Summary:
The Drum and Bugle Corps Drum Corps had its beginnings after World War I when war veterans joined to form small bands to march in parades as a way to celebrate patriotism. Veterans of Foreign Affairs, American Legion, Boy Scouts of America, Catholic Youth Organizations, and Police Athletic Leagues all sponsored these group. Drum and Bugle Corps is now a powerful youth activity that exists solely for the sake of competition, yet Drum Corps offers many learning experiences and life enhancing opportunities.
Evolution of Drum and Bugle Corps
Drum and Bugle Corps has is an activity that has evolved greatly over the years of its existence. The organization originally emerged from a uniquely American activity, but has since grown to become an international activity. Drum Corps had its beginnings after World War I when war veterans joined to form small bands to march in parades as a way to celebrate patriotism. Veterans of Foreign Affairs, American Legion, Boy Scouts of America, Catholic Youth Organizations, and Police Athletic Leagues all sponsored these groups (History of Drum Corps International). Drum and Bugle Corps is now a powerful youth activity that exists solely for the sake of competition, yet Drum Corps offers many learning experiences and life enhancing opportunities to each individual involved.
Drum Corps' are marching musical units that are not affiliated with high school or college level marching programs. Membership selection is based on age and performance ability. Selected students between the
ages of fourteen and twenty-two are measured by a rigorous audition including sight reading ability, scales, and the performance of an individually prepared piece of music. Drum and Bugle Corps' choose their members according to musical talent and potential. They look for members that will add to and benefit the individual Drum Corps.
The small groups formed after the War soon developed into legitimate musical groups and in the 1960's, they became more and more competitive. Through the 1960's and 1970's, corps' evolved from urban and military like styles to a more show biz and suburban flavor. They began integrating jazz, classical, pop, and Broadway styles of music
(Ross, Stewart L.). Drum and Bugle Corps then began to accompany this modern music with drama, dance, flag work and sometimes even props.
The Drum and Bulge Corps ensemble evolved from strictly parade block formations to very intricate designs that literally develop and move over the entire area of one hundred yards of a football field. The drill designs are both symmetrical and asymmetrical in form. To achieve this high level of intricacy, the nature of Drum Corps requires that each member concentrate on intervals, alignment, and the relationship between time and distance to allow forms to move consistently and precisely.
In the beginning, the small bands played traditional no-valve bugles and rudimentary drums (History of Drum and Bugle Corps International). When the music demands increased, instrumentation also evolved. Now Drum Corps include a wide range of bell-front, rotor, and multi-valve brass horns, sophisticated drums, and other percussion instruments. A Drum Corps may contain up to sixty brass players, thirty percussionists, over thirty members in the color guard, and one or two drum majors. A Corps is allowed no more than 128 marching members.
As this activity grew, so did the need to unify and organize leadership. In the winter of 1971, Drum Corps International, DCI, was formed ("About Drum Corps International"). Drum Corps International is the official organization devoted to organizing and recognizing the activity world wide ("What is Drum and Bugle Corps""). This organization: establishes the rules and regulations for competitions, develops educational programs such as band clinics and judging seminars, and showcases the top corps in world in the annual Summer Music Games tour (Aldrich).
Drum Corps International increasingly influences the growth of Drum Corps worldwide in order to make it a more global and diverse organization. Today there are Drum Corps formed all over the world in
locations such as Western Europe, Britain, Holland, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, and even parts of Africa ("What is Drum and Bugle Corps"")
The experience leads members through a progression of events to where members are performing on a higher level than ever imagined (Aldrich). Drum Corps' teach musical skills such as tone, intonation, balance and blend, rhythm, style, and interpretation all as elements related to performing. While teaching these skills, Drum and Bulge Corps' have gained a reputation of transforming young musicians into expressive artists.
Drum Corps Internationals' crowning achievement is the unparalleled experience it offers to thousands of youth involved. The experience of a Drum and Bugle Corps offers life-enhancing, character building experiences, including the pure joy of learning and playing music, the exhilaration of athletic achievement, and the thrill of performing before thousands of cheering fans time and time again.
The physical, mental, and emotional demands placed on Corps members are exceptionally demanding. Members are away from their normal routines living on their own on the road for over two months. Members endure ten to twelve hour rehearsal days followed by a daily
performance all in the summer heat. They practice music repeditorily and spend hours refining very subtle details in the music and movements of the drill. Members leave their homes, families and their friends to sleep on busses and gym floors, and to shower in locker rooms. As an active member, you are expected to take responsibility for health care, diet, finances, time management, and other personal needs. Members learn how to follow instructions, how to lead others, and how to solve problems accordingly. Because of the concentrated amount of time living on the road, Drum and Bulge Corps participants develop interpersonal skills.
Through discipline, goal setting, hard work, endurance, and commitment to teamwork thousands of youth form friendships and create memories that last a lifetime. This experience provides life long friendships, vast and powerful memories, and a deep sense of pride for themselves as well as for the corps the dedicate themselves to (dci Today)
Through the guidance and leadership of Drum Corps International, Drum and Bugle Corps remains the highest level of marching music achievement, and one of the best educational activities in the world. Participants of the Drum Corps activity believe that this activity is an incredibly touch yet rewarding way to spend the summer. Because of this,
this activity will continue to influence lives for years to come and will continue to teach skills unable to be found in any other activity in the world.
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