Halftime magazine July/August 2010

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July/August 2010

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- Drum Corps International • Marching Music’s Major League Presents -

Experience the world’s most elite marching music ensembles from the air-conditioned comfort of a movie theater near you! Live and larger-than-life from the 50-yard line of Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.

Thursday, August 12 6:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM PT

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For participating theaters and tickets visit FathomEvents.com. For event information visit DCI.org/cinema.



Volume 4, Issue 4 July/August 2010 ISSN 1939-6171 ®

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

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

Art Director Jana Rade, impact studios

COVER PHOTO Courtesy of Drum Corps International, Jolesch Photography and Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps

Editorial Assistant Elizabeth Geli

Editorial Intern Sabrina Lochner

Marketing Associate Edward F. Gobbel

Contributing Writers Catina Anderson, Lane Armey, Jeff Coffin, Haley Greenwald-Gonella, Matt Jones, Gregory M. Kuzma, Chase Sanborn, Matt Smith

Contributing Photographers Jolesch Photography, Ken Martinson, O’Neal’s Studio, Diane Sobolewski

Web Developers Mike McCullen and Jeff Grant Integrated Communications

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

Chief Technology Officer Joshua Katzman

Logo Designer Timothy Watters, Teruo Artistry Halftime Magazine is published by Muse Media, LLC P.O. Box 428738, Cincinnati, OH 45242 Phone: 310-594-0050 Fax: 310-390-5351 Website: www.halftimemag.com

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

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or most young adults, summertime means lounging in the pool, indulging in barbeques and ice-cold lemonade, and possibly roasting marshmallows while camping with their family or best friends. But for thousands of drum corps members, summertime is a totally different experience. Instead of getting cool in the pool, they’re sweating in the sun; instead of sipping lemonade, they’re downing gallons of Gatorade just to stay hydrated; and instead of sleeping peacefully under the stars, they’re cohabitating in high school gymnasiums. And they love every minute of it. Drum corps members would probably tell you that they wouldn’t trade any part of their harrowing ordeal. They’re doing what they love—performing, making lifelong friends, and challenging themselves in musical, physical, mental and emotional ways. They take these lessons into their future lives, regardless of whether they continue to march. In this issue, we salute the past, present and future of the drum corps activity by looking back at the “Top 5 Legendary Drum Corps Shows” (page 18): • 1993 Star of Indiana “The Music of Barber and Bartok” • 1984 Garfield Cadets “West Side Story” • 2008 Phantom Regiment “Spartacus” • 1989 Santa Clara Vanguard “Phantom of the Opera” • 1988 Madison Scouts “Malaguena” Learning about these shows helps us all understand how the activity has evolved into the elaborate theatrical performances we see today. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you think we got it right, or are there others that should have made the cut? An even better question would be: Where do you think the An Official Media Partner of

A Grand Nationals Media Partner of

future of drum corps is headed, and who will take the lead? We also have an exclusive Q&A with Fred Morris, director of the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps (page 30). In just three short years, he was able to revive a dying corps, build upon its rich history and turn it around to be a championship finalist. Find out how he accomplished that goal and how his journey with the Troopers also fulfilled a lifelong dream. So if you’re already part of drum corps, we wish you the best of luck this season. If you’re not, then check out our Regionals calendar (page 11) to find a show near you. You won’t be disappointed. Who knows? You might even be inspired to trade in your pool floatie for your spot on the field next summer. Musically Yours, Christine Ngeo Katzman Publisher and Editor-in-Chief An Official Media Partner of

An Official Media Partner of


Features Illustration courtesy of Brent Becker from Stanbury Uniforms.

The Evolution of Uniforms . . . . . . 13 Dating way back to the ancient Greco-Roman civilizations, marching band uniforms have strong military ties based on practical needs. From shakos to spats and everything in between, how have designs evolved or kept to their roots through all these years? By Sabrina Lochner

Top 5 Most Legendary Drum Corps Shows .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 What was the most legendary drum corps show ever to grace the football field? Did you jump out of your seat as you observed the most amazing drill move? Which performance held you captive as you listened to the most beautiful musical arrangement? Was there a show where you witnessed something that changed the activity in a way that still had you talking about it years later? Halftime Magazine asked drum corps directors, instructors and fans to give us their take on the most legendary shows in Drum Corps International history. Here are their collective picks and what made those shows so special. By Gregory M. Kuzma

Pop Stars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Marching bands rock out on music videos with top artists. Find out behind-the-scenes information on how they get chosen, the work involved and why pop groups love to incorporate them. By Elizabeth Geli

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Web Exclusives

Departments

More Legendary Drum Corps Shows “Band Geeks” on Stage; Seven Top Corps Propose New Touring • Plastic vs. Wooden Rifles Concept; Bridgewater-Raritan Performs for Tony-Related Event; Best Communities for Music Education • The Cicero-North Syracuse Sectionals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 High School Winter Guard Overcoming Boredom; Tongue Talk for Brass; Practice for • And More ... Performance in Percussion; Engage the Upper Arms in Guard Gear Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Read these stories and more exclusively at

Publisher’s Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Noteworthy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ever-Dri Performance Gloves; Xylosynth; Music In Reach and Drum Corps iPhone Applications

Regionals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calendar of events organized by region Direct From. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps Behind the Baton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . It’s Showtime Fitness to the Max. . . . . . . . . . . . . Back to Health For Fun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pop Goes the Marching Band

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www.halftimemag.com/articles/web-exclusives/index.html

Next Issue • DCI 2010 Winners • Musicians as Athletes • DRUMLine Live • And More ...


By Elizabeth Geli

Photo by Diane Sobolewski, courtesy of Goodspeed Musicals.

“Band Geeks” ON Stage

With marching bands in movies, television, commercials and music videos, it was only a matter of time before they took the stage for some musical theatre. “Band Geeks!” depicts the Cuyahoga High Marching Beavers as it struggles with recruitment and funding woes. Creator Tommy Newman, a selfproclaimed “band geek,” borrowed from his own high school experiences to write the book, music and lyrics, along with partners Mark Allen, Gaby Alter, and Gordon Greenberg. “I was a total band geek; I was, like, the geekiest of geeks,” said Newman to TheDay.com. Goodspeed Musicals, the organization behind past Broadway hits such as “Annie” and “Man of La Mancha,” commissioned the development of “Band Geeks!” and showcased it at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., from May 13 to June 6. Although the show has a built-in audience of anyone who’s ever marched, characters were added to be more relatable to anyone who went through an adolescent misfit phase. Goodspeed has sent nearly 20 shows to Broadway over the years, and there are high hopes for the future of “Band Geeks!” For more information visit www.goodspeed.org. 6

Seven Top Corps Propose New Touring Concept Big changes may or may not be on the way for Drum Corps International. Seven top DCI corps have joined together in an independent ad-hoc caucus to discuss, in their words: “How DCI might better serve the interests of all drum corps, including those groups who have a history of success for the past 20 years or more.” Participating corps included The Blue Devils, Bluecoats, The Cadets, Carolina Crown, The Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment and Santa Clara Vanguard. The groups’ leaders had been speaking in person and over the phone since January, developing a new touring concept and other suggested changes to DCI. They informed DCI in writing and over the phone about their intent, and Cadets director George Hopkins presented their proposal at the May 12 to 13 DCI Board of Directors meeting. The biggest element of the proposal is a series of events that would, in their words, “feature DCI’s ‘top acts’ in fully produced big stadium shows. These events would include pre-show and post-show activity, instant encores, interactive warm-up zones and fan participation in the judging process.” Other suggestions included reductions in DCI infrastructure to increase fiscal support of member corps, further involvement between DCI and scholastic music, and changes to the touring schedule to bring “two of the top corps” to the West Coast to compete with Santa Clara Vanguard and The Blue Devils each summer. “It seems clear that more attention needs to be paid to the future of the activity, and this plan seems to have potential,” said Bill Speakman, president of Youth Education in the Arts, the parent association of The Cadets, in the press release. “We expect compromise of course, but the time and effort spent by these seven directors and their organizations is impressive. After all, top shows more often—that is a winning concept for fans and the corps.” After the presentation, the DCI board passed a motion to discuss the touring component of the proposal in further detail at the July 16 meeting and asked for more in-depth financial analysis and documentation. On May 19 the seven corps simultaneously posted a press release on their websites. The next day, DCI executive director Dan Acheson posted an open response on the DCI website. “I would be less than genuine if I tried to make a statement without expressing how concerned I am that the differences among the member corps have brought the organization to such a level of disagreement,” Acheson said in the letter. “However, as frustrating as this can be when discussions become mired in egoism and self-righteousness, I know all of the corps representatives are noble in their pursuit of what they perceive to be the right direction for DCI.” To view the press release on the proposal, visit the websites of the seven corps involved in the caucus. To view Acheson’s letter, visit www.dci.org.


Bridgewater-Raritan Performs for Tony-Related Event The Bridgewater-Raritan High School (BRHS) Marching Band brought its regards to Broadway on June 7 at the American Theatre Wing’s Annual Spring Gala, the event that kicks off the week leading up to the Tony Awards. The American Theatre Wing contacted band director Larry Markiewicz on the recommendation of the Hal Leonard Corporation. This year’s event was a tribute to songwriter Frank Loesser (“Guys and Dolls,” “How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying”) in what would have been his centennial year. The band surprised the star-studded crowd, including Loesser’s widow, with the song “The New Ashmolean Marching Society and Students’ Conservatory Band” from “Where’s Charley,” a musical from 1948 that featured a marching band. Photo courtesy of the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Marching Band.

