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Posted

Well, im my school the people who want to try out have to all leave the room, then we vote. Whoever gets the most votes is the drum major. I know thats pretty simple compared to alot of other schools. Our band is so small that its not a big deal like in other bands.

Posted

Here's how we did it when I was in High School:

 

The candidates would perform a mace (A British Mace), marching, and conducting routine in front of THE WHOLE BAND (Man, that stuff was intense!)

 

Each candidate was allowed to create their own mace routine that lasted about two minutes (Without music, of course). The marching routine was pre-determined and the music piece and how much of the piece was pre-determined as well. The music piece was usually the previous marching show's closer.

 

The performances were evaluated by three local judges. One category was for mace. One was for marching. The last was for conducting. The judges would just rank the competitors. At the end of the performance, the band would get slips of paper and would vote on ONE person to be the Drum Major.

 

After the performance, the candidates underwent a nerve-wracking interview process with all of the directors and the three judges. This was by far the most nerve-wracking part of the try-out.

 

The total vote broke down into three parts:

1/3 of the vote was from the Band Members

1/3 of the vote was from the Judges Consensus

1/3, and the final say in the whole matter, was from the Directors.

 

Usually, they announced the Drum Major (and Field Conductors) over the afternoon announcements only minutes before school let out. My Junior year, my director decided it would be more appropriate to announce the next year's Drum Major at the final concert of the year (Which just happened to be the year that my name was called out!!!!!!)

 

This system has been used for years and it seems to be the most fair because EVERYONE gets a say in who gets to be the Drum Major. Rarely was there a case where the judges and sudent consesus did not line up. Students take the election of the Drum Major seriously because they want the right person leading them to success the next year.

Posted

Alright I'm not drum major but here's how it goes at my school. First everyone has to submit "paperwork" to the directors. I don't know if any other school does it but we have to submit and petition signed by band members, a resume, and essay, and a couple other things. If you turn in all the paper work you move on. Then everyone who wants to be a student leader participates in a marching audition. The directors give you about a week to learn the box drill - really easy. We do it in 2 big blocks on the field about 40 time (or however many are trying out) so all the directors can watch everyone one time. Scores are tallied. If you're trying out for drum major or another "high ranking" field position (not section leaders) and you're scores are in the top 12-15ish you move on to round 2 - the conducting round. So you conduct for the dircectors and they do tempo checks where they give you a tempo and you have to clap it. If you do well you move on to round 3 - the interview which is just what it sounds like. You have an interview with the directors. Then EVERYONE'S scores are tallied, put in numerical order and then they pick the student leaders. Drum majors at the top. Kinda tedious I know and I'm not sure if any other school does it the way we do, but there you go.

  • 6 months later...
Posted

Yes, this is a pretty old subject, but...

 

Im just the asst. Dm at my school. But when the time comes, we notify our band director about our interest in becoming a DM. (or Field Commander, what we usually call it) He provides a tape cassette featuring a part of a show for us to rehearse a couple of weeks before tryouts. You also have to create your own salute within that time. When tryouts come, usually after school, the "contestants" draw a number from a hat. If you get "1," you audition first. And for some reason, Ive always drawn a "1." But anywhoo, you have the whole room to yourself and the judges, while the other DM wannabes wait outside. They give you some patterns to conduct, cues, cut-offs, and you perform your world-famous salute. :) Then you conduct your prepared peice (the tape cassette) Afterwards, they as you a bunch of questions, ie, why should you be DM. The also give out a bunch of scenerios to you, and ask you to explain what you would do during those situations if an adult were not around. Stuff like that.

 

Once everyone has gone through the process, which all together is around 2 hours, we wait to be called into the room for our BD and/or judges to tell us the results. And then you go home. Woo.

Posted

But the whole stupid voting thing is kinda risky. cuz you can get this knock off thats really popular who knows nothing about being a drum major win just becuz he or she is more popular then the person who truely deserves it.

 

 

Our director like hires these directors from different schools around here and they decide whose the most reasonable choice

 

i dont know what the people do when they try out

  • 3 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

Well, the DM trying out have to sign up of course.

They both have to try out on Phase 1, which is DM try outs..and Phase 2, which is all rank leader try outs.

 

They are judged on by attitude, grades, on how they keep tempo, the group as a whole has to get along too, so meaning our director would choose people that would be a good team..not just the top 3.

