Tino Meets DCI

Students and alumni share their experience at the 2022 Drum Corps International World Championships

12 | DESIGNED BY SOHA ROY PHOTO BY LISET GARCIA

VISHAL SAJEEV

Competed Open Class

AASHIN

writer

Sound comes off the field in waves. The buzz of brass fills the air, and for 10 minutes, every person in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. is completely captivated. And that, says Cupertino Senior Vishal Sajeev, made the 13-hour days and months away from home all worth it, That night in Indy was a magical moment, for Sajeev and his bandmates in the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets went on to win the DCI Open Class Championship.

The road to Indy was a long and arduous one that began shortly after last school year finished and required a level of commitment unlike anything Sajeev could have imagined.

He attended weekend camps to acclimate to the lifestyle of a touring drum corps. The camps prepared him for the auditions and helped him earn a spot on the prestigious Santa Clara Vanguard d r u m corps.

Throughout the tour, the Cadets lived away from their homes and were subjected to long hours performing and perfecting their show. The long hours were exhausting, but Sajeev said the tough“ est was something many musicians struggle with–life on the road with new faces and personalities at every stop.

He quickly learned how to get comfortable, something made easier by the shared passion of his companions. When comparing this experience to competing at the high school level, “They aren’t even comparable,” Sajeev said. “Everyone wanted to be there, and that was the difference.” Sajeev began playing piano when he was eight years old. A few years later, when he entered middle school, he began playing the trumpet as part of the school band. He continued with the trumpet throughout high school and participated in the marching band for three seasons before setting his sights on DCI. “I saw the videos and thought it was really cool,” Sajeev said. “The shows take a lot of time to put together.” On top of all the memories, the biggest takeaway for Sajeev was a newfound appreciation for hard work and dedication.

“I’ve never had to work for 13 hours a day while sleeping on gym floors and [in] buses miles away from home,” Sajeev said. It stands as one of the few times where he will have to be completely dedicated to one task for such an extended period. All the hours came together in the final show when the Cadets took the top award in the prestigious Open Class. The sound and feeling of that triumphant moment is one Sajeev said he will never forget

EVERYONE WANTED TO BE THERE, AND THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE ” VISHAL SAJEEV

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JACOB NATER

Competed World Class

ANGIE LI

writer

Texas and Georgia, before eventually ending with finals in Indiana. This rigorous travel schedule is not only riddled with long bus rides and lack of sleep but also extremely long days of rehearsal. “The average schedule for a week is you rehearse 12 hours on Monday, Tuesday you rehearse maybe seven hours, then go on an eight-hour [long] bus ride where you only sleep for two hours, rehearse for six more hours, do a show, drive six more hours [and repeat],” Nater said. “It’s like time doesn’t even really exist. There’s no night or day – there’s just a bus ride and rehearsal.” Nater notes the burnout that settled in, especially when rehearsing for hours in 115 F weather and sitting in a bus for just as long. Despite the feeling of just wanting to be anywhere else at times, Nater valued pushing himself through the hardships.

“I think w h a t makes drum corps so enticing is that it’s not easy,” Nater said. “Things that are challenging that

The stadium fills to the brim, groups flood the field and anticipation builds as results you do as a group act as a shared experience people can bond over. are announced by place and catSo even though I hated [just being egory. Fourth place, a tie for secthere], it’s part of what the drum ond and the 2022 corps experience is like.” DCI World ChamSpeaking about his experience pions are the Blue during the summer, Nater shares Devils! The how his mindset changed from crowd erupts being in it to win it, to discovering into cheers afterward that was not what matand hugs as tered. the Blue Dev“I realized after I’d won that ils take this title it didn’t mean anything to me,” for the twentieth time in history. However, even after winning big “ WHAT I REMEMEBER IS SPENDING ALL THAT Nater said. “What I remember is spending all that time with people that I love. I think it’s probably the most valuable life experience I’ve this past summer, CHS alumni Jacob Nater found fulfillment TIME WITH PEOPLE THAT I LOVE” JACOB NATER ever had. I [realized] the goal for me isn’t to win – the goal is to have a great summer.” With that, Nater hopes everynot from placing one will find their own DCI experifirst, but from his experience. ence. Believing that what

Nater started marching snare was valuable about his drum in the winter of eighth grade experience is not unique and continued to march throughto drum corps, Nater enout high school and college. Alcourages everyone to do though Nater’s goal had always whatever they enjoy – been to march with the Blue Devto make connections ils, he marched with Pacific Crest through hobbies in the 2021 DCI season because and something they were the only other Califoryou care nia group that competed due to about, or COVID-19. In 2022, he was acelse you cepted onto the Blue Devils Drum will regret Corps and began touring with the it. Said Nagroup. ter, “I feel like if

The DCI season takes place you don’t have a huge during the summer and ends with connection in your the World Championships in Aulife, there’s no point gust. The Blue Devils began their of living. I think performance tour in the northwest, that’s what gives traveled south to California and life value” continued east through states like

ETHAN WARD

Competed Open Class EVAN LU postscript editor/business manager

The crowd held its collective breath in silence, nervously awaiting the results to be announced. When the Vanguard Cadets were announced as the winners, the crowd went wild. Recent graduate Ethan Ward competed and won the DCI Open Class World Championship. However, it was not an easy journey for Ward. It took months of hard work and practice for him to get there.

Ethan Ward, a graduate of the Cupertino class of 2022, started with percussion in his sophomore year and started playing the snare drum in his senior year. After watching the performances and listening to the music from the Vanguard Cadets, Ward always knew that he wanted to be a part of the drum corps and compete at DCI. Ward said that he practiced a lot to prepare for his audition.

Ward was rejected from the snare drum position but wanted for bass drum instead. Determined to be in the Vanguard Cadets, Ward continuously practiced the bass drum. It was different from the snare drum, so he started from the beginning and learned everything quickly so he could do the audition. After weeks of hard work, Ward heard back from his audition and was excited to find out that he had been accepted into the Vanguard Cadets.

One memorable aspect of the season was the vibe of the team. Said Ward, “Overall, the vibe was goofy all throughout the “ summer, and it felt like we were all a part of a big family.” He felt that everyone brought something unique to the team and he could meet people from different places.

One good memory from his time at camp was when he could explore places on days when they were not practicing. “People rented out a boat,” said Ward. “People also rented scooters. People

walked more during the free days than the practices because we just kept walking around. I had a lot of fun during these days.” While there were many things Ward found enjoyable, one thing he IT FELT did not enjoy LIKE WE WERE was the heat. ALL A PART OF A Practicing BIG FAMILY” ETHAN WARD all day out in the summer heat, where temperatures were reaching 100 degrees, was not enjoyable. However, Ward still very much enjoyed this “summer camp” and the only thing he would change was not to overpack. After their performance in the final competition, Ward felt nervous and tense as the results were being revealed. Ward described his feelings as “kind of like someone about to smash a hammer on your finger, but they stop an inch away from your hand.” As the camp ended, Ward had a sudden flashback and realized how much effort he put into this and was glad it all paid off. Said Ward, “DCI has had one of the biggest impacts on my life, and you won’t find the same feeling of performing with people you’ll probably know for the rest of your life anywhere else”

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