“The whole reason why we were there was the element of surprise,” Markiewicz says. “We stormed into the doors real quick.” Freshman trumpet player Brian Jeremiah also opened the dinner with “Fugue for Tinhorns” from Loesser’s “Guys and Dolls.” Broadway stars Harry Connick Jr., Kelli O’Hara and Megan Mullally all congratulated and interacted with the band, especially Connick Jr., who came out to the bus after the performance and took pictures with the students. “It was incredible,” Markiewicz says. “The kids were treated like professionals, and they had a great time; it was a real nice thing.” The Annual Spring Gala proceeds go to benefit the education and outreach programs of the American Theatre Wing. The BRHS band has won the U.S. Scholastic Band Association New Jersey State Championship six out of the last eight years and is currently enjoying a “three-peat.” It also recently played for halftime at a New York Giants NFL game.

Best Communities for Music Education The NAMM Foundation announced the results of its 11th annual “Best Communities for Music Education” survey in May as part of “National Wanna Play Music Week.” 174 school districts received the honorable designation, representing 30 different states. Many previous designees have reported to the NAMM Foundation that the honor has helped them as leverage when battling budget cuts or asking for more funding. “Past designees have benefited by receiving this mark of excellence, but this year’s economic environment is challenging for many communities,” said Mary Luehrsen, NAMM Foundation executive director, in a press release. “Even having earned this designation, schools are working hard to keep programs strong in the midst of some of the deepest education cuts seen in decades. We hope this award presented at this critical time will compel communities to reconsider cuts that we know are in play in many districts across the U.S.” New York had the most representation, with 47 districts on the list. Pennsylvania came in second with 21 districts, followed by Ohio with 14, Texas with 13, and New Jersey with 11. An online survey was made available to all districts and filled out by school administrators or teachers. Districts were judged on “funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and other relevant factors.” Communities that placed in the 80th percentile received the designation. While all the designees demonstrated excellence in music education in general, the list does not necessarily correspond with the most decorated marching programs. For example, Indiana’s Avon Community Schools Corporation, home of the Bands of America Grand Nationals Champions Avon High School, does not appear on the list, and neither does New Jersey’s Roxbury School District, home of the U.S. Scholastic Band Association’s Group VI National Champions Roxbury High School. However several familiar names do appear on the list, such as the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District in Texas, home of BOA runner-up L.D. Bell High School, among others. For more information and to see the complete list, visit www.nammfoundation.org.

July/August 2010 7


Overcoming Boredom By Jeff Coffin

I got an email recently from someone who is “bored” with their playing and wondered what suggestions I had to help. As musicians, we can become familiar with our own style sometimes to a point of boredom, frustration or even contempt. Don’t let it get you down. We must be creative and inspired about finding ways to be creative and inspired! 1. Listen to something or someone that is new to you. 2. Write a piece of music in any style or groove. Or write music to the words of a poem. 3. Use alternative techniques in your playing that are rhythmically, melodically or harmonically unusual for you. 4. Practice something familiar in an unfamiliar way; for example, play various scales in groupings of five notes (CDEFG, DEFGA, EFGAB, etc.). 5. Record yourself and write down at least five strengths and five weaknesses. Work on your weaknesses. 6. Watch and listen to your favorite musicians online. 7. Take lessons with someone whose playing you like. They do NOT have to play your instrument. 8. Sit in with an unfamiliar community of musicians. 9. Set up jam sessions to have an opportunity to play with musicians who challenge and inspire you. 10. Transcribe music you love. 11. Go to a museum or art gallery, draw, paint, write poetry, walk in nature. 12. Play freely and see where it takes you. 13. Make a list of the “qualities” you would like to have in your playing and writing. Work on assimilating them. 14. Learn any melody in all 12 keys. These are a few suggestions that work for me and some that have been shared by others. Open up a dialogue with other musicians and teachers because this is a common situation we find ourselves in. Find out how they deal with it.

About the Author Jeff Coffin is the three-time Grammy Award winning saxophonist of Dave Mathews Band and Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. In addition, Jeff leads his own group, The Mu’tet, which takes its name from the word “mutation,” giving way to Jeff’s belief that music is constantly changing and mutating. As a highly in-demand clinician, Jeff has presented worldwide in places from Farmington, Maine, to Perth, Australia. He is also an internationally acclaimed Yamaha and Vandoren Performing Artist. To hear Jeff’s original music, visit www.jeffcoffin.com or iTunes.

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brass

winds

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

Tongue Talk By Chase Sanborn

The tongue helps determine the forcefulness of the initial air expulsion (the attack), the velocity of the air to follow and the duration of each burst of air (staccato vs. slurred). The primary syllables involved are aa, oo, ee; daa, doo, dee; and taa, too, tee. The Syllables. The vowels (oo, aa, ee) determine the tongue level, which affects air velocity. Whisper these sounds and notice that the back of the tongue arches up toward the roof of the mouth for the “oo” and “ee” syllables. This increases the speed of the air, facilitating faster lip vibrations for higher notes. Sing a very low note, quickly followed by a very high note. Do it once with “aa” syllables on both notes, then again with an “ee” syllable on the higher note. It is much easier to change registers with a change of tongue arch level. The consonants, “d” and “t,” affect the forcefulness of the initial attack. The tongue strokes are similar; the tongue pulls away faster for the sharper “t” syllable. When practicing tonguing, make sure you work on both staccato and legato tongue styles. My Approach. The following is my approach to tonguing; others may differ. When inhaling, slurring or sustaining, the tip of my tongue contacts the gum below my bottom teeth. At the moment of attack, simultaneous with the compression and expulsion of air, the tip of the tongue jumps up to contact the gum above the top teeth, then snaps back down to the starting position. The more rapid the tongue strike, the sharper the attack. For a series of attacks, the tongue hovers just behind the upper gum, reducing the distance it must travel for each attack. Points to Remember. The movement of the tongue must be precisely coordinated with the fingers. Faulty coordination is often the cause of indistinct articulation. Timed breathing—relating the inhalation to the tempo of the music—helps to minimize stuttering attacks or a feeling of being tongue tied on the initial attack as the tongue gets trapped by the column of air. (More in my next column.)

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


By Lane Armey What do some of the best groups do that maybe yours doesn’t? They recreate the show experience in as much detail as possible.

Metronome Placement. Everyone knows to

amplify the metronome, but do you know where to place it? Put the amplifier behind the snare line when practicing in your warmup arc. This way the drum line is always listening back. You don’t want to reinforce bad habits by having the drum line listening forward. With a 15-foot guitar cable, the staff can still control the met from the front of the ensemble. Presto! Drum Stands. Stands can be a wonderful tool—and your worst enemy. Here are a few tips: 1. All or none … use stands only when the rest of your section is using them. Uniformity matters. 2. Use the memory locks. Set your stand to the exact height as your carrier, or else you’re doing more damage than good. 3. Use them sparingly, so that you can build your lower back muscles. Learning new music is a great time to use stands. A music run-through before a performance or competition is not. 4. Most importantly, set them up quickly. Don’t waste valuable time setting up a stand. Show Gear. One concept I’ve never understood is the “show sticks.” I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard someone complaining about their show sticks and how much slicker they were once the sweat started to pour. That’s what happens with new sticks! I recommend cleaning up your sticks and putting some fresh tape on them for a show but not having a dedicated pair that doesn’t get touched until you hit the performance field. You should also spend time rehearsing in your marching shoes, gauntlets and hat. All this gear restricts movement, so pull them out every once in awhile to get used to that feeling. When you hit the field, you’ll be glad you did.

About the Author Lane Armey is the marching percussion arranger for Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif. Over the past 10 years, he has worked with various groups including Northwestern University, Marian Catholic High School and the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps where he was percussion caption head in 2003 and 2004.

guard

percussion

Practice for Performance

Engage the Upper Arms By Catina Anderson

Many performers focus only on their wrists and forearm muscles when spinning or stopping the rifle. But the muscles in your upper arms and chest are extremely important for powerful tosses and even more important for strong, solid catches. This applies to flag as well. Stiff as a Board. When you stop your hand spins, when you catch your singles, even when you hold the equipment at ready position, make sure the muscles in your upper arm are engaged—meaning they feel tight. If someone were to come past you standing at attention with your rifle at right flat, they should be able to push on your rifle, and if your upper arms are engaged, the rifle won’t move very much. A Trick of the Trade. A few years ago, a friend shared this tip to help train your body to automatically engage these muscles when catching a toss. Whenever you stop the rifle with two hands, squeeze tightly with your hands but then immediately pull outward (pulling your hands apart from one another without actually moving the position of your hands on the rifle). When you do this move, you should feel those upper arm muscles tighten. Do this every time you stop the rifle, and soon it will become second nature! The same trick applies to catching horizontal flag tosses. Working on spins and stops with the rifle and pull-hit exercises with the flag will also help you practice the release and contraction of those upper arm muscles, so that you’re body understands what it feels like to lock in that solid catch. Drop and Give Me 10. And don’t forget the ever-important pushup. Yes, I know… they’re no fun. But trust me! In the long run, they’re so important. You’ll be glad you invested the time when you’re throwing 5s on rifle and catching solid only to hear the crowd erupt with applause … definitely so worth it!

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

July/August 2010 9


Music in Reach and Drum Corps iPhone Applications

Xylosynth

Ever-Dri Performance Gloves

By Elizabeth Geli

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Check out the following cool products before your next practice, show or competition.

