Help Destin march Crossmen!

Hello everyone, my name is Destin. I am a sophomore at the University of Central Oklahoma studying music education.

I was selected to perform as a member of the World Class Crossmen Drum Corps for the 2017 season. Over 950 individuals from around the world auditioned for the corps this year, and I earned a position marching baritone/euphonium in the ensemble. As a member of Crossmen, I will train in San Antonio, Texas one weekend per month through May, before spending the summer traveling across the United States to perform and compete in the Drum Corps International Summer Music Games.

On its surface, the Crossmen Drum Corps is a non-profit youth organization compromised of 150 youth performers, who excel in one of three areas: brass, percussion, and color guard. We spend the summer learning, performing, and competing with a production that combines the music, theatrics, and pageantry of high school and college marching bands, with the talent and innovation of Broadway productions such as BLAST! And Cirque de Soleil. We travel the country for approximately ten weeks, and end our season at the DCI World Championships hosted at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. In addition to the tens of thousands of fans who attend these live performances, these shows have been televised live on PBS, ESPN, and in movie theatres around the United States, for an audience of millions.

More importantly, however, Crossmen teaches discipline, responsibility, and the life skills that benefit me far beyond my time as a member of this elite performing ensemble. Being a music education major and future band director, this experience would benefit not only me an indescribable amount, but also my students that I will one day be teaching music to. The corps is truly a family and a brotherhood, and I would be proud to be part of the tradition that is Crossmen.

In order to participate in Crossmen this summer, each member of the organization is required to pay approximately $3600 in member and touring fees. The price of membership includes travel, instruction, food, uniforms, equipment, housing, and many other expenses incurred over the tour. Any size donation, or just sharing this page, would make an enormous difference in my ability to participate with the corps this summer. Thank you for reading my story and for supporting the arts.
-Destin