he has worked with various groups including Northwestern University and the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.
guard
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A Clean Sweep
Conquering Trouble Spots By Chris Casteel
“When faced with adversities, we either grumble or seek to dodge them. Yet the champion wages battle and conquers them.”—Author Unknown Unfortunately, trouble spots exist. They come in countless forms, each as individual and diverse as the many performers in a guard. They can range from an awkward transition through the horn line to the mastering of a lengthy equipment/movement phrase to the demand of traveling 15 yards in eight counts. If you are facing a trouble spot in your show, you are not alone. Here is the battle plan. Get Help Early. First things first, nip it in the bud. As performers, we pretty much know if something is going to be a challenge for us. After giving it your very best effort, get help! The longer you allow a trouble spot to exist, the farther along you are at creating bad habits and dodging the inevitable. Ask the Veterans. Depending on what your trouble spot is, seek help from a veteran member. What may be one person’s strength is another’s nemesis. Look to the people who have mastered your particular challenge and ask for their advice. You would be surprised how helpful their insight may be. You may possibly want to arrange time outside of rehearsal to conquer your particular issue. In this way, your needs won’t take away from total guard work during rehearsals. Tell the Instructors. If it is a design-oriented situation—for instance, you just can’t make it though the horn line without sacrificing the quality of your equipment work or performance—be vocal. Tell your instructor or band director. Don’t assume that they see it in rehearsal; their focus is the big picture, and they may not see your trouble spots right away. Also, don’t let it get to the point that it happens in a performance. Staff members have been around long enough, and they know the tricks of the trade that can get you through that horn line without sacrificing a single second of performance. You would be surprised how a little tweaking here and there can completely conquer the dreaded trouble spot.
About the Author Chris Casteel has been involved in the color guard activity since 1981 as a performer and an instructor. She has a master’s degree in education. She has instructed several medaling guards for the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC). Currently, Chris is an adjudicator for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association and the WGASC as well as a guest adjudicator for many other circuits. She also holds the position of education coordinator for the WGASC.
September/October 2011 13
EnVision Visual Performance Design
By Elizabeth Geli
W
rite drill and see it come to life on your computer screen, with Box5 Software’s EnVision Visual Performance Design program. This new product creates 3D renderings of your show, with instruments and even customized uniforms. “You can really capture your ideas in this program, translate your vision and show it to your students and staff members,” says Emile Mclean, director of marketing and business development. “You can use interactive camera movements; the uniforms and flag equipment are very powerful.”
Mike Jackson Signature Stick
V
ic Firth has released a new signature stick created by WGI Hall of Fame member Mike Jackson. The design features a reverse taper, meaning it is larger in the middle and thinner on the ends, creating a higher-pitched sound and rim shot. “I think the way that the weight is distributed and the mass of the stick is what makes it special,” Jackson says. “There’s a reverse taper that makes it slightly thinner where you grip; that’s something Vic Firth has never done before with a snare stick.”
Check out the following cool products before your next practice, show or competition.
Mclean and his partners, William Lee and Nick Klawitter, all have many years of experience marching and teaching with Dutch Boy Drum and Bugle Corps and other groups. Klawitter went on to work in the video game industry and Lee as a drill designer and artist. “One of our features is that we really wanted to make the experience very easy to use,” Lee says. “The other programs have very small buttons and need a lot of clicks. We tried to streamline the whole process. We have an extensive undo system, which is pretty standard in most computer programs but not implemented in most drill writing programs.” Box5 worked with various drill writ-
ers and show designers and attended a Boston Crusaders camp to get input from students and instructors. “The software innovations from EnVision put their product head and shoulders above the competitors,” said Brian Murphy, drill writer/ designer for the Boston Crusaders, in a press release. “Their 3D modeling gives me immediate real-world perspective and feedback that until now has been impossible to replicate outside of the actual performance. This is a game changer.” Instructors can also send out the show for students to view on their own computers. Visit www.box5software.com for more information.
Jackson currently serves as percussion caption head for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps; in the past he has worked with Santa Clara Vanguard and Mission Viejo High School. “As an instructor, being able to hear that pitch through the ensemble—I always gravitate towards that sound,” Jackson says. “And when I teach and write, I use that color more than a full-bodied rim shot, so I wanted to create a stick that would achieve that same tone.”
According to Jackson, he was inspired to create this stick when he found an old pair packed away in a box. He blended the elements of old and new to design a stick that works for everyone. “The intent of the design is to get the best sound possible,” Jackson says. “It doesn’t matter the level of the player or where you use it, indoors or out.” For more information and to order, visit www.vicfirth.com.
BlowDry Brass
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leaning a horn can be quite a task, but with the new BlowDry Brass Piston and Rotary Brass Maintenance System, you can keep your instrument clean longer. “It’s not a cleaning product; it’s meant to dry things out and keep all your equipment performing at the specs which you originally bought it,” says Lisa Forster, creator of BlowDry Brass. The kit contains a ramrod brush for your mouthpiece and bits of foam that you soak in rubbing alcohol and blow through the horn to dry it out after your last session of the day. Drying out the horn regularly prevents
gunk and dirt from building up. “There are so many variables in the human body, so why have the instrument changing on you too,” Forster says. “In marching band and drum corps, you’re moving, so you add a whole other physical element. When you’re horn morphs, you have to work harder.” Forster is an avid trumpet player herself. She played in marching band throughout high school and now plays in the Brassworks Brass Quintet and Tom Kubis rehearsal band. Visit www.blowdrybrass.com for more information and instructional videos.
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Major Events by Region West Bands of America Oct 29—St. George, UT—Dixie State College
U.S. Scholastic Band Association Oct 29—Woodland Hills, CA—El Camino Real HS Oct 29—Flagstaff, AZ—USSBA Western States Championship
Miscellaneous Oct 1—Kennewick, WA—30th Annual Southeastern Washington Cavalcade of Bands Oct 22—Eugene, OR—Festival of Bands Oct 29—Hillsboro, OR—Northwest Association for Performing Arts Championships Nov 19—Thousand Oaks and Santa Barbara, CA— Western Band Association Championships Nov 19—Huntington Beach, CA—California State Band Championships Nov 25—Honolulu, HI—Waikiki Holiday Parade Dec 3—Location TBA—Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association Championship Dec 10—Los Angeles, CA—Los Angeles Unified School District Championship
