DCI audition material

[justinbarleben]

Hey everyone,
After marching in DCA for 3 years, I've decided to audition for the 2010 DCI season. I was looking for audition materials on the corps websites, but all of the corps charge for their audition materials. Would any of you happen to have recent tuba/contra audition materials you'd be willing to share with me, so I can get an idea of what I'm getting myself into before I decide which/how many corps to audition for? Thanks!
Justin

[jon112780]

Most of the corps should have/had the audition information available for download on their individual sites. Whether it's still there, I don't know. You may have to search their newsletters/etc.

[DavidK]

The "new" audition material usually goes up after DCI finals. Giving you time to work it into shape before the first camps around Thanksgiving weekend.

Also have your own personal audition piece down cold. Something that will show a bit of everything. Show off your tone and dynamic control, technical ability and ability to phrase.

Really make sure that you have your visual presentation in top form. Study the marching and foot style of the groups you are interested in and their approach to body work. Cavies and Blue Knights - bicycle foot style. Blue Knights - heavy on body work and interpretation. Cadets, straight legged style, etc.
And that your upper body and core strength is ready for the possible endurance tuba carry test. Just holding you instrument at attention in front of you for gawd knows how long. Similar to the SCV cycbal eliminations - last ones with their arms up, holding their cymbals, survive the first rounds of cuts.

See you guys in Bridgeport this weekend?

[justinbarleben]

The "new" audition material usually goes up after DCI finals. Giving you time to work it into shape before the first camps around Thanksgiving weekend.

Also have your own personal audition piece down cold. Something that will show a bit of everything. Show off your tone and dynamic control, technical ability and ability to phrase.

Really make sure that you have your visual presentation in top form. Study the marching and foot style of the groups you are interested in and their approach to body work. Cavies and Blue Knights - bicycle foot style. Blue Knights - heavy on body work and interpretation. Cadets, straight legged style, etc.
And that your upper body and core strength is ready for the possible endurance tuba carry test. Just holding you instrument at attention in front of you for gawd knows how long. Similar to the SCV cycbal eliminations - last ones with their arms up, holding their cymbals, survive the first rounds of cuts.

See you guys in Bridgeport this weekend?

Thanks! I hadn't even considered the possibility of an endurance test. It makes a lot of sense though...

I won't be in Bridgeport this weekend, I've moved over to the White Sabers this summer. Which corps do you march with? I'd really like to start meeting my fellow TubeNetters face-to-face.

[DavidK]

Bushwackers
Enjoy the Scenes from a Psychotic Circus when you get to see us!
http://www.bushwackers.org

[JHardisk]

If you really want to spend money every summer, some good places to check out would be:

http://www.brevardmusic.org/" target="_blank

http://music.ciweb.org/" target="_blank

http://www.wyomingseminary.org/page.cfm?p=282" target="_blank

http://www.redlands.edu/x35340.asp" target="_blank

Well, you get the picture...Among a slew of others, these would be money well spent...

Just a view from a different angle

[MartyNeilan]

If you really want to spend money every summer, some good places to check out would be:

http://www.brevardmusic.org/" target="_blank" target="_blank

http://music.ciweb.org/" target="_blank" target="_blank

http://www.wyomingseminary.org/page.cfm?p=282" target="_blank" target="_blank

http://www.redlands.edu/x35340.asp" target="_blank" target="_blank

Well, you get the picture...Among a slew of others, these would be money well spent...

Just a view from a different angle

Yes.. and no...........
Back when I was in highschool only dedicated geeks did "drum and bugle corps." (Sorry, Wade ) I once looked into it and asked how much it paid. When they told me it would cost about $1500 for the summer, I thought they were nuts.
Fast forward 20 years later.........
If you aspire to be a band director or assistant band director at a school with a successful marching program, it is now almost obligatory in many districts to have at least one year of DCI on your resume. That will carry a lot more weight than the typical summer music camps they probably never heard of. Put yourself in their shoes - would they rather have the "really good" musician as band director, or the "pretty good" musician who has outstanding marching chops? People watch the band at halftime as much as they listen to them (probably more, even.)

[David Richoux]

Other than a few months playing in the US Navy Recruit Drum & Bugle Corps (San Diego) back in 1968, I have had little exposure to the whole DC thing - I had seen a few groups playing in parades and usually watched the DCI Nationals on PBS when I was able (and usually liked the show,) but it was not a major part of my musical life.

However, this past Saturday I went to the DCI West show at Stanford and I was really impressed! The high quality of music performance, precision moves, choreography and dedication to the training by all of the participants was much more obvious to me when seen live.

So good luck and enjoys to you (and anybody else who are involved in DCI!)