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irector’s Showcase International (DSI) has created a handy new guard accessory—Ever-Dri Performance Gloves, made of a special moisture-wicking quick-drying material that pulls sweat away from the skin to prevent slippage. “We had noticed in all of the competition and rehearsals that they’d come off the field, and their gloves would be drenched, and they smelled,” says Jeff Dyson, Internet

marketing director for DSI. “We knew there had to be something better that we could do to solve these problems.” The new material is also 100% machine washable and anti-odor. DSI collected input from various guards and used their suggestions to add additional padding in specific locations. Guard members reported feeling like the gloves were already broken-in right away. “My gloves lasted me all summer, becoming my performance gloves,” commented Mike Turner, a member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps and Elysian Winter Guard, on the product website. “Then, last winter, I used those same gloves as rehearsal gloves. … They’re still like new.” The Ever-Dri Performance Gloves come in black and tan and cost $12.75 a pair. For more information, visit www.everdriglove.com or www.dshowcase.com.

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rum corps and drum lines are increasingly adding an innovative new pit instrument—the Xylosynth, a MIDI mallet controller. The Xylosynth looks like an ordinary xylophone or other mallet instrument, but when you hit the keys, it emits programmable MIDI sounds. Created almost 15 years ago by Will Wernick of Wernick Musical Instruments, the Xylosynth features wooden keys that reflect dynamics, nuance and playing styles, as well as a pedal input that can instantly change the key or octave of the sound. The Xylosynth is available in two-, three- and fouroctave versions. It recently became a part of The Blue Devils’ System Blue line of products. “The Xylosynth’s rugged, simple design, flawless performance and excellent customer support is key to The Blue Devils decision to endorse the Wernick System Blue Xylosynth” said David Gibbs, executive director of The Blue Devils in a press release.

In addition to The Blue Devils, corps including the Bluecoats, The Cadets, Carolina Crown and Pioneer and WGI competing groups such as Rhythm X, Riverside Community College, San Diego State University and Ayala High School currently use the Xylosynth. “We are honored and excited,” Wernick said in a press release. “The Xylosynth has already proved itself in the WGI indoor drum line competition and is now available to those playing outside.” For more information, visit www.wernick.net.

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nity to create more tools for music education.” Also in this series of apps are Instruments In Reach, a fingering chart app, and Rhythm in Reach, an educational music game to help develop rhythm reading skills. Ferland has also partnered with DCI and The Blue Devils to create their own apps. The DCI app will include a full schedule, real-time scores, the official DCI news feed and “Field Pass”—the DCI podcast. The Blue Devils app will work in conjunction with its Mediabox program, providing fans with video, audio and pictures dating back to the 1970’s. A schedule, scores and news from The Blue Devils, DCI and Drum Corps Planet will also be included. Users will be able to submit photos, videos and messages to the corps. Currently all of these apps are available for iPhone only. The Music In Reach apps vary in price from $0.99 to $1.99. The DCI and Blue Devils apps are free.

eed to know a fingering for your instrument? There’s an app for that. Want the latest DCI scores? There’s an app for that too. Former band director Daniel Ferland has produced a number of iPhone applications to aid young musicians and fans of Drum Corps International (DCI). The Music In Reach iPhone applications provide fingering charts, trill charts, a music dictionary, video practice guides and audio files of popular etudes specific to that instrument. Each instrument is sponsored by a professional musician who serves as a virtual instructor. Currently the app is available for flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone. “I was a band director for eight years and am an assistant band director,” says Ferland, head of project development. “I got into the technology field and when they released the ability for people to create their own apps, I just put two and two together and thought it might be a good opportu-


Major Events by Region West

Northeast

Drum Corps International

Drum Corps International

July 2—San Diego, CA—Corps at the Crest-Vista July 2—Salem, OR—Drums of Fire July 3—Walnut, CA—Corps at the Crest July 3—Hillsboro, OR—Portland Summer Music Games July 4—Pasadena, CA—DCI at Americafest 2010 July 5—Riverside, CA—Western Corps Connection July 5—Tri Cities, WA—Drums Along the Columbia: A DCI Northwest Classic July 6—Boise, ID—2010 Boise Summer Music Games July 7—Ogden, UT—Corps Encore July 9—Loveland, CO—Drums Along the Rockies-Loveland Edition July 10—Denver, CO—Drums Along the Rockies July 10—Fremont, CA—California State Open July 11—Dublin, CA—Loudest Show on Earth July 16—Corona, CA—Dream Invitational July 17—Paramount, CA—So-Cal Classic July 18—Mesa, AZ—Southwest Corps Connection II

Midwest Drum Corps International July 1—Oswego, IL—Festival of Brass July 2—Cedarburg, WI—Rotary Music Festival July 3—Michigan City, IN—Pageant of Drums July 6—Boise, ID—2010 Boise Summer Music Games July 6—Metamora, IL—River City Rhapsody-Metamora July 7—Dublin, OH—Emerald City Artistry in Motion July 9—Akron, OH—Innovations in Brass July 10—Kalamazoo, MI—DCI Kalamazoo July 11—Naperville, IL—Cavalcade of Brass July 12—Fairfield, OH—Summer Music Games in Cincinnati July 13—Hutchinson, KS—Allstate Starlite Drum-O-Rama July 13—Carmel, IN July 14—Omaha, NE—Drums Across Nebraska July 15—Sioux Falls, SD—Sioux Empire Spectacular July 16—La Crosse, WI—River City Rhapsody-La Crosse July 17—Minneapolis, MN—DCI Minnesota July 18—Rockford, IL—Show of Shows July 18—West Des Moines, IA—Summer Showdown July 19—Wichita, KS—Drums Across Kansas July 19—Kansas City, MO July 31—DeKalb, IL Aug 1—Paw Paw, MI—Drum Corps in the Village Aug 2—Centerville, OH—Soaring Sounds 30 Aug 2—Rice Lake, WI Aug 3—Masillon, OH—Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Drum Corps Competition Aug 4—Eau Claire, WI—Drums on the Chippewa Aug 6—Greendale, WI—Music on the March Aug 7—Belding, MI—Silk City Rhythms Aug 8—Dubuque, IA—Music on the March 2 Aug 8—Dayton, OH—The Dayton Summer Classic Aug 9—Toledo, OH—Summer Showcase Aug 10—Michigan City, IN—DCI World Championships Open Class Quarterfinals Aug 12-14—Indianapolis, IN—DCI World Championships

Miscellaneous Aug 6—Indianapolis, IN—Indiana State Fair Band Day

July 2—Bristol, RI—Summer Music Preview July 3—Lynn, MA—The Beanpot Invitational July 5—Bridgeport, CT—Bridgeport Drums July 6—Chambersburg, PA—Music in Motion July 8—Pittsburgh, PA—Three Rivers Summer Music Games July 16—Brockton, MA—Saturday Night Lights July 17—Groton, CT—Drum Corps on the Thames July 18—Manchester, NH—Fiesta De Musica Aug 3-4—Erie, PA—Lake Eerie Fanfare Aug 5—Rome, NY—Drums Along the Mohawk Aug 5—West Chester, PA—Music in Motion Aug 6-7—Allentown, PA—DCI Eastern Classic Aug 6—Lawrence, MA—East Coast Classic Aug 8—Clifton, NJ—Music in Motion-New Jersey Aug 8—Buffalo, NY—Drums Along the Waterfront

South Drum Corps International July 19—El Paso, TX July 20—Edmond, OK—DCI Central Oklahoma July 20—Van Buren, AR—Battle on the Border VI July 21—Broken Arrow, OK—Drums of Summer July 21—Abilene, TX July 22-23—Dallas, TX—DCI Dallas Presented by North Texas Festival of Drums and Bugles July 22-23—Houston, TX—DCI Houston Presented by THE exSIGHTment of SOUND July 24-25—San Antonio, TX—DCI Southwestern July 24—Warrenton, VA—Drums Corps in Northern Virginia July 26—Lafayette, LA—Drums Across Cajun Field July 26—Denton, TX—Red River Thunder July 27—Ocean Springs, MS—Mississippi Sound Spectacular July 28—Hattiesburg, MS—DCI Southern Mississippi July 29—Gadsden, AL—DCI Gadsden Presented by Alabama Battle of the Brass July 29—Milton, FL—Sounds of the South July 30—Murfreesboro, TN—Pearl Presents The Masters of the Summer Music Games July 31—Atlanta, GA—DCI Atlanta Southeastern Championship Presented by Lake Oconee & Greene County, GA Aug 1—Rock Hill, SC—NightBEAT Aug 2—Sevierville, TN—Drums Across America Aug 3—Salem, VA—The Summer Music Games of Southwest Virginia Aug 4—Fairfax, VA—Drum Corps in Fairfax

Miscellaneous July 4—Washington, D.C.—National Independence Day Parade July 18-20—Nashville, TN—Summer NAMM July 25-28—San Antonio, TX—Texas Bandmasters Association Convention/Clinic


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Illustration courtesy of Brent Becker from Stanbury Uniforms.

By Sabrina Lochner

Dating way back to the ancient Greco-Roman civilizations, marching band uniforms have strong military ties based on practical needs. From shakos to spats and everything in between, how have designs evolved or kept to their roots through all these years?