Midwest Bands of America Oct 1—Mason, OH—William Mason H.S. Stadium Oct 8—Pontiac, MI—Silverdome Oct 14-15—St. Louis, MO—Super Regional— Edward Jones Dome Oct 15—Akron, OH—University of Akron Nov 5—Indianapolis, IN—Super Regional—Lucas Oil Stadium Nov 9-12—Indianapolis, IN—Grand National Championships—Lucas Oil Stadium
U.S. Scholastic Band Association Sep 24—Jerome, ID—Jerome HS Oct 1—Caldwell, ID—Caldwell HS Oct 22—Burley, ID—Burley HS
Miscellaneous Sep 24—Luverne, MN—Tri-State Band Festival Oct 1—Champlin, MN—Champlin Park Rebel Classic Oct 1—Sioux Falls, SD—Festival of Bands USA Oct 15—Vermillion, SD—USD Quad State Marching Competition Oct 15—Ankeny, IA—Mid-Iowa Band Championship Oct 22—Minneapolis, MN—Youth in Music Championships Oct 29—Indianapolis, IN—Indiana State School Music Association Marching Band State Finals 16
Nov 5—Detroit, MI—Michigan Competing Band Association Championship Contests Nov 5—Various Locations, OH—Mid-States Band Association Championships
Northeast Bands of America Sep 24—North Huntingdon, PA—Norwin HS Stadium
Tournament of Bands Oct 22-23—Various Locations—Chapter (Region) Championships Oct 29—West Grove, PA—A Class Championship— Avon Grove HS Oct 30—Hershey, PA—Group 3 & 1 Atlantic Coast Championship Nov 6—Hershey, PA—Group 4 & 2 Atlantic Coast Championship
U.S. Scholastic Band Association
Oct 2—North Edison, NJ—JP Stevens HS Oct 2—Allendale, NJ—Northern Highlands HS Oct 8—Galloway, NJ—Absegami HS Oct 8—Newville, PA—Big Spring HS Oct 8—Dartmouth, MA—Dartmouth HS Oct 8—Delran, NJ—Delran HS Oct 8—Wallingford, CT—Lyman Hall HS Oct 8—Nazareth, PA—Nazareth Area HS Oct 8—New Milford, CT—New Milford HS Oct 8—North Brunswick, NJ—North Brunswick Township HS Oct 8—Vernon, CT—Rockville HS Oct 9—Bergenfield, NJ—Bergenfield HS Oct 9—Allentown, PA—USSBA Lehigh Valley Band Day Oct 15—Brick, NJ—Brick Memorial HS Oct 15—Cheshire, CT—Cheshire HS Oct 15—Cranston, RI—Cranston HS East Oct 15—Hamilton, NJ—Hamilton HS West Oct 15—Woolwich, NJ—Kingsway HS Oct 15—Manhasset, NY—Manhasset HS Oct 15—Flanders, NJ—Mount Olive HS Oct 15—Blairstown, NJ—North Warren HS Oct 15—South Plainfield, NJ—South Plainfield HS Oct 15—Willow Grove, PA—Upper Moreland HS Oct 15—East Rutherford, NJ—Yamaha Cup Oct 16—Ewing, NJ—USSBA Central New Jersey Regional Oct 16—Liverpool, NY—USSBA Central New York Regional Oct 22—Amherst, MA—DeMoulin Challenge-New England Oct 22—New Brunswick, NJ—DeMoulin ChallengeNew Jersey Oct 22—Manchester, NJ—Manchester Township HS Oct 22—Monroe Township, NJ—Monroe Township HS Oct 22—Rockaway, NJ—Morris Knolls HS Oct 22—Northampton, PA—Northampton HS Oct 22—Dillsburg, PA—Northern York HS Oct 22—Medford, NJ—Shawnee HS Oct 22—Somerville, NJ—Somerville HS Oct 22—Stamford, CT—Stamford HS Oct 23—Hempstead, NY—USSBA New York State Championship
Sep 24—Blackstone, MA—Blackstone-Millville Regional HS Sep 24—Burlington, NJ—Burlington City HS Sep 24—Hicksville, NY—Hicksville HS Sep 24—Flemington, NJ—Hunterdon Central HS Sep 24—Sandy Hook, CT—Newtown HS Sep 24—Lansdale, PA—North Penn HS Sep 24—Pompton Plains, NJ—Pequannock HS Sep 24—Piscataway, NJ—Piscataway HS Sep 24—Lewisberry, PA—Red Land HS Sep 24—Rocky Hill, CT—Rocky Hill HS Sep 24—Succasunna, NJ—Roxbury HS Sep 24—Tabernacle, NJ—Seneca HS Sep 24—Wallingford, CT—Sheehan HS Sep 24—Toms River, NJ—Toms River HS East Oct 1—Warrington, PA—Central Bucks South Oct 1—Jackson, NJ—Jackson Memorial HS Oct 1—Wrentham, MA—King Philip HS Oct 1—Medford, NJ—Lenape Regional High School Oct 1—Oakdale, CT—Montville HS Oct 1—Montville, NJ— Montville Township HS Keep M’ Clean with Oct 1—Wilmington, DE— Mount Pleasant HS Oct 1—Norwich, CT— Norwich Free Academy Oct 1—Phillipsburg, NJ— Phillipsburg HS The Piston & Rotary Brass Maintenance System Oct 1—Monmouth Junction, NJ—South Brunswick HS CCQ Brass Products, Inc. Oct 1—Verona, NJ— VS blowdrybrass.com Verona HS blowdrybrass@gmail.com Oct 1—Williamsport, PA—Williamsport HS
Oct 29—Abington, PA—Abington HS Oct 29—Stratford, CT—Bunnell HS Oct 29—Camp Hill, PA—Cedar Cliff HS Oct 29—Marlton, NJ—Cherokee HS Oct 29—Hillsborough, NJ—Hillsborough HS Oct 29—Basking Ridge, NJ—Ridge HS Oct 29—Southington, CT—Southington HS Oct 29—Upper Darby, PA—Upper Darby HS Oct 29—Vernon, NJ—Vernon Township HS Oct 29—Williamstown, NJ—Williamstown HS Oct 30—Allentown, PA—DeMoulin ChallengePA-with Real Time Reads Oct 30—Linwood, NJ—Mainland Regional HS Oct 30—North Plainfield, NJ—North Plainfield HS Nov 5—Bridgeport, CT—USSBA New England State Championships Nov 5—Various Locations, NJ—USSBA New Jersey State Championships Nov 5—West Chester, PA—USSBA Pennsylvania State Championships Nov 11-13—Allentown, PA—USSBA National Championships A Class
Miscellaneous Oct 29—Erie, PA—Lakeshore Marching Band Association Championships Oct 30—Lawrence, MA—The New England Marching Band Championships Nov 11-12—Hershey, PA—Cavalcade of Bands Championship Nov 12—Bridgeport, CT—Musical Arts Conference Championships Nov 24—New York, NY—Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
South Bands of America Sep 24—Richmond, KY—Eastern Kentucky University Oct 1—Arlington, TX—University of Texas at Arlington Oct 8—Conroe, TX—Woodforest Bank Stadium Oct 8—Jacksonville, AL—Jacksonville State University Oct 22—Towson, MD—Towson University Oct 29—Atlanta, GA—Super Regional—Georgia Dome Nov 4-5—San Antonio, TX—Super Regional— Alamodome
U.S. Scholastic Band Association Sep 24—Arlington, TN—Arlington HS Sep 24—Pflugerville, TX—USSBA Central Texas Preview Sep 24—Magnolia, TX—USSBA Houston Preview Sep 24—Annapolis, MD—USSBA Marine Corps Invitational Sep 24—Midlothian, TX—USSBA North Texas Preview Sep 24—Herndon, VA—USSBA Northern Virginia Regional Sep 24—Kingsville, TX—USSBA South Texas Regional Oct 1—Spring, TX—DeMoulin Challenge-Spring Oct 1—Virginia Beach, VA—Kempsville HS Oct 1—Jacksonville, FL—Oakleaf HS Oct 1—Goliad, TX—USSBA Goliad Showcase Oct 1—New Braunfels, TX—USSBA New Braunfels Showcase
Oct 1—Laredo, TX—USSBA Southwest Texas Regional Oct 1—Wylie, TX—USSBA Wylie Showcase Oct 1—Westminster, MD—Westminster HS Oct 8—Annapolis, MD—Broadneck HS Oct 8—Morganza, MD—Chopticon HS Oct 8—Cordova, TN—Cordova HS Oct 8—Burleson, TX—DeMoulin ChallengeBurleson Oct 8—Kyle, TX—DeMoulin Challenge-Kyle Oct 8—Virginia Beach, VA—Landstown HS Oct 8—Groesbeck, TX—USSBA Groesbeck Showcase Oct 8—Houston, TX—USSBA Houston Regional Oct 8—Schertz, TX—USSBA San Antonio Showcase Oct 15—Winchester, VA—James Wood HS Oct 15—Johns Creek, GA—USSBA Georgia Regional Oct 15—Towson, MD—USSBA Maryland State Championship Oct 15—Southlake, TX—USSBA North Texas Regional Oct 15—Converse, TX—USSBA San Antonio Regional Oct 15—York, SC—USSBA South Carolina Regional Oct 15—Virginia Beach, VA—USSBA Southeastern Virginia Regional Oct 22—Neptune Beach, FL—Duncan U. Fletcher HS Oct 22—Great Mills, MD—Great Mills HS Oct 22—Lynchburg, VA—USSBA Central Virginia Regional Oct 22—Sterling, VA—USSBA Northern Virginia Showcase Oct 22—Gaithersburg, MD—Watkins Mill HS Oct 29—Newport News, VA—Christopher Newport University Oct 29—Winston-Salem NC—DeMoulin Challenge-North Carolina Oct 29—Palm Coast, FL—Matanzas HS Oct 29—Baltimore, MD—Remo Invitational Oct 29—Fulton, MD—Reservoir HS Oct 29—Cookeville, TN—USSBA Tennessee State Championship Nov 5—Sykesville, MD—Century HS Nov 5—Irving, TX—North Texas State Championship Nov 5—Shenandoah, TX—USSBA South Texas Championship Nov 5—Chattanooga, TN—USSBA Southern States Championships Nov 5—Glen Allen, VA—USSBA Virginia State Championship Nov 11-13—Annapolis, MD—USSBA National Championships Open Class
Miscellaneous Sep 24—Kingsport, TN—Tennessee Valley Showcase—Dobyns-Bennett HS Oct 22, Oct 29 and Nov 5—Various Locations, SC—South Carolina Band Directors Association Marching Band Festival/Championships Oct 29—Bowling Green, KY—Kentucky State Marching Band Championships Nov 18—Orlando, FL—Florida Classic Battle of the Bands Nov 19—St. Petersburg, FL—Florida Marching Band Coalition State Finals
By the Truckload By Lydia Ness
Using traditional instrument cases as well as blankets and bungee cords, marching bands take many precautions to protect their equipment while traveling.
