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I saw there wasn't a forum for this upcoming awesome season of DCI, so I made one.

I don't typically make any posts, let alone topics; but this was something I really wanted to hear people's opinions and thoughts on. Today, DCI released what rule change proposals were being discussed at their winter business meeting, and one, proposed by one of the board of directors, would "allow the use of any instrument, including woodwinds, effective 2021." I know this was only released today, but I would appreciate hearing anyone's thoughts on this proposal, considering it would undeniably change DCI, for better or for worse. That being said, I personally do not agree with passing this proposal, nor do I believe it would benefit the identity of drum and bugle corps considering that adding woodwinds en masse would effectively not make them (referring to any DBC) a drum and bugle corps. Not to say that they can't use them as soloists if the proposal is passed, (such as how BD used a violin soloist in their 2019 program) and only have the one (or more) soloist(s) the whole show. This, in effect would mean they would likely not actually march and instead be part of the front ensemble. But it seems the way the Drum Corps is moving, that the modern show designer may give them different roles and innovate on how the woodwind(s) would interact with the rest of the corps. Despite these arguments, I still believe it would be a massive change change for the Drum Corps community, because it will have compromised the most important difference between Drum Corps and Marching Band. I suppose it would be good to note that I am a woodwind player still of age to participate in drum corps, so this decision means a lot to me, and likely a lot of you who are reading this that may not have had a chance to experience marching in a drum corps yet. Anyhow, there are so many arguments to be made for both sides, like the benefits of woodwind players learning brass instruments, but I'm on break and don't want to have to write any more essay-esque stuff until school starts back up so I'll end it there Here are the links to all of the proposals if you haven't seen them yet; I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! https://www.dci.org/news/2020-dci-rules-congress-proposals-at-a-glance

Saturday, January 25th On Saturday, January 25th at Tejeda Middle School in San Antonio, The Boston Crusaders will host an educational clinic for students and current/future music educators. For student participants, the clinic will explore brass fundamentals including tone production, flexibility, articulation, and volume control. The clinic will also include some marching instruction. For educators, spend the day learning along side of the Boston Crusaders instructional faculty on tools to improve your warm-ups, fundamentals, and brass pedagogy. Student Masterclass Tickets: $25 Educator Seminar Tickets: FREE For more information please visit https://bostoncrusaders.org/brassclinic/

Crossmen in association with DCI & DrumlineBattle are calling on all high school, college, independent, and entertainment groups. There will be two DrumlineBattles in Texas. One in San Antonio, and one in the Dallas area. The winner of the two will compete in a virtual competition against each other. Cash Prizes as well trophies will be given to the winners of each Drumline Battle. This is a great way to get your school or organization's drumline to get together and bond before your first summer practices and band camps. Sign your line up today at Crossmen.org/drumlinebattle Battles consist of 2 - 2 minute segments by a participating group in a tournament style bracket.

Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps are proud to host Ben Harloff, Brass Technique Coordinator for Carolina Crown and consultant for the Guardians, as well as Jeff Ausdemore, past percussion caption head for the Blue Knights and Guardians percussion caption supervisor, at our March 14th-16th camp! Thanks to the large turnout at this last camp, the Guardians are able to increase our membership total for the season! It is NOT too late to join one of the fastest growing drum corps! The Guardians have the following spots open for audition at our March 14-16 camp: 3 Trumpets 3 Mellophones 7 Baritones 2 Tubas 2 Snares * Guard * Guard auditions are on April 11-13. for information, please visit guardiansdbc.org Here is a video of our last camp! -- Ben attended college at Indiana University where he received a trumpet performance degree (1999) and a music education degree (2003). While at IU he studied trumpet with Ed Cord, Stephen Burns, John Rommel and Dominic Spera. He spent 3 years playing in Ray Cramer’s Wind Ensemble and performed in Dominic Spera’s last Indiana University Jazz Band. Ben’s drum corps performing experience includes Phantom Regiment, The Cadets from 1988-1989 and Star of Indiana from 1990-1993. Ben then continued performing with the Star of Indiana organization during the Brass Theater years from 1994-1997. While the Canadian Brass toured with Brass Theater, Ben studied with the trumpet players Ron Romm and Fred Mills. Also during those years, Ben worked under many amazing conductors, including Ray Cramer, Scott Stewart, Kenneth Skimmerhorn and Egie Oue. Ben’s drum corps teaching experience includes Carolina Crown-1999, Cadets of Bergen County-1999, Magic of Orlando-2002 and Carolina Crown 2004-Present. Ben has also consulted at many other Junior and Senior Drum and Bugle Corps. While living in Indiana, Ben worked with many successful marching bands, including Avon High School, Carmel High School and Center Grove High School. He taught private trumpet lessons and master classes at many of those schools as well. Ben has been arranging for bands across the Mid-West for the past 5 years. -- Jeff Ausdemore is currently serving in his sixth year as Associate Director of Bands at Colleyville Heritage High School. In this role, Mr. Ausdemore serves as the percussion coordinator, head of jazz studies, and co-director/arranger of the CHHS marching band. Under Ausdemore’s direction, the Colleyville Heritage High School percussion program has flourished, gaining national notoriety through chamber music, guest artist concerts of all genres, recitals, and ensemble competitions. The percussion program has enjoyed competitive success at many levels, most recently capturing the 2008 Percussive Arts Society Marching Percussion title. Other recent accolades include the Percussive Arts Society’s “Call for Tapes” winners, the Percussive Arts Society’s Small Ensemble Champions, the Plano Drum Line Competition marching percussion champions, the Lone Star drum line competition champions, and the North Texas Color Guard Association gold medalist. In Mr. Ausdemore’s first year at CHHS, he launched the GCISD Percussion Club, expanding the students’ musical education and enriching the lives of over 80 GCISD middle and high school percussion students throughout the district. The GCISD Percussion Club presents master classes, clinics, solo and ensemble performances by local and regional professionals throughout the north Texas area. The GCISD Percussion Club has produced a record amount of students selected for the GCISD “Select Band”, the Region 24 “All-region Band”, the Region 24 “All Region Jazz Band”, and the Texas “All-State Band”. Currently, two CHHS students hold the national title for the Percussive Arts Society’s solo champion. Ausdemore featured this unique pedagogical model at the 2009 Texas Music Educators Association Convention, in a clinic supported by Marimba Warehouse and Pro Mark sticks and mallets. In addition to his teaching duties at Colleyville Heritage High School, Jeff Ausdemore currently serves as the percussion arranger and caption head for the Blue Knights drum and bugle corps, a position he has held since 2006. During Ausdemore’s tenure at the Blue Knights, the percussion program has produced several individual solo championships, ensemble championships, and a strong reputation for excellence, placing in the elite “top 12” in the Drum Corps International Championships consistently. Prior to his appointment to CHHS, Mr. Ausdemore taught at the University of Texas Arlington, as adjunct professor of percussion. In this role, Ausdemore served as the percussion arranger/assistant director of the UTA Marching Band, taught percussion pedagogy/techniques classes, assisted the UTA percussion ensemble, and maintained a full private studio as well. Mr. Ausdemore's performance background includes section and solo performances with several orchestras, wind ensembles, and percussion ensembles throughout the mid west and southwest United States, most recently including the principal percussionist with the Texas Wind Symphony, and principal percussionist/assistant principal timpanist with the Las Cruces Symphony. In 1995, Ausdemore recorded/toured with Benson Records recording artists Nouveaux, compiling three #1 singles on the CCM music charts between 1995 and 1999. While living in Nashville, Ausdemore participated in many recording sessions, both commercially and proprietary albums. As a clinician, Mr. Ausdemore has given performances, clinics and workshops throughout the U.S. at several Percussive Arts Society’s “Days of Percussion”, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (Columbus, Ohio 2002), and the International Horn Society Convention (Beijing, China 2000). Ausdemore will be a featured clinician at the 2009 Texas Music Educator’s Association Conference as well. In addition to teaching/performing, Mr. Ausdemore has composed/arranged, instructed and consulted with numerous Drum Corps International drum and bugle corps, college marching bands, and high school marching bands throughout the United States, including the Blue Knights, Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, Limited Edition, Northern Aurora, and Southwind. Ausdemore has served as music director/composer for the Insignia Percussion Ensemble. The Insignia Percussion Ensemble participated in the Winter Guard International circuit locally and regionally, winning the 2004 NTCA gold medal in their inaugural season. Jeff Ausdemore is a clinician for Pearl/Adams Musical Instruments, Zildjian cymbals, Remo drum heads, and Pro Mark sticks and mallets. The Pro Mark corporation will be released the Jeff Ausdemore “signature series” snare drum sticks in early fall of 2009. Mr. Ausdemore's professional affiliations include the Percussive Arts Society, the Texas Music Educator's Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. He holds a Master of Music degree with distinction from New Mexico State University (2002), as well as Bachelor of Music degree with high honors from Belmont University (1999). --