February 2018Volume 46, Number 16Ever wonder what percussion instruments the award-winning drum corps play, what live sound gear they use — and why? It can all be summed up in one word: Yamaha. To see the products used by Carolina Crown and the eight other "All-Yamaha" WorldClass Drum & Bugle Corps, visit www.4wrd.it/ccrowndcw2.BO13500 What the Corps Play Carolina Crown.qxp_Layout 1 1/16/18 9:44 AM Page 1BO13500 What the Corps Play Carolina Crown.qxp_Layout 1 1/16/18 9:44 AM Page 2BO13500 What the Corps Play Carolina Crown.qxp_Layout 1 1/16/18 9:44 AM Page 2Support our advertisersYamaha Corporation of America . . . . . . . 2-3Schilke Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Kanstul Musical Instruments . . . . . . . . . . 13Xtreme Brass and Percussion . . . . . . . . . . 15FJM, Inc . 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Uniforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Lone Star Percussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Key Poulan Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Jarvis Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37CrownDigital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39A Wish Come True . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Pearl Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43WeScanFiles .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Dynasty Percussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47ChopSaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Band Shoppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Vater Percussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55One Beat Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Dinkles Shoes/Upfront Footwear . . . . . . . . 61Drum Corps International . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Drillmasters Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67From the publisherPhoto creditsCover: Boston Crusaders, Boston, MA (Pat Chagnon); page 4: 7th Regiment, New London, CT (Mary Scafidi); Blue Stars, LaCrosse, WI (Richard Wersinger); Impulse, Buena Park, CA (Jim Claytor); page 5: Kidsgrove Scouts, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, U.K. (Dave Valvo); Saints Brigade, Port Chester, NY (Raymond Fudge); back cover: Reading Buccaneers, Reading, PA (Raymond Fudge).The DCI annual Janual was held the first weekend of the new year and featured the Rules Congress, a drum majors seminar and this year, for the first time, the Board Consortium also met as part of the scheduled activitiesSome of the rules were changed and some were defeated or shifted to future meetings for further discussion . A full review from DCI staff is included in this issue .Reports from all corners of the activity indicate that record numbers of auditionees are coming to “experience” camps and it seems likely that most corps in both World and Open Class will be fielding larger units for the 2018 season . This is especially true for the Open corps as DCI Coordinator David Eddleman reports the average age at that level is approaching the statistics for the World Class groups which is extremely encouraging .We are coming up on our 47th anniversary in April and continue to provide readers worldwide with a cross-section of news and features . Thanks to everyone who continues to support DCW! Steve VickersDrum Corps WorldCopyright 2018 by Sights & Sounds, Inc. in the United States and Canada. The logo for Drum Corps World is a registered trademark and is protected by all applicable laws. Material originally published in Drum Corps World (in print or on-line) may not be reproduced in any other publication or in any electronic medium -- in whole or in part -- without the written permission of the publisher, in advance. Drum Corps World is published on-line monthly, for a total of 12 issues, plus five weekly e-mail blasts during June, July and August, with additional show reviews and photography. This is a complimentary service provided by Sights & Sounds, Inc., a privately-owned Wisconsin corporation, dedicated to the distribution of news, photographs and feature material on the drum and bugle corps activity worldwide through publishing Drum Corps World, as well as graphic design and recorded products and implementation of printed materials. Drum Corps World is provided free through financial support from advertising placed by companies, show sponsors and corps worldwide, and through the sale of history books, CDs and DVDs. 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Drum Corps World is released on-line for Sights & Sounds, Inc. by High Velocity Media, Kelowna, BC, Doug Smith, owner.Published by Sights & Sounds, Inc.Mailing/shipping address:4926 North Sherman Avenue, Unit HMadison, WI 53704-8443Madison office phone:608-241-2292 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM Central time, Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Central time, Saturday/SundayProduct order line:608-241-22924:00 PM to 9:00 PM Central time, Monday - Friday9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Central time, Saturday/SundayWeb site:www.drumcorpsworld.comMadison staff:Steve VickersPublisher / Editor / Graphic DesignE-mail: publisher@drumcorpsworld.comAdvertising sales: Jeff Collins 916-200-8151 (cell, California)E-mail: jcdrumman1@yahoo.com or Steve Vickers 608-241-2292 (office, Wisconsin)E-mail: publisher@drumcorpsworld.com or 608-249-2590 (Steve’s cell, Wisconsin) 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM Central time, Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Central time, Saturday/SundayMadison fax line:608-241-4974 (24 hours per day)The next issueThe March edition will be uploaded to the Internet on or before Friday, February 23 .February contents2018 DCI Rules Congress proposal voting results by DCIDetroit, St . Louis venues confirmed