Author Topic: Anybody here familiar with Drum and Bugle Corps? (Read 159 times)

sling322 · « **on:** June 09, 2005, 02:41:15 PM »

Just curious.

My fiancee and I are involved with an all age corps here in Houston called Gulf Coast Sound. Personally, I wasnt that interested in it at first. I just took her to the first practice and started talking to some of the guys and ended up playing a baritone that day. I played trombone in high school so it was a little different due to the fact that there wasnt a slide and I have to learn to use valves instead.

So far its been a lot of fun. We compete in Drum Corps Associates (DCA) which is the governing body for all age corps. Not to be confused with Drum Corps International (DCI) which is the governing body for the junior corps. Major difference between the two is we take people of all ages and DCI will only take you between 12 and 21. Once you hit 21 you age out and can no longer march with them.

We are going on several tours this summer for competitions and such. One trip will be taking us thru Indiana, Illinois and on into Racine, WI. Another trip will take us to Rockmart, GA and our third trip will be to Orlando, FL. Our last trip will be to Scranton, PA for the DCA Championships.

Just curious to see if there are any ex-DCI members hanging around these boards. If you get a chance to see any of these competitions you will be amazed at what a focused group of youngsters can accomplish on the field when they put their mind to it. Check out DCI.org for more info on the junior corps and their competition schedule. Basically what these kids do is spend the beginning of the summer learning music and a marching drill to go along with it. Then they spend the rest of the summer travelling around on busses going to preliminary competitions and performing in different stadiums and venues. It all culminates at the Finals which will be held this year at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA in early August.

And if you want to check out the old folks, check out DCA Corps for info and schedules of the old farts.

Tarmac · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2005, 02:57:13 PM »

I saw a couple of competitions in high school, mostly tagging along with other marching band people who were more into it than I was. A couple of them went on to be in DCI corps.

It was interesting, but not something I'd ever want to devote a summer to.

rpm · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2005, 03:54:17 PM »

Never been in a drum and bugle corps, but I was in the US Coast Guard Marching Band. We often did gigs with the Rifle Corps. Nothing beats a little military razzle dazzle.

Sandman · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2005, 05:00:41 PM »

That's the facts, Jack!

sling322 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2005, 05:10:47 PM »

Drum and Bugle corps actually got their start back in the day after WWI. Most of them sprang up from local VFW halls and it was a way for communities to build spirit and local pride and to give the kids something to do. It has gone thru some major evolutions since then. What they do on a marching field now is not what your great grandfather did on a field for sure! Some of the moves and the precision with which they are made all while playing a horn amaze me. Up until recently, most corps were still using instruments that are pitched in the key of G since that is the historical pitching of military bugles. It gets harder and harder to find bugles in the key of G nowadays so a few of the corps have moved over to regular B-flat horns.