Get your hankies ready.

Title is my exact question. I assume there’s obviously a TON of marchers that are going to school for either music ed or performance or something of that sort.

How common is it that there are majors like stem or business that succeed in drum corps?

Not that the major defines the person, just curious

Hi guys, I normally just scroll in here and whatever, but something has been bugging me for a couple years now. There's no Memphis Blues flair. I marched in 2023 and I think it'd be really cool to show off every year I've marched so far. I dunno who's in charge of that but this is my formal plea to add that pretty pretty plzz.

I've seen Gravity and Grace maybe three or four times now, including live in person at finals, and I absolutely don't want to diminish the incredible accomplishment the Bluecoats pulled off this year. The show was super clean and it was clear that every member left everything they had on that field and absolutely deserved the gold.

But...the show's design doesn't really stand out to me in the way other Bloo shows have. It isn't bad by any stretch, far from it, but in my experience it also doesn't hold a candle to what I consider my favorite Bloo shows from the mid-to-late 2010s.

Even more confusing to me, discourse this year around this show has seemingly got Gravity and Grace pinned as one of the great shows of DCI history. I've heard it likened to Down Side Up with the way it's going to redefine the activity. And I guess I just...don't see it?

Are people just super impressed with the technical achievements of the show? Is there some thematic component that's going over my head? I would love to hear from people who love the show as to why it strikes you as so special.

This video is a look into the 3 strangest percussion moments I could find in the most recent years that either won a Sanford, Won 1st place at finals, or a combination of both! If you liked this video, shoot a like, and definitely subscribe for more content like this!

The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps: A history of alleged sexual abuse

A Failure to Protect

Here are non-paywall Internet Archive links to the two 2018 investigative reports that revealed the institutional cover up of sexual abuse in drum corps. These need to be stickied at the very top of this subreddit so that new members can be made aware of events that transpired less than a decade ago; events of which many readers here are demonstrably unaware.

We as community members can certainly continue to educate younger generations on why George Hopkins is permanently banned from attending DCI-sanctioned events or why The Cadets, Oregon Crusaders, and Pioneer no longer field corps, or why Spirit of Atlanta is being sued, or why we don't trust "the proper legal/whistleblower channels" to take reports seriously and keep members safe, but it would be very helpful and beneficial to everyone involved (except, perhaps, the predators, along with those who actively work to protect the predators, such as the people downvoting this post right now) if the above information were readily available for younger generations to educate themselves. It's not ideal, because those archived sites take forever to load, but as it turns out there's nothing "ideal" about the fight to protect young people from predators who mean them harm. It's a fight that has to be fought no matter how uncomfortable it might make some feel, and it starts with knowing the shockingly recent history of what has transpired...history which is seemingly being covered up just like all the abuse.

If I were to be in a situation where I'm able to get HRT, but only somewhat soon before leaving for the season, should I try to deal with the early stages while away, or deal with the dysphoria for the season and start after I come back? I'm really not sure what my situation is for the coming months, but it's looking like I could be starting some time soon, so, given I'll be starting within the next calendar year either way, what's your advice?

What I have observed:

- this project / group seems to be trying to revive Cadets branding and its beloved show designers
- this group is trying to become a drum corps but hasn’t yet

- they tried to field something last season but did not end up doing so

- they are trying to field something, maybe as a sound sport group, this season

- They seem to be affiliated with a random group of indoor ensembles

Questions I have:

- Is there anyone on here who was supposed to march last season that can give an insight into what exactly legacy is? How much of a show was there? Did you see any of the advertised design/ arranging team like Lagola or Bocook, or their work, present at camps?

- What is currently happening with auditions?

- What competition circuit, if any, is Legacy trying to be a part of?

- Are any of the affiliated indoor groups real or is this all just kind of the workings of one man with arrested development and his trusty chat gpt subscription?

TLDR: If you have gone to any Legacy camp, audition, or rehearsal I would love to know what happened. Trying to better understand what’s going on with this group.

I’ve been playing baritone for a month or two now. I’m thinking about going to the Phantom audition over this weekend because it’s pretty close and I’m planning on marching Colt Cadets this summer if I can. Is it weird or in bad taste that I want to go to the audition just to see what it’s like? Should I bother doing it? I’ve marched in high school band as a tenor sax.