I
t was my second year performing with the Riverside Community College indoor percussion ensemble, and we had just switched the brand of front ensemble instruments we were using. As we unloaded the truck at our first performance of the year, we spotted one marimba that looked especially impacted from the drive. We uncovered the keyboard to find that the resonators had fallen out of place and, in the process, damaged the previously flawless frame. Even though we had used all of our prior knowledge about protecting equipment in transit, we were not prepared for this mishap. We learned how to prevent this situation from happening in the future by securing the resonators to the frame with bungee cords to minimize jarring in travel. As my own experience illustrates, knowing how each piece of equipment is best protected in transit is a large responsibility for every performing group.
By Land Loading a truck is a common denominator for performing groups. While most horn players carry their instruments 18
onto the bus, tubas, percussion instruments and guard equipment are loaded into a truck. Each truck comes equipped with various levels of unique storage for instruments. From custom-built drum bays to cubbies for guard equipment, schools make efforts toward the best care for their equipment. Cases are the first level of defense. Hard and soft cases provide different levels of protection for the instruments. Gator Cases provides a range of materials from sewn nylon all the way to flightrated road cases. “We use heavy-duty nylon materials,” says Brian Larsen, web marketing manager at Gator Cases. “Our molded plastic cases are made of a dense polyethylene plastic, which is virtually indestructible. Our flight-rated road cases are made of thick plywood covered with a PVC coating and tough aluminum valance.” Case companies constantly modify and improve their models to provide the best protection. “Our cases have gone through many different revisions,” says Suzy O’Dwyer, sales executive at Protec. “For the most part, we
try to keep our cases refreshed every one to two years [by] adding or removing features.” Most marching bands try to use hard cases for the drums and tubas that are transported on the truck. However, fewer cases are made for large keyboard and mallet instruments, so groups need to improvise. The frames are often strapped to prevent movement, but some schools go a step further and break down the instruments to the core, packing each element separately. “We took off all microphones from under the instruments, removed cymbals and accessories and placed those in cases and bags,” says Nick Medeiros, the 2010 percussion captain for Chino (Calif.) High School. “We then took off the auxiliary bars from the keyboards and stowed those away separately.” Medeiros says that the staff members also cover instruments with blankets to help securely pack them into the truck. Colorful guard equipment also gets transported on the truck. Depending on preference, some groups like The Blue Devils (BD) Drum and Bugle Corps from Concord, Calif., choose to have guard
(TSA) lock, which allows the musician to lock the case before checking it. TSA security agents have a master key for inspection, allowing it to pass through security checkpoints, Larsen says. Marching bands rarely check their large equipment on a plane because of cost and logistics. Semis and trailers are sent well in advance to their destinations. In preparation for the longer trips, extra measures are taken to ensure that the equipment will arrive safely. “We use straps to secure cases and bins on wheels and may use additional straps to secure larger drum cases,” says Danny Moylan, a fourth-year member of UVA’s marching band and the drum line’s equipment manager. Marimba and vibe keys are often removed and wrapped in blankets. The rattling of the truck for longer trips has potential to damage the keys if the resonators jar too much. Also, in the event of rain and leakage in the truck, the keys are better protected off of the boards.
d
Through Wind and Rain members pack items in individual bags while other ensembles like to have each type of equipment categorized into group bags. Christopher Morris, color guard director of Central Crossing High School in Grove City, Ohio, likes to have each set of flags in a unique bag in order to quickly identify that the correct number of pieces are present. He prefers not to have individual bags for transport because they are more easily overlooked in transit. He has a similar strategy for transporting rifles. “Sabers, however, I tend to have each individual carry with them during transit,” says Morris. “Cold sabers have a propensity to snap, so I like to keep them as warm as I can for as long as I can, and I don’t know many heated box trucks or semis.” BD members store all of their guard equipment in individual bags, including sabers, while they are on tour during the hot summer months. These bags are secured in a cubby on the truck. According to BD member Lexie Fetty, the bags are stored vertically, so that sabers won’t bend, which could
happen when stacked. Uniforms are transported on the truck or on the bus with the performer, depending on preference and often the distance of the drive. In any event, uniforms are placed in individual garment bags that help protect them from wear and tear. The marching band at University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville has a uniform crew of student leaders who are in charge of organizing, cleaning and transporting uniforms to performances, rehearsals and other events. The students place the individual garment bags on rolling racks organized alphabetically.
By Air When traveling by air, band members check the smaller instruments on the flight while staff sends larger gear by truck ahead of time. Some case manufacturers offer unique products for air travel. Protec has a case designed for carry-on, and Gator has an entire line of molded plastic cases with a specialized Transportation Security Administration
Since weather can create extensive damage on equipment and instruments, groups are forced to come up with strategies for rainy days. Morris believes the use of good electrical tape when wrapping or adhering guard equipment can best protect the equipment against weather. “When a flag becomes wet, it is heavier and will pull with greater force against the adhesion point and risk separation,” Morris says. Depending on the field, the color of the flag and the time of the year, Morris says he may use practice flags in lieu of show flags at a performance. “If I have white show silks that cost $50 per pole, and it is early season, I am less apt to use it if it is raining,” he says. “Sometimes protecting your investment is prudent versus taking the hit a bit on the GE [General Effect] side, especially when it is early season.” Similarly, the UVA drum line has two sets of drums, one set for rehearsals and a different set for performances, Moylan says. The performance drums have soft cases as well as hard cases to keep them in the best condition possible. Soft cases help protect the shells of the drums from bad weather. September/October 2011 19
Sound equipment is the most delicate in wet weather. Groups have tarps and poncho-like solutions for covering the equipment. Chino High School has tarps with each electronic component. “We also travel with several easy-up tents to prevent electronics from overheating or as an extra precaution to rain,” Medeiros says.
On and Off the Field Even if equipment arrives safely to the performance site, getting on and off of the field also presents hazards, especially for the front ensemble and guard equipment. Front ensembles do their best to avoid rugged paths that create wear on the instruments. While in transit, vibraphone pedals are raised to avoid getting caught on anything that could bend the pedal. When approaching curbs or speed bumps, marimbas are lifted in order to prevent scraping of the resonators. Brandi King, front ensemble section leader of Franklin Central High School in
Indianapolis, says that help from parents is crucial to protecting instruments in transit. The parents get the equipment off of the trailer and are assigned to move specific props and instruments. “They guide the instrument along the walkway to make sure they don’t fall apart or get stuck,” King says. “They also do not let the kids take on their own instruments by themselves until they know that the kids can handle them safely.” Color guard members protect their equipment in various ways. After warmup, each person rerolls the flags and generally bands the top with a black hair tie with no metal components, Morris says. When setting up for performances,
guard members make sure the silks are not opened before they reach their preset locations, and then they place the flags under the poles to avoid wind from opening the silks prematurely. This setup also protects the flags from being stepped on or tripped over, which can damage the silk. All of the bands’ precautions to protect their equipment will result in a better season overall. As the crowd goes wild and the last note echoes through the stadium at the end of each show, the performers parade their way off of the field and back to the truck. Uniforms are placed in garment bags, and the routine of disassembling, wrapping and loading commences again.
About the Author Lydia Ness is a senior journalism student at Biola University in La Mirada, Calif., with experience in visual, print, broadcast and public relations. She has performed in the Glassmen, the Bluecoats and The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps as well as the Riverside Community College indoor percussion ensemble. She teaches the front ensemble at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, Calif. Lydia plans to go to law school in fall 2012 and focus on international justice.
Conduct an Award Winning Performance!
AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO® RESORT
By Christina “Mav” Mavroudis
Photo by Ken Martinson/Marching.com
It was an angels/demons double team taking on the devils on the “battlefield” of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The epic showdown ended with The Cadets capturing its 10th Drum Corps International title on Aug. 13, 2011, denying the reigning champion Blue Devils from capturing a rare three-peat. While on the rain-swept fields of the Open Class Championships, Blue Devils B secured its own three-peat with a third gold medal in as many years.
