Drum Corps 101

A Legend is Born

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:07:00 -0700

In 1956, a legendary drum corps was formed. The Rockford Rangers (with an all-girl color guard named the Rangerettes) was born because people wanted to see a competitive corps. Now, have you ever heard of this group? Probably not, because they are now the group who has all of us shouting "I AM SPARTACUS!" Yes, the Rockford Rangers thought that the name did not suit them. They took their new name from Stetson D. Richmond's records, so before the corps had made any public appearances, they changed to the Phantom Regiment (the all-girl color guard now the Phantomettes).

You now see them winning the World Championships, but back in 1962 that was not the case. When they decided to buy some high quality horns from the Commonwealth Edison Drum and Bugle Corps, their performances began to improve. In 1964, the Phantom Regiment had their best season. The corps was quickly becoming what you see them as today, but what happened next was a terrible tragedy. A fire in the corps set them back, and when they tried to perform in the 1965 season, they had to back out due to the lack of finances.

In 1967, on September 11th, the corps was reborn. [Okay, don't get mad at me for getting off track or anything, but look at that date. Thirty-four years later, exactly on the date they were reborn, America lost 2,976 people from a terrorist attack. Who knew that they had something in common?] "The reorganized Phantom Regiment began its first season in three years with a small corps that signed the first roster Jan. 10, 1968. There were 28 charter members." As the years past and the 1970s crept into view, the Phantom Regiment was on it's way back up the drum corps ladder.

The 1974 season had 128 members, one hundred more then only four years before. During this year, they made it into the Drum Corps International World Championships for the first time, finishing in 11th at Finals. "In 1975, the corps placed 10th. In 1976, it placed 4th. And in 1977, 1978 and 1979, the corps placed second, only a tenth or two from becoming World Champion." Almost 20 years later, they tied for first with the Blue Devils.

In the 2008 season, the Phantom Regiment got a lucky break, and won (not a tie, but actually won) the World Championships. When the announcer announce that the Blue Devils had gotten second, the noise was so loud, that you could probably hear it in the next state over. They crowd wasn't cheering for the Blue Devils- oh, no. They were cheering because Phantom had gotten first. Just writing this is really exciting; remembering how it all went down. I was there, my first time being at Finals. And my god! That, along with many other reasons, makes me want to come back for my second year, and third, and fourth. I never want to leave.

Oh, by the way. I think the announcer knew what was going to happen, because he said "the Blue Devils" really fast, so he could say it before the fans started screaming. And, lol. When he actually announced that Phantom had won, you could barely hear it. I think everyone in the corps world was cheering for them. They finally got what they deserved.

*All quotes are taken from http://www.regiment.org/

How Would We Eat Without Corps Volunteers?

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:04:00 -0700

Hello once again, drum corps fans! The whole day today, this one certain thought would not leave my mind. It started this morning, when I was eating a bowl of Spaghetti O's. As I stared at the tomato paste with macaroni swirling around inside, a thought popped into my mind- "I wish it was summer already". Summer is at least six months away, but I want it to be around the corner. As I surfed the internet, the thought came back. As I was having my flute lesson, the thought came up. When I was driving to dinner, it popped into my head again. Why couldn't I get it out of my head?

When I think about it, I realized the answer is simple. I was eating Spaghetti O's for breakfast! I mean, come on! Would corps' serve Pancakes for dinner? (Okay, some might, but you get what I mean.) When it's corps "season", they feed us...and they feed us well. The meals for one day might be: eggs, cereal, fruit, and sausage for breakfast; turkey sandwich, chips, and fruit for lunch; and chili nachos, fruit, and veggies/salad for dinner. We get good food, and the good food is also healthy.

I know that if I'm not being fed by the parents of my corps, I don't have time to eat healthy-or anything at all, for that matter. I'm a college student. If I'm lucky, I manage one meal a day consisting of...Spaghetti O's, ta-da! Either I don't have time to eat, or I'm doing something and I forget, only to remember when I don't have the time to eat. I have heard many others say the same. They only eat basically when they're fed at drum corps practices.