Military Roots Uniforms began as a practical way for militias to wear armor and protect themselves. They emphasized safety instead of uniformity. Yet, to show loyalty to the land they were protecting, the men

would wear a sprig from a local plant or feather from a local bird in their hats. This tradition served as the basis for the modern plume. Not only does the plume date back to the Middle Ages, but so does the tradition of distinct drum major uniforms. Enlisted men would wear issued overcoats, sometimes accessorized to show their units. But officers purchased their own outfits. Today, drum majors’ uniforms often stand out from the rest of the band. Popular white uniforms or black uniforms with white gloves help the conductor pop against a crowd. In the 17th and 18th centuries, military uniforms drew upon French design and ornamentation. Uniforms adopted elaborate trim, hats and buttons. Technology also allowed fabrics to be dyed more colors. “The color wasn’t so much about aesthetics as it was being able to tell one team from another, much like what we have in our sports teams today,” Becker says. “With all the artillery fire, smoke and dust, the colored uniforms were practical. Military musicians were issued brightly colored uniforms; during the Civil War, they wore baby blue and purple uniforms. It was too

Image courtesy of DeMoulin Bros. and Co.

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hile the 2010 World Cup played on TV, Brent Becker—a Stanbury marching band uniform designer—watched and became inspired by the American goalie’s jersey. Becker quickly grabbed a pen and started sketching band uniforms. He watched the rest of the match while drawing. Becker gets design ideas while watching TV, attending car shows and going about his daily life. When inspiration hits, he’ll sometimes leave a verbal reminder on his cell phone. Pen sketches come next, followed by drawings with colored markers. He’ll usually create 15 to 20 sketches per client. While modern objects influence band uniform designers, uniforms still reflect ancient, military roots. Some elements date back to Greco-Roman times! As the marching arts have developed and technology has evolved, uniforms have too, yet they remain linked to their past. “Marching band uniforms won’t escape their military past outright,” Becker says. “It’s important to understand where uniforms have been in order to get a sense of where it’s possible to take them.”

July/August 2010 13


Illustration courtesy of Brent Becker from Stanbury Uniforms.

expensive to outfit the entire military in these colored uniforms, so they were reserved for the band. And the color difference helped the enemy recognize musicians, so they wouldn’t shoot them, Becker says. In the 19th century, the West Point Cadet style uniform with bars across the chest became popular military outfits. The West Point Cadet style uniform has remained popular for some marching groups such as The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps and L.D. Bell High School.

Band uniforms have gone from 100 percent wool to polyester blends and washable fabrics. Fred J. Miller (FJM) Inc. strictly offers washable uniforms. And Stanbury Uniforms is experimenting with a new athletic-like fabric called XtremeDri, which helps wick sweat off the body. Overall, outfits have become more athletic, streamlined and abstract. Becker thinks the loss of confidence in the military during the Vietnam War sparked the change in marching band uniforms.

Photo courtesy of DeMoulin Bros. and Co.

Bands pattern their uniforms after military uniforms because that is where the marching arts developed. Drummers kept the cadence for military units in battle, and buglers were added later. The military bands grew into parade bands, marching bands, and drum and bugle corps. Interestingly, many collegiate marching bands were bundled into the school’s ROTC program. At Michigan State University, the Spartan Marching Band began in 1870 with only 10 members; all were Civil War veterans. Even in the 1940s, the group remained a part of the ROTC. The marching band got its first non-military uniform in 1952. The new uniforms were green and white with a decorative white cross-strap and white hat with a green and white plume.

Contemporary Construction, Design David LeBlanc, a representative for DeMoulin Bros. and Co., says that uniform construction has improved greatly since the 1960s. “Uniforms today are far more comfortable,” he says.

Michael J. Cesario, uniform designer for FJM, believes there are other reasons for less militaristic band uniforms. Military ornamentation, such as citation cords, can be hard to see from a distance. Instead of thinking about a uniform as a singular item you see in a mirror, you must think of the uniform in terms of multiples seen at a distance, he says. “I’m the one taking the military stuff off the uniform,” Cesario says. Uniforms have also needed to adapt with changing marching styles. Curvilinear marching is now more popular than block styles. Stripes down uniform legs don’t appeal as much in curved forms as they do in straight forms, Cesario says. Likewise, spats—which add to visual effect but also have military roots and practical uses to protect the shoes and ankles—are now thought to bring attention to differences in shoe size instead of uniformity, which explains why some groups have stopped using them, he adds. Forward-looking uniforms are using color gradation effects. This means a uniform could be black at the feet and fade to a white jacket. Lately, there has also been a trend toward using reflective


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Illustration courtesy of Brent Becker from Stanbury Uniforms.

material such as plastics, sequins and mirrors. Jacket cutouts, where color peeks through windows, are gaining popularity. These windows allow schools to switch the underlying colors yearly to match their show’s theme. Groups are also replacing long coats with short jackets to change the students’ silhouette. Richard Fruhauf, executive vice president at Fruhauf Uniforms, says that ensembles are choosing short-waisted jackets to create an illusion of height. Fruhauf Uniforms, which is celebrating its 100th year of making band uniforms, has experienced and led design changes firsthand. In addition, some groups are muting the band in darker colors, so the audience looks at the color guard’s work, Becker says. For some bands, this change shows a shift to more theatrical performances. Not to mention, the dark uniforms help hide dirt. According to Cesario, uniform design must meet three criteria: “visibility, identity and practicality.”

Group Identity While contemporary design has become more acceptable, members at Fruhauf, FJM, Stanbury and DeMoulin agree that the uniform must fit the ensemble. “Marching band is a show of sight and sound, and uniforms give you identity,” Fruhauf says. The uniform provider must understand the group’s mentality and the kind of performances they strive to create. In some parts of the country—especially the South—traditional uniforms reign supreme. Other parts of the country— like the East—boast more contemporary uniforms. Not only are there regional differences, but drum corps tend to be more progressive than high school and college bands, Fruhauf explains. But some corps do choose to maintain a traditional look to preserve their identity. The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps performed in new uniforms this season. Although the group had new uniforms in 2008, it wanted a different

look to match its new vision and to pay homage to its history. The 2008 uniform had a dark green jacket with a red tie, small gauntlets and the corps’ traditional white Aussie hat. But beginning in January, Jim Mason— legendary director of Star of Indiana, founder of “BLAST!” and now artistic director of the Madison Scouts—worked with Brent Becker to refocus the ensemble’s look. The latest uniform now nods to the Madison Scouts’ 1970’s and 80’s uniform and to the corps’ history with the Boy Scouts of America, says Chris Komnick, executive director. (The group once wore actual explorer Boy Scout uniforms, which were dark forest green with neckerchiefs!) Over the years, the group experimented with military-style uniforms; however, it kept returning to elements of the Boy Scouts uniform. Thus, the 2010 uniform is forest green with white citation cords, a white tie, white gauntlets, and a black and silver sash. The white Aussie hat has black and silver trim that—like the sash—can be changed for different colors year-to-year. “The essence of being a Madison Scout is captured in the uniforms,” Komnick says. Wearing the uniform draws pride from the Madison Scouts. As members came in for final uniform fittings, Komnick noticed that the kids stood taller and puffed out their chests. At the Madison Scouts, the uniform is talked about as being a Superman suit, Komnick says. The Scouts must carry themselves professionally in their outfits. “You don’t step on Superman’s cape,” he says. Marching band uniforms are a source of pride for students nationwide. Fruhauf, who has joined his son’s high school uniform committee, sees firsthand how students light up while wearing his company’s uniforms. “Everyone needs to feel good about themselves,” he says. While uniforms today employ modern construction techniques, the militaryinspired costuming evokes the same sense of importance and grandeur as during ancient times.

About the Author Sabrina Lochner is an editorial intern for Halftime Magazine. She recently graduated from Syracuse University with bachelor’s degrees in magazine journalism and political science and a minor in architecture. She served as drum major of the Syracuse University Marching Band for three years and has played the clarinet since fifth grade. She will be attending law school in the fall.


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By Gregory M. Kuzma

Photos courtesy of Drum Corps International

Legendary Drum Corps Shows What was the most legendary drum corps show ever to grace the football field? Did you jump out of your seat as you observed the most amazing drill move? Which performance held you captive as you listened to the most beautiful musical arrangement? Was there a show where you witnessed something that changed the activity in a way that still had you talking about it years later? Halftime Magazine asked drum corps directors, instructors and fans to give us their take on the most legendary shows in Drum Corps International history. Here are their collective picks and what made those shows so special.

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rying to determine the most legendary shows in drum corps is no small task. Sure, there are the “fan favorites”—such as Carolina Crown’s “Triple Crown” in 2007 or The Blue Devils’ “Big, Bad and Blue” that featured “When a Man Loves a Woman” in 1992—that captured the emotions and tugged at the hearts of fans around the world. You could even consider every championship show a legendary performance dating back to the Anaheim Kingsmen’s program capturing the very first medal in 1972. But even runners-up and other finalists may have had standout presentations but simply been ahead of their time. To help figure out which shows made a lasting impact on the activity, Halftime Magazine asked drum corps directors, instructors, members, alumni and fans to help us rank the top five most legendary Drum Corps International performances of all time.

About the Author Gregory M. Kuzma (www.gregorymkuzma.com), who simply goes by “GM,” is a freelance writer and the author of the book “On the Field From Denver, Colorado … The Blue Knights!,” which highlights his 1994 summer tour adventures as a drum corps member.

