Part 5
Rudimental drummers must realize the moral, intellectual and
financial bankruptcy that surround them to survive. Where did the problem
come from? Outcome-based education. Drum corps has never been
co-habitable with the public schools for one very important reason... tax
money. The corps support themselves. High school does not. Big
difference. Drum corps is NOT the educational system even though it now
tries to act like it. Drum corps is in the entertainment BUSINESS.
Consider that outcome-based proponent Ken Turner had a tremendous
influence on DCI's agenda for 20 years. "He currently serves as director
of music for the Johnson City central school district in Johnson City, New
York which is nationally recognized as one of the leading proponents of
Outcome-Based Education." (DCI-T)
"In addition, he has been a member of DCI rules committee, the Task
Force on Judges Education, the Judges Systems Development Committee and
the Drum Corps 2000 Committee. Mr. Turner has served as Coordinator of
Judges for New York Field Band Conference as well as Chief Judge
Administrator for DCI." (DCI-T)
"- served in a leadership capacity under three different DCI
executive directors." (DCI-T)
Outcome-Based Education is a horrendous failure across the country.
It has made our school systems unreliable for teaching "basics". It is
based on a "feel good", "uncompetitive" atmosphere where "feelings" take
the place of real achievement. Look at the judge's panels and those who
run "YEA". All have a resume stating "educator." This is why the tick
system was thrown out - too judgemental and brutish. This is why taped
commentary was watered down - too harsh. This is why scores are so
stupidly high - make everyone feel good (even if it wasn't worthy.) Drum
corps tragedy is a direct result of the Outcome-Based crowd. This crowd
must be stopped. It is a wrecking crew that prospers by claiming self
esteem for non-achievement; emotion over logic. "They will tell you that
everyone "feels good" about their accomplishments; that high self esteem
is better than high standards." (GG)
"The individual should always be sacrificed for the whole." (KT)
"The student should always be sacrificed for the design." (KT)
"Execution doesn't count for much anymore." (KT)
"I am not a fan of competition." (GH)
"We need less judges, not more." (GH)
From the Summer Music Games - Educational Series Part I, for use in
competitive drum corps, color guard and bands. Expressive Movement.
"Remember too that there is more life and grander emotion to be discovered
beyond technical perfection." (p. 32) "We learn that we can often sell out
for the praise of accuracy over beauty." (p. 31)
"What many considered to be "groundbreaking" turns out to be in
retrospect, simply a quirky departure, a stylistic sleight of hand that
played to the early judges of the "feel good" seige. It was mistaken for
true innovation and the waves of imitations has drowned true creativity.
Combined with the sudden and ill-advised lurch toward a phony "scoring"
system, and you have very simply, the seeds of drum corps destruction."
(GG)
Here is a quote from a failed California "reading" experiment similar
to the experiments going on with "art" through "visual designers":
"Things got out of hand. School administrators and principals
thought they were following the framework when they latched on to 'whole
language', and our greatest mistake was in failing to say, 'Look out for
the crazy stuff, look out for the overreactions and the religiously
anti-skills fanatics.' We totally misjudged which voices would take charge
of the schools. We never believed it would be driven to this bizarre
edge. When I tell people that we never even say the phrase 'whole
language' anywhere in the 73 page document, they look at me like I'm mad."
(BHa)
"He is now at the forefront of an opposition movement to return to a
heavy emphasis on basic reading skills in grade school. Indeed,
California's fourth graders are now such poor readers that only children
in Louisiana and Guam - both hampered by pitifully backwards education
systems - get worse reading scores." (BHa)
"Civilizations do not give out, they give in. In a society where
anything goes, eventually, everything will." (JU)
"Our society is allowing its kids to get away with anything they want
because to make them feel bad is wrong. To let them fail is cruel." (DB)
"Along the way, a great deal of our educational system has been
therapized: self-esteem programs that induce a feeling of success, quite
apart from any achievement." (JL)
"Threading through all this talk is the reigning doctrine of the
schools, which almost everyone takes for granted. It is "child centered."