for 2018 DCI tour b by Michael Boo/DCIWhy we need the marching arts? by Michael Gilley/FloMarching.comThe sound of our future, the future of our sound by DCIActivity, Phantom Regiment loses huge fan, booster by Michael Boo/DCIDrum Corps Associates releases early version of 2018 summer datesThanks for the cards and e-mailsSoundSport’s Rogues Hollow Regiment marches in “Perfect season parade” by William Aldrich-ThorpeAround the all-age and alumni drum corps world by William Aldrich-ThorpeDCI Open Class expands, creating impressive statistics by DCISummer interns learn working with DCI professionals by DCICanadian Hall of Fame member Vince Macciocchi passesMinnesota Brass will join Super Bowl festivities by Eric MolhoAround the junior drum corps world by Pat ChagnonThrough the artist’s eyes -- Lt . Norman Prince “Princemen” by Art KellermanPress releases -- also on page 60The amazing world of drum corps by Brian TolzmannI ran away with the drum corps -- part 6 by Kevin RussellFrom our photo archivesSuicidal depression and drum corps by William Aldrich, Thorpe6781012161820243232353638485662647072Saturday evening of the Drum Corps International annual meeting in Indianapolis during the first weekend in January concluded with representatives of DCI’s voting membership discussing rules change proposals presented to them for their review and approval.Before reaching the voting membership, rules proposals are vetted and discussed in caption-specific caucus sessions made up of corps instructional staff, designers and judges who serve on the DCI Rules and Systems Task Force.One proposal was withdrawn in the caucus sessions that called for a second brass judge to be used during larger DCI tour events and, as a result, did not advance to the voting membership.Other proposals that failed to advance from the instructors caucus after lengthy discussion and evaluation this weekend was a proposal that would change the makeup of a five-judge adjudication panel (12 yes, 13 no), a proposal for corps to be ranked by ordinals instead of scores (1 yes, 24 no) and a proposal that called for limits on brass amplification (3 yes, 22 no).“When we were in the room, all the competitive hats were off. We were able to really speak freely as designers and instructors, and not necessarily as representatives of individual drum corps,” Blue Knights Music Coordinator Kevin Shah said about the caucus sessions. “There was a really good sense of respect for each others’ opinions, even when they differed.“The more of these kinds of discussions we can have, the more we are going to grow and really have the ability to pinpoint who we are as a community, as a collective and as an activity,” Shah noted.Shah and his colleagues will have that opportunity again in 2019, after a unanimous vote will change DCI’s biennial rules congresses back to an annual affair next January, giving corps instructors and designers the opportunity to not only discuss rules, but also share information and continue their education to further the artistic standard of the marching arts.One of the most significant rules changes approved on Saturday evening will increase a corps’ maximum membership from 150 to 154. While that proposal passed 21 to 1, a subsequent motion to increase that limit to 160 was voted down.The proposal to expand the field of corps that advance to the DCI World Championship Finals from 12 to 15 was voted down 6 to 13, with three abstentions.The proposal to add a second Music Analysis judge, which was amended in the caucus sessions to undergo a trial period during the 2018 DCI tour, passed in a unanimous vote. It was followed immediately by a new motion to skip the trial and implement the second Music Analysis judge immediately this summer. That proposal passed 14 to 8.The result of that proposal means that this summer there will no longer be a Percussion Ensemble judge. Instead there will be two Music Analysis judges utilized. One of those Music Analysis judges will have a percussion emphasis and the other will have a brass emphasis.Another point of discussion raised during the rules voting session addressed smaller, early-season DCI tour events that utilize a panel of five adjudicators. That led to a motion that passed unanimously to utilize a full panel of eight judges for those shows starting with the 2019 DCI tour.Cadets Director George Hopkins also made two additional proposals toward the end of meeting. The first centered on altering the way scores and placements are announced during the DCI World Championships, while the second called for the delayed release of full scoring recaps until one week after a show.While both proposals were rejected by the voting membership at this time, the first will be evaluated in more detail by corps directors in the coming months for future consideration after the 2018 DCI tour. n n n2018 DCI Rules Congressproposal voting resultsby Drum Corps InternationalFriday, January 5, during the Drum Corps International annual meetings, DCI Executive Director Dan Acheson provided an update to attendees regarding the continuing development of the 2018 DCI tour.Ford Field in Detroit, MI, (above) has been confirmed to host the DCI Tour Premiere presented by DeMoulin Bros. and Co., that will kick off the 2018 DCI tour on Thursday, June 21. This summer will mark the first time in Drum Corps International’s more than 45-year history that a DCI tour event has been held in downtown Detroit. The event will also be presented live to hundreds of digitally-equipped movie theater locations throughout the country.• The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis has been confirmed to host the DCI Midwestern Championship presented by DeMoulin Bros. and Co. The event on Sunday, July 15, will feature a hefty lineup of 19 corps.