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1 993 Star of Indiana “The Music of Barber and Bartok”

fter 17 years, the most legendary performance in the history of DCI is still the most talked about show to date: 1993 Star of Indiana’s “The Music of Barber and Bartok.” However, the show didn’t even win championships, coming in second behind The Cadets of Bergen County. The 1993 DCI World Championship program described the show as one of torment and revenge, “all the anger and scheming retribution found in the allegorical myth was captured in the sonically-searing ballet score of Samuel Barber’s ‘Medea.’” The show also included portions from Bela Bartok’s “Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste,” work written for an unusual combination of instruments. Some who witnessed a live performance say the show design was way ahead of its time. “Star ’93 was different than anything that had been done or has been done since,” says Len Insalaca, who watched long-time friend David Bayardelle marching lead baritone for Star in Jackson, Miss. “The combination of music selection, drill and overall visual program were not the norm for drum corps; Star had shifted the activity conceptually from musical entertainment to an art form.” “Medea’s Dance of Vengeance” became probably one of the most memorable drum corps endings in DCI. Built upon a succession of stabbing rhythms, unforgiving in its relentlessness, the blasting volume of Star’s horn line painted a striking picture of Medea’s final fit of rage, leaving the audience in a shocked and jolted daze. Jim Mason, a lifelong veteran of drum corps, was the creative force behind Star of Indiana since the group’s founding in 1985. According to Star of Indiana’s website, Mason wanted to “play the game, win the game, and change the game.” After Star won the DCI World Championship in 1991, he then focused on his third goal of changing the activity

by taking a show concept where no designer has gone before. Star’s 1993 drum major, Matt Harloff, credits Mason’s “dream team” of DCI Hall of Famers who came in to design the ultimate drum corps show that could stand the test of time. “We knew we had something special just by watching the creative staff do what they do best,” Harloff says. “They were so excited about creating this show; you could see it in their eyes. The members owe everything to them as they were the real magic in making Star ’93 what it was.” By playing music from obscure composers not really known for being a part of most drum corps musical repertoires, the musical design significantly divided the fan base; you either loved it or hated it. However, the visual design, which consisted of variations of body movement and dance, was a huge success as it took asymmetrical drill to a new dimension. The visual design was incredibly difficult yet amazingly clean. “We’re still talking about it,” says drum corps fan Wayne Barron. “Star didn’t care if the fans understood the show, they didn’t care how loud the horn line was, but what they did care about was being in control of everything in that show. Although The Cadets of Bergen County defeated Star by one tenth of a point, it was widely agreed that Star had the better show overall. “Odd isn’t it? Cadets won with a show called, ‘In the Spring, At the Time When Kings Go Off to War,’ but nobody ever talks about that show from 1993,” Barron says. “It’s always about Star’s ‘Medea’ show.” After the 1993 season, Star of Indiana went inactive to take on a new direction in brass theater with the Tony Awardwinning “BLAST!” that still runs today. Gone but not forgotten, the Star Alumni Corps will be performing an exhibition at the 2010 DCI World Championships with selections from its nine seasons of competition.

Rank (Score): 2nd (97.30) Director: Jim Mason Musical Selections: “Meditation” from “Medea”; Allegro from “Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste”; Second Meditation; “Dance of Vengeance” from “Medea” Trivia: Star of Indiana won its first and only DCI World Championship in 1991 with “Roman Images.” It is also the only World Class drum corps to make DCI finals in its first year of existence with a 10th place finish in 1985 by performing “The Music of Walt Disney.”

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Rank (Score): 1st (98.000) Director: George Hopkins Musical Selections: Selections from “West Side Story”—Maria, Prologue/ Rumble, America, Tonight Trivia: According to urban legend, the idea for the infamous “Z-Pull” came to George Zingali as he stirred a pot of spaghetti.

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1 984 Garfield Cadets “West Side Story”

lthough known by many names, The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps has also been known to produce a number of shows that can be considered legendary in their own right. The group’s innovations from the 1980’s have become worldwide standards. However, the 1984 production of “West Side Story” is thought to be one of the most legendary shows of all time. “The staff really wanted to build on the momentum of the previous year,” says Dave Fowler, a percussionist from 1984. “It was almost like they sat around saying, ‘What can we do to make this show different and memorable?’“ Aside from breaking tradition and starting the show with the ballad “Maria,” the corps moved continuously with some tempos reaching 208 beats per second. Garfield was also one of the first drum corps to split its marching drum line by having the snares and tenors march on opposite sides of the field during part of “America.” George Hopkins had taken over as executive director only the year before. Since then, he has been one of the leading architects of modern-day drum corps and was named to the DCI Hall of Fame in 1997. His team consisted of eight other soon-to-be Hall of Famers. “We were in Bernstein-mode, and the crew believed we had another twist at it.” Hopkins says. “We wanted to stay American, and it was the 50th anniversary of The Cadets—we had to do it!” The Cadets design team had already

taken asymmetrical drill design to new heights in 1983 with the help of legendary drill designer, George Zingali, who created the “Z-Pull.” With this and other unique moves, The Cadets went on to be the first drum corps to win three consecutive DCI World Championships in 1983, 1984 and 1985. “I believe the successes of the corps in 1984 came about from the manner in which the instructors connected with the musicians on the field,” says Marcie Farrell, mellophone player. “The instructors worked hard to teach the corps how to take the audience to Broadway and experience a true performance.” But the 1984 season wasn’t always perfect. During the show in Whitewater, Wis., a dozen members of the horn line fell during the Z-Pull move at the end of the show. “One member fell backing up, then other members fell over him as it was a blind backup on the last move,” Hopkins says. “All did get back in, and the crowd was dead silent. After the show, we received a perfect 10 in ensemble visual; folks were appalled.” In the end, The Cadets 1984 championship win made giant strides for the future of drum corps. “People still talk about this show today because it was this year that the crowd and judges started to accept the eccentricities of George Zingali’s visual programs,” Farrell says. “It was this show that started pushing other corps to take a risk to do something different.”


Photo by Jolesch Photography, www.jolesch.com.

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2 008 Phantom Regiment “Spartacus”

hen Phantom Regiment announced that it would be performing “Spartacus” for the third time in its corps history, some rolled their eyes. Others, however, felt this was a “golden” opportunity for the corps to rise to the top of the DCI elite. “After all of the years of getting silver, after all of the years of ending the season with, ‘Well, at least the crowd loved you,’ we finally pulled it off,” says Courtney Lawrence, a euphonium player who marched from 2004 to 2008. “That trophy is for every single alumnus of this corps. We finally brought one home to Rockford.” Under the direction of Rick Valenzuela, the dreams of the 2008 Phantom Regiment members, staff, alumni and fans came true. Not only did Phantom Regiment win its first lone championship (the first was a tie with The Blue Devils in 1996), the corps made its mark in legendary status by taking storytelling to the next level. In the decade of amplification and vocals, this modern-day production was done without a narrator explaining the scenes. “People still talk about ‘Spartacus’ even today because it was a show that everyone felt inside,” says Christina Wixom, trumpet player from 2007 and 2008. “I was told by some of my friends that while we were performing, they couldn’t even look away.” Despite the fact that Phantom Regiment performed this show only two years ago, it is already achieving

legendary status as it stole the hearts and minds of the drum corps community. Phantom Regiment started the championship competition in 4th place, fought its way to 3rd place in quarterfinals to 2nd place in semifinals and then finally to 1st place in finals. Following its DCI performance, Valenzuela told Halftime Magazine that “Spartacus” was a show that was going to bomb or be an absolute hit. “The audience was invited into the performance, and they all came along for the ride,” said Valenzuela. “I told the corps after finals that they are a part of something so special that no one would ever be able to take that away from them.” That year, the members also put more emphasis on knowing corps history and being “one corps” vs. a group with three sections. “Spartacus” came to a dramatic climax with the spearing of the head drum major as thousands of fans in the audience spontaneously yelled, “I AM SPARTACUS!” “Everything that was done on the field was done for the audience and with an attempt to make the audience feel,” says Zach Allyn who played trumpet in 2008. “Whether that was blood lust when Spartacus had his first kill, shock at the death of Phrygia at the end of the ballad or sadness turned to a triumphant hope, honoring our hero and his life. We loved every moment of that show, and I think that’s what came through to the audience.”

Photo by Jolesch Photography, www.jolesch.com.

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Rank (Score): 1st (98.125) Director: Rick Valenzuela Musical Selections: “Ein Heldenleben” by Richard Strauss; Various selections from “Spartacus” by Aram Khachaturian; Toccata from “Piano Concerto No. 1” by Alberto Ginastera; “Dance of Ecstasy” from “Danses Fantastiques” by Loris Tjeknavorian; “Battlefield” from “KA” (Cirque Du Soleil) by Rene Dupere Trivia: Phantom’s score of 98.125 was the closest margin ever between first and second place in DCI World Championships history.

