Trying out for a Drum Corps...maybe...

I believe there was a drum corps thread earlier this year somewhere in this forum, maybe worth lookin at, best of luck!

 

Lara,

You aim high. Phantom is a great corps often finishing in the top 5 and has one world championship to its credit.

Things you need to do to march in a top corps. Be in very good shape. Push-up, crunches, running, and really working your legs into shape so you don't wear out.

If you don't own it, I would buy the technique book "Pares Scales" and work the scales over and over.
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?sku=HL.4470540

I would also buy the DVD from the Breathing Gym.
http://www.windsongpress.com/breathing gym/breathing gym.htm

The authors, Pat Sheridan and Sam Pilafian, worked with Phantom Regiment this year. They are great exercises. Breathing is also important to endurance AND range.

Practice. You must be the best trumpet player at your HS by the end of the year. Blow them all away! Do that, and be mentally prepared to eat, sleep, and march for 3 months. The reward is worth it. Ask anyone who has ever marched with a corps.

Jim

 

Do it! It will be one of the greatest thing you have done, and ever will do. The biggest thing is probably time comitment, like docfox said, be prepared to eat, sleep, march. If you join, drum corps will be your life for the next 3 1/2 months. It's alot of hard work, but just like anything else, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.
70 years from now, you'll be sitting there in your rocking chair with your great grand kids on your lap and you'll be telling them stories about drum corps, it will be "the" thing that you will always look back on when you're older and think, "oh yeah... good times..."
But then again, I don't know how people think when they get older... I'm only seventeen...

 

Well, if you try as hard as you can, I'm sure you'll make it.
One of the things they told us at The Academy auditions is that they wern't actualy looking for good marchers/musicians, because they can teach you that once your in, but what they are really looking for are people with the self confidance and the right attitude and desire to march corps. So with an attidude like yours, I'd bet you have a good chance.
Good Luck with your audition, we're all rooting for you!

 

Lara,

They make exceptions for people to be gone for graduations and stuff. If you make it, they will let you go to your graduation -- but you will have to hussle back!

Jim

 

reminds me of the Tower of Power song...."ain't nothin' stoppin us now"