• Presenting sponsors have been confirmed for a number of shows that are part of Drum Corps International’s Premier Event series including:DCI Tour Premiere presented by DeMoulin Bros. and Co.DCI Central Indiana presented by Woodwind and BrasswindDCI Minnesota presented by The United States Marine Drum and Bugle CorpsDCI Orlando presented by Great East Music Festivals and Music StoreDCI Midwestern Championship presented by DeMoulin Bros. and Co.DCI Central Texas presented by FloMarchingDCI Tour of Champions – Texas presented by Band ShoppeDCI Southwestern Championship presented by Fred J. Miller, Inc.DCI Mesquite presented by Pageantry InnovationsThe Masters of the Summer Music Games presented by Jupiter, Mapex and MajesticDCI Southeastern Championship presented by Lone Star PercussionDCI World Championship Prelims presented by Gary P. Gilroy PublicationsDCI World Championship Semifinals presented by Earasers• Voting members discussed implementing a new plan for events which are forced to be moved indoors or otherwise performed in a standstill format due to inclement weather. Previously there has not been a formalized plan for corps to perform in these circumstances. A motion was made and unanimously approved for corps to prepare additional musical performance content that can be performed without the use of the front ensemble in such a situation.• Acheson also provided a brief look ahead to Drum Corps International’s 2019 tour schedule. Directors later broke into small groups for a forward-looking discussion and brainstorming session on the theoretical summer tour model of the future, what that may look like and how a new approach could impact the quality of the experience for the participants and audience members. n n nDetroit, St. Louis venues confirmed as 2018 DCI Tour continues to come into focusby Michael Boo, DCI Web siteIt’s college bowl season and, yet again, a major sports personality is asking the question of why marching bands exist. On New Year’s Day, during one of the most coveted marching band events, the Rose Bowl Parade, famed baseball writer Bill James tweeted this in regard to marching bands:“Does the world really need marching bands? I know I am trouble for even asking this question, but what do you think?” -- Bill James Online (@billjamesonline) January 2, 2018In one of his responses shortly after, James went on to say, “Having marched all four years of high school, four years of drum corps and three years of college band, I will say that unequivocally, yes, marching band is needed and is absolutely worth the time.” Governing bodies such as Drum Corps International (DCI), Winter Guard International (WGI) and Bands of America (BOA) have given millions of youth, worldwide, the opportunity to march and compete. More importantly is the educational factor that these organizations bring to the student athletes.All told over 750,000 fans attend marching contests year-round and over 150,000 performers from 15-plus countries compete for a variety of championships. Some of those participants are as young as 12. Impact on youthMost sports’ “worthiness” is defined by their impact on the youth who participate. Pee-wee football leagues, baseball little leagues and so on are seen as having positive impacts based on the life skills, mentoring and physical activity that these sports give to young athletes.Let’s apply that same thought process to marching. Teamwork, perseverance, commitment and leadership are all life skills that are gained by participating in marching . . . just like traditional sports.Mentoring is an enormous part of the marching community. Band directors and percussion and guard instructors have an overwhelming impact on their students. Just ask any marching member who their most influential teacher was -- they’ll most likely single out their band director.Physical activity is the one sticking point that traditional sports writers and fans look at marching and say, “It’s not a sport.”I beg to differ. Personally speaking, after every summer of drum corps, I was 25 to 30 pounds leaner, was capable of running miles without being winded and was in the best shape of my life. But we’ll let DCI’s own video put that personal anecdote to the test.Largest team sport in the worldMarching provides a unique experience for participants to be a part of the largest team sport in the world. Name any other sport in which there are 100-plus members on the field at the same time, working toward the same goal. Baseball only fields nine defenders and only one to four offensive players at any given time. Football only puts out 11 offensive and 11 defensive players. If you want to get into the debate of ,“Well, there are no defenders.” OK, here’s a few other examples.Gymnastics, diving, skiing, snowboarding and figure skating are just some of the sports that are awarded Olympic medals. None of those have defenders. All feature athletes who train to execute their craft at the highest level possible to score points . . . just the same as marching.Then let’s talk about playbooks versus drill books. A typical collegiate playbook may have over 100 plays. Of those Why we need the marching arts!by Michael Gilley, from www.FloMarching.com, included here with permissionThe Drum Corps World on-line store is up and running after a seven-month absence!Find the following historical items, some with reduced pricingl Five history books, softcover or on CD, pages 58-59l Six “Brass Theater,” “Blast,” “Cyberjam” and Star of Indiana CDs, page 73l Books by Alan Karls available on Amazon, page 77l Eight DVDs betweem 1967 and 1976, pages 80-81l 230 six-corps CDs between 1950 and 1980, pages 82-90Visit: www.drumcorpsworld.com4 We now accept American Express and Discover for on-line orders only through our secure server, in addition to VISA and Mastercard 4 Card VISA and MasterCard can still be used for phone and mail orders Next >