Who makes sure that we're fed, though? Who prepares all that food, at most three times a day, every day, not counting snacks? Volunteers, that's who. The volunteers are usually parents of kids in the corps, or had children in the corps before but had aged out, or (not that often), just people who want to get involved with the drum corps. Most of these volunteers also help with other things; like the uniforms, driving the equipment truck around everywhere, welding tympani's back together, and helping with the sound system/mixer for the front ensemble. If we had no volunteers, how would the corps get run? Nothing would get done, and, well...there would be no corps.

I just want to take the time to say, thank you. Thank you for all the hard work you guys do; for making our drum corps' possible. If we didn't have all of you to support us, to get up at five in the morning to make breakfast, to sew tears in our uniforms, to do basically anything we need, then there would be no corps for us. there would be no summer of fun; learning new things and making new friends. If it wasn't for you, we'd all be stuck at home doing stuff we shouldn't be doing and getting in trouble. But because of you, the foundation of our corps', we are surrounded by music. Once again; thank you.

With appreciation,

**Cat**

Audition Time

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:35:00 -0700

Let me start off by properly introducing myself (seeing how I didn't last time). My name is Catherine Trotter; but please, just call me Cat. I live in San Diego (actually Vista) and am a freshman in College. As an 18 year old, I have already found my passion, which is music. So what else would my major be other than football? What, you thought I was going to say music? Ha-ha, that is sooo original. But, yea. I'm just joking. My major IS music =D

Now, I know I don't have much experience with drum corps (last season was my first), but I really wanted to start this blog in hoping both you and I learn something from it. You learn from my experiences, and I learn from yours (or something like that). My first experience that you will learn about is the Velvet Knight auditions. I had many reasons to audition for this drum and bugle corps, one which was that I want to experience a new corps this year. Last year I performed with Impulse and this year I decided I wanted a new challenge.

Auditioning for VK was certainly a new experience for me. At the first of the auditions, I arrived half an hour after check-in time. The parking lot was fairly dark; lights being only a couple here and there. I saw a few figures standing around a car, and then the front ensemble instruments standing beside a really small truck. Being as naive as I was (and mostly still am), I thought all corps, even the Open Class ones, had semi's to carry their instruments.

I was really nervous about coming to this audition; I never really auditioned for Impulse. I started out as a trumpet player, and unfortunately, I blew out my knee and couldn't march. At first I tried to, and everyone told me "No, go to PIT. You'll hurt it even more!" I wanted to scream and say, "I can do this. I can! Now believe in me, you stupid non-believing people!" Ken White, the director of the corps, made me go up and introduce myself to Alex Mendoza, who was the front ensemble coach. Do you know what he said? "Well, if you DO need to transfer, you don't need to try out-I saw you perform at Bands of America." Funny story. When I wear my contacts, I look exactly like the person he saw performing at BOA. I have known her (Lauren, my twin) for all my high school years, but transferred schools during my senior year. I didn't perform at BOA, but since Lauren is an awesome player, I didn't bother correcting Alex. I'm pretty sure he figured it out when I did transfer to the front ensemble, and couldn't play that well.

Okay, okay. That was a bit off track, but that last part did have a point. Auditioning for Velvet Knights was not only nerve-racking because it was basically my first ever drum corps audition, but also because my main instrument is not percussion, and I am not that good. I have gotten better since last season, and am making great progress. The front ensemble coaches didn't think so, and cut me on the second audition. At the end of the first, they told me some stuff I needed to work on if I wanted to get in, and surprisingly, I got a whole lot better in between that audition and the next. I believe the only reason they said I didn't make it was the night of the second audition, I was an idiot and cut my finger. It hurt like hell, and looked worse. I could barely play the whole weekend (I cut my finger right where the mallet was supposed to be held).

Not making VK upset me. By the end of the first camp, I was really hoping to get in. There were a whole lot of friendly people, and basically not that much different from Impulse. It was just another corps, being a family and loving each other. The only thing that I didn't like was when we washed are dishes, the water was cold. At Impulse it was always hot, and in the summer, I really wouldn't mind if it was cold. But seeing that this was December, in 40 degree weather, oh man. My hands had never been so cold in my life!