This means that it is the teachers' job to interest the students, not the
students responsibility to buckle down and learn. There was a startling
amount of emphasis on teaching children about themselves and their
"feelings", rather than the outside world." (JL)
"Ed school theory these days is tightly focused on feelings, and
hostile to standards and the idea of competition. This produces a
philosophy of levelling that is indifferent, sometimes antagonistic to
achievement. Bright achievers must be tamped down somehow as part of the
campaign for social equality." (JL)
Drum and bugle corps have been used as a place to perfect an image
for designers and judges because they know the money is not in the corps,
but in the high school band programs. This is why you have all the focus
now on "marching band" and "let's switch to band instruments". Band
directors are part of a union and unions protect their own. Everyone
wants to be part of the Outcome-Based crowd.
"...- and before you know it, you find yourself trying to sell drum
corps to the marching bands that are teaching it to you." (SR)
"Canadian Strike!: One of North America's largest ever teachers'
strike swept Ontario as an illegal walkout by 126,000 teachers barred 2.1
million students from their classes in Canada's most populous province.
The strike is effectively a power struggle between the teachers' unions
and Ontario's Conservative government over who should control the future
of education policies in the province." (USA Today Oct 29, 1997)
In drum corps, the struggle to use kids as game pieces is the same;
reduced to pawns in adult (design) conflicts. Proof of this is no greater
than the contradiction of having "non-competitions" with "self esteem for
non-achievement" where "everyone is a winner" and "feels good" wrapped
around the stolen headliner "The Summer Music Games." Olympians compete.
They have defined rules. It is real competition.
Contradictions are not marketable in the entertainment business.
That drum corps has survived this long with such ignorance, is a testament
to the popularity it COULD achieve if ever it adopted an intelligent
philosophy.
"The reaction to the 27th Lancers at Foxboro should have been a wake
up call. When an exhibition corps gets more reaction and a louder and
longer ovation than the winner of the show, something is wrong. And don't
anyone say it was nostalgia - it was good, it was fun, it was loud.
People don't want to spend 3 hours sitting in uncomfortable seats going:
"I say, Howard, did you hear that marvelous minor third in the middle
voices?" (RL)
"People go absolutely crazy when Madison marches on the field - and
the line isn't as straight as it could be." (RL)
What are they going crazy about? Drum corps doesn't have to work as
hard as it thinks it does to make money. Let the drummers play. Let them
play well. Get rid of the visual designers with no real art training and
orchestral players with no chops. Let them experiment on someone else's
time and money. Sell what you have that is unique and competitive against
lazy school systems, ballet, the symphony and poor execution trend
specialists like Stomp and Blue Man Group, etc. You will win.
To accomplish this we will have to go back to the tick deduction
system for percussion with an analysis judge. For corps, the answer is to
take the power away from the adults and visual designers with a 75 - 25
split. Ticks for percussion and marching only. Again, judging defines
the criteria. The criteria defines the product.
25 drums 15 ex 10 analysis (5 demand - 5 musicianship) 3 judges
25 marching 15 ex 10 analysis (5 demand - 5 guard) 3 judges
25 brass 15 ex 10 analysis (5 demand - 5 ensemble) 3 judges
25 GE 10 P 10 B 10 M x 5/6 = 25 3 judges
This system can use as few as 4 judges: 1p 1m 1b 1GE or 2p 2b 2m 3GE for 9.
25 drums 15 ex (5 demand by one 5 musicianship by the other) 2-3 judges
25 marching 15 ex 10 analysis 2-3 judges
25 brass 15 ex 10 analysis 2-3 judges
25 GE 15 effect 10 ensemble 2 judges
Good performance will create all the GE you will ever need giving the
audience something they can't pay money to see anywhere else. Is everyone
that afraid to let the marchers have the spotlight again?
To fix the problems, the performer must again come first and the
judging community must be re-established. (Figure skating judges receive
no pay - only travel fees. They must pass bronze, silver and gold skating
tests to judge. I saw 15 of them learning at Detroit 1994 Nationals.) What
is wrong with a 2 or 3 minute concert number? The crowd might enjoy it.
Or shall we continue to wreck drum corps show psychology for "design"
demand? Some corps write the music to the "drill". Music is the priority.
I can prove it.