About the Author Christina “Mav” Mavroudis is a field reporter for DCI.org and, since 1980, has written for multiple publications in the performing arts activity including Drum Corps World, Drum Corps News, WGI’s Focus, and A History of Drum & Bugle Corps Vol. 2. She has performed in both DCI and Drum Corps Associates, most recently as a charter member with the San Francisco Renegades. This year she coordinated DCI’s 2011 Individual & Ensemble contests in San Antonio (World) and Indianapolis (Open). Her passion is family, friends, cymbals, I&E and baking cookies for “kids” on tour. Κψµβοσ!
The Cadets Win 10th Gold Show: “Between Angels and Demons” Score: 1st Place (98.35) Director: George Hopkins Music: “Angels in the Architecture,” “160 BPM from Angels and Demons,” “Doxology,” “Amazing Grace”
S
taged as a celestial battle between good and evil, cream-garbed “angels” against maroon-decked “demons,” the contrasting uniformed Cadets entered from opposing tunnels to a full-throttle show that gave the performers nary a moment of stillness. The left side, led by a graceful angel adorned with wings, stepped in an orderly fashion onto the competitive field while a chaotic right side violently crawled to meet their adversaries, throwing orange marker cones and a crushed mellophone that had seen better days. They retained characterizations throughout their performance, culminating in a battle of percussive proportions. “My favorite moment in the show would have to be the drum feature,” says center snare “angel” Ian Wudyka, 19, a student at University of Massachusetts-Amherst. “The drum feature was intense with the battle charge, and then the whole drum line coming together and playing a unison ending.” Jeff Sacktig, visual drill designer and caption head, watched from the stands on finals night, embracing the experience with the audience. “They really stepped it up tonight, knowing it was going to be the last competitive show,” he says. “They really took ownership of
the field and put on the performance of their lives.” Sacktig, the man behind the complex drill, was instrumental in The Cadets earning the Donald Angelica Best General Effect Award and Best Visual Performance Award, two caption awards determined by averaging scores over the three nights. On the final sheets, The Cadets also took first in Visual Effect, Music Effect, Visual Performance and Music Ensemble—including an uncommon perfect score the night before in three sub-captions. “I thought it was a special program when we first started doing it,” Sacktig recalls. “The pacing of the show, the characterizations, the colorization of the show, I thought was something different. [Although] it took the whole summer to build the intensity, it was an easy concept, one that everyone could understand. It was welcoming and inviting at the same time that overwhelmed people.” Director George Hopkins describes the uniqueness of the win. “One always hopes that the corps’ best performance is on Saturday evening, but such is rarely the case,” he says. Citing nerves or overexcitement, Hopkins believes a performer’s finals generally leave something to be desired and noted that with just tenths between first and second place, it could have gone either way. “But, this year, on that evening, the Cadets were astounding,” he says. “All segments were magnificent, and the audience responded. In fact, they were on their feet for over a minute. Such a reaction is what we dream of for our kids, and this time it happened.” Wudyka, a three-year veteran, remembers it that way as well. “Our finals
performance was one of the most memorable performances I have ever had,” he says. “The execution and the high emotion levels were through the roof. It almost didn’t matter what the outcome was. We knew we performed our best and had a great time doing it.” How good was it? “It’s the best finals I’ve ever seen” in 29 years as director, Hopkins says. From a member’s perspective, Wudyka gave insight on the corps’ attitude that led the group to victory. “The people in the drums corps this year were passionate, professional, confident, friendly and willing to ascend to the highest level,” reveals Wudyka. “The work effort and camaraderie of the group made the season a lot of fun, and we had a very smooth journey down the road.” Hopkins agrees. “These folks woke earlier, worked harder, all in pursuit of perfection,” he says. “It was a pleasure to be a part of the organization; it was a joy to be allowed to lead this group. And from volunteers, to staff, to alumni and to our team in the office, we had a great run. A great experience from day one to the end.” Note from the Editor: Read more about The Cadets experience in the words of Ben Pouncey, head drum major and this year’s World Class Jim Jones Leadership Award winner, in his article “The Experience for a Lifetime” on page 36. September/October 2011 23
The Blue Devils Show Heart, With Silver and Best Guard W
World Class Scores 1 The Cadets 2 The Blue Devils 3 The Cavaliers 4 Carolina Crown 5 Phantom Regiment 6 Santa Clara Vanguard 7 Bluecoats 8 Boston Crusaders 9 Blue Knights 10 Madison Scouts 11 Blue Stars 12 Spirit of Atlanta
98.350 97.800 96.850 95.300 95.050 92.200 92.050 90.650 89.200 87.550 86.200 85.350
hile 2011 marked the fourth time that The Blue Devils fell short of a three-peat (1978, 1981 and 1998), a mere .575 is all that separated them from five championships in a row. But in this competitive activity, those tenths can turn gold to silver. After back-to-back championship titles in 2009 and 2010, it was going to be a contest right from the beginning. That beginning was June 18 in Saginaw, Texas, where the top four results ended up being the exact reverse order of how they landed in Indy: The Cadets in 4th, The Blue Devils in 3rd, The Cavaliers in 2nd, and Carolina Crown, which won the Jim Ott Best Brass Award, in 1st. The show ended two perfect seasons for The Blue Devils, but not the spirit of the corps. The Blue Devils’ legacy of excellence and style are the foundation for a staggering 14 Drum Corps International World Championship titles, including an unmatched collection of Color Guard titles by again securing the George Zingali Best Color Guard Award for a record setting fourth year in a row. To date, they have taken 15 High Color Guard placements, 13 of these directed by Scott Chandler, program coordinator/choreographer. What is the secret to such phenomenal success? “We have been incredibly blessed with talent with the performers in The Blue Devils Color Guard, and our goal has always been to make the best use of their incredible gifts,” Chandler says. “The training program is one of integrated body, equipment and communication skills. Not one part of our training exists without the other. I choreograph movement and equip-
Show: “The Beat My Heart Skipped”— music of Burt Bacharach Score: 2nd Place (97.800) Director: David Gibbs Music: “A House is Not a Home,” “Summer of ‘77,” “Promises, Promises,” “The Sweetest Punch,” “One Less Bell to Answer,” “Woman,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Wives and Lovers,” “God Give Me Strength” ment to showcase their training and the given character for the shows. Beyond this it becomes a matter of how to constantly increase the skill set and challenge with innovation.” Director David Gibbs recognizes Chandler’s part as well as the entire team in The Blue Devils’ legacy. “I believe the ongoing legacy is the talent of the staff and design team,” Gibbs says. “How they can bring such diverse shows to the field year after year and maintain the excellence of performance that is the trademark of The Blue Devils.” “The Beat My Heart Skipped,” a show based on classic 1960’s music from composer Burt Bacharach, explored the sense of community evolving from scattered set pieces to a resolved home. Like Hopkins, Gibbs also credits the performers’ perseverance. “This year the members took the risk and challenge by sharing their abilities, performing and competing at a high level,” he says. “They never gave up. From their attitude and positive approach, how they represented the organization and DCI with class, they rose to the challenge and met the risk head on all the way until the end.”