So anyway, after I was told I didn't get into VK, I talked to everyone who was trying out for the front ensemble, and big surprise-everyone but me made it. One of the vets asked me if I wanted a hug and seemed to feel really bad that I didn't make it (it turned out to be a group hug). Then the camp was over, and everyone but me left. Only two people (the director and I think a guard coach) were still left an hour later when my mother came to pick me up. That seems; I don't know...a bit ironic? I just wanted to go home so I could cry over spilled milk, and I was forced to stay and wait for my mom for an hour after the camp ended because she thought it ended at five instead of four and wouldn't pick up her cell phone.

That, my friends, was my first experience about corps this season that you will hear about. I have more auditions coming up this and next weekend (Impulse and Pacific Crest respectively). What? You think I'm crazy for trying out for a World Class corps if I couldn't even make an Open Class??!!! Well, yes. I am crazy, but I have gotten better (so I'm not THAT horrible anymore) and my finger is all healed so I can play again. I am crossing my fingers that I make PC; and honestly, I never really thought about auditioning for them until my cousin (who turned down Phantom Regiment to help out his dying grandmother) asked me why I wasn't. If I don't make PC, I would like to march with Impulse again this season, and hope for the best.

With music soaring from every single skin cell of my body, \

-Cat

A Little Drum Corps History

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:04:00 -0700

Drum Corps International (DCI) fans, rejoice!

If there wasn't a military, there would be no such thing as DCI.

The first drum corps started out as drummers and fifers sending alerts and signals for the Army. A company of 100 men would have about two fifers and two drummers each - partly to sound signals and alarms, but also to play music when they marched so the men wouldn't get bored. The fifers and drummers from the different companies marched together at the head of parades, playing popular songs from home.

Finally, in 1890, the last American military group stopped using fifes and drums in formations. Musical ensembles descending from these popular military drum units were created by veteran organizations. They got the surplus equipment from signaling military units when they became obsolete. Classic drum corps can be traced to these old veteran organizations. Soon corps were created by more groups, such as Boy Scouts of America and Police Athletic Leagues.

In the late 1960's, the rivalry between corps started the competitive path to DCI. The Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion (AL) both ran successful competition circuits until 1970. The VFW and AL had meeting halls where veterans formed musical ensembles to entertain. The Golden Age of Drum and Bugle Corps was between 1960 and 1970. After 1970, there were some arguments about how the competitions were run by the veterans' organizations. The differences between the Veteran of Foreign Wars and American Legion were subtle, but the pressure increased to find a common judging system. In 1972, Drum Corps International was founded.

Now, in 2009, Drum and Bugle Corps has become a great sport, not only in America, but also internationally. DCI only allows people between the ages of 13 and 21 to participate. After a performer has completed his or her final year, they usually participate in an Age-Out Ceremony after their last show, and then can move on to better and bigger things. They could become an instructor for a drum corps, or maybe they would march in an all age corps in the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) circuit.

The Age-Out ceremony is conducted in a fun and caring way. The people too old for another year of DCI gather in the middle of a circle formed by the rest of the corps, and they play the field show from that year ... just for them. Most likely there are other ways to perform this ceremony, too.

This sport brings all of us together in one place. A place where music and love can be together. A place where families can gather, and friends can become family. This place is the Drum Corps International World Championships, held sometime in the first two weeks of August. Drum Corps from all over the world come to compete against one another; a tradition dating back to over 40 years ago. There are some corps that date back to an era before that, such as the Boston Crusaders (Boston, MA), originally known as the Most Precious Blood Crusaders. Some corps are totally new to the scene, or have come back from being disbanded. One of those reincarniated groups are the Velvet Knights from Pasadena, CA. The original group, from Anahiem, CA, left the performance field in 1997. They, along with the many other Drum Corps from California and across the nation are now holding auditions and clinics as they prepare for the new season and this year's journey to the DCI World Championships.

So - pick up your mallets and drum sticks. Raise your horns and flags.

Rejoice! The 2009 Drum Corps' season is here!