From: dci@cs.washington.edu (Donald Chinn)
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps,news.answers
Subject: alt.drumcorps Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Summary: this post contains: what drum corps is; addresses
    and phone numbers for corps, associations, and publications;
    info on the current season; and how to join a corps
Date: 28 Sep 92 18:42:10 GMT
Article-I.D.: beaver.1992Sep28.184210.12115
Followup-To: alt.drumcorps
Organization: Computer Science & Engineering, U. of Washington, Seattle

Archive-name: drumcorps-faq



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for alt.drumcorps (9/28/92)

Table of Contents:

1.0 General information (what is drum corps, rules, travel, costs, etc.)
2.0 Corps addresses and drum corps publications
    2.1 Current active corps
	2.1.1 Junior corps
	2.1.2 Senior corps
    2.2 Drum corps associations
    2.3 Drum corps publications
3.0 Information specific to the current season
    3.1 Corps repertoires
    3.2 The DCI Tour
4.0 How to join a corps


FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for alt.drumcorps

1.0 General Information                         Donald Chinn


1.1 What is drum corps?
    Drum corps is an abbreviation for drum and bugle corps.  During
the competitive season, corps from all across the US and Canada
perform to crowds of up to 35,000.
    The closest kind of group to a drum corps that is not a drum corps
is the marching band, but the performance levels of the top drum corps
is in general higher than top marching bands.

The music.  Drum corps do NOT play Sousa marches or "um-pa-pa" music.
The repertoire of modern drum corps consists of classical, jazz,
contemporary, and symphonic literature.  Broadway musicals are also
popular.  Some organizations tend to play a single kind of music.  For
example, the Concord Blue Devils tend to play jazz each year, while
the Phantom Regiment plays classical music each year.
    Gone are the days of sitting on the 50 yardline playing the theme
from Rocky and Stars and Stripes Forever (which used to be common in
both drum corps and marching bands).
    The music is arranged by professionals.  The brass and percussion
instructors are among the best in the country.  There are even college
music professors involved in the activity.

The drill.  Drills are also designed by professional artists and
choreographers.  Smooth curves during delicate passages and sharp
angles during aggressive passages accent the presentation of the
music.  Color and dance also add to the interpretation of the music.
The drill and the music are integrated into a whole (unlike many field
shows one sees at a typical halftime show) in a constantly moving
show.

There are three sections of a drum corps: the brass, the percussion,
and the color guard.  See later questions for descriptions for what
are allowed in the brass and percussion sections.  The color guard (a
misnomer in today's performances) is the group of performers who
handle the flags and other props that visually enhance the
performance.  They typically do quite a bit of dancing and equipment
work.

Forget about any experiences you've had with high school and college
marching bands.  Drum corps is a completely different animal, and any
music-lover ought to consider seeing a show towards the end of the
season.

Usage note: "drum corps" (singular) can refer to a particular drum corps
(e.g. "I haven't seen a drum corps in years.") or it can refer to the
entire activity (e.g. "The future of drum corps looks promising.").  It
also can be used as an adjective (e.g. "I'm going to the next drum corps
show in the area.").  The plural "drum corps" only refers to greater than
one drum corps.

1.2 How do you pronounce the word "corps"?  How do you spell and pronounce
its plural?

"Corps" is pronounced like KOR (like the word "core").  The plural of
"corps" is spelled "corps", but is pronounced KORZ.  The most frequent
error in spelling "corps" is to leave off the 's'.

1.3 What is DCI?
    DCI stands for Drum Corps International.  DCI is the governing
organization that oversees the competitive drum corps activity (I hate
to use the analogy to sports, but DCI is roughly analogous to the NCAA
for college athletics).  DCI was organized in 1972 as a reaction to
the "harsh" way the VFW (Veterans of Foreign War) and AL (American
Legion) were governing the activity.

1.4 Are there any limits as to how many people can perform on the
field?
    Yes, but this number depends on the Class that your corps competes
in.  The so-called Open Class corps may field up to 128 performers
(including the drum majors).  This number comes from the fact that
when the rule was devised, this was the average number of people that
could fit on three buses.  The idea was to minimize the travelling
costs for the corps.
    Class A (now called Division II) corps may field up to 90 people
and Class A-60 (now called Division III) corps may field up to 60
members.
    These are the formal differences between the classes of drum
corps, but in reality the Open Class corps tend to be the ones that
attract the better instructors, go on longer tours, and generally
perform better, while the Division II and III corps tend to be more
oriented towards being a youth activity.  Note that these are
generalities so that any particular corps could be anywhere in the
spectrum of youth activity or innovators in performance art.

1.5 What are the budgets of the corps?
    Typical numbers for an Open Class corps are $250,000 to $500,000
per year.  This amount largely depends on how far they travel during
the season, how expensive the props and uniforms are for the year, and
what kind of staff they hire.
    Division II and III corps spend much less than these amount
(probably much less than $100,000) because they tend to travel only
locally or for shorter periods of time.  Also, because they are
smaller, the cost to produce a show is smaller.

