What made drum corps special when I was a kid? I would have to say it was initially a sense of community, but it became more than that. It had become a place to make people stand up and go wild. That was extraordinary. How do we recapture that essence or is there another way to create that same kind of energy.
What causes a neutral audience to roar? That creates an emotional surge that causes you to weep with joy.
I’m not certain that most of us did it with the intention of being better musicians or performers. I believe that we did it because it made us stronger. That the experience of the audience was our real satisfaction. That the community that we belong to was there to drive us. We weren’t really out to be better, that was the byproduct of our desire to bring a stadium to its feet and crush it in the process.
I would love to get feedback from the kids that march today. I am in awe of the commitment they have that allows them to do what they do. The level of excellence and the demands placed on them are just staggering. I honestly don’t believe that I could do what they do, even if I was still in the shape that I was when I marched.
What’s the primary motivation? Is it to be better musicians, or is it to stretch their abilities. I know many are music majors, is this the ultimate internship before taking over a band program?
I look forward to replies from my generation (70’s and 80’s) and those that march today. We are all part of one of the most extraordinary fraternities and we owe it to each other to ask how do we keep it alive and thriving.
This especially has has forced me to consider how can I create events that do this same thing? What will make people stand up, take notice and smile?