2014 DCI Prelims

 Recap Roundup: 2014 World Championship Prelims

By Michael Boo | boomike@dci.org Friday, August 8, 2014 - 7:02 AM

DCI.ORG

Blue Devils (1st, 98.550) took 2nd in Percussion (0.10 under SCV) and 1st in the other seven captions, capturing a perfect score in Visual Analysis.

The Cadets (2nd, 96.925) were 2nd in all captions except the three Music captions, placing 3rd in Music Analysis and 4th in Brass and Percussion.

Bluecoats (3rd, 95.800) was 3rd in General Effect 2, Color Guard, Brass and Percussion, and 4th in GE 1, Visual Proficiency, Visual Analysis and Music Analysis.

Santa Clara Vanguard (4th, 95.450) was 1st in Percussion, 3rd in GE 1 and Visual Analysis, 4th in GE 2 and Color Guard and 5th in Visual Proficiency, Brass and Music Analysis.

Carolina Crown (5th, 94.750) was 2nd in Brass (by 0.10 under BD), 2nd in Music Analysis (by 0.20 under BD), 3rd in Visual Proficiency, 4th in GE 2, 5th in GE 1 and Visual Analysis and 6th in Color Guard and Percussion.

The Cavaliers (6th, 93.600) took 5th in GE 1, Color Guard and Percussion and 6th in the remaining five captions.

Blue Knights (7th, 91.650) placed 6th in Percussion, 7th in GE 1, Visual Analysis, Color Guard and Musical Analysis, 8th in GE 2 and Brass, and 9th in Visual Proficiency.

Phantom Regiment (8th, 91.025) was 7th in GE 2, Visual Proficiency and Brass, 8th in GE 1, Visual Analysis and Music Analysis, and 10th in Color Guard and Percussion.

Blue Stars (9th, 89.375) was 8th in Color Guard, 9th in GE 2, Visual Analysis, Music Analysis and Percussion, 10th in GE 1 and Visual Proficiency, and 11th in Brass.

Boston Crusaders (10th, 89.125) took 8th in Visual Proficiency and Percussion, 9th in GE 2 and Color Guard, 10th in Visual Analysis, Brass and Music Analysis, and 11th in GE 1.

Madison Scouts (11th, 88.425) placed 9th in GE 1 and Brass, 12th in Color Guard and 11th in the remaining five captions.

Crossmen (12th, 86.250) was 11th in Color Guard, 15th in Visual Analysis, and 12th in the remaining six captions.

Colts (13th, 84.725) was 12th in GE 1, and Visual Analysis, 13th in GE 2 and Visual Proficiency, 14th in Color Guard, 15th in Music Analysis, and 17th in Brass and Percussion.

Troopers (14th, 84.600) was 13th in GE 2, Visual Analysis, Color Guard and Brass, 14th in GE 1, Visual Proficiency and Brass, and 15th in Percussion.

Spirit of Atlanta (15th, 82.300) was 13th in Brass and Percussion, 15th in GE 2, Visual Proficiency and Color Guard, 17th in GE 1 and Music Analysis, and 19th in Visual Analysis.

The Academy (16th, 81.875) placed 14th in Music Analysis, 15th in GE 1 and Brass, 16th in Visual Analysis and Percussion, 17th in GE 2, 18th in Visual Proficiency, and 20th in Color Guard.

Oregon Crusaders (17th, 81.050) was 13th in Percussion, 16th in GE 1, Brass and Music Analysis, 17th in Visual Proficiency, 18th in GE 1 and Visual Analysis, and 23rd in Color Guard.

Blue Devils B (18th, 80.800) was 14th in Visual Analysis, 16th in GE 2 and Visual Proficiency, 18th in GE 1 and Color Guard, 19th in Brass and Percussion, and 20th in Music Analysis. BDB was the highest placing and scoring Open Class corps at the Prelims.

Pacific Crest (19th, 79.375) was 17th in Color Guard, 18th in all three Music captions, 20th in GE 1, GE 2 and Visual Proficiency, and 21st in Visual Proficiency.

Vanguard Cadets (20th, 79.300) took 17th in Visual Analysis, 18th in GE 2, 19th in GE 1, Visual Proficiency and Color Guard, 20th in Percussion, and 21st in Brass and Music Analysis.

Mandarins (21st, 77.750) placed 19th in Music Analysis, 20th in GE 1, Brass and Percussion, 21st in GE 2, 22nd in Visual Proficiency and Visual Analysis, and 24th in Color Guard.