The U.S. Marine Drum Corps did the 1988 Bands of America retreat at
the Pontiac Silverdome. They received standing ovations and played the
show twice. It is interesting that all they marched was a well executed
1950's drill without much music correlation. They didn't need it. The
motion of good understandable marching was exciting enough and created the
interest to support their show. Imagine that!
Drum corps has thrown away its workable roots for too much
complexity; always the sign of bad art.
"We have meetings all the time. We had a rules meeting last year for
the 175 bands, and one director came. I think they do trust us!" (GH)
Do not mistake trust for apathy. Twenty years ago we had a thriving
corps circuit and an emerging band circuit in Michigan. There were 3 or 4
caption meetings per year that were well attended. The annual meeting was
packed; 30 or 40. I watched this number dwindle to 6 or 7 at annual
meetings. The circuit disbanded a few years ago. Mandatory turnouts
required at pre-season field days was all that remained. There were not
many new trainees. It's as if everyone just gave up, yet the band circuit
had more members than ever. I don't get it. Is everyone THAT afraid to
change things and fix this?
Part of the problem is the percussionists themselves. "Keep in mind
that NARD swelled to 10,000 members at one time. It was used as a
marketing tool with no objective standards." (RB) Many have refused to
stand up and stop the musical genocide of rudimental drumming for fear of
retribution; loss of job or judging assignments or the dumping of
students. Most of the percussion people are not "artists" and have
quietly nodded their heads at the "visual designers" that subjugated them.
To speak out brings trouble for yourself and your students.
"Why don't you take a few years off, Ken? You really need to adjust
your attitude." (JE)
My answer is simple. Write letters to your local school
superintendent, principal, booster club and band director. Tell them what
is going on. Demand the qualifications of all visual design judges and
instructors. Demand their payouts. If needed, go over their heads to
secondary school organizations that exist in many states and to the local
legislature representative. Local newspapers are hungry for this type of
community news. Large newspapers may also like to run the story. Once a
state governor gets some inquiries, the band director will not protect
these "visual designers" without credentials. They will protect their
paychecks. It may take this type of action to fix the mess. Many of those
responsible believe they answer to no one and are immune to scrutiny. It
has gone that far.
"This thing has turned into something it was never meant to be." (A
band parent at a state championship show as we discussed all the mammoth
props being set up around us and a passing color guard pushing baby
buggies with cut up dolls in them.)
In conclusion, the drums went silent for these reasons:
* Drum corps adoption of an Outcome-Based, non-competitive philosophy
where subjective whim outstrips objective reality.
* The loss of audio/visual marching pulse supplied by percussion sections.
Silence does not produce a pulse and is not competitively demanding.
* The use of copied orchestral percussion parts in an attempt at "correct
interpretations", thereby destroying rudimental originality.
* The use of orchestral judging imports who never learned or respected
rudimental drumming techniques, demand and tolerance.
* The loss of demand, or any reliable definition of it, on the score sheets
destroying any intelligent trade off of risk/reward. (Demand is inherent.)
Criteria defines the product. No criteria. No product.
* A loss of adjudication uniformity and tolerance causing a lack of focus
and mistrust of judges.
* Visual designers forcing battery members to the back of the field doing
high velocity moves (sideways) where simple 16th notes and buzz rolls are
all that can be played. (They call it "crab" walking. Crabs are ugly.)
* The sacrifice of the student for the adult design.
* Drum lines shoved to the back of the field to produce an "orchestral"
balance.
* The loss of almost all meaningful drum solos: demand condensed into
extremely short "bits" of performance without the chance to develop.
* The loss of rudimental style.
* The loss of rudimental history.
* The change of style caused by the Kevlar bullet proof drum head.
* The improvement of the college and drum set drummers to the point they
surpass corps achievements.
* The lack of a cohesive approach to the problem by the percussionists
themselves.
* Apathy. A belief that nothing can be done to correct the problems.
It also suffers from an identity crisis. The entire activity is
defensive; hidden from the audience. White shoes are suicide. Pant
stripes are limited. Grounding equipment for minutes at a time is common.