1.6 Where do corps get the money?
    Since drum corps are not associated with any school (typically
they are non-profit corporations), they must do their own
fund-raising.
    Fund-raising activities include all sorts of events.  The
Bluecoats from Canton, OH, for example, hold a mini-car race in
downtown Canton which raises all sorts of money (as well as
publicizing the corps name).
    Funds also come from corps membership fees, as they are called.
Fees can range between $200-$500 depending on the corps (if you
calculate that out, that could be as much as $50,000).
    The Blue Devils from Concord, CA, take in about 70% of their $1.5
million operating funds from bingo (the $1.5 million goes to 7
different performing groups in the Blue Devils organization).
    Prize money is another source of income.  The top corps get
something like $2500 per performance, which adds up to about $75,000
total in a season.  Many corps sponsor their own shows, which raises
some more money.
    Donations and boosters also contribute to the money needed.

    Finally, some corps are partially or fully corporate sponsored.
The Star of Indiana from Bloomington, IN, is fully funded by the Cook
Groups, Inc.  The Cadets of Bergen County from Hackensack, NJ, are
partially funded by Emerson Electric.  Circle K sponsored the Suncoast
Sound in 1986.

1.7 How far do the corps travel?  How many competitions?  How long is
the season?  When are the Championships?
    A typical Open Class corps travels somewhere between 10,000 and
15,000 miles during the season, performing in 25 to 35 shows in an
eight or nine week period.  The season usually begins in the second
week in June (the eastern corps tend to start a little later) and
culminates in the DCI World Championships, which are always held on
the third Saturday in August.

1.8 How can I catch the Championships on TV?
    PBS usually broadcasts the tape that DCI makes of the
Championships (actually, DCI produces two tapes: one of the live show
and a highlights film).  Each PBS station has the option not to
broadcast it for whatever reason (too much already scheduled, not
enough interest, etc.).  Some stations broadcast it live (on the
Saturday of the Championships), while other stations save the tape and
broadcast it whenever it is convenient.  If your local station does
not broadcast it, call them up or write them a letter.  It has been my
experience that PBS listens to its viewers (especially those who
subscribe).  As an example, the PBS station in Seattle did not
broadcast the Championships, but got so many calls in August and
September that they showed it in October.

1.9 How does the scoring work?

    The current judging system has nine judges, each responsible for a
particular aspect of the show.  Each caption (as they are called) has
a certain number of points allotted to it.  The sum of the nine
judges' scores determines the overall score of the performance.  There
are three captions for each of Brass, Percussion, and Visual.  The
point breakdown is as follows:

                  Brass    Percussion   Visual
Field              10          10         10
Ensemble           10          10         10
General Effect     15          10         15

The Field Brass and Field Percussion judges are the judges that are on
the field during a performance and are primarily looking at individual
technique and execution of the book.  They are the judges who nit-pick
at things such as overblowing, non-uniform sticking, bad releases,
etc.

The Field Visual judge watches the execution of the color guard and
the marching of the brass and percussion performers.  Spacing,
uniformity, and execution are what this judges looks for.

The Ensemble Brass and Percussion judges sit up in the press box.
They are responsible for judging how each area (Brass or Percussion,
respectively) performs technically as an ensemble.  Musicality,
intonation, dynamics, sonority, etc. are the things these judges look
for.

The Ensemble Visual judge tries to assess the ability of the entire
corps to effectively present visual ideas.

The General Effect judges assess the overall effectiveness of each
area in the final product.  This is where entertainment and "special
effects" play a big role.  It is also an area where the design of the
show itself is being evaluated.  Why was this picture presented after
this music statement?  What is the effect of having the percussion
feature and its mood following the ballad with its mood?  These are
the kinds of questions that are raised and the kinds of things that
are assessed by the General Effect (GE) judges.


1.10 What is a legal bugle?
    For competitive purposes (i.e. at DCI competitions), a bugle is
defined as follows: "By the word `bugle' as used herein is meant a
straight bell-front brass instrument pitched in the key of G.  All
instruments shall have no more than three (3) valves except for the
contrabass bugle, which may have four (4)."
    This is quoted from Drum Corps World (January, 1990) which quotes
the rule book (Rule 4.3.1).  This rule was passed at the 1989 DCI
Rules Congress.  The rule used to say exactly the same thing, except
that all instruments (even contrabasses) could have only two (2)
valves.
    There is an interesting history to what was allowed on the field.
At first only valveless bugles were allowed.  Then one-valved,
piston-rotor, and then two-valved were allowed, in that order.  In
fact, there used to be only soprano bugles until the baritone bugle,
mellophone bugle, French horn bugle, and the contrabass were invented.

1.11 What kind of percussion is allowed?
    Rule 4.1.1:  "All acoustic percussion membrane and keyboard
instruments (those not needing electricity to generate sound) are
legal."
    Rule 4.1.2: "Percussion keyboard instruments may use resonators.
A self-contained motor that is battery-powered is permitted to be used
on vibraphones only.  This motor is not to be used for amplification,
but rather to produce a vibrato effect by turning the resonator
propellers.  Electric amplification is not allowed."

