Tell me about DCI (Drum Corps International)

[Claudia1]

In 2 or 3 years, my son wants to audition for a corps. We live in a rural part of Indiana and are just beginning to enter the wonderful world of percussion & marching band. DCI is new to me.

About my son: He is only 13 (7th grade) and has played percussion for less than a year BUT he has an incredible talent. He is better than all of the High School drumline (and they are excellent b/c our school placed 3rd at the State Finals this year). He was invited to join the HS Marching Band at the end of 6th grade and was a part of the award-winning band. (The directors are great guys and they do very well to mix MIddle School students and High Schoolers.) He just performed at his very first Solo and Ensemble contest and he took a Division I solo, missing gold by only 1/2 point. It was not an easy piece, either. It was considered to be one of the harder Division I pieces. His teachers have never seen anyone this good at this age.

Additionally, he has performed in our internationally known youth amateur circus as a juggler and 5' unicyclist. He has performed in San Fransisco and all over our state since he was 11 years old. He juggles 5 balls, 4 clubs, machette knives, and even fire clubs. I mention this to show that he understands performance levels and what it takes to be the best. Very few kids can juggle but he can even juggle on a 5-foot unicycle.

This fall, our school let a DCI group use our field to practice. (I think it was the Cavaliers but I don't remember.) He has become almost addicted to DCI since then and wants to join when he is older. He is too young now and he also wants to participate in our HS band.

Is there a recommended procedure to prepare? What should he be doing over the next 2-3 years? Any thoughts?

 

[MinnieM3]

My DS17 is a percussion fanatic, too! Our middle school had no music program, so he learned on his own.....his old high school's music program just never took off (like 15 kids tops), so we moved him this year to the public high school with a fabulous band program! They won all their competitions and the state championship.....first time in school history!!

So, DS wanted to try out for DCI to at least see what the auditions were like really..... The closest to us is Carolina Crown. (about 3 1/2 hours away)He went to 2 of the weekend camps (had to miss one due to my surgery). He loved the camps but was young and up against 21 year olds with so much experience! He learned a lot. The hard thing is that snare, if that's what he's on, had at least 50 people trying out for 8 spots.

Also, he learned to play "match" (holding the sticks) and all DCI do "trad" or traditional, so he couldn't try for snare and had to go for bass, which he'd never done. There were only 4 or 5 bass spots and he did not make it.

He's hoping to try again next year. Your son may want to try Madison Scouts, Phantom Regimen. I'm sure he's discovered www.dci.org. Great site. Also look into www.dcibandfanatic.com. I think DS's state performance is there.....look for Wando High School.

Hope this helps some!!

 

[DisneyGirl421]

I'm on the colorguard for my highschool (co-captain actually) and LOVE watching DCI bands perform. They are incredible to watch and are simply the BEST out there.
My advice to your son? Wait until he's older. Most of the people on the bands are 20+ and in college. Younger boys (17ish) do make it, but they are going up against older people. and especially with drumline, there's ALOT of people who try out for them.
But yeah. I wish your son all the luck, and to keep trying even if he doesn't make it the first time out.

 

[BuckNaked]

Drum corps can be loads of fun, but loads of hard work as well. I would start here and see some of what is involved.

As for him being too young in a couple of years, unless things have changed drastically, he'll be just about the right age!! I was in for years after high school graduation, and members "aged out" at 21.

 

[straightj23]

Hey. I don't know much about drum corps since I only play saxophone, but it contains trumpets, mellophones (marching french horns), euphoniums, and tubas (NOT sousaphones), percussion (snare, quints, bass drums, and pit percussion), and auxilary (flags, sabres, rifles). Even though I am a woodwind, I am a big fan of Drum Corps. I have the last world championships on tape. My favorite show was Phantom Regiment with a Gershwin show. But, other than that drum corp band, the best out there are The Cavaliers, The Cadets (defending champs), Blue Devils, Blue Coats, Madison Scouts, Boston Crusaders, and many others. They are very well known for there very cool effects and arrangements (not to mention, FAST). They are also very hard to get into, I hear. Some drum corps are all male, but most are unisex. Wish him the best of luck if/when he tries out. Some of my friends in band are trying out and some are already in it. They tried out for the Glassmen in Toledo, OH, but there are many to choose from.

 

[Madaboutthemouse]

Hi Claudia!
There are Division II and III corps where younger kids are involved and it gains them experience to progress through to the Division I corps. Division II and III aren't as large and may not be as competitive to join. The DCI website should have the information. My stepsister played flute through HS and was drum major her senior year and marched in the colorguard of the Capitol Regiment (out of Columbus, OH) this past summer. They had issues with their staff so it wasn't an entirely enjoyable experience, but she may try out with Glassmen or another more well-known corps now that she's had a year of experience.
Which HS does your son attend? I'm a self-proclaimed "band geek". My dad is the head director at Class A Snider in Fort Wayne and my uncle is one of the top percussion caption heads in the state. Definitely a marching band focused family!
WOW~13 and a Division I snare solo...that's incredible! I have a cousin who marches snare with Center Grove and he is taking his snare solo to state in two weeks. I think he's a freshman.