Arrangements display the most obtuse cuts that staffs can find in some
weird intellectual hunt for confusing treasures. (This at a time when
classical music sales have dropped to 2.9% in 1996 from a high of 5.0% in
the mid 1980's.) (USN) Everyone is trying to be something else, but aren't
as good at being that something as that something is; a marketing
nightmare.
And finally, this philosophy held by some drum corps directors:
"Drum corps ain't a beauty contest; it's a game played with rules." (WC)
"Drum corps is a GAME, and a game managed by peoples opinions... not
facts!" (GH)
So what we have then is a game played with rules that have no facts.
I, the people that trained me, and my students do not treat the art as a
game.
"In watching drum performance, I watch for originality in
arrangements and more importantly in the visual design." (WC) If this
observation by a non-drummer is correct, it should tell you what has
happened to the sheets and the philosophy of organized outdoor pageantry.
Consider this recent internet chat I had with a Cadet keyboard player
of this past season. (Sally from their pit.)
She "For us it's about the experience; music is just the vehicle."
Me "For us it was about the music; the experience just the vehicle."
DCI has tried to market adult designs when all it has to do is
emphasize the individual physical and mental discipline of the performers.
Instead, they made the drums go silent. You can turn drum corps into
marching band, add woodwinds, Bb everything and add electronics and
dancing clowns... It will not change a thing. Drum corps problems are its
competitive philosophy and the fact it tries to market adult "design".
As the drums go, so goes the marketing of outdoor pageantry.
Rudimentalists will prosper with drum sets, in college lines and indoor
competition.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Mazur
RAMD Virtual Symposium 1997: Crossroads
"Who Took The Drum Out of Drum Corps?"
Ken Mazur
Copyright 1997 by Ken Mazur
All rights reserved.
References:
Jack Lynehan (Governors Footguard Band, New Haven, Connecticut) 1880
J. Burns Moore (1872-1951) >> Bobby Redican >> Charlie Poole >> many
Carl Frolich >> many
Earl Sturtze >> Frank Arsenault >> Eric Perrilloux >> Hugh Quigley >> many
Jay Tuomey >> Les Parks >> Bobby Thompson >> Marty Hurley >> many
Ken Mazur >> Keenan Pituch >> many
David Below >> many
Art is the intelligent manipulation of natural elements affecting the
five senses, time and understanding by the arrangement of uncertainty
(choosing focal points), complementarity (proportion and influence), and
probability (transitions which lead an observer to favorable responses),
using the least possible energy and materials (simplicity and efficiency).
Art is the organization and improvement of nature's chaos; simple to do
since nature has so many equal signs; difficult because one must master
the use of limited palette.
A block of stone or wood, a blank canvas, space... silence. All are
creative opportunities awaiting birth. The longer a design must function,
the stronger its foundation must be requiring more foresight,
responsibility and talent. Consider the longevity of a vehicle, movie,
music score, building, city, nation or universe. Great design is complex
in the artists mind; simple to those who witness it.
All art has limits. They are a form of control because limits create
order in a chaotic environment. The universe has many limits; a polarity
of push and pull: the speed of light, the number of electrons in an atoms
valence, the condensation of black holes, the molecular complexity of
cells, the coldness of absolute zero in space. Cell membranes and skin
define biological limits keeping chaos from an ordered interior. Music
has limits: range of instruments, measures, scales, duration of notes,
etc. Life's duration is a limit. Try to think of a new color. You can't.
You are limited by what is already here.
Outdoor pageantry has its limits too. Limits are what creativity is
all about.
End Notes
A - Anonymous Information withheld at request of the individual.
DA - Adams, Dave 1978 Phantom Regiment. Professional engineer.
DA - Angelica, Don DCI television finals broadcast commentary.
RB - Beckham, Rick Instructor/Arranger. Creator of the "Rudimental
Webpage". 27th Lancers. Currently teaches high school
lines and indoor percussion.
DB - Below, Dave Instructor/Arranger for Mavericks Indoor Drum Line,
Mich. Snare, 1992 Crossmen. Student of this author.
BB - Boitano, Brian World and Olympic mens figure skating champion.