World Class Awards Donald Angelica Best General Effect Award: The Cadets Best Visual Performance Award: The Cadets George Zingali Best Color Guard Award: The Blue Devils Fred Sanford Best Percussion Performance Award: The Cavaliers Jim Ott Best Brass Performance Award: Carolina Crown Director of the Year: Tom Spataro, Boston Crusaders Jim Jones Leadership Award: Ben Pouncey, The Cadets Jim Ott Scholarship Award: Stephen M. Grindel, Boston Crusaders 24
2012 Blue devils
AUDITION CLINICS Brass audition CliniCs
Dallas, TX Pleasant Hill, CA december 10 – 11, 2011 Southern California november 19, 2011
november 26 – 27, 2011
PerCussion audition CliniCs Pleasant Hill, CA december 10 – 11, 2011 Southern CA december 3 – 4, 2011
Color Guard audition CliniC november 25 – 27, 2011
Pleasant Hill, CA
Photo credit: Jolesch Photography
APPLY NOW AT systemblue.org
For Blue Devils B, Three’s a “Golden” Charm T
hough Blue Devils B stepped off second to last, they left the field tops in Open Class for the third year in a row. The California corps had a nearly perfect season, winning all but one competition with its show, “Synchronicity.” In three years, Blue Devils B have only lost two shows. Edging out the Oregon Crusaders by three tenths of a point, BDB took 1st in Visual and Music Effect, Music Ensemble and Percussion, earning awards for General Effect and Percussion. In a changed format this year, where the complete lineup of Open Class corps advanced to Preliminary Championships, Blue Devils B went on to place 19th at the World Class semifinals, overtaking four World Class corps. “This year was very special for us because it seemed we had even more challenges than ever coming at us from every direction,” says Director Rick Odello. “But the corps members, management team, instructional and support staff, and volunteers handled each situation successfully as they arose.” Hall of Famer Odello was humble in explaining. “To join the ranks as one of the very few corps in Drum Corps International history to ever threepeat a DCI Championship title has been especially rewarding to our members and staff,” he says. “Then to have the three Open Class corps medalists all from the same DCI Pacific Division and
all on the West Coast is very interesting and quite unusual. I think the corps all pushed each other competitively throughout the season.” At the helm was DaJuan Brooks, the 19-year-old drum major who accomplished a trifecta of sorts. The first was leading his corps to a DCI Championship. Second was winning a medal in the Individual & Ensemble competition with a perfect score (100) on clarinet. Finally, being awarded DCI’s Jim Jones Leadership Award for Open Class. “I am so happy for DaJuan to be recognized as the recipient of this prestigious award,” Odello says. Here’s the topper: Not only was this his rookie year, but it was also his first year conducting. “This award means absolutely everything to me,” Brooks says. “My instructors worked step-bystep to make this possible, to help me grow as a leader and as a person, as a friend, to be the person I am today.” While Brooks may have submitted the application for the award, he truly didn’t expect to win, given this was his first year. “I was just trying to get the range of being a drum major—to learn everything a Blue Devil’s supposed to do, how we go about rehearsals. That was my main focus. Now as I go on through college to become a band director, I’ll always remember my staff and Rick Odello, the biggest mentor I’ve had all season.”
Show: “Synchronicity” Score: 1 st Place Open (95.000) and 19th Place World (76.450) Director: Rick Odello Music: “Synchronicity,” “Kaleidoscope Heart,” “Murder by Numbers,” “Krump,” “Synchronicity II” (original music)
Open Class Scores 1 Blue Devils B 2 Oregon Crusaders 3 Vanguard Cadets 4 Spartans 5 Revolution 6 Genesis 7 7th Regiment 8 Music City 9 Legends 10 Raiders 11 Forte 12 Colt Cadets 13 Les Stentors 14 Racine Scouts 15 Blue Saints 16 Spirit of Newark
95.000 94.700 94.200 91.500 89.250 86.850 86.150 84.800 82.300 81.900 79.200 79.150 72.100 69.550 63.050 56.600
International Division 1 The Yokohama Scouts 85.350 2 Jubal 80.200 September/October 2011 27
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Oregon Crusaders Shine in Its Final Hour T
outing this summer as its most successful season ever, the Oregon Crusaders took 1st in Visual Performance and Brass. Just as impressive, the group was the only corps to beat Blue Devils B all season. Director Michael Quillen points out that “no one was expecting them to be as good as they were this year, even with building upon their 2nd place finish in 2010,” he says. “But the size of the corps grew by nearly 45% this year while retaining a 60% veteran base relative to the 2010 membership level.” As for its show, “The Blue Hour,” Quillen explains the “trickle down” effect. “It was an exciting program, with a high level of integration and design depth,” he says. “It was artistic and yet had some great drum corps moments. It was a show that the members enjoyed performing, which translated into a show that the audience also enjoyed.” Hard to forget were the show’s two impressively large tarps. “We had memorable props this year,” Quillen says. “A 96-foot-diameter moon and an iconic Oregon Crusaders compass rose tarps.”
Show: “ The Blue Hour” Score: 2nd Place Open (94.700) and 22nd Place World (75.150) Director: Michael Quillen Music: “Moonlight Sonata,” “Blue Shades,” “A Hymn to a Blue Hour,” “Variciones Concertantes Op. 23” Remarkably, the corps placed 18th in Brass on World Class judge’s sheets. “Yes, this was a special group, led by a wonderful brass staff,” Quillen says. “And while the brass line was definitely one of our strengths this year, OC was a solid drum corps from top to bottom with few weaknesses in any specific caption.” Quillen quickly attributes the corps’ accomplishments to a solid foundation. “A key to the group’s success this year has been consistency in the program, the staff, and, of course, returning membership,” he says. “While the size of the brass line grew by 20 this year, nearly half were returning members.”
DCI Attendance on the Rise As one of the more competitive seasons, 2011 will be remembered for tight contests and sophisticated yet accessible programs. Even better, in this shaky economy, attendance levels actually rose. Preliminary figures for the 2011 Championships were 36,617, not including VIPs, corps and staff members. Finals-night attendance grew 9.2%, and Open Class Championships had an astounding 30% increase, boding well for the health of the activity. Drum Corps International kicks off its 40th anniversary season in 2012, with championships week from Aug. 6 to 11, 2012.
Open Class Awards Best Brass Performance: Oregon Crusaders Best Color Guard: Spartans Best Percussion Performance: Blue Devils B Best General Effect: Blue Devils B Best Visual Performance: Oregon Crusaders Most Improved: Genesis Director of the Year: Mike Quillen, Oregon Crusaders Jim Jones Leadership Award: DaJuan Brooks
September/October 2011 29
DCI.org/audition
DCI.org/parents
Everything you (and your parents) want to know about becoming a part of a DCI drum corps is only a click away. Learn more today... and take the field next summer with Marching Music’s Major League™
Drum Corps International • 110 W. Washington Street, Suite C • Indianapolis, IN 46204 • (317) 275-1212
r u O e B uest G
009 2011
009 2011
By Eliz a b
e th G eli
B
e our guest, be our guest! Put our hosting to the test! Bands love to go to competitions, but those shows and events don’t just organize themselves. Months of planning and preparation happen behind the scenes, and committees of volunteers work hard to ensure that the event is a beauty and not a beast. Organizing a marching band competition is much more than just telling everybody when and where to show up. Where will the buses park? What concessions will be sold? Who will manage the traffic flow of bands? Sometimes these events can be great fundraisers for the host school, and other times the hosts do it just for the love of supplying local groups with a performance opportunity.
Our Command Is Your Request Competition planning varies greatly depending on what, if any, competition circuit you partner with. Burleson (Texas) High School hosts the U.S. Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) North Texas Regional as well as a Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) Region 7 marching contest. “USSBA handles almost all of the show planning other than the solicitation of workers for the contest,” says Joe McGee, director at Burleson. “Their staff comes down, and it’s a package deal. We just line up our people and make sure we have badges ready.” As a result, Burleson’s top booster parents only plan a few months in advance for the events, with a more general workers’ meeting two to three weeks prior in order to familiarize all the adult and student volunteers with the event protocol.
At the ready: Volunteers man the concession stand at Appoquinimink High School’s marching event. Photo by Scott Christian.
If you or your band has ever dreamed of hosting a competition—or would like to improve your existing one—prepare and serve with flair. Band traffic flow is one of the school’s biggest priorities. “We have flow maps drawn—a map of the site and how we route the bands through it, “McGee says. In Southeastern Washington’s Columbia Basin region, things are much different for Pasco High School. Pasco teams up with Kennewick High School to host the independent event Cavalcade of Bands—unrelated to the East Coast circuit of the same name. It has also partnered with three other schools to host the Drum Corps International (DCI) show Drums Along the Columbia. Planning for these two events goes almost year round with monthly meetings and then weekly meetings leading up to the big day. Pasco and Kennewick take turns fielding the Cavalcade of Bands in alternate years. “In our monthly meetings, we have committee chairs: publicity, housing, concessions; it’s a check-in time every month,” says Russ Newbury, visual and performing arts coordinator for the Pasco School District.
Director Ryan Moseley from Appoquinimink High School in Middletown, Del., starts assembling his team of boosters four months in advance of the Tournament of Bands show that the school has been hosting for three years. This year the group will also host the chapter championship. “It’s never too early to start planning in terms of doing research and finding out what other schools are doing,” Moseley says. “Start planning the event out, so that when the day comes, things run a lot more smoothly.”