1.12 What is the "pit area"?
    It is the area between the 35 yard lines on the front side line
ten feet deep (outside the playing field, toward the audience).
Basically, this area is an extension of the field.  Any piece of
equipment can be brought into or out of the pit area to or from the
"normal" playing field.
    Corps typically use this area to place stationary percussion
instruments, such as chimes, keyboard instruments, tympani, gongs,
etc.  It is also used sometimes to store color guard equipment.  Some
drill writers have used the pit area for performers to march through.

1.13 How long is each show?
    Each corps' performance is supposed to last between 10 and 11 1/2
minutes.  There is a 0.1 point penalty for each 6 seconds above or
below these limits.
    A typical show consisting of 7 corps will last about three hours.
    Usually, the winner of the show will do an encore performance while
standing still (i.e. not marching).  These kinds of performances are known
as standstill performances.

1.14 What are all those strange abbreviations and/or nicknames people
keep using when writing about drum corps?

    It's a lot easier to use an abbreviation or nickname than to have
to type the entire corps name every time.  Here is a short table of
abbreviations:

    BD = Blue Devils (Concord, CA)
    Boston = Boston Crusaders (Boston, MA)
    Cadets or Garfield = Cadets of Bergen County (Hackensack, NJ)
      (they used to be called the Garfield Cadets until 1989)
    Cavies = Cavaliers (Rosemont, IL)
    Madison or Scouts = Madison Scouts (Madison, WI)
    PR or Phantom = Phantom Regiment (Rockford/Loves Park, IL)
    SCV or Vanguard = Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, CA)
    Sky = Sky Ryders (De Soto, TX)
    Spirit = Spirit of Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
    Star = Star of Indiana (Bloomington, IN)
    Suncoast = Suncoast Sound (Pinillas Park, FL)
    VK or Velvet = Velvet Knights (Anaheim, CA)


2.0 Corps addresses and drum corps publications    compiled by Michael Fath

2.1  Current active corps
     2.1.1 Junior corps (from 1991 Finals Program and DCW)
          
Academie Musicale, 3086 Galt Ouest, Sherbrooke, PQ Canada JIK IM2
819-820-0452

Black Gold, P.O. Box 54283, Tulsa, Oklahoma  74155
918-838-9700

Blue Devils, P.O. Box 21516, 4065 Nelson Ave., Concord, CA  94521
510-689-2918

Blue Knights, P.O. Box 100789, Denver, CO  80250
303-730-1919

Bluecoats, 7570 Angel Rd., North Canton, Ohio  44720
216-494-5720

Boston Crusaders, 235 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA  02146
617-723-8741

Cadets of Bergen County, P.O. Box 8, Hackensack, NJ  07602
201-487-5797

Cavaliers, P.O. Box 501, Rosemont, IL  60018
312-247-3440 or 312-763-4410

Colts, P.O. Box 515, Dubuque, Iowa  52001
319-582-4872

Crossmen, 6424 Roosevelt Ave., Pennsauken, NJ  08109
609-488-7128

Dutch Boy, P.O. Box 842, Kitchner, Ontario Canada  N2G 4C5
519-744-3291

Freelancers, 7257 East Southgate Dr., Sacramento, CA  95823
916-428-4016

Glassmen, 610 East Broadway, Toledo, Ohio  43605
419-478-4845

L'Insolite, P.O. Box 332, Saint Jerome, Quebec Canada  J7Z 5T9
514-634-9587   (inactive in 1992)

Madison Scouts, P.O. Box 948, Madison, WI  53701
608-241-3171 (mornings)

Magic, P.O. Box 690426, Orlando, FL 32869
407-843-2756

Marauders, 1335-11th Avenue, Longview, WA  98632
206-425-6960

Phantom Regiment, P.O. Box 6653, Rockford, IL  61125
815-96-CORPS

Santa Clara Vanguard, 1765 Space Park Dr., Santa Clara, CA  95054
408-727-5534

Sky Ryders, 127 S. Parks, DeSoto, TX  75115
214-223-1883

Spirit of Atlanta, 620 Peachtree St, NE #904, Atlanta, GA 30308
404-875-8715

Star of Indiana, P.O. Box 264, Bloomington, IN  47402
812-876-4903

Troopers, P.O. Box 375, Casper, Wyoming  82602
307-234-7005 or 307-472-2141

Velvet Knights, 1235 S. Knott Ave., Anahiem, CA  92804
714-761-2679

Ventures, 135 Ottawa St., South Kitchener, ONT Canada  N2G 3T1
519-896-0055
---

Blue Stars, P.O. Box 2523, LaCrosse, WI  56602-2523
608-782-3219

Kiwanis Kavaliers, P.O. Box 1881, Station C, Kitchener, ONT
Canada  N2G 4R3
519-740-3893