Discussion at Joe Louis Arena, 1994
TB - Brown, Tom Santa Clara Vanguard, Blessed Sacrament Golden
Knights. Instructor of high school bands on the east
coast. Instructed by Bobby Thompson and Fred Sanford.
JC - Campbell, Jerry 1988 USA women's figure skating olympic alternate.
SC - Campbell, Steve 1985 & 1986 DCI Snare Drum Champion. Canadian
National Champion. Blue Devils, Sarnia Buccaneers.
GC - Cesario, Greg Drum Corps visual designer. DCI Today, Winter 1997,
Volume 23, # 1, p.50
WC - Cook, William Former Corps Director, Star of Indiana.
VC - Coulatta, Vinnie Well known drum set drummer at clinic in late
1980's, Roseville, Michigan sponsored by Huber &
Breeze Music.
DgS- David Internet correspondence with permission Oct. 27, 1997
Last name withheld by request.
BD - DCI Board
of Directors DCI Today, Winter 1997, Volume 23, #1, p.49
DCI-T DCI Today, Winter 1997, Volume 23 # 1, p. 48
"Some Thoughts on Design and Performance" by Dr.
Rosalie Sword
JE - Easton, Jim Glassmen, Oakland Crusaders, University of Mich Band.
TE - Eldridge, Todd United States figure skating mens champion.
Discussion at Joe Louis Arena, 1994
JE - Ellis, Jack Comment to this author on May 2, 1992 at Ken Turner
clinic in Michigan. Lakeview high school band
director.
SF - Finck, Stanley Doctor of Music from University of Whitewater
giving clinic in Michigan in the mid 1980's.
JF - Flowers, John East Coast instructor/arranger. Reading Buccaneers.
Archer-Epler National Snare Drum Champion 1952
U.S. Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps
SG - Gadd, Steve Famous drum set player and studio musician.
DG - Gibbs, Dave Corps Director of the Blue Devils. Interview by
Christina Mavroudis, April, 25, 1995
GG - Griffith, Greg "Does Rudimental Drumming Matter? Drumming, Art and the 'Feel Good' Seige"
Bridgemen drum line - 1984
BHa- Hamon, Beth Portland, Oregon school teacher. Correspondence.
BH - Honing, Bill "The Blackboard Jungle" by Jill Stewart. Quote p.23
Volume 18 #14, March 1-7, 1996
GH - Hopkins, George Youth Education in the Arts, Cadets Corps Director.
MH - Hurley, Marty Instructor/Arranger Phantom Regiment, Regiment
Militare, Belleville Black Knights
IARP-1 International Association of Rudimental
Percussionists. Volume 1, #3, p.13
"The Soldier of the Drum" by Brian Seibel
IARP-2 International Association of Rudimental
Percussionists. Volume 2, #1, p. 27,28. "The Company
of Fifers and Drummers" by Susan Cifaldi.
IARP-4 International Association of Rudimental
Percussionists. Volume 1, #3, p.16-18. "George
Lawrence Stone" by Dr. Eric Chandler and James
Buckley
IARP-5 International Association of Rudimental
Percussionists. Volume 2, #1, p.16-18 "Earl S.
Sturtze" by Jim Clark
IARP-6 Drum Solos. A Collection of Solos by Members of the
International Association of Rudimental
Percussionists. Tachyon by Ken Mazur, Quad Bass Drum
Set Solo
RL - LaRoche, Rich Internet correspondence.
JL - Lowe, Jason South Cobb High School Drum Line. Correspondence.
JL - Leo, John U.S. News and World Report, March 23, 1992
U.S. News and World Report, April 27, 1992
LL - Lurch, Larry Glassmen percussion caption head in mid 1980's.
MM - Mann, Mike Instructor/Arranger Phantom Regiment, Director
of Bands University of Miami. Adjudicator. NARTD
founder.
MI - McIssac, Marty Boston Crusaders Senior, Pembroke Imperials
WM - McGrath, William A. "The Contribution of Senior Corps to Marching
Percussion" U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.
Yankee Rebels.
MP - Petty, Mark A. Instructor/Arranger Glassmen, Cavaliers,
Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps (Correspondence Oct.