 

[Pinnie]

I am a HUGE DCI fan and have been attending events and finals all over the country! I would advise the OPs son to check out a Division II or III Corp for some experience.

Check out the DCI.ORG website for a calendar of events and shows in your area. Season begins in June and ends with Finals in August in Madison. (I WILL BE THERE!)

DCI marched the corps at EPCOT when finals were in Orlando at the Citrus Bowl.

Next year (2007) finals will be in Pasadena!

My fav corp is The Cadets! Can't wait to see what Hopkins has on the agenda for this year after Kill Bill last year!

pinnie

 

[GarrettJD]

Big fan of DCI here, too! We have an up-and-coming corps here, the Division II Memphis Sound. I'm a clarinetist, so I never got to do drum corps, but I marched for three years in the University of Memphis marching band, and our directors were former corps alumni (and instructors), so we did mostly DCI-style shows (often ripping off the Madison Scouts. )

If your son does do DCI, I'm sure it will be a memorable experience. I have a lot of friends who did it (one in Phantom Regiment, and another who played trombone for the Boston Crusaders), and they said the experience was fantastic.

 

[Tracey1974]

Hard hard hard work but a ton of fun. I'd also vote for joining a smaller corp for 2 or so summers, then maybe after HS trying out. You "age out" at 21 so there will be a few years in between. Some corps are all male, but most are coed. Fun way to travel and see the country and make friends. The shows are awesome to watch!

 

[LSURyan]

Drum Corps is an awesome experience. It is the only regret I have. Not actually marching. I auditioned a few times, but never went back to the camps to see if I made it. I think I was scared to actually make it.

He can start at 14 if memory serves me right. I'd recommend starting in Division II or III. Many of the top tier corps members are in their upper teens to early 20's. You "age out" at 21. A DII-III would be a great start. As others said, dci.org is a great place to start looking up information.

DCI is like marching band, to the next level.

I have lots of friends that marched, some even taught different corps or were in the administration side. I am also a high school band director so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Good luck

 

[Claudia1]

Thanks for the info! I really think that he won't do DCI until he is almost out of high school, simply because he will probably want to work with his peers in our high school program.

However, we will begin to watch the II and III groups and learn all we can about DCI. A couple of years watching performances will also help. He already hovers over the site and videos!

Thanks!

 

[Pinnie]

Thanks for the info! I really think that he won't do DCI until he is almost out of high school, simply because he will probably want to work with his peers in our high school program.

However, we will begin to watch the II and III groups and learn all we can about DCI. A couple of years watching performances will also help. He already hovers over the site and videos!

Thanks!

Here is a link to some amazing Drill Videos over the years from DCI.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5278152694100864944&q=blue+devils

pinnie

 

[Simba's Mom]

In 2 or 3 years, my son wants to audition for a corps. We live in a rural part of Indiana and are just beginning to enter the wonderful world of percussion & marching band. DCI is new to me.

About my son: He is only 13 (7th grade) and has played percussion for less than a year BUT he has an incredible talent. He is better than all of the High School drumline (and they are excellent b/c our school placed 3rd at the State Finals this year). He was invited to join the HS Marching Band at the end of 6th grade and was a part of the award-winning band. (The directors are great guys and they do very well to mix MIddle School students and High Schoolers.) He just performed at his very first Solo and Ensemble contest and he took a Division I solo, missing gold by only 1/2 point. It was not an easy piece, either. It was considered to be one of the harder Division I pieces. His teachers have never seen anyone this good at this age.

Additionally, he has performed in our internationally known youth amateur circus as a juggler and 5' unicyclist. He has performed in San Fransisco and all over our state since he was 11 years old. He juggles 5 balls, 4 clubs, machette knives, and even fire clubs. I mention this to show that he understands performance levels and what it takes to be the best. Very few kids can juggle but he can even juggle on a 5-foot unicycle.

This fall, our school let a DCI group use our field to practice. (I think it was the Cavaliers but I don't remember.) He has become almost addicted to DCI since then and wants to join when he is older. He is too young now and he also wants to participate in our HS band.

Is there a recommended procedure to prepare? What should he be doing over the next 2-3 years? Any thoughts?

I just wanted to say that if your son wants to try to make a career of music (as mine is), you're in one of the best states for music (we Texans say it's second best to UNT-the Indianains say Indiana U is best!) DS has always loved DCI, he wanted to try out, but needed to make money instead. A good friend was drum major for some Division 1 Corps, I can't remember which one, but she loved the experience. He'd work hard, but have an awesome time.