I must have missed something along the way, but it's really boring at work today (we're ready to start the new school year, but it's still a few weeks away, so I'm just "marking time" now), so I checked DCI's website and looked at the scores from the individual/solo/ensemble competitions.

First of all, I noticed that Devs are pretty much cleaning up there as well this year, which is interesting. There were even some Blue Devil B corps members competing, and they beat some of the big corps members!

Then I noticed that the Cavaliers had nobody entered in any category, which is strange because they used to dominate those competitions. Wonder if that is a coincidence or a management decision? And if it was a new policy, I wonder if it hurt them any in recruitment?

But the most disturbing thing I saw was individual results in the following categories:

Flute
Clarinet
Saxophone
Trombone

What?!?!?

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

OK, I at least have the Cavalier part of the story. Apparently management decided to pull all corps members from the I&E competition to avoid catching the Swine Flu that has apparently affected several corps this summer.

Now can someone please explain what flutes, saxophones, clarinets, and trombones are doing at DCI?!?!?

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Sounded a little suspect to me too, but who knows. My "conspiracy theory" is that they were worried about losing to SCV - and Jeff Fiedler - so they didn't want to lose the practice time with guys gone to I & E.

Either that, or they were afraid Dave would dump them to some B corps member...

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arrnager

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

I saw that long ceremony on the net last night and the crowd didn't like the inclusion of those instruments either and were either laughing or murmering when those instruments were announced and the awards were given. They weren't disrespectful to the winner and politely applauded them, just the fact that DCI has them at a supposed drum corp I&E competition. Not like there aren't enough of those offered by band organizations and I for one haven't seen one band organization make a category for a bugle ever. So to be honest, I don't buy that DCI's explanation for the inclusion unless they now consider themselves a band entity.

On another note; I subscribed to Semi-finals last night (broke my rule of not sending DCI any of my money) out of curiosity and watched the show, which was surprisingly good, but difficult to follow why certain corps placed as high as they did or as low as they did. Afterward they announced the Hall of Fame members and I was proud and emotionally moved to see a man that I have known for 38 years, Emil Pavlik at 90 years old finally get some respect for himself as a great musician, and the Kilties for being the first Kilt into DCI's hall of fame. I don't know what DCI has against the Kilties or some other organizations to completely ignore their contributions to the activity. I know we weren't a favorite of theirs back in the day because we didn't always toe the DCI line. However, it's not as if there weren't many former Kilts that went on to great accomplishments and become top judges and instructors for DCI corps over the years. What stuns me is how can they possibly pass up Ken Norman, who taught and wrote for no less than 5+ world (VFW, DCI, DCA thrown together) champions and several top lines that won brass at either VFW, American Legion, DCA or DCI. He was an innovator and helped DCI introduce new instrumentation back in the early days of DCI. Some of the corps he wrote for were Kilties, Anaheim, Argonne, Blue Stars, Senica, DeLaSalle Oaklands, Troopers, Madison, Guardsmen, Sky Ryders, Pioneer *when they we St. Pats), Seattle Imperials, Blue Knights, and several others of stature in the junior ranks, too numerous to mention. In the senior ranks he wrote for Sunrisers, Skyliners, Reilly, Empire Statesmen, Reading, and again the list goes on and on. I don't get it since there are people in the Hall who never beat Ken's top lines or couldn't come close to his knowledge, expertise and/or accomplishments in the activity. He still continues today writing for and marching with various alumni groups and still writes for university bands. Ken actually taught some of the guys who are now in the hall.

Sorry for the rant, but there are several people in the midwest that were either instructors or judges who are deserving of HOF status and are being overlooked who may never see it in their life time.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Arranger and Corps manager in 81

What years were you a Corps member? 1979-1982

Have to agree about the HOF Jerry. Politic rules, I think.

Isn't there a time though that they should put aside politics to honor people who are truly deserving of that honor. Considering some that are in that hall, I can think of 20 people who deserve entrance in the hall because their accomplishments blow away some of the people who are in.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Arranger and Corps manager in 81

What years were you a Corps member? 1979-1982

Yes, but Jerry, this is DCI we are dealing with!

Ken Norman should definitely be in.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arrnager

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

If DCI can honor people like Don Angelica, Gale Royer and Corky Frabizio it should consider Ken Norman. Of course if it were me I wouldn't want to be considered in the same category as those three.

Have you ever looked at the crazy categories they have? Besides the (highly suspect) woodwinds, they have stuff like:

. CYMBAL ensembles (now THAT would be exciting to see and hear!)
. FLAG ensembles (huh?)

Gosh, there is MORE!