Mandarins, P.O. Box 22297, Sacramento, CA  95822
916-395-8310

Americanos, 1615 Drum Corps Drive, Menasha, WI  54952
414-772-5543

Railmen, P.O. Box 27105, Ralston, NE  68127
402-292-7421

Northern Aurora, 6730 Bay Road, Saginaw, MI  48604
517-791-4431

The Knights, 6915 E. 74th Ave., Milan, IL  61264  
309-799-3767

Southwind, P.O. Box 2361, Montgomery, AL  36102
205-272-1234

Springfield Ambassadors, P.O. Box 8102, Springfield, MA  01138
413-737-2234

Fajardo, 17 Prospect Ave., Dumont, NJ  13208
201-592-3920

Sound of Long Island
516-731-0595

Royal Columbian, P.O. Box 797, Chicopee, MA  01021
413-539-6883

Limited Edition, P.O. Box 16220, Columbus, Ohio  43216
614-755-4941

Capitolaires
608-221-3350

Carolina Crown, 5018 Park Road #244, Charlotte, NC  28209

Mountain Magic, 615 N. 10th St., Huntington, WV  26701
304-523-8627

Patriots
708-748-6226

Royalaires, P.O. Box 1322, Guelph, Ontario Canada  H1H 6N8
519-658-2157

Royal Brigade, 3063 Holderhill Lane, Salt Lake City, Utah 84118
801-965-9124


     2.1.2  Senior corps

     in progress

2.2  Drum corps associations

DCA - Drum Corps Associates
Michael Petrone, 10 Columbus Drive, Monmouth Beach, NJ  07750
908-222-3835

DCD - Drum Corps Deutschland
Thomas Rohr, Faselwiese 5, 6700 Ludwigshafen/Rh., Germany
0621-664010

DCE - Drum Corps East
Anthony DiCarlo, 246 West Street, South Weymouth, MA  02188
617-331-9500
DCH - Drum Corps Holland
Jos Brusse, Farenheitlaan 29, 1222 LM, Lilversum, Netherlands
011-31-78-164512

DCI - Drum Corps International
Julie Hoffman, P.O. Box 548, Lombard, IL  60148
708-495-9866

DCM - Drum Corps Midwest
Roman Blenski, 4601 West Holt Avenue, Milwaukee, WI  53220
414-327-2847

DCNY - Drum Corps New York
Carl Pynn, P.O. Box 22, Wampsville, NY  13163
315-363-8889/313-363-1230

DCUK - Drum Corps United Kingdom
John Garton c/o The Oliver Hind Club, Edale Road, Sneinton Dale,
Nottingham, England NG2 4HT
011-44-602-483200

DCW - Drum Corps West
Tom Hope, 372 Florin Road Suite #303, Sacramento, CA  95832
916-429-9545

DCWI - Drum Corps West Indies
Junior Ricketts, 375 Pine Street, Brooklyn, NY  11208
718-235-0716

E-Mass - Eastern Massachusetts
Elaine Blinn, 18 Jef Road, Billerica, MA  02821
508-667-2443

FAMQ - Federation des Association Musicales du Quebec
Carol Plante, P.O. Box 1000, Succursale M, Montreal, Quebec,
Canada
514-252-3025

GSC - Garden State Circuit
Carmen Cirlincione, 249 Crystal Street, North Arlington, NJ 
07032
201-998-4222

IAA - Illinois All-American
Aurelia Kmiec, 4622 North Kostner Avenue, Chicago, IL  60630
708-725-8235

ODCA - Ontario Drum Corps Association
Lynne Sosnowski, 258 King Street North Suite 12-J, Waterloo,
Ontario, Canada  N2J 2Y9
519-746-0042

UDCA - United Drum Corps Association
Ralph Parkhill, 523 Montauk Highway, Sayville, NY  11782
516-589-5047

2.3 Drum Corps Publications

DCI Today
P.O. Box 548, Lombard, IL  60148-0548
1-800-344-2772
Six bi-monthly issues
1st class - $12.00/yr
bulk rate - $6.00 (lifetime subscr. - delivery not guaranteed)

Drum Corps World
P.O. Box 8052, Madison, WI  53708-8052
1-800-554-9630
20 issues per year
1st class - $60.00/yr
2nd class - $42.00/yr


3.0 Information on the 1992 Season                compiled by Michael Fath

3.1 1992 Corps Repertoires

Star of Indiana	"American Variations" including
	Star Spangled Overture - Morton Gould, Chester Overture - William
	Schumann, Amber Waves - Morton Gould, Flag of Stars - Gordon Jacob

Cavaliers	"Revolution" including
	Gavorkna Fanfare - Jack Stamp, Cornish Dances 4th mvt., English 
	Dances #1,4th mvt., and Peterloo Overture all by Malcolm Arnold

Phantom Regiment "War and Peace" by Peter Tchaikovsky including themes from
	March Slav, 1812 Overture and Symphonies 4 and 6

Santa Clara Vanguard
	Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock including
	Tradition, Sabbath Prayer, To Life, Tevye's Dream, Wedding
	Celebration and Bottle Dance, and Anatevka
     
