Teaching Moment for High School Teacher

Objective: Students will critically compare the structure, expectations, time commitment, and performance standards of high school marching bands versus Drum Corps International (DCI) ensembles. The goal is to help students understand how participation at different levels of marching performance influences musical growth, discipline, leadership, and potential college opportunities.

📚 Student Assignment:
Title: High School Band vs. Drum Corps — What's the Difference?

Purpose: To help you explore the next level of marching arts, this assignment asks you to research and reflect on how your high school marching band experience compares to being part of a Drum Corps International (DCI) corps.

Instructions:

1. Research DCI Corps Participation
   • Visit the official DCI website and select at least one corps to study (e.g., Blue Devils, Carolina Crown, Phantom Regiment).
   • Take notes on:
     • Rehearsal schedules and time commitments
     • Audition process and difficulty level
     • Summer tour expectations and travel
     • Age eligibility and season length
     • Performance venues and competition level
2. Compare to Your High School Band
   • Reflect on the structure of your current marching band experience:
     • Practice schedule during the school year
     • Rehearsal duration and intensity
     • Travel and performance opportunities
     • Level of competition
     • Your role and musical responsibilities
3. Write a Comparison Response (300–500 words):
   • Clearly explain 3–5 major differences between high school marching band and DCI participation.
   • Reflect on which environment you think would help you grow most as a musician and why.
   • Include at least one insight about how DCI might benefit you personally or professionally—especially if you're considering a college music program.
4. Optional Extension:
   • Interview a former DCI member or watch a video documentary and include 1–2 takeaways in your reflection.

Deliverables

• A typed reflection (300–500 words) OR a 3–5 minute video presentation
• Due: [Insert Date]

How One Summer (and Cindy Tucker) Changed Everything

Dear Band Parents,

I want to share how one summer (and Cindy Tucker) changed everything for me.

Yes, I'll never forget the summer between my sophomore and junior year. Our new band director—full of energy and passion for marching band—chartered a bus so our whole band could attend a Drum Corps International (DCI) contest at the state's largest university stadium. Up until then, I had never even heard of drum corps. Our previous band director wasn't interested in marching band, so DCI wasn't even on my radar.

But when I found out Cindy Tucker had signed up for the trip—and since I had a major crush on her—I figured it was a good time to expand my musical horizons (and maybe hold her hand on the way home).

That plan didn't work out.

By the time we got to the stadium, Cindy was already walking around holding hands with Kyle Batson, a drummer. I thought I had wasted my money.

But then… the Troopers from Casper, Wyoming took the field.

I was instantly hooked.

I had never seen that level of precision, power, and musical artistry. Each corps after that—Santa Clara Vanguard, Carolina Crown, the Concord Blue Devils—blew my mind even more. By the time we were heading home that night, I didn't care who Cindy was sitting with. I was on fire about drum corps. I talked about it nonstop on the bus ride home, especially with my best friend, Matt Sherman. We both had DCI fever, and we made a pact: we were going to march in a corps the following summer.

That fall, our high school band began competing for the first time. We didn't win every contest—we usually came in second or third—but we had come so far. The year before, we weren't even marching. Now, we were performing and placing, and it felt incredible. But we knew DCI was on another level. Matt and I were determined to be part of it.

After some convincing, our parents got on board. The closest corps to us was Music City in Nashville—still two hours away—but it was new and growing, and we believed we had a shot. I played trumpet, Matt played tuba. We drove up for the December weekend camp and were completely energized. We went back in January. There were hundreds of auditioning students, and by March, the pressure was real.

Matt made the corps. I didn't.

The trumpet section was full of college-level players, and I just wasn't ready—yet. But I never stopped being a fan.

Matt spent that summer marching with Music City. When he came back, he wasn't the same person. His musicianship had skyrocketed. He walked taller. He had pride, confidence, and a drive I hadn't seen in him before. That fall, he auditioned for All-State for the first time—and made first chair. Then he auditioned for the state youth orchestra—and made first chair again. He had something I didn't: focused determination. He learned that over twelve weeks of sweat, sun, and sound.

Today, Matt is a tuba professor at a major university known for its outstanding music program.

For me, Matt is living proof of how DCI can change a young person's life in just one summer.

So to all our brass and percussion students—and to their parents—I say this: consider DCI. Watch a few performances on YouTube. Feel the energy. See the precision. Even if your child doesn't make it into a corps, just preparing for the audition sharpens their skills and builds discipline in ways that last far beyond summer.

I didn't make Music City that year. But because I trained for that audition, I nailed my All-State audition—and earned 1st chair in the second section. That moment changed everything. It's what led me to become a band director.

So yes, I owe a lot to DCI. And, oddly enough… a little to Cindy Tucker.

A Summer That Changes Everything: What I Want Every Band Parent to Know

Dear Band Parents,

Every once in a while, I see something click in a student—the spark that turns "band" into something bigger than practice and performances. It often happens when they step outside their comfort zone. And for brass and percussion students who are ready for a challenge, there's one opportunity that keeps lighting that spark: Drum Corps International.

Now, before you picture summer band camp with bug spray and water jugs—let me stop you. This isn't that. This is something extraordinary. And if you've never heard of it, you're not alone. But after reading the article on Accoladi.com: "Drum Corps and College Auditions: How DCI Gives You a Competitive Edge" I knew I had to pass it on.

DCI isn't just for students who want to play over the summer. It's for students who want to grow, compete, and prepare for college music programs in ways high school alone can't offer. It's hard work. It's national-level competition. It's ten weeks of traveling, performing in front of huge audiences, and pushing limits—physically, mentally, and musically.

But more than anything, it's a transformation. I've watched students come back from DCI taller—not just literally, but in confidence, maturity, and purpose. They've learned how to take criticism, how to lead a section, how to manage their time, and how to perform under pressure. And when college audition season rolls around, they are ready.

If your child is thinking about majoring in music—or even just applying to a college music program—this experience could be the competitive edge that sets them apart.

So please, take a few minutes and read the article on Accoladi.com: "Drum Corps and College Auditions: How DCI Gives You a Competitive Edge"

It's not just informative—it's eye-opening. You'll see why college admissions officers perk up when they see "DCI" on an application… and why this might just be the most valuable summer of your student's high school career.

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to talk more about it. I'd be happy to help your student explore audition options. Because band isn't just what we do—it's who we become.

With Pride,

______________________________________________ Director of Bands

___________________________________________________ [School Name]