1997)
CP - Poole, Charles Conversations at DCI Snare Individuals Aug. 97 and
interview November 3, 1997. Connecticut State
Champion 1966, 67,68,69 - Northeast Champion
1966, 67, 68, 69. All American National Champion
1968, 70, 71 Boston Crusaders, 27th Lancers, DCI
Adjudicator.
JP - Pratt, John S. Rudimental Drum Instructor of Field Music, West
Point. All-American Association Judge. Hawthorne
Caballeros. Authored many drumming books.
SR - Rice, Stuart E. Marching Historian. Internet monthly newsletter:
"Stuart Rice On Marching." Blue Devils 1983
DS - Spaulding, Dan C. The Evolution of Drum Corps Drumming, Percussive
Arts Society Magazine, 1980. Cavaliers percussion
caption head mid 1970's. Conductor.
DS-IARP Spaulding, Dan C. International Association of
Rudimental Percussionists. Volume 2, # 1 p. 6-9
Interview with "Dan Spaulding."
BS - Schniederman, Bill Principal percussionist for the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra at dinner with mutual
friends in 1994.
BSm- Semeyn, Bill Internet posting, November 1997
CP - Terrari, Carol P. Audabon drum major 1969 at VFW Nationals.
JTh- Thigpen, Jody Rudimentalist. Recent correspondence.
BT - Thompson, Bobby Sons of Liberty, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights
BT-pi- Thompson, Bobby Private instruction at corps camps in 1972.
JT - Tuomey, Jay Sons of Liberty Fife and Drum Corps. Landcraft
Fife and Drum Corps.This authors instructor for
many years.
JT-pi - Tuomey, Jay Private instruction in the late 60's and early
1970's.
KT - Turner, Ken Clinic comments May 2, 2992, at Park Lane Motel,
5:45-7:00 PM, Lansing Michigan. Topic: Viewing the
Band as a Whole. The End Product Should Exceed Its
Parts. Understanding Coordination - The Big
Picture."
JU - Underwood, John Ann Landers column, Detroit Free Press, December 25,
1994 (from Boston Globe)
USN - U.S. News
and World Report "Selling 'Jailbait' Bach" by John Marks. p.56-57,
November 11, 1996
SW - Watkins, Sam R. "Co. Aytch", The Classic Memoir of the Civil War by
a Confederate Soldier. p.28 p.34
JW - Wallace, John This authors drum set instructor for many years.
Leader of the Johnny Wallace Big Band. Music
agent in Detroit.
DW - Wick, Dan Instructor/Arranger/Adjudicator Flushing High School
Percussion Line. Phantom Regiment.
BY - York, Barry Bluecoats, 1989 & 1990; Madison Scouts 1992
Frequent internet poster on RAMD.
Biography
Ken Mazur Marching, teaching and judging history.
PERFORMANCE :
Brass-A-Tears Jr. Centerline, Mi. 1962 1963 1964 1965 (Maczuga)
Vanguard Sr. St. Clair Shores, Mi. 1966 1967 1968 (Tuomey)
Diplomats Jr. Roseville, Mi. 1968 1969 1970 (Leis, Tuomey, Malcolm)
Vanguard Jr. St. Clair Shores, Mi. 1971 1972 1973 (Tuomey)
Glassmen Jr. Toledo,Oh. 1974 (folded Aug 1) (Petty)
Saginaires Jr. Saginaw, Mi. 1974
Glassmen Toledo, Oh. 1975 (Petty)
Phantom Regiment Jr. Rockford, IL. 1976 (Hurley)
Royal Lancers Sr. Wyandotte, Mi. 1988 1989
Drum Set : 1962 - 1997 (Genoa, Wallace) Performed with numerous music
ensembles mainly jazz, big band, fusion and rock. Most recently with
"Atlantis" (Top 40) and "Headin South" (Country and Western).
Inventor and perfector of the Multiple Pitched Quad Bass Drum Set 1972-1997;
an experiment testing the musical limits of the human mind and body with
coordination and rudimental drumming. Perfected many advanced Olympic style
training techniques for speed, coordination, endurance and execution thought
processes.
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION :
1968-1976 Winner of 35 local, regional and state snare drum and drum set
contests.