Live to Serve
Recruiting volunteers for the planning committee and day-of event staffing is one of the biggest challenges faced by host bands. According to Newbury, bringing in parents starts with the kids. “You have to develop a relationship with the student, then connect with the parents, then convince the parents that it’s in their best interest to help everyone’s kids and not just their own,” he says. September/October 2011 31
We’ll Make You Shout,
“Encore”
Here are five suggestions to bring in more money and make everything go more smoothly at your next event. 1. Prepare for Emergencies: Recruit a few more volunteers than you think you need and have them at your disposal to fill in the gaps or take on emergency tasks. Ask your local music store to supply an on-site repairman and a small stock of emergency supplies such as reeds, valve oil and neck straps. The bands will appreciate the safety blanket, and the shop can be named as a sponsor. 2. Welcome Sponsors: Get your booster parents out in the community and sell sponsorships for everything you can. Schools have had businesses and companies sponsor the trophies, programs, hospitality tent, event shirts and more. Be sure to thank your sponsors as often as possible and in as many ways as you can, so they feel their name is getting out there. You can also sell the naming rights to your event for a bigger bang. 3. Serve a Culinary Cabaret: Be bold with your concessions, and if your facility allows, try some new foods beyond nachos, burgers, pizza and hot dogs. Try baked potatoes, stir fry, spaghetti, meatball sandwiches, Asian-style rice bowls, chicken sandwiches or whatever your booster club can handle. Invite a local food truck or cupcake bakery to sell products at your event on a full donation basis or for a share of the profits. Similarly you could have restaurants donate (or give at a reduced price) some of their food for you to sell; bands have worked with places such as Carl’s Jr. or Chick-fil-A. 4. Offer Treats: Air Grams are an easy full-profit fundraiser that parents and kids both love. You can also sell commercial time to your sponsors. Candy grams and flower grams are other fundraisers that appeal to the high school students. A good ol’ 50/50 raffle can go a long way in raising money for your band. Also try raffling prizes donated by your sponsors or make gift baskets for a silent auction. 5. Embrace Social Media: Encourage the audience to tweet about the event using a particular hashtag and post photos/comments on Facebook. If your band has a Facebook page or Twitter account, encourage people to like and follow you; then use their submissions to report on the event.
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“People who buy that vision are the ones who end up coming in and doing more and sticking around after their kids graduate.” Now celebrating its 30th year, Cavalcade of Bands has tradition on its side. Many board members and volunteers have been involved for years, including one woman who marched in the first event as a high school student. Newbury also offers incentives: Part of the event profit is distributed to the students at a modest hourly wage for themselves and their volunteers. “We offer a kickback to the kids in their band accounts for participation,” Newbury says. “It encouraged families to be part of the deal.” At Appoquinimink one parent assumes the responsibility of volunteer coordinator, sending emails and making phone calls until every position and time slot is filled. “Students and teachers come out and volunteer at different times throughout the day; friends of friends all come out to help,” Moseley says. “I usually tell [the] parents to go cash in favors.” McGee keeps volunteers coming back year after year by appealing to their pride in their previous work, their city and their school. “You motivate them by saying that everyone has elected to have their event here because of how we treat the people—that people feel at home here and like to return,” McGee says. “Most of those parents really light up when you tell them we’ve been good hosts.”
We Want the Company Impressed Depending on the event, ticket sales can be a major or minimal component of your potential revenue. For Burleson’s USSBA and UIL events, most of the money is made on concessions, not attendance. “We don’t do it for the money, but it is nice to have a little bit of money left in the till,” McGee says. “The main thing for us is that all the students and directors have a great experience, and we have the crowd revved up to them. Plus our kids see how the process works, and when they see how bands are adjudicated, they perform better.” For Cavalcade, the audience is built in: parents of the performers, all who are local. Since the event has been going for 30 years, everyone in the area knows about it and makes it an annual tradition. Filling the DCI event is a much greater challenge that requires extensive marketing. While the families and fans of the Spokane Thunder and Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps do go to the event, the rest of the attendance is based on which corps perform and how big of a draw they have, so the committee sends out posters, flyers and postcards as well as produces radio and television commercials with donated or discounted airtime for publicity. “Our volunteers go to the local town music stores and big businesses and hand out flyers,” Moseley says. “And the school district public relations person puts a press release out to the community and local town newspaper, which sometimes writes articles about the competition.” In 2010, DCI scheduled the Drums Along the Columbia for the 4th of July weekend, resulting in an increased facilities fee charged by the stadium. Unfortunately the schools lost money on the DCI event and did not host one in 2011. Each competitive circuit varies on the economics of hosting. Some, such as the Tournament of Bands, charge a small registration fee and then allow the schools to keep all the profits. Some, like DCI, have larger contract fees. For Cavalcade of Bands, the schools keep all the money because it is an independent event.
: r a d n e l a c r Mark you 1 1 0 2 a c i r e Bands of Am Bands of America Grand National Championships presented by November 9-12, 2011 • Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN Featuring 100 of America’s finest marching bands. Order MFA Club Experience Finals tickets for exclusive access and prime reserved seat locations. Enjoy the stadium concourse level Expo and Student Leadership Workshop with Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser. Join us for Grand Nationals and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) running simultaneously in Indianapolis.
Bands of America Regional Championships presented by September 24, 2011 Richmond, KY Eastern Kentucky University
October 8, 2011 Jacksonville, AL Jacksonville State University
September 24, 2011 North Huntingdon, PA Norwin H.S. Stadium
October 8, 2011 Pontiac, MI Silverdome
October 29, 2011 St. George, UT Dixie State College
October 14-15, 2011 October 1, 2011 SUPER REGIONAL Arlington, TX University of Texas at Arlington St. Louis, MO Edward Jones Dome October 1, 2011 Mason, OH William Mason H.S. Stadium October 8, 2011 Conroe, TX Woodforest Bank Stadium
October 29, 2011 SUPER REGIONAL Atlanta, GA Georgia Dome
November 4-5, 2011 SUPER REGIONAL San Antonio, TX Alamodome
October 15, 2011 Akron, OH University of Akron
November 5, 2011 SUPER REGIONAL Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Stadium
October 22, 2011 Towson, MD Towson University
Performance spots are available in several BOA Championships. Call us at 800.848.2263!
Can’t be there in person? Watch online! Subscribe to the MFA Fan Network to watch Video on Demand of all Bands of America Regional Championships (post-event) and Live Webcasts of Bands of America Grand National Championships and Super Regional Championships. Subscribe August 1 or after, and get ready for the full 2011 season!
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30th Annual
We Aim to Please
Southeastern Washington
Up to 28 of the top Northwest high school marching bands competing! U T H S O E
E R N
W
A
S
G T O N I N
Saturday, October 1, 2011 Neil F. Lampson Stadium Kennewick, WA
T
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S
About the Author
8 a.m. – Prelims 6 p.m. – Finals
Be a part of the excitement! For more information and/or to register, visit our website at www.cavalcadeofbandswa.com or e-mail us at cavalcade.of.bands@hotmail.com.
2012
So with all that work and a shaky return on investment, why host? As always, it’s about giving the hard-working students a chance to shine and perform in front of an audience. “It’s a great showcase for kids to come and perform, especially in Delaware; we don’t have too many competitions,” Moseley says. Also, a little “thank you” can go a long way! “The best part is just seeing that look of achievement in the eyes of all the kids as well as the emails and phone calls after the event,” McGee says. Newbury plans to keep up the thriving Cavalcade of Bands event and hopes to bring back the DCI show. “As a father of two kids, I know the importance of how big a deal competitions were for them,” Newbury says. “These ongoing activities create character. When you can provide something that helps with self-motivation, it’s something very worth providing—it’s the stage to show the hard work that they’ve done, regardless of the bottom line.”
Elizabeth Geli is the assistant editor and web editor for Halftime Magazine and a freelance journalist and communications professional. She marched flute at Valencia High School in Placentia, Calif., and in the University of Southern California (USC) Trojan Marching Band, where she now works as a teaching assistant. She has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and a Master’s in Specialized Journalism (The Arts) from USC.
