This is my first attempt at a discussion thread, I hope I'm actually doing it right. I mean, it [i]is[/i] music. Lemme know how I can improve the OP, or if it needs to be taken down entirely.
[img]http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/features/arts/music/blog/bluecoats.jpg[/img]
Drum corps is a lot like your high school's marching band, only a whole hell of a lot more competent (and competitive.) A typical corps is made up of marching brass players, accompanied by a marching drumline, color guard, and pit. They perform shows on the football field; a series of songs, usually chosen to fit a specific theme, and a visual marching performance to match.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/35/DCI_logo.svg/175px-DCI_logo.svg.png[/img]
[quote=Wikipedia]Drum Corps International (DCI), formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body for junior drum and bugle corps in the U.S.A. and Canada. Junior corps are composed of members 21 years of age and younger. DCI is composed of member corps who have earned their membership through competition. It is responsible for developing and enforcing the rules of competition and is the sanctioning body for junior corps competitions. DCI is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its Board of Directors is composed primarily of directors of the member corps.
The stated purpose of a DCI corps is "...to provide a life changing experience for youth through the art of marching music performance." The DCI competitive summer tour, consisting of DCI-sanctioned competitions (known as the Summer Music Games) throughout the United States and Canada, culminates in August with the week-long DCI World Championships.[/quote]
[url=http://www.dci.org/]DCI[/url] is the largest and best-known drum corps organization, and home to the most talented corps. Currently, DCI is composed of 44 corps, in both World Class (hig level of competition) and Open Class (low level of competition.) The video below is a short clip of one of the World Class corps performing in 2010. [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_Corps_International]Check the Wikipedia entry for an actual description.[/url]
[video=youtube;tyyu4TbsxAk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyyu4TbsxAk[/video]
Drum corps is physically taxing; you march a lot, you play a lot, and you practice for weeks, even months. You have to be able to play your part well, while marching to specific locations on a field, usually while staring straight ahead. Like most challenging activities, though, it's pretty damn rewarding to play some fine-ass music to a crowd of cheering people. As a woodwind player, I've never been part of a corps, but I did spend my high school years in the school marching band. Hearing that applause at the end of a show is the best feeling in the world.
Seeing as how this is a music thread, [url=https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/46021174/1-01%20Between%20Angels%20and%20Demons.m4a]here's some music. This is a recording of the 2011 DCI Championship winner's show.[/url] It's not really the same without a video of the show to match, but DCI's a bit money-grubbing, so audio's the best I can do.
(Yes, there's no real organization here, but it's 1 AM. Seriosly, suggestions, please.)
I'm sure a lot of you haven't seen a drum corps perform. Every year, DCI broadcasts one or two events to movie theaters. [url=http://www.dci.org/cinema/]The official page can be found here.[/url] Additionally, for those of you who live within a reasonable distance of Portland, Oregon, the Oregon Crusaders will be holding a free concert in the Pioneer Courthouse Square on the 25th at 6 PM. Music only as there's no room to march, but it'll be great anyway.
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