My Drum Corps Summer 2015
Donation protected
I play the snare drum for a Northampton-based performance group, but now I want to take the next step and play internationally - I want to play the snare drum in a competition called Drum Corps International in America!
First of all, what's a 'drum corps'? Watch this video to find out:
What's a 'drum corps'?
Last year I had the opportunity to fly out to the US and play in an Open Class drum corps called Coastal Surge, who competed in Drum Corps International for the first time in 2014! It was without a doubt the most incredible summer of my life and what I have learnt from doing this activity is priceless.
With 12-hour rehearsal days in 40C heat, I was pushed way out of my comfort zone and was challenged mentally and physically each day. At the start, I didn't understand and thought I had made a big mistake, but I soon learnt that this activity breaks you down and builds you up as a stronger human being. I achieved things I never thought I would achieve.
We travelled around the East Coast of America playing to thousands of people, finishing up in a 60,000+ seated stadium called the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. Never did I think I'd be doing that. I also made over 50 new friends along the way who will stay in my heart forever, as we were all a part of something truly incredible.
I kept an online diary when I was in America, take a look for even more information on my experience:
My DCI Blog
In 2015, I have the opportunity to take it to the next level. I'm applying to march in Drum Corps International once more, but this time I'll be on the drumline!
Why did I take an interest in marching percussion? How did I get involved in Drum Corps International?
Here's why:
When I was 11 years old, I watched a Drum Corps International (DCI) show in Allentown, PA on a family holiday and couldn't believe what I was seeing. How can 150 people move so fast and play so well at the same time?! I was amazed and I knew then that I had to be a part of this.
That year I joined my hometown drum corps, where I played the bass drum for my first 3 years. I knew I wanted play the snare drum though, so I practiced constantly and by the age of 15 I was playing the snare drum and I absolutely loved it! I swapped by Xbox for drum sticks and carried on practicing.
But I didn't stop there; now that I was on the snare line, I had set myself the goal of winning Indoor Percussion Europe's Snare Drum Solo competition when Liberty travelled to Beligum in 2013. Little did I know, I was not the best player there, by far. I finished dead last. I did come home as a European champion though - me and my friend came first place in the Snare Drum Ensemble catagory! But we were the only competitors in that category...
I now understood the level require to make DCI.
Two years on and I still wanted to march for a DCI drum corps. I practiced every day for 2+ hours from November to January. My ability skyrocketed in these months, but my application to a World Class drum corps was declined and I was told to apply again next year.
I decided that I was going to do DCI this summer some way or another. I applied to Open Class corps in the hope that they would let me play anything. A new drum corps from South Carolina called Coastal Surge e-mailed me back and said they had an auxiliary percussion spot avaliable. It wasn't the drumline, but at this point I really didn't mind - I was going to be competing in DCI!
The rest is history.
Drum Corps is a very expensive activity when just looking at the cost, but when you break it and down, you truly do get your money's worth - and more!
I will need to pay for:
Tour fees (around £1000)
Flights in April for an audition camp (around £500)
Flights in June for move ins (around £1000)
2 months worth of personal equiptment (around £150)
Spending money (around £130)
Overall that's around £2,800. That's a lot for one 18 year old to get in 6 months. So, along with A LOT of personal saving and various grant applications, I am looking for donations to help me march DCI in 2015.
I've set a goal of £500 to get from donations, which will partially cover my travel fees to an audition camp in April, so it would be great if you could help me achieve this!
Any amount would be wonderful, it would mean the world to me if I could march another year.
Thanks and have a great day,
Orin
First of all, what's a 'drum corps'? Watch this video to find out:
What's a 'drum corps'?
Last year I had the opportunity to fly out to the US and play in an Open Class drum corps called Coastal Surge, who competed in Drum Corps International for the first time in 2014! It was without a doubt the most incredible summer of my life and what I have learnt from doing this activity is priceless.
With 12-hour rehearsal days in 40C heat, I was pushed way out of my comfort zone and was challenged mentally and physically each day. At the start, I didn't understand and thought I had made a big mistake, but I soon learnt that this activity breaks you down and builds you up as a stronger human being. I achieved things I never thought I would achieve.
We travelled around the East Coast of America playing to thousands of people, finishing up in a 60,000+ seated stadium called the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. Never did I think I'd be doing that. I also made over 50 new friends along the way who will stay in my heart forever, as we were all a part of something truly incredible.
I kept an online diary when I was in America, take a look for even more information on my experience:
My DCI Blog
In 2015, I have the opportunity to take it to the next level. I'm applying to march in Drum Corps International once more, but this time I'll be on the drumline!
Why did I take an interest in marching percussion? How did I get involved in Drum Corps International?
Here's why:
When I was 11 years old, I watched a Drum Corps International (DCI) show in Allentown, PA on a family holiday and couldn't believe what I was seeing. How can 150 people move so fast and play so well at the same time?! I was amazed and I knew then that I had to be a part of this.
That year I joined my hometown drum corps, where I played the bass drum for my first 3 years. I knew I wanted play the snare drum though, so I practiced constantly and by the age of 15 I was playing the snare drum and I absolutely loved it! I swapped by Xbox for drum sticks and carried on practicing.
But I didn't stop there; now that I was on the snare line, I had set myself the goal of winning Indoor Percussion Europe's Snare Drum Solo competition when Liberty travelled to Beligum in 2013. Little did I know, I was not the best player there, by far. I finished dead last. I did come home as a European champion though - me and my friend came first place in the Snare Drum Ensemble catagory! But we were the only competitors in that category...
I now understood the level require to make DCI.
Two years on and I still wanted to march for a DCI drum corps. I practiced every day for 2+ hours from November to January. My ability skyrocketed in these months, but my application to a World Class drum corps was declined and I was told to apply again next year.
I decided that I was going to do DCI this summer some way or another. I applied to Open Class corps in the hope that they would let me play anything. A new drum corps from South Carolina called Coastal Surge e-mailed me back and said they had an auxiliary percussion spot avaliable. It wasn't the drumline, but at this point I really didn't mind - I was going to be competing in DCI!
The rest is history.
Drum Corps is a very expensive activity when just looking at the cost, but when you break it and down, you truly do get your money's worth - and more!
I will need to pay for:
Tour fees (around £1000)
Flights in April for an audition camp (around £500)
Flights in June for move ins (around £1000)
2 months worth of personal equiptment (around £150)
Spending money (around £130)
Overall that's around £2,800. That's a lot for one 18 year old to get in 6 months. So, along with A LOT of personal saving and various grant applications, I am looking for donations to help me march DCI in 2015.
I've set a goal of £500 to get from donations, which will partially cover my travel fees to an audition camp in April, so it would be great if you could help me achieve this!
Any amount would be wonderful, it would mean the world to me if I could march another year.
Thanks and have a great day,
Orin
Organizer
Orin Willis
Organizer