Contest Calendar percussion February 11 Ceres, CA Troy, MI
Color Guard February 11-12 Ceres, CA Indianapolis, IN* Orlando, FL Trumbull, CT
March 3-4 Atlanta, GA* Houston, TX Pensacola, FL Phoenix, AZ
March 24-25 Muncie, IN** Orlando, FL** San Diego, CA** South Brunswick, NJ*
February 18 Austin, TX Kansas City, MO Raleigh, NC
March 10-11 Cincinnati, OH* Denver, CO Salem, MA
April 12-14 Color Guard World Championships
February 25-26 Nashville, TN Riverside, CA* Rochester, NY
March 17-18 Dallas, TX** Union City, CA* Pittsburgh, PA Richmond, VA
*Two day regionals **Elite Events
wgi.org
Dayton, OH
February 18-19 Indianapolis, IN* February 25 Corona, CA Minneapolis, MN Orlando, FL March 3 Dayton, OH Phoenix, AZ Spartanburg, SC Trumbull, CT
March 10 Boca Raton, FL Hattiesburg, MS Richmond, VA Union City, CA March 17-18 Bowling Green, KY** Denver, CO March 24-25 Norristown, PA San Bernardino, CA** April 19-21 Percussion World Championships Dayton, OH
Celebrating 35 Years!
Find it at MARCHING.COM The Marching.com Resource Directory™ is your online source of everything for your marching unit—drill writers, music arrangers, fundraisers, uniforms, services and supplies.
By Jeremy Chen
Photo courtesy of University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Photo by Rose Johnson. All rights reserved.
Nebraska Cornhusker As the University of Nebraska-Lincoln moves from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, the marching band must make a few adjustments … or does it?
A
new academic year. A new football season. A new conference. As the Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band enters a new era, leaving the Big 12 to enter the Big Ten, director Tony Falcone aspires to keep traditions intact while adjusting to a new atmosphere. Halftime: How did you begin working with the Nebraska Marching Band? Falcone: I started in 1998. It was an assistant directing position in which I did some percussion work, and by my second year, I worked with a front ensemble group. I also became the assistant director and the percussion instructor. The previous band director left in 2002, … and that’s when I became the head director.
Halftime: Tell us about the band’s history. Falcone: The band program started in 1873 as part of the War Department at the school, and it became part of the ROTC group. It eventually detached from the ROTC corps and became a civilian group. In 1927, John Philip Sousa awarded a cup to the band. We won an award in 1983 for our uniform design. In 1955, we went to the Orange Bowl. From the early 1970s to the early 2000s, we had a string of consecutive bowl appearances. In 1996, we won the prestigious Sudler Trophy. We’ve also had some notable public appearances. We played at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., for a Johnny Carson lifetime achievement
Marching Band 36
concert. We were part of an NBC show called “Tommy Lee Goes to College.” We also were in the film “Yes Man.” It’s pretty much typical college band stuff. Halftime: What type of style describes the Nebraska Band? Falcone: Our pregame is very traditional marching band style with step two drills and block letters, and this pregame show is actually pretty consistent with what you see in the Big Ten bands. For halftime shows we play contemporary music. I like to go from big band stuff to Broadway stuff to very recent hit songs. We like the wall of sound approach in which music is constantly in your face. Halftime: What traditions make the Nebraska Band unique? Falcone: One such tradition is “The Band Song.” When Nebraska played its first bowl game, the 1941 Rose Bowl, ASCAP [the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers] went on strike, pulling all of its music and not allowing it to be broadcast. The Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl game were scheduled to be broadcast on the radio, and all of the Nebraska Band’s music was covered by ASCAP. This left
them with nothing to legally play on the trip. So, on the train ride from Lincoln to Pasadena, the men in the band wrote alternate lyrics to a tune called “Song of the Vagabonds” by Rudolph Friml. That song survives today as “The Band Song,” and the band sings it before every game during the march to the stadium and at other significant times. Halftime: How do you feel about the move from the Big 12 to the Big Ten? Falcone: The band is really excited about it. The Big Ten bands, in general, have their own identities and traditions. We’re not really going to change anything as we already have a proud band tradition of our own as well. Our halftime shows will reflect that we already are just like some of the Big Ten bands. Halftime: Will the band’s traditions or infrastructure be affected by this change?
Falcone: There are some differences in the pregame timing, and we would have to approach treating the visiting band differently and when we are the visiting band as well. There will be no drastic changes to the content of the shows. Halftime: How are you preparing for your season and conference openers? Falcone: Our first themed show of the season will be about new beginnings, about moving to a new place. Our first conference home game is against Ohio State, and it’s actually our homecoming. Halftime: How does the conference championship game play into the band’s plans? Falcone: We will designate one of our shows to be a travel show and modify it. This is the show that will be used for any bowl or away games in order to show the best of our band.
About the Author Jeremy Chen is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California (USC). He marched cymbals for two years at Rancho Cucamonga High School before playing bass drum and snare at Upland High School. He is currently a cymbal player and office staff member for the USC Trojan Marching Band. He aspires to one day become a correspondent for the BBC.
Behind the Baton By Ben Pouncey
Experience for
A Lifetime
10th Heaven: The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps won its 10th Drum Corps International title this past August with its show, “Between Angels and Demons.” Photo by Ken Martinson/Marching.com.
A championship-winning drum corps. An award-winning drum major. For The Cadets, the secret is waking up each morning with the right attitude. And that’s a lesson that will last a lifetime.
T
he drum corps experience is something that is difficult to express in words. It is something that cannot be explained to your friends at home or in a brief essay about “what I did this summer.” Sure, one could talk about the rehearsals, the performances, the friendships and the memories, but the true essence of drum corps is an intangible phenomenon that can only be understood by those who have had the experience. The lessons and the values that are learned through marching music’s major league are priceless pieces of information
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that I believe cannot be taught to such a capacity anywhere else. The importance of team, hard work, trust and leadership are unparalleled in this activity. Reflecting on my experience with The Cadets and as a drum major, I can undoubtedly say that I am a completely different person today than I would have been had I not been a part of the drum corps experience.
Family Support I have been exposed to music my entire life. My grandfather is a trumpet player
and a retired band director. My dad also played trumpet and participated in band all the way through college, where he met my mother in the marching band. Through this musical foundation, my interests naturally were drawn to music and playing trumpet. Today, I am a senior music education major at the University of South Carolina. My entire family including my younger brother, Brad, and my younger sister, Beth, have always been tremendously supportive of my involvement in band and drum corps.
I began watching drum corps at a fairly early age, probably before I ever picked up a trumpet! My dad marched soprano in the 27th Lancers in 1980 and 1982 as well as Spirit of Atlanta in 1981. Through my father’s experience in drum corps, watching video recordings and listening to his old cassette tapes, I immediately developed a passion for the activity and knew that it was going to play an important role in my life one day. In 2003, as an 8th grade middle school student, I began my participation in marching band. During that same year, I attended my first live drum corps show in my hometown of Columbia, S.C. It confirmed my goal to march drum corps. In 2007 I became a member of The Cadets. I marched trumpet in 2007 and 2008 and was the drum major from 2009 to 2011. I am extremely honored to have been the recipient of the World Class Jim Jones Leadership Award for the 2011 season. During the summers of 2009 and 2010, I had the unique and incredible experience of marching with my younger brother, Brad, also a trumpet player. In 2011, Brad joined me on the podium as drum major. It was an amazing experience for both of us to serve as drum majors together. For people who must eventually step down from their leadership position, their greatest wish for their organization is to hand over control to someone who will continue their work for excellence both on and off the field. Brad did an outstanding job this past season, and I know that he and the leadership team will continue to do wonderful things over the coming years.
to choose their attitude each and every day. We are taught that when you wake up in the morning, whether happy, sad, excited, depressed or indifferent, how you approach that day is your choice! A new challenge is presented every day during the course of the summer. These obstacles can be weather, equipment issues, facilities, logistics and more. The secret to overcoming these hurdles lies within the reactions and attitudes of the individuals. Allowing these challenges to impede the productivity of the drum corps would be detrimental to the success of the entire group. Choosing to work through various hardships and maintain focus on the ultimate goal ensures success at the end of the road.
different to everyone, whether it means perfection at work, perfection in your career or perfection with your family. However, if you don’t wake up each day, work hard and strive for what you want out of life, you will never get there. Yes, life will throw curve balls and things will get in the way. A job interview may not go well or an audition may not work out, but just as in drum corps, you alone have control over your reactions to these situations through the choices you make and the attitudes you embrace. The most valuable advice that I can give to others is to never live your life wondering where you are going. Drum corps is a personal lifestyle, not based
All in the Family: Cadets members Ben (second from left) and Brad take a moment to relax with their sister and parents after a performance. Photo courtesy of the Pouncey Family.