July/August 2010 21


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1 989 Santa Clara Vanguard “Phantom of the Opera”

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Finals Rank (Score): 1st (98.800) Director: Gail Royer (deceased) Musical Selections: Selections from “Phantom of the Opera”—Angel of Music; Masquerade; Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again; Track Down This Murderer; Don Juan Triumphant; Music of the Night Trivia: SCV came in second place four consecutive years (1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988) before winning the 1989 DCI World Championship.

ne of the most recognizable musicals to ever hit the football field, “Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber has probably been watched by more aspiring drum corps members than any other production since 1989. Santa Clara Vanguard’s production vaulted the corps to DCI World Champion status after coming in second place four consecutive years prior. Myron Rosander, one of Vanguard’s show designers in 1989, has a special place in his heart for this legendary show. “For me personally, it’s especially memorable because it was the first drill for SCV that I had ever designed completely on my own,” he says. “It was an exciting time, but a very scary time as well as so much was at stake.” That wasn’t the first time that Vanguard had performed music from “Phantom.” In fact, the very same show concept was performed in 1988 with different musical arrangements and visual design, not unusual for that decade. Only this time, Vanguard added a few bells and whistles along with a little magic. “The biggest challenge was redoing a show that had been immensely popular the year before,” Rosander says. “A concerted effort was made to bring new ideas to the show, mixed in with some of the elements that had already proven successful the year before; everyone on staff could feel how important this was to Gail Royer [then-director].” The show was visually more complete: The horn line and battery members wore “Phantom” masks, larger prop masks were spread around the field, adding a themed backdrop for the musical, and the pit performed in

Web Exclusives Visit our Web Exclusives section at www.halftimemag.com to read comments about these and other shows as well as view a list of “Honorable Mentions.”

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“masquerade” masks. Although other drum corps such as the Sky Ryders and Velvet Knights were already wearing non-traditional costumes in their shows, SCV was able to get the most out of its props to maximize its general effect score. This reincarnation of “Phantom” literally brought the essence of the musical into the stadium. For Christina Mavroudis, who has been involved in the drum corps activity for more than 32 years as a performer and reporter, witnessing “Phantom of the Opera” was a life-changing event for her and her daughter. “We saw their very last full performance complete with magic and masks,” she says. “Emily, who was 7 years old, knew drum corps but only from videos. The emotion coming from their performance stays with me to this day. Emily was mesmerized and ended up marching with the Vanguard organization for eight years.” To clinch legendary status, the show designers capped off the final moments with one of the most memorable magic tricks in DCI by making the entire drum corps disappear. The baritone soloist (who was dressed as the Phantom) “vanished” under a sheet while seated in a chair. As the crowd’s attention was focused on the disappearing Phantom, the rest of the drum corps “vanished” behind the large prop masks spread around the field. “Most of the magic of our shows came straight from Gail Royer’s standards set for the corps from the beginning, along with very strong members and staff,” says Ralph Hardimon, the percussion arranger and caption head from 1976 to 1990.



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1 988 Madison Scouts “Malaguena”

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f you asked people who witnessed the 1988 Madison Scouts what they thought of the show, they would probably tell you it was “pretty good” up to the downbeat before the corps played “Malaguena,” halfway through the show. At that point, however, it became “legendary.” In one of the most stunning comefrom-behind victories in drum corps history, the Madison Scouts captured the DCI World Championship in what proved to be a very mysterious conclusion to the 1988 season. The Scouts accomplished a lot of goals that year— such as performing part of the summer in Europe and celebrating its 50th anniversary—but winning the championship was not even on the radar screen. “We weren’t thinking championship; we were hoping that we could just finish the season ahead of the Velvet Knights,” says Brian Gregg, who marched euphonium from 1986 to 1990. “We had been beaten by Phantom Regiment, The Cavaliers, Garfield Cadets, The Blue Devils and Santa Clara Vanguard. There was no reason to think we would be top five, let alone contenders for the championship.” Many felt the Madison Scouts were a “dark horse” coming into the DCI World Championships. Part of the show’s legendary standing comes from a change in DCI’s procedure that year. The format was unlike any

Rank (Score): 1st (97.100) Director: Scott Stewart Musical Selections: Concerto for Guitar and Jazz Orchestra; Malaguena Trivia: Fans selected this show for the second DCI Classic Countdown in 2006.

© 2009. Ken Martinson/Marching.com. All rights reserved.

Photo courtesy of Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps.

other championship in DCI history. For the first time ever, prelim scores were not announced and the judging lineup for finals was selected at random from a pool of judges. Also, DCI determined the performance order for finals by having the corps directors “draw a number from 1 to 12 out of a hat.” The corps were split into two groups between the bottom seven and top five corps to accommodate the live television broadcast where only the top five would appear. Placing 7th in 1987, the men of Madison were surprised to find they were drawing a number from the top five in 1988. The corps drew #11 and went on second from last before the Garfield Cadets. Little did anyone know that the Scouts were already ranked #1 coming out of prelims. “At the time it seemed to be a great thing that just happened, but like 1975 [when the corps won its first DCI championship], which went down to be historic and iconic, 1988 is one of those shows that the crowd wanted,” says Bryan Hughes, who marched contra bass bugle and is currently a member of the Madison Scouts Board of Directors. “Almost like Phantom in 2008, it was pure magic, and the crowd just could feel what was fixing to happen.” Paul Bailey who marched in the low brass section as a rookie, says that some people told him, “DCI finally got it right,” and there was a sense that maybe the activity would be going in a different direction. However, history would never repeat itself again as the “mystery” format was voted down the next year and reverted back to its predictable nature. “After we won [Director] Scott Stewart pulled us together on the field and shook his head and said, ‘It’s just the icing on the cake’ as we had been performing at that level for quite a long time, and we were finally acknowledged for it,” Bailey says. “It also reinforced that we were going to do it a different way, not worry about scores and other groups and focus on our own personal responsibility in performance and in life.”


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By Elizabeth Geli

Marching bands rock out on music videos with top artists. Find out behind-the-scenes information on how they get chosen, the work involved and why pop groups love to incorporate them.

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ince the beginning of MTV to the YouTube videos of today, marching bands have always starred in music videos. Three of the most recent examples include: the Pasadena City College (PCC) Lancer Marching Band in the Mariah Carey video for “Up Out My Face” featuring Nicki Minaj, the West Vancouver Youth Band in the Michael Bublé video for “Haven’t Met You Yet,” and the University of Notre Dame Band of the Fighting Irish in the OK Go video for “This Too Shall Pass.”

Casting Call When artists or directors decide to use a marching band in their video, they

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contact a casting director or agent to find one. In cases where a college band is available, they are usually preferred because working with minors requires additional release forms. “As a college band with students 18 and older, production companies love to call us for such things,” says Kyle Luck, director of bands at PCC. “They also wanted us because our uniforms fit the color scheme of their video concept—it kind of looks like a Target commercial.” The “Up Out My Face” video features a stylized red and white color scheme. The PCC band, which marches each year as part of an honor band in the Tournament of Roses Parade, perfectly fit in with their red jackets and white pants.


dent ith a stu poses w You lé t b e u M B l ’t e “Haven : Micha g o uth in e o z Y id a v r e v is So Am Vancou ot of h e West the sho th f o sy during rte oto cou Yet.” Ph . d Ban

For the Bublé video, filmed in Vancouver, location played the biggest role in selecting the band. “We’re one of the last remaining uniformed marching bands in Western Canada,” says Douglas Macaulay, principal conductor and program director of the West Vancouver Youth Band. “There is a huge amount of production in Vancouver, so things naturally fall to us on occasion because we have the track record.” The group also performed in a music video for the Canadian pop punk band Marianas Trench. For the OK Go video, the process was completely different. At a football game in 2008, the Notre Dame Band performed OK Go’s hit “Here It Goes Again,” famous for its treadmill dance routine music video. In its show, Notre Dame formed two giant stick figures running on treadmills. Someone showed the YouTube video to OK Go, and the group loved it. “It was really super impressive to see 400 people working together and completely synchronized,” says Tim Nordwind, bass guitar player and vocalist for OK Go. “We were really impressed and got a hold of them pronto to say, ‘Thank you,’ and that we think they’re awesome and offered them the opportunity to work with us sometime.” Notre Dame director Dr. Ken Dye met with OK Go and video director Brian Perkins. The group selected a song that

Dye then arranged for the marching band. OK Go scouted out locations on the Notre Dame campus and announced to the band at practice that they would be filming a music video together; anyone who wanted to stay during their fall break could participate.

Recording, on Location More than 100 Notre Dame band members decided to give up their vacations and stay on campus to film the music video. The whole process took a week. The video features OK Go in marching band uniforms going through a field. As they progress, members of the Notre Dame band appear and surprise the audience in various ways. Some students were the “Ghillie people,” wearing grass suits, so that they blended into the ground. “I had to get on the ground, and there were bugs crawling into the costumes,” says Catherine Carrell, a trombone player. “Everyone was relaxed though; it was such a cool experience that no one really complained.” One full day was dedicated to rehearsing and recording the audio track. For the final day of filming, the entire sequence was filmed more than 25 times. The band played live on every take. “It was so fun; they are so enthusiastic and psyched, and they just want to be a part of something,” says Perkins. “They

were so earnest and ready to work— I feel almost like I’m a booster of Notre Dame. I had never known anything about it, but I’m a huge fan now.” Most of the time, the bands and band staff are much less involved in the production and creative end of the music video. For the PCC band at the Mariah Carey video shoot, the team was less sure about what they wanted the marching band to do. “A lot of it is learning how to interpret,” Luck says. “Everything that you see the band do there, I sort of choreographed on the spot. They just said that they wanted the band to make some formations; they don’t understand that we can’t just instantly do that.” The West Vancouver Youth Band filmed the Bublé video at night. The video takes place in a grocery store and then spills out into the parking lot for a giant celebration. The band stayed on set from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. “It was kind of daunting at first; there were 100 dancers,” says Toby MacFarlane, a trumpet player in the West Vancouver Youth Band. “We practiced it a couple of times and figured out where we had to be, and I was right smack in the middle.”

