Wildwood!

Finally...a "relaxing" weekend is almost here!

That statement is partially sarcastic...because we have drum corps all weekend. Fortunately for my own sanity, Saturday will be spent in Wildwood, NJ. We have a parade (the Elks Parade) down there on Saturday morning, which means nothing for me. Parades very much fall outside of my "world" as a P.C. We will have time before and after the parade to get in some sectionals and hopefully some standstill ensemble rehearsal...but nothing too major. Just enough to get everyone back into the swing of the show. Technically, I don't really need to be there for that, except the ensemble rehearsal...but I really wanted to go down and spend the day with the corps. I'm looking forward to being near the ocean, having a good time with my friends who are on staff, and hanging out with my new friends at Fusion.

Honestly, it should be a relaxing day...and I need it. I've been a terrible big ball of stress lately. I'm not really doing very well at all...but I'm working on it, and I'm getting better. I'm trying to enjoy things, but there just doesn't seem like there's enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Being P.C. at Fusion is pretty stressful. There's a lot of work to do during the week just so that on the weekends the staff can just worry about teaching, and the members can just worry about knowing their stuff. There's a lot of "stuff" I didn't exactly bargain for when I took the job, but I guess that's the case with any job...especially when you're managing things and working with as many people and various personalities as I am. It's okay...it's the gig.

I'm writing for 6 bands this year, which is cool. It's just hard to balance when shows aren't picked until April/May...and then every director wants their music all at the same time. Oh, and I work during the day, have an hour commute home in traffic, and teach bands 2 or 3 nights a week. It's a lot, and I want to give everything my all. I do. I always do. It just takes its toll, and I often feel like I can't do enough.

...but I chose that path for myself. I wanted to be the big arranger/program guy. I wanted to teach and help kids get a good experience in this activity. I knew I couldn't pay the bills doing it and that I'd have to work a regular job. I'm not complaining as much as I'm just blogging about what's going on in my life.

Had rehearsal with one of my bands last night. They have a lot of show music in their hands...have for a while now. The show is going to be cool if the students make the commitment to doing the work. It's about as "outside the box" as I've ever gone with design. It's very indoor-ish, Bluecoats-ish...but still cool. I just hope they figure it out sooner rather than later.

JR finished the drum book for Fusion a week or two ago. I've been done for a while. That means all the music for our 08 production of "Momentum" is completed. Sigh. It was fun...what a cool and creative process. I think that all of us, including Izzy, have gotten a lot out of the process. I've already informed the staff that I'm taking suggestions for next year's show beginning now. My plan is to start serious talking about it in August and have enough of it solidified that I can announce the show right after championships in Rochester. I want one season to hand right off to the next. I haven't received any suggestions yet...and I have some of my own. I know that quite a few of the staff members are excited about it though, and are giving it a lot of great thought.

The corps as a whole is doing pretty well. We had a weird day on Saturday. Didn't seem like the corps I've come to know showed up at first. We picked it up as the day went on, but playing catch up at rehearsals is difficult to do and still maintain your standards of quality. It poured on us at the beginning of ensemble so we took it into the parking garage and did standstill ensemble for the rest of the night. That was a KILLER rehearsal. Something in the rain soaked into the members and washed away all the BS...because we had one of our most productive rehearsals of the year. The drums seized the opportunity to really get the closer under their hands...something that needed to be done. They just needed reps really bad, and boy did they get them.

The brass is starting to find their inner ANIMAL. They're starting to play with a controlled ferocity that makes me happy! You can't learn to play loud without playing loud, and you can't approach drum corps with a scared, timid attitude. You have to go after it 100%, all the time. Drum corps is where everyone can feel free to embrace their inner badass. They're starting to figure it out, and it's wonderful to see the transformation.

The guard is still a bit of an enigma to me. I don't get to spend much time with them, and they're so busy trying to learn work and drill all at the same time...I don't really want to disturb them. What's been written so far is very effective and cool...right in their wheelhouse as far as ability level goes. We have some very, very talented spinners and dancers, and then we have some girls who are learning...but learning quickly. The great divide between the two groups gets closer and closer every weekend. It's really encouraging.

I'm personally pretty proud of the girl I drive up, Angelika. Last year she could barely get through her high school band show...now the girl is making herself do drum corps and is really showing a lot of improvement.

There are now 10 ex-Bushwackers on the staff of Fusion. I get a little bit of crap from both corps about it, but I don't care. There are people at Fusion who insinuate that I only hire Bushwackers because I'm trying to turn Fusion into the Bushwackers...or something to that effect. Then there are the Bushwackers who kind of bristle at the fact that so many 'wackers have come to Fusion. I understand both points. Of course, I'm not stealing Bushwackers...no one BELONGS to anyone. And I'm not trying to turn Fusion into Bush...it really is just that the most qualified people I know are/were Bushwackers. The people that I feel most comfortable working with...especially in my FIRST YEAR as the P.C., when I'm trying to establish my program and build a championship caliber drum corps that can sustain success over the long term...not just be a flash in the pan...are all Bushwackers! I marched there for 12 years and no where else. Who else am I going to know?

I haven't brought in any "duds" either, and I have tried to hire from outside my drum corps circle of acquaintances. The guy we hired originally to teach the pit was from central PA and never marched drum corps before. He ended up quitting because he got a job as a VP somewhere...pretty important. So what did I do? I brought in a Bushwacker to take his place! lol Hey...our pit deserves the best instruction I can find them...that's willing to come to a place that's completely un-established...that's willing to, frankly, work with a 2nd year Class A corps. The whole corps deserves world class instruction. It just so happens that I find what I'm looking for in several of the people I have worked with at Bush.

It's a good situation all around. I did the Bushwacker thing for a long time...I don't need to continue it somewhere else. We'll have our own style...our own approach to drum corps. We're going to play whatever we want and take programming to a new level in DCA. We're going to build something sustainable...something for the members of this corps to believe in. It takes a huge, coordinated team effort to build something like that from the ground up. So, I called people I trust and respect...and who trust and respect me.

So, yeah...if you're in Wildwood on Saturday, look for us. We'll be doing a standstill concert at whatever hotel we're at (Sandpiper Inn I think)...so check it out. Afterwards, I'll likely be at Kelly's or roaming the boardwalk just enjoying drum corps...and enjoying life. I need to do that more, and Saturday will be a good starting point for that.