The Cadets Experience I chose to march with The Cadets because of the group’s historical tradition as a drum corps as well as the cutting-edge programs presented each year. I was always astounded by the performance quality that The Cadets produced, all while creating a program that was not only entertaining for the crowd but was also pushing the envelope of the drum corps world. After my age out this past summer, I continue to reflect on my experience in drum corps. The Cadets taught me how to relate the drum corps activity to reallife experiences. The members are taught
As Cadets, we learn that regardless of any bumps in the road along the journey of life, each day we have the opportunity to wake up, work hard and improve as we constantly strive for perfection. Perfection could mean something
on competition or winning a world championship but that of memories made and lessons learned. Through personal reflection, one will discover that the drum corps activity is not only an experience of a lifetime but also an experience for a lifetime.
About the Author Ben Pouncey was drum major with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, the 2011 Drum Corps International World Champions, for the past three seasons. He started with the corps as a trumpet player in 2007. This summer, he received the Jim Jones Leadership Award, given to an outstanding drum major in World and Open Class. Ben is a senior music education major at the University of South Carolina. September/October 2011 39
Fitness to the MAx
By Haley Greenwald-Gonella
Take a Break Make the most of those precious minutes of rest time during practices to relax your mind and body. 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 recently graduated from the University of Southern California with a 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.
S
ometimes people forget that resting when doing physical activities is important. Long practices combined with a school day or other activities can cause the body to get fatigued. Taking breaks for water and rest is important for the health of your body and your general well being. When breaks are given during practices, make sure to use them instead of continually going over patterns and playing your instrument. Realize that your instructors have factored in time for practice—and rest.
Repair Muscle Resting facilitates muscle growth. As when other athletes lift weights, resting between repetitions is important to prepare the body for the next set. Additionally, muscles heal better when athletes take days off between workouts, just like there are days when you have shorter practices and do not go through the entire show. During breaks, it might be appropriate to do a bit of light stretching to release any tension that is typical from holding an instrument or standing for lengthy periods of time.
Relax Your Mind Being a marching musician requires physical strength and stamina as well as mental muscles. When you relax, 40
your mind is more able to process information into long-term memory. For example, resting can help with music memorization just like sleep is needed before an academic test.
Replenish Additionally, make sure to hydrate during your breaks. Drink water and some kind of sports drink, if appropriate for your body, in order to replenish your body’s fluids during long practices. You could even eat a light snack to replace nutrients. If you have any kind of medical needs, make sure to use your breaks to attend to those needs.
Mirror Performance Days Taking breaks also helps prepare you for performance days, which often involve a fair amount of waiting. Resting during rehearsals helps simulate a competition, which will allow the body to better get into performance mode on performance days. When the body gets into performance mode, the heart rate usually increases, so make sure to rest before and after performances to allow the body to return to a normal state. If you just have a short break, taking a minute to sit, close your eyes and take three to five deep breaths can really settle the mind and body.
CAKE joins forces with the USSBA for
“The Federal Funding March” Contest
Win ollars D nds of nts a s u o h T rume of Inst ssories & Acce r Band! for You A Virtual Band Competition Between High School and College Marching Bands Performing CAKE’s “Federal Funding March” Submit Your Videos Beginning This September! Grand Prize Winning Band will Appear in the Video for “Federal Funding March” Plus, plenty of other great CAKE-related prizes for the Winning and Finalist Bands.
Download Rules, Musical Arrangements and Charts at www.yea.org/cake
www.yea.org/cake • www.cakemusic.com
Check for Details and Updates
By Matt Jones
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7
61. Lottery need 64. Insect or spider, familiarly 66. That girl over there 67. What the saxophone player had to cover in Lit class? (2 words) 72. “Had ___ known ...” (2 words) 73. “Edit” menu option 74. Del ___ (canned fruit brand) 75. The duck, in “Peter and the Wolf” 76. Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks coach Jim 77. Disappointed sounds
Down 1. Place with upright video games 2. Group cheered on by Americans at the Olympic Games (2 words) 3. Holders for orchestras, but not marching bands (2 words) 4. Guinness Book suffix 5. He had the 2010 album “Libra Scale” (hyph.) 6. Woodwinds that are played transversely 7. “___ Gang” 8. Word after maiden or brand 9. With two purposes 10. Trumpet parts 11. “___ you nuts?” 12. Obedience school command 13. Magazine workers (abbrev.) 18. Boat paddle 19. “Dancing with the Stars” judge Goodman 24. Actress Deborah of “The King and I” 26. Type of stocking material resembling an ocean catcher 28. Like visual displays that grab you instantly (hyph.) 29. The tiniest bit of evidence? 30. It’s divided into scenes 32. Grape soda brand 34. Drink for pirates 35. Ooze (through) 38. Charlotte Brontë novel “Jane ___”
40. Headliner 43. “Mazel ___!” 44. Apple handheld tablet 45. Improvise musically 46. U2 song covered by Johnny Cash 49. Interval between C and B on a keyboard, maybe 51. Greet the general, perhaps 53. NBA star James 55. Slow funeral songs 57. Fashion designer Anna 59. Owed back, like some library books 62. Actress Penelope 63. Game playable in some Vegas restaurants 65. Precious jewels 67. 2016 Summer Olympics host 68. Recede like the tide 69. Quid pro ___ 70. Video game with arrows and a floor pad, for short 71. “___ need to explain?” (2 words)
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.
( the weight is over )
introducing the
High Performance Flag Pole
Precision Balance System Machined from aircraft aluminum Active expansion grip for center line positioning
Balance Weights Machined from brass for precise weight without corrosion Fluted gear design for easy assembly Threaded to link multiple weights O-Ring provides compression fit
Aluminum Pole Aircraft drawn tubing for strength & precision Anodized in brushed, matt finish
End Caps Tear, crack, & weather resistant silicone
colorguardusa.com
Used exclusively by the Blue Devils and Bluecoats
Only from the mind of May
RANDALL MAY INTERNATIONAL Multiple Patents Pending
randallmay.com
Yamaha and DCI Support of Music Education by the Numbers
24
135
Different Division I / World Class Drum Corps Yamaha has supported in 27 years with DCI
DCI events each year
400K Active DCI alumni
7
All-Yamaha corps, playing Yamaha percussion and brass and using Yamaha Pro Audio
Competitions Won by Yamaha Corps
Fans attending DCI shows over the 60-day summer tour
250K
50+
Yamaha products born out of the company’s extensive involvement with DCI
DCI Championships
Madison Scouts, who won the 1988 DCI championship, selected Yamaha as their instrument partner in 1985
High Percussion Awards High Brass Awards
40+
Number of states in the DCI summer tour, with each corps traveling an average of 10,000 miles
1.2M
Number of meals the corps feed their 5,000 performers and staff each summer
20% $27M
Percentage of Yamaha Percussion artists with a Marching Arts background
Millions
Miles travelled by Yamaha staff in support of drum corps
Money supplied by Yamaha to support corps
11
DCI Hall-of-Fame members with Yamaha affiliation
The Cavaliers have been DCI champions seven times during their 25-year Yamaha bond
The Cadets have earned three DCI championships and three High Percussion awards with Yamaha
In their 37th straight year (11 with Yamaha), The Crossmen are 22-time DCI finalists
122,700 Average number of hours each corps spends in rehearsals
www.4wrd.it/ypdci1
The Colts, seven-time DCI finalists, are seven years with Yamaha
Timeline of Landmark Yamaha Marching Products & Events 1988
2000
Madison Scouts win DCI with Yamaha
1985
First year of Yamaha instruments in DCI
1990
Yamaha introduces Corps-Custom snare drum
2007
Yamaha presents MTS marching snare
1993
Yamaha introduces SFZ marching snare drum
1999
Yamaha debuts Multi-Frame I for pit percussion
Cavaliers & Yamaha: 20 Year Anniversary
2003
2005
Yamaha presents Colts, Bluecoats begin using 8200 Series FieldYamaha brass Corps Marching Toms & Bass drum
After selecting Yamaha in 2005, the BlueCoats soon reached their highest DCI finish
2010
25 years of Yamaha drum corps involvement
The newest All-Yamaha corps, Carolina Crown placed 2nd in DCI 2009
Š2011 Yamaha Corporation of America. All rights reserved. www.yamaha.com/usa www.dci.org Sources: Yamaha, DCI, DCW