Almost Famous Appearing in a music video offers many benefits for marching bands. In Canada, marching bands are not connected to schools, and the West Vancouver Youth Band received a donation for the Michael Bublé video. For the Mariah Carey video, the PCC students were individually paid for their time. The Notre Dame students did not receive payment although OK Go provided meals for them, signed posters and sent them albums. July/August 2010 27


nd dents a and stu Dame b oo Shall Pass.” e tr o N T o: ame o “This Set, G the vide ity of Notre D Ready, arse for rs e e h iv re n o U OK G of the ourtesy h. Photo c hting Iris ig F e th Band of

The marching bands also gain a tremendous amount of exposure. Individual students spread the word to their friends and family over social networks. “I think the most rewarding part was that I came home after graduation and one of my sister’s friends knew about it,” Carrell says. “Everyone in my community has heard about it. Everyone who was in the band posted it on Facebook. It was a lot of positive reaction.” One element particularly enjoyed by students is the chance to meet and interact with the celebrities. “I think it was pretty cool to get to meet Michael Bublé,” MacFarlane says. “He wasn’t born a famous person, so he talked about how it was different to be a local Vancouver boy.” The Mariah Carey video was directed by her husband Nick Cannon, who had worked with marching bands before as the star of the movie “Drumline.” “I did get to meet Nick Cannon, and he was really nice and told us we were doing great and thanked us,” says Alissa Gonzalez, band manager and piccolo player at PCC. OK Go spent more than two hours signing autographs and taking pictures with students. The Notre Dame band gave OK Go some gifts as well. “They brought us out at halftime of a football game and gave us Notre Dame Marching Band helmets to keep; I have mine in my room now on display—I see it every day when I wake up,” Nordwind says.

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Dream Come True All the groups and participants contend that the experience of participating in a music video with an established artist is the greatest reward in itself. “It was fun; it was exciting,” Gonzalez says. “To see the final product was really neat, and the fact that you can say you were in a Mariah Carey music video or in a music video at all is pretty awesome.” MacFarlane is proud of his work although hearing the song so many times at the shoot left him a little fatigued. “It felt really, really cool to be in something like that; there were a few seconds that you could see me personally,” MacFarlane says. “I hear the song now, and it drives me nuts, but it’s pretty cool to see the video every once in awhile knowing I was a part of that. It’s probably the only time in my life I’ll do that.” Although there were bugs crawling on her, and she spent days throwing herself on the ground and jumping back up, Carrell loved working on the OK Go video. “We were sore; it was hot; we were tired,” she says. “But it was such a cool experience that’s going to be with us for the rest of our lives.”

For OK Go, working with a marching band is an experience they truly enjoyed. “To put on a uniform and wear a harness and instrument while marching and singing—it was a dream come true in a lot of ways,” Nordwind says. “I suppose lately the spirit of our videos has been to make the impossible possible. I thought my time to be in marching band was long gone, and I was pretty psyched to be able to do it.” OK Go plans to appear at another Notre Dame football game this fall. Nordwind enjoyed playing with the band so much that he thinks more groups should do the same. “It’s really awesome to be surrounded by that kind of sound—it was kind of emotional towards the end when all the people are playing; it’s a very special thing and unlike any other musical experience I’ve ever had,” he says. “If I could recommend it for every rock band to work with a marching band, I would.” Note from the Editor: To see a list of marching bands in other music videos, visit the “Web Exclusives” section of our website at www.halftimemag.com.

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



By Sabrina Lochner Photo by Ken Martinson/Marching.com

Known as “America’s Corps,” the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps has been a fan favorite for more than half a century even though the group hadn’t made finals in 23 years. That all changed last season. Fred Morris, the current director and 2009 Dr. Bernard Baggs Leadership Award (Director of the Year) recipient, talks about his three-year journey with the corps that fulfilled a lifelong dream.

T

aking the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps from its struggles in 2006 to a finals birth last year, Fred Morris—recipient of last year’s World Class Director of the Year Award—has a lot to be proud of. Here, he discusses his steps toward that achievement and the corps this year.

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Halftime: How did you become Troopers’ director? Morris: They had the 2006 season off. And I got asked to take over the corps May 2006. Halftime: Going back even further, what was your musical experience like? Morris: Well, growing up as a kid, I was a drummer. And I was in a marching band that was sponsored by a VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars] post. I had no idea what drum corps was, and I was up in Michigan in a contest. After competing, I hurried up and changed, so I could figure out what this drum corps thing was. And the very first drum corps I ever saw in my life was the Troopers. I knew then that I always wanted to march [with the Troopers], but my parents said I wasn’t allowed to go to Wyoming. It wasn’t even a settled state (laughter). Anyway, so it was kind of a dream come true to become the director. I’ve followed this corps, and it’s always been my favorite since I was 15. Halftime: Last year, the Troopers made finals for the first time in 23 years. Describe that moment.


Morris: Boy, that was quite a thrill. … I was personally on a three-year program. I kind of thought we could do that. I had seen other organizations, and I knew our programming and our design team. I just felt we could accomplish that in three years. And we did it! Halftime: What challenges did you face? Morris: This corps was in some financial constraints. We hurdled that the first year. And then it was just setting up a program that was worthy of recruitment. We upgraded the instructional staff and everything from our office management to the administrative end. We set goals each year that we obtained or surpassed. And we just kept upgrading every year. Halftime: Describe the group’s 2010 show. Morris: The design team and I sat down at finals [last year] and started mapping out where we wanted to go with this show, we titled “Wanted.” We figured, “Well, we’re in 12th spot, we’re going to have a target on our back, and everyone is going to be after us.” But as the thing evolved over the winter, we decided, “Well, we don’t want to look like we’re desperados out on the range.”

We kept our cowboy theme going, but we’ve now taken that word, “Wanted,” and moved to an emotional level like desires and needs. Halftime: This is the largest membership in the corps history, with 142 kids. Why? Morris: This is our 52nd year on the field, and I think the history of this organization is so deep and historic. It was one of the founding fathers of DCI, and the kids respond to that. Halftime: Last year, you won the Director of the Year Award for World Class. What was that like? Morris: We’re literally sitting in a director’s meeting after having been announced that we made finals night. I’m sitting there looking at the schedule and looking at a sheet of how to get on the field. And they announce director of the year.

And I’m sitting in the back of the room, and I heard my name. I’m like, “What?” I was shocked. Particularly coming from your peers, they relate to your everyday road woes and what it takes in the wintertime. So coming from all those guys, who’ve been at this a lot longer than I have, that’s pretty special stuff to me. Halftime: What’s your favorite memory from directing the Troopers? Morris: Watching this program go from zero kids to our very first camp back in November 2006 when we had 22 kids to what it is today. … Bringing this corps back to what it is with the rapid success that we’ve had, it’s staggering. I have to pinch myself every once in a while. Note from the Editor: To relive the Troopers’ amazing 2009 season, check out the documentary “Hell Bent for Victory.”

About the Author Sabrina Lochner is an editorial intern for Halftime Magazine. She recently graduated from Syracuse University with bachelor’s degrees in magazine journalism and political science and a minor in architecture. She served as drum major of the Syracuse University Marching Band for three years and has played the clarinet since fifth grade. She will be attending law school in the fall.

July/August 2010 31


Behind the Baton

“ A

y, check out that white dude!” “Hampton’s recruiting white boys now? I knew y’all were struggling, but DANG!” In my first game as a drum major, we faced one of our bitter rivals, Howard University, on its home turf. I was a proud member of the Hampton (Va.) University Marching Force, and both Hampton and Howard are HBCUs: Historically Black Colleges and Universities. At that time, in 2001, you could find white members of Black college bands, but a white drum major was all but unheard of. Greene Stadium is in northwest Washington, D.C., and from the moment I stepped off the bus, people stopped, stared and shouted to their friends about me all the way through halftime. At a Black college football game, almost every moment is an opportunity to play, dance, sing or chant, and the two bands battle back and forth the entire time. The movie “Drumline” only begins to tell the story of our pride. During the first half, I focused intently on every movement, refusing to let their fans see me sweat, even while wearing a heavy wool uniform and cape with the heat index over 100. Before every halftime performance, the Force rallies around the drum majors to get hype for the show, and our director— the late, great Barney E. Smart—sent me over to Howard’s home side to make sure we had enough room to circle up. Shako in one hand, mace in the other, I strolled past the home crowd stands, and my fluffy brown hair made it clear that I wasn’t just “light-skinned.” I heard every slur you could imagine, plus a few that 32

Photo by O’Neal’s Studio

By Matt Smith

As a leader at an HBCU band, a white drum major must overcome stereotypes to earn respect and achieve his personal goals. seemed to be made up on the spot. I kept my game face on and eyes straight ahead; if ever there was a time to “leave it all on the field,” it was now. We high-stepped and grooved through the show, and their fans were all about our dance routine. We “got house,” a better reaction from their home crowd than Howard’s band did. As we strutted back to the bleachers, past those same hostile fans, no one said a word as I passed. I felt vindicated, having dented those “white people can’t dance” stereotypes and getting some respect along the way. Yet I had to literally put on a show to

earn the right to be considered equal to my brothers and sisters in the band, and it gives me pause to know that there are many who must fight far harsher battles every day because of their ethnicities.

The Question Whenever I mention that I went to an HBCU, a reaction is inevitable. I know what they really want to know: “So, why did you go to a Black school?” For me, it wasn’t as difficult of a decision as people expect. I grew up right outside of Detroit, and most of my high school classmates and friends were Black.