Blue Devils	"Big, Bad, and Blue" including
	Someone's There - Harry Connick Jr., Cuban Fire Suite (El Congo
	Valiente, Fuego Cubano, La Suerte de Los Tontos) - Johnny
	Richards, When a Man Loves a Woman - Calvin Lewis

Cadets of Bergen County
	To Tame the Perilous Skies by David Holsinger

Madison Scouts	"City of Angels" by Cy Coleman including
	Prologue and Theme, L.A. Blues, You Gotta Look Out for Yourself,
	With Every Breath I Take, Funny

Crossmen	"Songs for the Planet Earth"
	Begin Sweet World - Richard Stoltzman, Appalachian Morning -
	Paul Halley, The Elements (original comp), Rain Forest - by Full
	Circle, and Under the Sun - Paul Winter

Blue Knights	"Portraits of Aaron Copland"
	Billy the Kid, Corral Nocturne (from Rodeo), Red Pony; and
	Chorale and Shaker Dance by John Zdechlik

Freelancers	William Walton Symphony No. 1

Bluecoats	"A Day in the Life" by Lennon and McCartney including
	Eleanor Rigby, The Long and Winding Road, Penny Lane, A Day in
	the Life

Sky Ryders	"Brigadoon" by Frederick Loewe
	Once in the Highlands, Down on MacConnachy Square, Almost Like
	Being in Love,Come To Me, Bend to Me, The Chase, and Brigadoon/
	Heather on the Hill

Dutch Boy	"Prime Cuts:  The Best of Today"
	Unforgettable - Cole, Avalon - Cole, Beauty and the Beast - Alan
	Mencken, and Festival de Ritmo - Dave Weckl

Velvet Knights	"Magical Mystery Tour"
	Brazil, Kodo Thunder (original comp), Trepek from Nutcracker,
	Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 - Lizst

Spirit of Atlanta "Songs of the New South"
	Ol' Man River, Can't Help Lovin' that Man from Showboat, Miss
	Otis Regrets, For the Beauty of the Earth - John Rutter

Boston Crusaders   "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Mussourgsky including
	Promenade, Hut of Baba-Yaga, Tuileries/Ballet of the Unhatched
	Chicks, The Old Castle, Market Place at Limoges and the Great
	Gate of Kiev

Glassmen	"A Childhood Remembered" including
	The North Wind - David Arkenstone, Madre de la Tierra - Dave
	Lanz, Esacapades of Pan - Dave Lanz

Magic of Orlando	"Music for a Darkened Theater" - Danny Elfman

Maruaders	"Adventures on the High Seas - Part II"
	Sea Fanfare (Victory at Sea), Overture from Captain Blood,
	The Siren's Call - Brad Pearson, The Storm, Fantasia on a
	Dea Man's Chest, The Revelation - Brad Pearson

L'Insolite	inactive for 1992

Troopers	"A Western Odyssey"
	Flag of Stars, Cool Water - Bob Nolan, Unsquare Dance In 7/4 - Dave
	Brubeck, The Ecstasy of Gold - Ennio Morricone, Riders in the Sky

Carolina Crown	Dances of Malcolm Arnold
	English Set 1 #1, English Set 2 #2, English Set 1 #4, Scottish
	#3, and Cornish #4

Southwind	"Robin Hood:  Prince of Thieves" Michael Kamen
	


3.2 The DCI Tour

                The 1992 Summer Music Games Tour
                --------------------------------

This is tour date info from the March/April DCI Today.  Regional
association tour info to be added later.  Dates, attendees, etc.
subject to change.  Due to time/space constraints, I have limited
the slate of those to appear to the top 12 finishers.  What follows
is a legend for the code used to designate those corps.

   ST  - Star of Indiana            MAD - Madison Scouts
   CAV - Cavaliers                  CRO - Crossmen
   PR  - Phanton Regiment           BK  - Blue Knights
   SCV - Santa Clara Vanguard       FR  - Freelancers
   BD  - Blue Devils                BLU - Bluecoats
   CAD - Cadets of Bergen County    SKY - Sky Riders

Hope this helps those of you without DCI Today or Drum Corps World
access.  And now the schedule:

