DanWeiss

ya it still doesn't work...

The big daddy of them all (if you would consider it that) Blue Devils still have limited contra spots available. So if you can pick one up and learn it, then give them a call or let John know. He'll probably want to hear you ASAP, so get on it. There are also spots that periodically open up mid-April or May, depending on if a person gets sick, hurt, or can't march for some other reason. Having your name in with people in the corps you want to march with is a good idea in case something like that happens.

Into the Storm is an amazing marching piece. It was originally written for Westfield HS, and we played it the year after (El Paso Coronado). That was back in 96-97. What a unique piece. Wow. As for the bassoon question posed to me, I'm a college grad- so I'm not playing anything for solo and ensemble. Hopefully I'll be playing for the San Diego lyric opera next year though! Gilbert and Sullivan, awesome music to play bassoon for.

Obviously, I'm past my age out year, so you won't be cheering for me exactly...But if you want a good corps to cheer for, try the Blue Devils. This corps has one 11 world championships, more than any other DCI program. They have a great reputation, produce annual crowd pleasing shows, and overall have a great attitude and work ethic. I'm not saying any other corps does not have those same attributes, I don't know much about any other corps besides a bit of history, and their shows. If you're looking to march, BD has a B and C corps as well, there are people as young as 4 in the BD C corps (really funny watching them march). Some have been with the organization for 16 years, climbing through the corps. You get quite a reputation and most definitely respect for being there that long. Also, if you want to travel, BD is one of the only US DCI corps that tours outside of the US. They've been all over the world in the past 15 years, most recently a 3 week tour of Europe this past summer, where they won a world marching festival over 300 someodd organizations, and then came back to the States to finish off their DCI tour.

Facebook rocks, but I don't think HS people know what it is. You need a college e-mail address to get on it. Myspace is ok, but over hyped...

Parades can be fun. There is nothing I like more then marching to drum cadences. My band never did any big ones (like Macy's or the Rose Bowl) because that would have been our band trip, we never had enough money to go on two. I guess that doesn't include trips to Area/State and BOA marching, but they weren't really 'fun chill' trips, more like competition serious trips. So we saved our major trip for concert season. Instead, we participated in the local Thanksgiving Sun Bowl parade, and a 4th of July Parade every other year. Gross heat for that one though.

Someone earlier posted about orchestral translations, and they can come off very well. There is a piece by Elgar (the same man who brought you Pomp and Circumstance) that is called the Enigma Variations. Absolutely stunning piece, for either symphony or a wind ensemble. Check that out if you haven't heard it, variations 10 and 15 are my favorites. While playing that piece (the variations are a whole concert, that was all we played for competitions, and added a few more for house concerts) we won every competition that we performed at. Around El Paso, that isn't saying much (many of the HS music programs need work) but beating out every California band at their competitions was a good time. Vivaldi's Four Seasons translate well to wind ensembles too.

How would you transport a band of that size? My HS (back in the day, hehe) marched around 120, and with boosters and alternates riding the buses there were 150 of us, plus instruments. That accounted for about 5 school buses, or 3 charter buses for long trips, plus 2 Penske delivery trucks for the percussion carts. It must take an army of buses to get you guys around!

tons, way too many to list. Favorite? Candide Overture- Bernstein. Talk about a fun piece. If you'd never heard it, find it somewhere. That and the Mozart or Vivaldi Bassoon Concertos, but no one except for bassoonists would like to play those...

El Paso Coronado usually marches 130 including guard and pit, and has maybe 20 alternates. That was 5 years ago, but I don't think much has changed. Before they opened Franklin HS 12 someodd years ago (the other EP westside HS), the program was much bigger, but still only marched around 130. A band of that size has more drill options and use of its field. CHS has always been Division 5A, and I think AAA for BOA. About 2,700 students enrolled (at the school, not in band, hehe).

so any update on this? I can't add anything...

going back to awesome movie composers that could do well on a field...look into Hans Zimmer. He has written for Gladiator, Backdraft, Pirates, some parts of Top Gun, and many others. Doing a show based on Backdraft would be plain awesome. I've marched shows with music similar to what you all are talking about. El Paso Coronado does that kind of stuff. Planets, Pines of Rome, Dvorak, some really interesting shows. I don't think there are audio or video files anywhere of them, I'll see what I can do to get some posted.

Ah if only Star were still around, eh? But innovation evolves the best of us. I can't believe there isn't more support on here for the Blue Devils. 11 DCI Chamionships under their belt, and they never cease to amaze. I don't like their shows every year, my most recent favorite was 2004 Summer Train Blues Mix, and then there are the countless others that they have produced in that Jazzy hip fashion that just gets your blood going. In terms of drill and execution though, there is no corp in the world that beats the Green Machine. They are the most in shape group of guys in the DCI world, and you have to be to literally RUN around the field for 11 minutes. If you've ever seen either their 99/00 shows (with both versions of the diamond cutter) and the 04 show, you need to get these DVD's and check them out. SCV is great- I have friends that have marched there, so I'm somewhat compelled to like them. But I'm a California guy now, and my corp is BD- blue to the core.