. MIXED ensemble (what is THAT?)
. Bass drum ensemble .. gosh, more excitement.
. Individual Flag .... ho hum
. Dance ensemble ... YIKES
. Dance individuals .... this is drum corps, right?
. Auxiliary ensemble (what is that ? "color guard"?
. Auxiliary?
. Fastest drummer? what can THAT be?

I believe mixed ensemble combines brass and drums (and maybe woodwinds now) - like a mini corps or jazz band.

As for fastest drummer, that was George running straight at Sandy Vernola at rehearsal in 1979 - still don't know how he stopped in time...but she never hit him with the rifle again...

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

So I checked out the site on DCI.org to see how to get into the HoF and it's as I expected, it's all about nominating a person, telling why you think this person should be inducted, giving examples, etc. DCI doesn't decide who to nominate, it's the drum corps people.

While obviously a nomination doesn't just get someone in, it has to be brought to the committee and voted upon, but if you get more than you nominating him with examples, there will probably be more consideration. You just need to find others that have the same feelings about Ken Norman and get him in the HoF. I know he was well loved by many midwesterners that had the pleasure of playing his music. I'm sure you could find people willing to write a nomination.

http://www.dci.org/about/fame/board_election.cfm

What did you do in the Corps? brass

What years were you a Corps member? 76-83

As for the flutes, sax, etc in I&E. Yuck! Leave those at home.

Also those instruments are better suited for indoor playing. nothing funnier than a "horn pop" to the box when it comes to flutes!

What did you do in the Corps? brass

What years were you a Corps member? 76-83

My suspicion is that it's George Hopkins' back-door way to get them on the field (since he keeps getting voted down on that). After a couple of years, he can say "we've already made them legitimate in individuals, the next logical step is onto the field."

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

I believe Ken has already had nominations sent in for the HOF, but never made it out of committee. Now that Emil is in, there is no reason why Ken shouldn't also be in, unless they think he was a bad influence on us poor youngsters..ROFL Maybe it's time to write one myself and have one of the directors that I know and know Ken affix their name to it.

I look at some of the guys who are in there and am somewhat at a loss why so many of the greats from the past are missing. There are some great people from the midwest and east who had a major impact on the activity who are just being overlooked. Out of sight, out of mind. My guess is that all of us could come up with at least 5 people who are worthy. I'm wondering why Dave St. Angel isn't in there.....along with Ken Norman, Fred Gebhardt, Al Lemert, Hank Grana, Len Krusecki, Sal Ferarra etc. And those are just a few off the top of my head. A couple of those might be in, but the last time I looked I didn't see them.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Arranger and Corps manager in 81

What years were you a Corps member? 1979-1982

As long as we are introducing NEW Individual and Ensemble competitions at DCI, why not have some that recognize people who are REALLY important to drum corps?

Here are some suggestions ... add others!

. Cooking crew!
. Quartermasters
. Sewing staff
. Bus/ truck drivers!
. Corps nurses
. Corps Directors
. Chaperones ( do they even HAVE chaperones anymore?)

The competitions for these events would be a hoot!

Don't forget the Souvie Crew!

Dave,

Having spent a month on a cooking crew, I agree! And that suggestion is a hoot.

Jerry,

I believe Sal Ferrara is in the Hall of Fame. As for Dave St. Angel, giving the finger to the judges on camera probably didn't help his chances...

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arrnager

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Bob,
You are probably right about Sal, but if Sal is in then it should open the doors to other arrangers from the past.

As for Dave giving the finger to the judges on camera..........Bravo! Maybe more should have been that candid and express their true thoughts about some of the judges. Even that though shouldn't keep Dave out of the hall. He just did what most of us have wanted to do many times. LOL

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Arranger and Corps manager in 81

What years were you a Corps member? 1979-1982

The Cavaliers pulled out if I & E this year because of the illness in the other Drum Corps.
The Blue Devils had sent 12 students to the hospital and some where quarantined for H1N1 flu.
Indiana didn't have the ablity to confirm this in a timley manor and BD's management took there kids left the hospital and went to I & E. SCV had a group of kids that were also sick, but I don't know how many.
This was a major, but NOT the only reason that Bruno and our medical staff made that decision.
There had been an upper respiratory infection with flu like symptoms going around most of the corps this summer. All of the corps that had it and still went to I & E.
Cavaliers did not want to risk having kids or staff going back to band camps or school sick. We Really, didn't want to risk them getting sick on Friday or Saturday night.
We had many students entered and they all made the decission to not go this year.
It was a shame, but the well being of the kids comes first.

What did you do in the Corps? Contra Bass

What years were you a Corps member? 1973