What’s up with the audio in the mid 90’s recordings? They’re god awful. The videos from the 80’s have better audio quality.

Has anybody been on tour, while almost your entire corps got ill?

What would happen if a midrange world class corps (Let’s say for example, Madison) used G bugles for a season?

What if they went back to traditional uniforms?

What if they did an old-school show, like “A Drum Corps Fan’s Dream: Part Tres”?

What if they used symmetrical drill?

What if they used Mylar drums?

What if they used marching keyboards?

These all don’t necessarily need to be in the same hypothetical show, but I wonder what would happen if any of these things were utilized in the modern era. What are your thoughts?

Which one is your favorite brass brand for Drum Corps? Which one has the best sound for a DCI hornline ?

Anyone got the hook up?

Do they shut this stream of random drum corps recordings down outside of DCI season?

I recently just moved to Indianapolis for work, so having never been able to travel for these three nights due to school/work, I’m excited to try in the next few years. I’ve read online about tickets going on sale for “Friends of DCI” as well as the “Super 3 Packages.” I’m in no position to do that yet, so I’ll wait like I always do for individual show night tickets.

My questions:
1. Historically, what have the ticket options with regards to seat location looked like once “Individual Night” tickets go on sale? (I.e. what’s left after the above tickets/seats are taken?)
2. Going off the above, any advice for selecting a seat having never been to Lucas Oil?
3. Do they go on sale around late November / early December?

Thanks in advanced :)

Death, taxes, and GH trying to weasel his way back into the marching arts.

Gross.

We have been talking about the infamous predator George Hopkins again. It's come up that because his crimes were resolved without a sex-offender registration, keeping him away from kids falls to the activity as a whole rather than a central regulator.

In Olympic sports, the model is more like this. An allegation comes to light, a central body like US Safesport suspends the subject of investigation, if necessary the suspension becomes permanent or some other penalty is applied. All the different organizations just look to what the central body did for guidance.

Marching is organized very differently. Each program has an association with their hosting institutions (schools, BDPA, etc) and their competitive organizations (UIL, BOA, DCI, etc). When an allegation emerges, the hosting institution and potentially the competitive organization kick them out, just like we saw with the famous predator George Hopkins. He was banned by the now-defunct YEA and DCI for life. I hear the word "radioactive" a lot.

But like we see here, he still has options. There's nothing formally preventing him from taking consulting work with a school. The last line of defense is a rank and file leader knowing what the situation is and saying no. It's a social ban which can be circumvented by having a lot of friends who are on your side. (I always hear about the famous predator's loyal fan club...who?).

I don't mean to focus on the famous predator too much. Another example would be that Hendrickson drum tech/corps center snare. Allegations came to light, he got pulled from that job. But could he just turn around and get a different tech job? This is the same school that had a horrible director-on-student crime back when I was marching in TX.

Marching already includes Safesport trainings but to my understanding there is no authority (other than the cops) that both schools and corps will listen to, which takes orders from neither. Safesport itself has issues and I don't mean to idolize it. But where does the buck stop in marching? Is something new needed? What would that look like?

I’m auditioning for phantom regiment what did you guys include in your rifle audition in the past? As tricks and tosses

Recently I have been looking into what to major for in college and a lot of different options have come up. And I would like to see what other people chose to do or think is a good idea :)

My current ideas are:
Theatre arts
Music Ed
Music technology
Dance
Business

If you think any of these are best then please tell me but if you have any other idea I would love to hear them!

I am in a position where I have this summer and next summer before I would age out. I really want to march drum corps before it is too late. Having the regret would eat me for some time.

My main instrument is trumpet and I am essentially looking for advice on how realistic it would be for me to try to make a horn line on trumpet or even another brass instrument for a lower ranked world class group.

I have been out of consistent practice since I graduated 2 years ago but I do have my own horn to practice with.

Anyone w/ experience in a situation similar to mine? Is my dream dead or can I still give it some gas?

Also, what would be my greatest resources if anything?