Jersey Surf (22nd, 75.550) was 24th in Visual Proficiency and Brass, 25th in Visual Analysis, 26th in Color Guard, and 22nd in the remaining four captions.

Genesis (23rd, 75.175) was 21st in Visual Proficiency and Color Guard, 24th in Visual Proficiency, 26th in Brass, and 23rd in the remaining four captions.

Spartans (24th, 74.425) was 15th in Color Guard, 20th in Visual Analysis, 24th in GE 2 and Percussion, 25th in GE 1, Visual Proficiency and Brass, and 27th in Music Analysis.

7th Regiment (25th, 72.350) will make its first appearance in the Semifinals by placing 23rd in Visual Proficiency and Brass, 25th in Music Analysis and Percussion, 26th in GE 2, 27th in Color Guard, 28th in Visual Analysis, and 29th in GE 1.

The following corps will not be advancing to Friday night’s Semifinals.
Cascades (26th, 72.250) was 22nd in Brass, 30th in Color Guard, and between 24th and 27th in everything else.

Music City (27th, 71.575) was 24th through 30th in all captions.

Gold (28th, 71.250) was 22nd in Color Guard, 23rd in Visual Analysis, and 27th through 30th in the remaining six captions.

Legends (29th, 71.000) was 30th in Percussion and 26th through 29th in everything else.

Pioneer (30th, 68.850) was 26th in Percussion and 29th through 32nd in the remaining seven captions.

Raiders (31st, 66.250) was 28th in Color Guard and 30th or 31st in all other captions.

Colt Cadets (32nd, 63.150) was 31st through 33rd in all captions.

Coastal Surge (33rd, 60.625) was 32nd through 35th in all captions.

Les Stentors (34th, 57.425) placed 34th or 35th in all captions.

Racine Scouts (35th, 55.600) was 33rd through 35th in all captions.

Blue Saints (36th, 51.250) was 37th in Color Guard and 36th in all other captions.

Patria (37th, 46.375) was 36th in Color Guard and 37th in all other captions.

Marching Band season upon us

Hard to believe that Drum Corps season has come and gone, and we're in the thick of High School Marching Band competitions across the Country. From small local contests to large regional contests, many high school kids are spending many hours throughout the school day, and after school to learn a 10-15 minute half-time type show.

I've been extremely busy with work that I haven't had time to actually go to any competitions, or keep track of the normal shows I normally would follow. Either way, I continue to root for my favorites back home, and have come to enjoy a few new ones around the country.

It also amazes me how after the season comes to a close, we start seeing shows from Japan, and it's amazing how competitive their music programs are and the level of musicality. It's a shame that our own Country can't keep up with the level of Education as the Musical Arts is extremely important in our society.

Anyway, best of luck to all Marching Bands out there!

Until next time,
Sluggo

Starting to feel like Marching Band Season

There are times when the temperature feels a certain way, or there's a certain smell in the air that takes you back to a time from your past. This morning was one of those times for me.

As I was waiting for the Light-Rail to take me between terminals in Minneapolis Airport, the cool, crisp, air took me back to the days up of Camp Frame for band camp. (no, this isn't going to be one of those "This one time, at band camp" jokes....LOL)

Band camp was always the week following Drum Corps International World Championships. The band would gather at our High School early Monday morning, then travel to Hedgesville, WV (about 30 miles away from Winchester, VA) for a week of learning music, drill (for our field show), and discipline.Often for Freshmen, this would be the first time they ventured away from home. So this was often a very hard time for them. Each class would have their own cabin, and of course, were separated male/females.

When I first went to Camp Frame, it was more of a rustic 4-H Camp that had old cabins. The upper, Boys, class-men cabin was down a hill, while the Boys Freshmen were next to the parade field and dining hall that is pictured above. The females all had their own cabins as well, and were a good distance away from the males.

In 1987, Camp Frame began a building program to replace the old boy’s cabin (left photo), which was built in the late 1920s to early 1930s.  Although the original boys cabin had running water, the building’s capacity was limited to around 50 boys, and had only a “community shower” with 4 shower heads, 3 sinks, and 3 commodes. Originally, in the early 1930s, it is said that the old boys cabin was the girls cabin, and that the boys stayed in tents.  The old boys cabin no longer exists at Camp Frame, but many still have fond memories.  The new boys cabin (right photo), built in 1987, sleeps 100 boys, has 12 individual showers, 8 sinks, and 8 individual commodes.  The “bath house” is located in the center, has 4 divided sections, and 12 bunk beds in each section.  Because Camp Frame is primarily for camping, the boys cabin is not heated or air conditioned.

