|
Drum Corps and Marching Bands, to most
observers, are the same thing. Under the surface, however they each
have their own unique styles of music, marching, and pagentry.
The marching band in one form or
another has been around for hundreds of years. Over the centuries the
old style fife and drum corps of the civil war era evolved into two
distinct bloodlines the school based marching band and the organization
oriented drum and bugle corps. Today's modern drum and bugle corps can
often trace their ancestry to veterans groups and youth groups such as
the Boy Scouts of America dating back to the early 1900's. In the mid
1900's the school based marching band emerged playing performances at
halftime of football games all across America. As the popularity of
marching band grew, slowly but surely the drum and bugle corps
enthusiasts also pressed forward. While the marching band remained a
part of the high school, the drum corps emerged as a summertime
opportunity for young musicians to continue and excel at their art.
The Birth of Drum Corps International
In 1972 a national organization was formed to provide a foundation
on which for the many different drum and bugle corps to grow and
perform under a uniform set of rules. Drum Corps International today is a major international organization with over fifty corps
in active competition during the summer months. But drum corps is not
traditional marching band. It has evolved on a slightly different path
than the high school based marching bands that we all grew up with in
our local communities. For one thing, all drum corps are restricted to
using only brass and percussion instruments. In 2005 for the first time
woodwind instruments were allowed, but only in the solo and ensemble
competitions that run separate from the massive full corps
performances. Other recent changes have allowed the use of
amplification through electronic means on the field. While high school
marching bands have used amplification for years to provide such things
as electric bass parts on the field it is a very new and experimental
addition to drum corps competitions.
Differences in Marching Styles
Another significant difference between traditional marching band and
modern drum corps has been the marching style of the members. Very
traditional marching bands still use what is known as "Big Ten" or
"High Step" style marching in which the performers lift their knees to
their waist level with each step. Drum corps today use what is known as
"Corps Style" marching which uses a very low gliding rolled step from
heel to toe. Another difference between marching band and drum and
bugle corps are the forms used on the field. In Big Ten style the forms
tend to be created in groups or squads of four to five performers.
These squads work together with other squads to produce generally
straight, angular forms on the field. In corps style marching the
shapes can be angular or curvilinear depending on the mood and
intensity of the music and each performer is totally independent of the
others.
Regardless of which style you personally prefer, the differences
between marching bands and drum corps are becoming less and less
obvious. The drum corps movement has made a huge impact on the high
school based marching band, and in general this impact has been very
positive. For those of us that love the thrill and energy of music in
motion, either drum corps or marching bands will do just fine.
Tags: marching band drum corps drum corps international
View blog reactions
|