 

He also asks all the rank leaders trying out who they think would be good together.

 

 

I honestly have to say the best DM we've had was last year. Each with a certain characteristic, but altogether a strong pack.

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

i was asking the ****. drum major and she told me the following:

 

They see wether or ever elligable

They give you music to conduct which you do however you want (keep time your way do all those little things drum majors do)

You do your salute

They interview you and ask you questions like "why should you be drum major" "if your best friend was acting up what would you do" "if an upperclassmen was challenging your authority how would you handle it" and blah blah

  • 3 months later...
Posted

The way we do it is in the morining during symphonic band class (our top band) the canidates pick number out of a hat to determine who goes in what order.

 

In numerical order you go into the band hall and "teach" symphonic band a piece of music Crest of Nobility. U have about 1 minute for the explaniation period then u conduct it. The judges are in the room and they video tape u.

 

After school everyone (the judges,band and canidates) goes to the athletic complex. We do simple marching fundmentals for everyone in a little block (depending on how many people are trying out) and then we preform a marching routine with choreography. After that we come out one by one (numerical again) and "teach" a block of band kids either forward or backward march (u have 2 minutes to teach each step and get them moving).

 

Line test (what i struggled in last year). They split up the canidates in two groups and they sit u in the middle of the field (keep in mind the whole time through out the audution the entire band and judges are watching u) they give u a random tempo and give u a time signature. U have to be able to tell if the tempo is 160 or below (our rebound pattern) or above 160 (our stopped pattern). They give u 8 clicks then they cut it off and u have to keep the tempo for 8 bars. On the cut off (if u are right) ur hands should be up over your head (for the horns down) on 9.

 

We do a podium test where we indivudially conduct the opener for grand nats year this year (usually its the new opener) and do our comands before.

 

Question and answer: and band member asked u a question and u answer it in the best of your ability.

 

Interview with the directors/judges: self explanitory (sp?)

 

its alot and its scary. I hope i get it this year...pray for me guys!!!! :rolleyes:

Posted

I don't know how they do it at my HS now, but when I was there, you could only tryout your sophomore year. You first submitted a letter of intent. All of the candidates would then have to meet for the tryout and would be interviewed by the directors. After that, their abilities would be reviewed individually then as the final test, all the candidates would stand behind the band as the conductor conducted the band as their task was to follow the conductor precisely as another conductor graded them....this measured their ability to stay together with each other I suppose.

 

If you were one of the 3 sophomores picked, you were then named "Assistant Drum Major". Your job for the upcoming season (your junior year) was to do **** work for the band and learn from the Senior Drum Majors who actually conducted the shows, and fill in in case one of them got sick. You were expected to learn the show, but never got to actually conduct it. Then upon reaching your senior year you became a full-fledged "Senior Drum Major" and had all the hard-earned privileges contained therein.

 

Band was very much a hierarchy at Georgetown.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Okay, so for us this year we had to go to a meeting to disucss leadership and whatnot. We had to write an essay on one of the topics (the director gave us a bunch) and turn that in, with paperwork about your GPA and whatnot. Everyone prepares their own selected piece that's about 2ish minutes in length. The day of the audition, we drew numbers to see what order, then went in to teach posture breakdown. We also conducted the Star-Spangled Banner with no music, and our selected peice to a CD. Later, we had to go through an interview with the head band director.

Last year, I think everyone also had to teach actual marching, but not this year.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

*ducks in and hides*

 

So, I'm a section leader, but I wanna share how our process works since it's the same for section leaders and drum majors.

 

At Centennial, everything is absolutely complicated. :)

 

So, you have to go to this leadership meeting two weeks before try-out day. You get an application, a lecture, and some glares. You fill out the application writing two essays. I don't remember the topics. One was something along the lines of accomplishments. The other is why you want to be SL/DM or something like that.

 

Mine ended up being more complex than my AP English papers. -_-

 

You turn those in that Friday, and the next Saturday is leadership interview/audition day. You sign up for a time slot between 7AM and 1PM. Each interview is supposed to be like ten minutes or so, but everyone's ran longer (except mine).

 

Basically, you go in dressed up, and they grill you. First question they ask is why you're trying out. Then, then ask you questions based on your response. Then, they ask you if you think you're the best candidate for whatever you're trying out for (librarian, uniform staff, section leader, drum major; SL for me). You answer with a confident yes then explain why.

