Camp Weekend Report #1

This weekend was my first official weekend of teaching a drum corps horn line and I absolutely loved every second of it. Being able to see all of these kids coming into the same activity I started doing over ten years ago and knowing exactly what they will learn throughout the next months is such a great feeling. While things are a little different with this corps, the overall idea is still one of achieving greatness and having a great time along the way. When it came to the horns, it was definitely different to have kids tell me that they played flute or saxophone in their bands but they were learning trumpet just so they could march drum corps. Those are the kids I respect the most for being there. They have the tallest ladder to climb, but they have the drive to do it. By the end of the camp, many of the kids were visibly tired from how much effort they expended, but almost everyone brass player had a smile on their face. We worked through some of our normal warmups and jumped into the summer's show music. After the short brass block, we were able to play all the way through the opener. While everyone held their own overall, I am confident that this will be one of the best low brass sections that the corps has ever produced. We have camp again next weekend, and I can't wait to go back!

Trombones in DCI?

Two weeks ago, DCI had it's annual executive meeting to discuss the future of the activity and propose possible implementations or changes to the DCI rule book. One of the more "drastic" changes was one proposed by Madison Scouts Artistic Director, James Mason. 

"The first proposal addresses the instrumentation of a drum corps ensemble, recommending that any brass instrument, even those not of the “bell-front” variety as stipulated in the current DCI rulebook, be allowed in competition. This proposal aims to give corps the ability to utilize a full range of brass instruments not currently allowed by DCI rules such as trombones, French horns and sousaphones."

Now, many drum corps fans, members, and alumni are still busy attempting to comprehend this idea, which passed and will be implemented for the 2014 season. Not all reactions are negative, but it seems that most of them are. My only opinions are:

1 - I'll wait until I see it to make a judgement.
and 2 - It does not state that they are required, so if a corps decides it doesn't warrant the use of these instruments, it won't be an issue.

What do you think about this change to DCI's rules?

Drum Corps at the Olympics

DCI.org recently posted an article about the 27th Lancers Drum and Bugle Corps performing at the 1980 Winter Olympics. That year, the Olympics were being held in Lake Placid, NY and the corps was playing for the opening ceremonies. This was an extremely large stage for the Lancers and the world of drum corps. The article also makes mention of how the group of brass players were able to overcome the cold weather for a successful performance; including using car antifreeze on their valves. It's a great read and gives us a glimpse into the past of DCI history.

Original Article

27th Lancers at DCI Finals in 1980

Welcome to my new blog. This blog has been created as part of the Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature course at the University of Iowa. I will be posting here quite frequently throughout the semester, so please stop by from time to time.

To get things started, I would like to share one of my favorite brass band pieces and performances. This is a video of the Cory Band from South Wales. They are currently one of the top brass bands in the world and have been for many years now. This video is their performance of “Enter the Galaxies” from 2009′s Brass In Concert. Enjoy!

Update: This video was just changed to a private video by the Cory Band. I have replaced it with a performance of "On The Shoulders of Giants."