I remember going back the following weekend with my parents in '87 to show them Camp Frame, and they had already started renovations to build new dorm-style cabins with updated showers/bathrooms. (actually was a lot nicer when we went back in '88)

There were 4 different buildings that the girls who attended Camp Frame would stay in.  None of the 4 buildings had running water.  To shower, etc., girls would have to leave the building and walk outside to the girls bath house, which was under one of the buildings. Along with the removal of the boys cabin, in 1987, the old girls cabins were replaced with a "twin" to the boy's cabin, capable of sleeping around 100 girls. It has 12 showers, 8 sinks, and 8 commodes. The "bath house" is located, much like the boys, in the center and has 4 divided sections, 12 bunk beds in each section. In 1995, a 5th sleeping section was added to the girls cabin, so it now holds 146.

For our band, as a Freshmen, you were given a hat that you had to wear anytime outside. The practice of requiring new members to wear hats at all times (except inside buildings) during camp week was designed to help leaders and senior band members easily identify those who may need a little more direction. The down side (for the bearer) was that these hats served in much the same manner as a bulls-eye making new members targets of unwanted attention by more senior members of the band. This attention would often be Upperclassmen hanging around the cabin entrances to see if those wearing hates would forget to put them on when going outside, or take them off when going indoors. If I remember, Freshmen wore blue hats while Sophomores wore yellow hats and also for those students who hadn't completed their 3rd-Class musicianship tests.

Camp was actually a fun time for me. We learned our music for the fall field shows/competitions, and really bonded with all the other classmates. Band Camp usually started a few weeks before school, so it go you excited for school to start...but also made you sad because it signified the end of summer. Band camp was one of the huge requirements to be a member of the band. If you missed it, you had better had a pretty good darn reason as learning the drill often counted towards your grade.

Another requirement while at band camp was to memorize your music in order to attain your band shirt. You had to either play your music, by memory, to one of the Directors, or to an upperclassmen who already played for their t-shirt. There were rules while wearing the band uniform, you were either in full uniform, or out of full uniform, non where in-between....UNLESS you had a band t-shirt. At which time you could take off the blouse while keeping the pants on. This helped considerably at parades, or competitions where we had to wait to either perform or warming-up.

Friday was our last day of band camp. Usually by this time, we would have learned our entire show, along with the music that we would perform at competitions every Saturday. Once dinner rolled around, we would pack up and clean up the camp, ensuring the camp was left cleaner than we had found it...almost much the way the Boy Scouts of America motto is about camping. "Leave the area cleaner than you found it"


Saturday we would spent the entire day at our practice field at school. Finishing the week long rehearsals with a start of the year Banquet, along with putting on a 'show' of what we learned to our parents.

During the week, the Band Officers would nominate certain 'squads', students, or sections who really improved from start to finish. These 'awards' would be given out to those who got the most votes at the Banquet and would receive a plaque on the wall in the Band Room.

Now that Camp was officially over, we would still meet at least once more before school started, then of course have our rehearsals during our class...usually right before lunch. Our band was very competitive in the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association. We had won Virginia Honor Band (receiving Superior rating for both Field and Concert competitions) 13 times.

It seemed like every weekend we were off to a competition somewhere in the tri-state region. Just like Drum Corps, the season starts off a bit slow with low scores, but each week we would keep improving the drill as well as the music dynamics. Towards the end of the season, we were pretty good.

Many Friday nights we would have to go to our home football games to support the football team. I think it was pretty sad that the majority of the crowd would come to only watch us perform during  half-time, then leave. (football team didn't win many games) but it was all good.

Many competitions would have that cool, crisp feeling that I felt this morning while waiting for the train. Since the competitions for us were usually September and October when the temperatures were dropping. I even remember one place where it was nearly 80 degrees for the afternoon parade, then the temperature dropped so much that it started snowing later that night after the competition.

I think for musicians, the ideal temperature was right around 60-65 degrees. Especially since the uniforms are made up of polyester that was very warm. Add to that marching around and playing, you got pretty warm. However if the temperature was lower, it made for a great night of Marching Band.

Especially if the field was on astro-turf.