1992 Drum Corps Season  - regional (non-DCI) shows

June 6    Madison, WI (DCM)        MAD
June 7    West Bend, WI (DCM)      MAD
June 13   Concord, CA (DCW)        SCV,BD,FR
          Stoney Creek, ONT (ODCA) 
          Appleton, WI (DCM)       PR,Gl
          Normal, IL (DCM)         CAV,MAD,BLU,LE
June 14   Racine, WI (DCM)         PR,CAV
          La Porte, IN (DCM)       MAD,BC,Gl,LE
June 15   Mansfield, OH (DCM)      MAD,BC,Gl,LE
June 16   Wyandotte, MI (DCM)      CAV,PR,MAD,BLU,Gl,LE
June 17   Mishawaka, IN (DCM)      CAV,PR,LE
June 18   Ostego, MI (DCM)         CAV,PR,MAD,Gl,LE
June 19   Phoenix, AR (DCW)        BK
          Clovis, CA (DCW)         SCV,BD,FR
          DeKalb, IL (DCM)         ST,CAV,PR,MAD,BLU,Gl,Tr,LE,NA
June 20   Riverside, CA (DCW)      SCV,BD,BK,FR,VK
          Waterloo, ONT (ODCA)     
          Rochester, NY (DCE)      Ven
          Milwaukee, WI (DCM)      ST,PR,MAD,Gl
          Charleston, IL (DCM)     CAV, CAD,BLU,Co,Tr
          Rosemont, IL (DCM)
June 21   Costa Mesa, CA (DCW)     SCV,BD,BK,FR,VK
          Scarborough,ONT (ODCA)
          Green Bay, WI (DCM)      MAD,BS
          Terre Haute, IN (DCM)    ST,CAD,Co,LE
          Oswego, IL (DCM)         PR,Gl
June 22   Canton,MI (DCM)          CAV,BLU
June 23   Saginaw,MI (DCM)         BC,Co,LE
June 24   Modesto, CA (DCW)        SCV,BK,FR
June 25   Pittsburgh, PA (DCE)     CAD,CRO,BLU,DB,Gl
          Streator, IL (DCM)       CAV,PR,Tr,Co
June 26   Sacramento,CA (DCW)      SCV,BD,BK,FR,VK
          Newark,DE (DCE)          CAD,CRO,DB,BCr
          Clearwater,FL (DCE)      SA,SW,CC,Ma,SS
          LaCrosse, WI (DCM)       MAD,Co,BS
          Monmouth, IL (DCM)       PR,Tr
          Indianapolis, IN (DCM)   ST,CAV,BLU,Gl,LE
June 27   Santa Clara, CA (DCW)    SCV,BD,BK,FR,VK
          Brantford, ONT (ODCA)    Ven
          East Rutherford,NJ (DCE) CAD
          Melbourne, FL (DCE)      SKY,SA,Ma,SS,SW,CC
          Alexandria,MN (DCM)      MAD
          Antioch, IL (DCM)   
          Cedar Rapids, IA (DCM)   PR,Tr
          Canton, OH (DCM)         ST,CAV,BC,Gl,LE
June 28   Reno, NV (DCW)           SCV,BK,FR
          Hamilton, ONT (ODCA)     
          Waltham, MA (DCE)        CAD,DB,BCr
          Daytona, FL (DCE)        SKY,SA,Ma,SW,CC,SS
          Rochester, MN (DCM)      PR,MAD,Co
          Port Clinton, OH (DCM)   ST,CAV,Gl,LE
June 29   Montreal,QUE (DCE)       CAD,CRO,DB,Ven
          Columbus, OH (DCM)       ST,CAV,Gl,BC,LE
June 30   Glenwood Springs, CA     SCV,BK
          Fairmont, MN (DCM)       MAD,Co,Tr
July 1    Woodburn, OR (DCW)       FR,Mar
          New Haven, CT (DCE)      CAD,CRO,SKY,DB,Ven
          Oshkosh, WI (DCM)        CAV,PR,Gl,Co,LE
July 2    St. Paul, MN (DCM)       MAD,Tr
          Belvidere, IL (DCM)      CAV,PR,Gl,LE
          Hoffman Estates, IL (DCM)
July 3    Longview, WA (DCW)       BD,FR,Mar
          Bristol, RI (DCE)        CAD,CRO,SKY,DB,BCr
          Pittsfield, MA (DCE)     
          Austin, MN (DCM)         SCV,MAD,Tr
          Mt. Prospect, IL (DCM)   CAV,PR
          New Berlin, WI (DCM)     
          Racine, Wi (DCM)         Gl,Co
July 4    Auburn, WA (DCW)         BD,FR,Mar
          Wakefield,MA (DCE)       CAD,CRO,SKY,DB,BCr
          St. Peter, MN (DCM)      MAD,Tr
July 5    Edmonds, WA (DCW)        BD,FR,Mar
          Beverly, MA (DCE)        ST,CRO,SKY,BCr
          Oswego, NY (DCE)         CAD
          Mankato, MN (DCM)        SCV,MAD
          East Troy, WI (DCM)
          Dixon, IL (DCM)          CAV,PR,Co
July 6    Queens, NY (DCE)         CAD,SKY,DB,Ven
          Madison, WI (DCM)        PR,SCV,MAD
July 7    Kingston, NY (DCE)       CAD,CRO,DB,Ven
July 8    Cohoccton, NY (DCE)      CAD,CRO,SKY,DB,Ven
July 10   Stockton, CA (DCW)       SCV,BD,FR
          Kitchner, ONT (ODCA)     DB,Ven
          Philadelphia, PA (DCE)   CAD,CRO,SKY,BCr
          Sherbrooke,QUE (DCE)
          Prattville, AL (DCE)     SA,Ma,SW,CC,SS
          Bettendorf, IA (DCM)     PR,VK,Co
          Grand Rapids, MI (DCM)   CAV,Gl,LE
July 11   Hershey, PA (DCE)        ST,CAD,CRO,BLU,SKY,BCr
          Sherbrooke, QUE (DCE)    
          Atlanta, GA (DCE)        SW,CC,SS
          Dubuque, IA (DCM)        PR,MAD,VK,Co
          Michigan City, IN (DCM)  
          Pleasant Hill, CA        SCV,BD,FR
July 12   Belleville, ONT (ODCA)   DB,Ven -ODCA Champ Prelims
          Kinghston, ONT (ODCA)    DB,Ven -ODCA Finals
          Charleston, WV (DCE)     ST,CAD,CRO,SKY
          Augusta, GA (DCE)        SA,SW,CC,Ma,SS
          Rockford, IL (DCM)       Ca,PR,MAD,VK,Gl,LE
          Fond du Lac, WI (DCM)    
July 13   Butler, PA (DCE)         ST,CRO,SKY
          Kannapolis, NC (DCE)     BC,SA,SW,CC,SS,Ma
July 14   Richmond, VA (DCE)       BC,SA,Ma,SW,CC,SS
July 15   Albuquerque, NM (DCW)    BK,Tr
July 16   Bensalam, PA (DCE)       CRO,SKY,DB,SA,CC
          College Park, MD (DCE)   CAD,VK,Ma,SW,SS
July 17   Bayonne, NJ (DCE)        CAD,DB,VK,SW
          Marlboro,MA (DCE)        CRO,SA,BCr,Ma,CC
          Toledo, OH (DCM prelims)
July 18   Cobourg, ONT
          Nashua, NH  (DCE prelims  8 am)
          Boston, MA  (DCE finals)
          Toledo, OH  (DCM finals)
July 19   Peterborough, ONT (ODCA)
          Great Barrington, MA (DCE)  BCr,SW,Ven
          Gardener, MA (DCE)          BCr,SW,Ven
          Ishpeming, MI (DCM)
July 24   Charlevoix, MI (DCM)