Our director, Ben McKnight, took us to competitions at Hampton, Virginia State and Florida A&M, and our band’s style emulated them. I had scholarship offers from quite a few schools—Hampton included—but I loved the Force, and I would be able to graduate in five years with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Most of my friends and family members were supportive, but there were a few who tried to talk me out of going: “What if you’re the only white person?” “What if they don’t accept you?” They realized that living in an HBCU environment would be uncomfortable for them and projected that onto me. I try to make choices based on my own values, passions and goals and not based on what others might think or expect of me. I never looked back.

The Lessons The first time I tried out for drum major, I failed miserably; I didn’t even finish the warm-up run around campus on the first day. It would have been easy to give up, but we often learn more from failure than from success. You will make mis-

takes, and much of your legacy will be determined by how you move forward. It is easy to let your ego get the best of you once you’re tapped for a leadership role. Remember that you have been promoted in rank and not in worth. The few moments of glory are far outweighed by the gritty day-to-day responsibilities of running the band, and you may be surprised by how much you must do that few others will witness. Humility and passion for servant leadership are what will ultimately endear you to your family in the ranks (but don’t forget you still have to kick the show!). Hampton has one of the most moving alma maters I have heard, and after every game, the team, the fans and the band

all link arms to sing together. The refrain continues to resonate with me: “O Hampton, we never can make thee a song Except as our lives do the singing, In service that will thy great spirit prolong, And send it through centuries ringing!” To let your life do the singing is to lead by example in word and deed, to never compromise your values or your integrity, and to do the very best you can with what you’ve been given. To make these commitments is to be well on your way not only to success, but also to inspiring those you are charged to lead. How’s your singing?

About the Author Matt Smith performed in the Southfield (Mich.) High School Marching Blue Jays for four years and the Hampton University Marching Force for another four. He served as a drum major his senior year. He holds both a B.A. in Music (clarinet performance) and an M.A. in Teaching from Hampton University, is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and is a Ph.D. candidate in Educational Leadership at the University of Nevada. Matt is working on a memoir about his time at Hampton.

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Fitness to the MAx

By Haley Greenwald-Gonella

Back to Health B

ack health is extremely important, especially when you spend a lot of time standing and traveling. Here are some exercises to keep your back in good shape and to help alleviate pre-existing pain during this marching season and throughout your whole life.

Try these exercises for your back muscles to keep you standing tall and marching with less pain. Cat-Cow 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.

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In the morning, warm up your back and start to engage your abdominal muscles, which are very connected to your back, by doing a few rounds of cat-cow yoga poses. Start on your hands and knees. On an inhale, engage the abdominals, keep your shoulders rolled back, lift your chin, chest and tailbone to the ceiling, and let your stomach drop slightly to the floor, like a cow. As you exhale, tuck your chin in toward your chest and lift the center of your back toward the ceiling, so that your back mimics a scared cat. Think about your abdominals squeezing from the sides of your body in toward the center of your stomach. Do a least five rounds of cat-cow.

Side Stretch Strong abdominals are key to a healthy back. If you have been standing for a long period of time, a good way to check in and see if you are engaging your abdominal muscles is to do a few side stretches. Standing up tall, raise your arms over your head, and press your palms together. On an inhale, lift through your chest and lean over to your right side. If you feel a “crunching” feeling in your lower back, then your abdominal muscles are probably not engaged.

Make sure to tuck your tailbone and engage your abdominal muscles. Then try the side stretches again on both left and right sides. Do two repetitions.

Forward Fold A good stretch for your back is an easy forward fold. This stretch is also nice for the hamstrings. Stand up straight. Roll forward and down from the crown of your head. Bend your knees slightly. Make sure the crown of your head is parallel to the floor. Clasp your elbows with the opposite hand above your head. Take at least 10 breaths. Unclasp your hands and then roll up slowly.

Spinal Twist In the evening, a spinal twist is a great way to literally unwind. Lying on the floor, pull your knees into your chest and then shift your hips to the right and your knees to the left. Make sure that your knees are in line with your hips. Take your arms straight out from your shoulders and press your palms down into the floor. Turn your head away from your knees to the right. Let your shoulders release and open with each exhale. Each breath moves you deeper into the twist, wringing out your spine. Paying your back a bit of attention and keeping your abdominals engaged while you are marching will help keep you standing tall.


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By Matt Jones

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Across 1. News that’s full of rumors 7. “To ___ is human, to forgive divine” 10. Rock’s ___ Speedwagon 13. Functional periods 15. Like the moistest, most frosting-covered chocolate cake 17. It’s got the highest register in the brass family 18. Their “Morris Brown” song from 2006’s “Idlewild” was backed by Atlanta’s Morris Brown College marching band 19. Pink Floyd founder Barrett 20. Actor Penn of the “Harold and Kumar” series 22. At 0-0, maybe 23. Prevented from leaking out (2 words) 26. Ultra-fast jet 36

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29. “No Doubt” lead singer whose solo albums feature some backing marching bands (2 words) 32. ___ Zedong (former Chinese leader) 33. Monteverdi title opera role based on the legend of Orpheus 34. Uno plus due, in Italian 35. Squishy mixture used to make paper 36. Pickle flavoring 37. Horns, really (when stretched out) 39. “___ just so happens ...” (2 words) 40. Leaning typeface, like this (abbrev.) 41. Abbreviation on some sheet music 42. Grab the steering wheel and go 43. He’ll help heal your hound 44. With 55 Across, band that was escorted into

the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with a marching band (hyph.) 47. Biceps site 48. Attacks, like pirates raiding a village 49. “Measure of ___” (Clay Aiken debut album) (2 words) 51. Constant complainer 52. One time around the track 55. See 44 Across 58. Verizon competitor (hyph.) 61. Strong Irish accents 62. Stores money for later (2 words)

63. Jerusalem’s country (abbrev.) 64. 1960s college protest group “reformed” in 2006 (abbrev.) 65. Like generic brands (hyph.) Down 1. “No ___, no glory” 2. Grand Ole ___ (Nashville concert venue affected by floods in 2010) 3. Seven-card ___ (poker variety) 4. ___ card (removable cell phone storage unit) 5. Little mischief-maker 6. Glance upon, like on a secret answer sheet (2 words) 7. Pompous attribute 8. Choreographed numbers, such as marching patterns 9. Spiral-shaped pasta 10. Is able to figure out the notes (2 words) 11. Suffix after giant or poet 12. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Mel 14. Like old pretzels 16. Dwight Eisenhower’s nickname 21. Where logic and details are processed, it’s said (2 words) 23. Mariners pitcher Ian 24. That, en español 25. “I double dog ___ you!” 27. It’s accumulated in a spit valve 28. Number for a David Letterman list (2 words)

29. Big name in chocolates 30. Author 31. Key for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (3 words) 35. Hilton who says, “That’s hot” 37. Able to play instruments well, perhaps 38. www addresses, for short 42. Eminem mentor Dr. ___ 44. Old counting device with beads 45. Deli case selections 46. “I am the ____, I am the walrus ...” (Beatles lyric) 50. “Family Guy” daughter 52. Simpson who plays the sax 53. Grad 54. Cartoon skunk Le Pew 55. Baseball stat also called a “ribby” (abbrev.) 56. Hospital areas with restricted access 57. Leaky tire sound 59. Lacto-___-vegetarian 60. Actor Affleck

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.


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• The Madison Scouts begin using Yamaha Percussion • First Year of Yamaha Marching Percussion instruments in DCI use with White, Chrome and Silky Silver

• The Cavaliers begin using Yamaha Percussion

• The Madison Scouts win the DCI Championship

• The Corps-Custom marching Snare Drum is introduced

• Yamaha celebrates 25 years of Drum Corps involvement

• Carolina Crown wins High Brass Award

• The Cavaliers win the DCI Championship and the High Percussion Award

• Carolina Crown begin using Yamaha Brass and Percussion becoming the next “All-Yamaha” drum corps

• The SFZ Marching Snare Drum is introduced

• Yamaha and The Cavaliers celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the corps using Yamaha

• The Black Forest line of percussion is introduced

• The Red Forest line of percussion is introduced

• The Madison Scouts begin using Yamaha Brass instruments becoming the next “All-Yamaha” drum corps

• The Cavaliers win the DCI Championship and win the High Percussion Award

• Yamaha and the Madison Scouts celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the corps using Yamaha percussion • The Bluecoats begin using Yamaha Brass, Percussion and Pro Audio products becoming the next “All-Yamaha” drum corps • The Colts begin using Yamaha Brass, Percussion and Pro Audio products becoming the next “All-Yamaha” drum corps

• The Cavaliers win the DCI Championship

• The Cadets win the High Percussion Award for the 3rd year in a row • The 8200 Series Field-Corps Marching Toms and Bass Drums are introduced

• The Cavaliers win the DCI Championship and the High Brass Award • The Cadets win the High Percussion Award for the 2nd year in a row

• The Cavaliers begin using Yamaha Brass becoming an “All-Yamaha” drum corps and the first to win the DCI Championship • The Cadets begin using Yamaha Percussion becoming the next “All-Yamaha” drum corps and win the High Percussion Award • The Crossmen begin using Yamaha Brass and Percussion becoming the next “All-Yamaha” drum corps

• The Multi-Frame I for pit percussion instruments is introduced

• The Cadets begin using Yamaha Brass, are named DCI Co-Champions and win the High Brass Award • The Cavaliers are named DCI Co-Champions and win the High Percussion Award • The MTS Marching Snare Drum is introduced

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