 

After that, they point out every mistake you've ever made- every time your pencil broke and you had to borrow one during class, every time you moved at attention, every time you said "stupid freshmen."

 

Then, you go get changed for the practical portion- the audition.

 

You're in a group of 5 people and go into the band hall where each person will be forced to teach/correct the other people whatever move they're assigned. I had flank turns, for example, and I had to assume they knew everything up to flank turns but leave it there (they didn't know box drills). Then, you have a certain number of time to teach and perfect it.

 

Of course, while the others in your group are teaching you, you have to try to look your best. The hardest part is FINDING mistakes when teaching because everyone is trying their best to impress. :)

 

Then you wait for a few more hours.

 

If you're trying out for drum major, you will have gotten a CD to conduct with as well as a score. You'll be conducting with a part of the show as well as be expected to be proficient in conducting in normal times like 4/4. All this will have to be memorized, obviously.

 

It's tres stressful, but it's well worth it. :)

  • 5 weeks later...
Posted
  GenericWit said:
*ducks in and hides*

 

So, I'm a section leader, but I wanna share how our process works since it's the same for section leaders and drum majors.

 

At Centennial, everything is absolutely complicated. :)

 

So, you have to go to this leadership meeting two weeks before try-out day. You get an application, a lecture, and some glares. You fill out the application writing two essays. I don't remember the topics. One was something along the lines of accomplishments. The other is why you want to be SL/DM or something like that.

 

Mine ended up being more complex than my AP English papers. -_-

 

You turn those in that Friday, and the next Saturday is leadership interview/audition day. You sign up for a time slot between 7AM and 1PM. Each interview is supposed to be like ten minutes or so, but everyone's ran longer (except mine).

 

Basically, you go in dressed up, and they grill you. First question they ask is why you're trying out. Then, then ask you questions based on your response. Then, they ask you if you think you're the best candidate for whatever you're trying out for (librarian, uniform staff, section leader, drum major; SL for me). You answer with a confident yes then explain why.

 

After that, they point out every mistake you've ever made- every time your pencil broke and you had to borrow one during class, every time you moved at attention, every time you said "stupid freshmen."

 

Then, you go get changed for the practical portion- the audition.

 

You're in a group of 5 people and go into the band hall where each person will be forced to teach/correct the other people whatever move they're assigned. I had flank turns, for example, and I had to assume they knew everything up to flank turns but leave it there (they didn't know box drills). Then, you have a certain number of time to teach and perfect it.

 

Of course, while the others in your group are teaching you, you have to try to look your best. The hardest part is FINDING mistakes when teaching because everyone is trying their best to impress. :)

 

Then you wait for a few more hours.

 

If you're trying out for drum major, you will have gotten a CD to conduct with as well as a score. You'll be conducting with a part of the show as well as be expected to be proficient in conducting in normal times like 4/4. All this will have to be memorized, obviously.

 

It's tres stressful, but it's well worth it. :)

She's right. I went through the grueling process and made it!

 

Hoorah. ^_^

  • 1 month later...
Posted

At Our School we have many requirement, and things we have to do for Auditions for Drum Majors:

 

Requirements:

#1. You Must have NEVER failed in High School

#2. You Must have gone to Region Band Competition

#3. You Must have gone to Solo and Ensemble Competition

#4. You Must fill out a Drum major Application, answering the required questions.

 

The Audition itself:

The Entire band goes outside and sits on the side line of the practice field and has their own individual scoring sheet. Then Each Drum Major Candidate performs these tasks:

#1. March a Complicated Set that the Directors Write

#2. Give Marching commands to a group of band members

#3. Use 2 Minutes to teach a marching fundamental to a band member *You do not have to finish teaching, it is not judged on how fast a person teaches. It is judged on the quality of teaching*

#4 Conduct 8 measures of 4/4, then 3/4, and 2/4 each with a cutoff at 120bpm

#5. Conduct the Opener of next years marching show.

After that the Band Cast their votes for the three Drum Majors. Then the band leaves and the the candidates go inside. Each candidate gets a ballot and cast their own vote. Then individually the candidates go in a room with the three band directors and any graduating Drum Majors. In this room they go through an interview. After all the interviews are completed, the candidates leave and the directors and graduating Drum Majors take into account all the votes, the audition, and the interview, and the candidates past behavior as a band member or a band rank leader. From that information they decide the three drum majors.

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