Date Day  Place       (event)   Top 12 Attendees
---- ---  -------------------   -----------------------------------
7/15 Wed  Ogden UT              FR,SCV,BD
7/16 Thu  Cheyenne WY           FR,SCV
7/17 Fri  Denver CO  - DATR     BK,FR,BD,SCV
7/18 Sat  Buffalo NY - NORTH    SKY,CAV,PR,CRO,CAD
7/20 Mon  Omaha NE              BK,SCV,BD
7/21 Tue  Arkeny IA             FR,STA,BD
          Bellevue OH           BLU,CRO,CAV
          Burlington IA         BK,SCV,MAD
          Pittsburgh PA         PR,CAD
7/22 Wed  Alton IL              FR,BD,STA
          Centerville OH        CAV,CRO
          Evansville IN         BK,MAD,SCV
          Huntington WV         SKY,CAD,PR

7/24 Fri  Nashville TN          All 25 DCI member corps in prelims,
  25 Sat  PREVIEW O' CHAMPIONS  Friday, with finals Saturday night.

7/26 Sun  Alexandria KY         BLU,BK,CAD
          Little Rock AR        SKY,PR,CAV
          Winchester KY         SCV
7/27 Mon  Charlotte NC          FR,BD,MAD
7/28 Tue  Canton OH             BLU,MAD,CAD
          Cary NC               FR,BK,SCV,STA
          Sevierville TN        BD,CRO
          Wichita Falls TX      SKY,CAV,PR
7/29 Wed  Dallas TX             SKY,CAV,PR
          Endicott NY           BLU,CAD,MAD
          Winston-Salem NC      BK,STA,CRO
7/30 Thu  Atlanta GA            BK,BD
          East Rutherford NJ    BLU,MAD,STA,CAD
          Houston TX            SKY,CAV,PR
8/1  Sat  Allentown PA - EAST   FR,BLU,SCV,STA,CAD,CRO,MAD
          Jackson MS  - SOUTH   SKY,BK,BD,PR,CAV
8/2  Sun  Ft. Edward NY         BLU,STA,MAD
          Lynn MA               FR,CRO,SCV
          Natchitoches LA       BK,PR
8/3  Mon  Pittsfield MA         CRO,CAD
8/4  Tue  Fairfield OH          SKY,BD,CAV
          Hornell NY            FR,CAD
          Montreal QUE          BLU,SCV,STA,MAD
          Tulsa OK              BK,PR
8/5  Wed  Columbus OH           SKY,CAD,CAV
          Erie PA               FR,CRO,SCV
          Rome NY               BLU,MAD,STA
          Topeka KS             BK,PR
8/6  Thu  Marion OH             SKY,BD,CAD,CRO
          Mentor OH (Cleveland) MAD,STA,BLU
          Pt. Huron MI          FR,SCV
8/7  Fri  Sioux City IA         BK,PR
          Des Plaines IL        SKY,FR,CRO,CAV
8/8  Sat  Blaine MN             BK,PR,CAD
          Bloomington IN - MID  BLU,MAD,SCV,CAV,BD,STA
8/9  Sun  South Milwaukee WI    BK,BLU,MAD
          Stillwater MN         FR,SKY,CRO,CAD,PR
          Ypsilanti MI          CAV,BD
8/10 Mon  Ft. Wayne IN          SCV,STA
          Mankato MN            SKY,MAD,CRO,CAD