1972 2nd place American Guild of Music National Drum Set Championship.
Indianapolis, Indiana
1973 4th place All-American National Snare Drum Championship
Sarnia Ontario, Canada
1974 3rd place DCI World Snare Drum Championship Ithaca, New York
1975 3rd place DCI World Snare Drum Championship Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1976 lst place DCI World Champion Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
INSTRUCTION :
1975 1976 Leamington Townsmen, Windsor Guardsmen Ontario Canada
Caption Head Arranger/Instructor
1977 Windsor Guardsmen Caption Head Arranger/Instructor
1978 1979 Phantom Regiment Execution Instructor
1982 Golden Garrison, Ypsilanti Mi. Caption Head
Arranger/Instructor
Most Improved Drum Corp, Great Lakes Drum Corp Association
DCI Class A Finalists
1984 Phantom Regiment Execution Instructor (1st tour only)
1991 1992 Southgate High School Caption Head Arranger/Instructor
Undefeated MCBDA Percussion Champions
1993-1997 Consulting, clinics and RAMD trouble maker.
JUDGING :
1976-1997 Drum Corp and Marching Band. Experienced in all percussion
adjudication areas including the tick sheet. Indoor
percussion and individual contests. Known as a tough judge
to please.
1987-1992 Percussion Caption Head, Great Lakes Judging Association
Responsible for sheet interpretation, judges tolerances,
training of new prospectives, rewriting of percussion score
sheets to reflect a more performance oriented approach to
judging high school students.
1989 President - Great Lakes Judges Association
Liason to band directors and judging circuit. Oversee
caption heads and judging concerns. Serve as scratching
post for nervous band directors.
Handle complaints and watch over contractual situations.
AUTHOR: The Technique and Mechanics of Competitive Rudimental Snare
Drumming. 380pgs 1978
The Basic Technique of Rudimental Drumming 105pgs. 1980
ART AND DESIGN EXPERIENCE :
President - Silverdot Illustration. 1984 to present. Provide commercial and
residential delineation services to architectural, interior design, and
engineering firms. Design and illustrate presentations for developers,
municipalities and advertising agencies. Specialize in casein tempera - an
egg-based fast drying media - marker, water color, pencil broadside, oils and
ink renderings. Excellent freehand sketching and perspective layout.
Construction documents and design available on request.
Harold Weeks - Freehand sketching and composition. ( U of Detroit)
Morris Jackson - Architectural perspective and delineation. Rapid brush
techniques.
Artist for Smith, Hintchmen and Grylls for 25 years, Detroit, Mi.
Howard Etter - Design and delineation. Marker technique. Human figure
sketching. (Arch. delineator)
Richard Rush - Basic design and proportion. (Architect)
Dale Ferriby - Basic design and proportion (Architect)
Harvey Ferraro - Architectural delineation and quick freehand sketching.
(Architect)
Shirley Hathaway - Oil painting, water colors and composition. Scarab Club,
Detroit
Dan Keller - Oil painting and composition. Scarab Club, Detroit.
Lewis King - Watercolorist. Technique and execution. Armada, Mi.
Lawrence Technological University - Bachelor of Architecture
Since so many corps run around the field these days and claim demand, here is
my competitive running resume with best finishes :
Marathons: 1996 Los Angeles (4204 / 16239) , 1994 1995 1996 Detroit,
1994 Columbus, 1996 1997 Walt Disney, 1996 Pittsburg
Half Marathons: 1996 Las Vegas (978 / 2400)
10 milers: The Crim, Flint Mi. (1896 / 5112), 1995 The Race From Hell, Hell,
Mi.
1995 1996 Michigan Big 10 Run, Ann Arbor Mi.
1997 First of America Classic, St. Petersburg, Fl.
10K and 5 milers : Cooper River Bridge Run, Charleston SC. (2482 / 12207)
1993 1994 1995 1996 Oak Apple Run, Royal Oak, Mi.
(403/1334)
1993 1994 1995 1996 Allen Park Street Fair, Mi. (227 / 631)
Medalist : 1994 1995 1996 Michigan Firecracker Mile - Open Division Clawson,
Mi.
