Tagged As: Yamaha March Drum
Question:
Where would the activity go, if Drum Corps went public, got recognized as a sport(whole different argument, so lets just not start on that one), and members started getting paid to march Drum Corps. What would happen to the activity. Corps Franchises? More popularity? What do you think?
Answer:
I don't know about that. I think a touring Drum Corps could offer a lot more to a corporate enity that, say, a Symphony Orchestra. It would certainly be more commercialized. You'd have (more) sponsorships. Those sponsors would want results ala George Steinbrenner. They'd start a free agent system where the best soloists would go to the highest bidder. This system MIGHT work in senior corps, but it would be detrimental to junior corps. I think it's hard enough for a high school or college kid to march in drum corps, but flash some money in their face and now they'd start quitting school. Uh-Uh. How about the corps that can't afford to pay? What about the young kid coming up the ranks? He/she will lose their spot to a free wheeling mercenary. While drum corps is far from perfect, paying members to march is NOT the solution! My parish drum corps folded for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that all the older members left to join the big corps. When I was old enough, there was nothing left so I left too. It was very disappointing to leave my my hometown corps to have to commute more than three hours each way by public transportation to get to practice. I can hear the violins playing now!
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