DCI Championship Week in Madison, WI

August 10, Monday   Division III Prelims - Camp Randall
August 11, Tuesday  Division II Prelims - Camp Randall
                    DCI Alumni Reunion - Whitewater
                    Division II & III Finals and Official Opening
                    Ceremonies - Warhawk Stadium - Whitewater
August 12, Wed.     FAN APPRECIATION DAY
                    I&E Competition - Madison Area Tech College  
                                    - Traux Campus
                    DCI Member Corps open rehearsal - Camp Randall
                    Pit Crew competition - Camp Randall
                    1st Annual Chili Cookoff - Camp Randall
                    Parade - Capitol Square
                    Showcase of Talent - Capital Square
August 13, Thursday Quarterfinals - Camp Randall
August 14, Friday   Semifinals
August 15, Saturday FINALS


4.0 How to join a corps                      Donald Chinn

My experience with drum corps has been basically as a spectator.
However, I did march in high school marching band (so I have *some*
appreciation for how hard the stuff that drum corps do really is :-).

Anyway, here's the extent of my knowledge on how to get involved.

Junior corps (Blue Devils, Phantom Regiment, etc.) march people who
are 21 or younger.  A person "ages out" of corps when they become 22.
You can legally march at the DCI Championships if you do not turn 22
before the day of the performance.

If you are 22 or older, then your only chance to play in a drum corps
(legally) is to join a senior drum corps.  Senior drum corps are
governed by DCA (Drum Corps Associates).

If you are still under 22, then the typical way to get involved in
drum corps is to contact a drum corps directly.  So the big decision
is: "Which drum corps should I join?"  It depends.  If you want to
have a reasonable chance at winning the championships, then joining
the Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, Cadets of Bergen County,
Phantom Regiment, Star of Indiana, the Cavaliers, or Madison Scouts is
the thing to do.  If you want to be more involved in a smaller group
(or less well-known), you can try some of the 13th-26th place corps,
or even a Class A or Class A-60 corps.

It seems to me, the things to consider are location, size of the
corps, style of music, and reputation of the corps, and the chance at
winning it all.  For example, if you like jazz, then the Blue Devils
is probably where you want to be.  If you like classical, then Phantom
is the place to be.  WARNING: Tryouts for the top corps can be very
tough, since everyone wants to be a part of a winning corps.

There are basically 3 drum corps associations related to DCI that
handle the corps in their region.  These are DCE, DCM, and DCW (Drum
Corps East, Midwest, and West, respectively).  To find out what corps
are in what association, you can contact the associations directly.
See the section on "Drum corps associations" (section 2.2) for phone
numbers.

DCI's address and phone is:
    DCI
    Box 548
    Lombard, IL 60148
    (708) 495-9866

There are also a slew of other smaller drum corps associations:
Eastern Massachusetts, Drum Corps New York, etc.  You can probably ask
DCI if you want more info on them.

To join a corps, call up one of the associations and find out where
the nearest corps in your area are.  Or, contact a corps directly (see
"Current active corps", section 2.1).


Rehearsals:
    Rehearsals usually begin in the fall (this is certainly true of
the top corps).  I suspect that when rehearsals begin largely depends
on how much money the corps has.  During the winter, rehearsals mostly
consist of camps held on the weekends (once or twice a month in the
fall and more frequently as winter and spring roll around).  However,
not everyone shows up to these camps, especially if they would have to
fly 1000 miles to go to one.  This is one reason to join a corps close
to where you will be living.
    The corps you join would provide you with an instrument, probably
with some safety deposit on it.
    Also, most corps require that you pay a fee to join the corps.
This is to compensate for uniform cleaning, equipment, food, etc.
This fee can be very cheap or very steep anywhere from $200 to $600).
    When summer arrives (late May, early June), then things really
pick up.  Rehearsals can last up to 10 hours a day (or more), and the
sun beats down unmercifully.  Tan lines on the feet are not uncommon.
    I hear that college students have a rough time going to school and
doing corps.  The demands placed on corps members are incredible.
Stories of almost flunking out are frequent.  However, perhaps one can
negotiate with the corps director about showing up to rehearsals.  If
you're really good, they might be lenient.  Otherwise, there's no
reason for them to save a spot for you with 10 other people who *can*
go to rehearsals wanting to get in.  I'm not sure when the corps gets
cut down to size.


Touring:
    Corps travel thousands of miles each summer, and the bus rides can
be as long as 12 hours.  Usually, you roll into some town at 1am and
sleep in their high school gym for 8 hours or so (you bring a sleeping
bag!).  Food is usually prepared by volunteers for the corps.  Then
you rehearse in the day, do a show (or do laundry), and the cycle
repeats.  There are numerous parties, as well.
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps