Legendary Drum Majors

A place for student leaders, drum majors, section leaders, student council members, etc.

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GHS Sasquatch
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Post by GHS Sasquatch » Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:06 pm

just as wally said, i didnt realize there were so many legendary DMs, but then again ppl have many different views of wat makes a DM legendary, so thats probably y. and i also probably didnt realize this cuz im still a Jr.

the only DM that ive seen was Preston Shepard. i took some lessons with him this last summer (he hadnt touched a mace in a couple of years), and he made me feel like a fool with a stick. man...that guy was awesome.

heh, oddly enough, when i was fairly young, i went by our HS with my mom, and saw the DM spinning out side, and was totally amazed. turns out it was preston so go figure.

o yea, and btw wally, im 6'4", and bout 7' with the feather bonnet on.
"The only thing nessicary for evil to triumph is good men to do nothing."

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Post by mikekimchi » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:15 pm

oh wow...I was searching the web for some competition dates (haven't been to a parade or L-pattern in years and I'd love to see how the styles and trends have changed, and what traditions have stuck), and I happened on this site...where I'm mentioned?! I'm that guy from Montebello, Mike Kim. I'd hardly consider myself a possible candidate for this thread's list, but I thank you for even knowing who I am. I must agree, Robert Alcala is truly a legend and a great teacher, as are Tom Peacock, Rusty Givens, Wendy Tye, and oh so many others for all the right reasons.

Thanks for helping me remember the good ol' days. I'll always be a bandgeek at heart (and I say that only with affection).

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Post by misterkyle » Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:28 pm

i'm sure El Camino isn't very well known like rancho bernardo and arcadia in SCSBOA, but last year i think was the most legendary drum major we ever had.

We've always had two, just to sort of support eachother, but Tina Wu, a flute playing prodigy, got the job all by herself and set the standard to only have one, and she led us with so much ease.

A lot of people hated her thinking she was too cocky beacuse she was so good at every instrument she played, but I respected her right away and I think she did an excellent job.

I learned a lot from her and hopefuly it'll show if I get the job next year.
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Spin Doctor
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Post by Spin Doctor » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:44 pm

mikekimchi wrote:I'm that guy from Montebello, Mike Kim. I'd hardly consider myself a possible candidate for this thread's list, but I thank you for even knowing who I am.
:bow:

Hey Mike, you can be as modest as you want but it was watching you that made me strive to be the very best.

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Post by thatoneguy2486 » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:09 pm

i dont know about the "olden days." more recently, i went to a couple last year, and there are a couple that REALLY stood out to me. Theyre not necessarily legendary, but they impressed me.

Alan Riley is stunning. I can't wait to see him again. Sean In is another, I think these two will be legendary by the end of these coming seasons. They are great in both conducting and spinning. They do it like no other.

Some other that impressed me, JC... Chang i think was his last name, from Arcadia. Great conducting all around, especially his pattern! Gabriel F. ( last name issues). He is aweosme at conducting, and pretty good at spinning! He had a very interesting pattern! Lawrance J, another great conductor. He really got into the music that he did and made it entertaining to watch him, pretty funny guy too. All 3 of them stood out to me for conducting, i wouldnt mind having any of them as my drum major!!!

a couple of spinners, Britney B. She is great at spinning! She was one of the more entertaining ones to watch, with some pretty cool moves. and Jessica... from that school that starts with an M. Montebello? im sorry!!! anyhow, she is pretty entertaining to watch too.

And Emerson middle... i never thought a middle school would be competitive against high schoolers... but i was very wrong. The Emerson kids know what theyre doing. If legends are to be made, i think they'd be made by Emerson.

those are a few from last season that i remembered.

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Post by only4years » Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:48 pm

"other that impressed me, JC... Chang i think was his last name, from Arcadia. Great conducting all around, especially his pattern! Gabriel F. ( last name issues). He is aweosme at conducting, and pretty good at spinning! He had a very interesting pattern! Lawrance J, another great conductor. He really got into the music that he did and made it entertaining to watch him, pretty funny guy too. All 3 of them stood out to me for conducting, i wouldnt mind having any of them as my drum major!!!

a couple of spinners, Britney B. She is great at spinning! She was one of the more entertaining ones to watch, with some pretty cool moves. and Jessica... from that school that starts with an M. Montebello? im sorry!!! anyhow, she is pretty entertaining to watch too. "

Sorry, I don't know how to do the cool quote-y box-y thingy, but here are the names of those people in case anybody is curious...

Gabriel Fuentes, Lawrence Johnson, Brittany Barnes, and I think you were thinking of Jennifer Tran from Montebello?
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Post by Jsaxm » Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:02 pm

Hey, isn't Ryan H. Turner a legendary drum major???
You just can't encourage stupidity

cup_o_noodles007
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Post by cup_o_noodles007 » Wed Dec 14, 2005 8:54 pm

Ryan H. is too legendary for his own good.

:-D

As far as the list above goes, i agree. Theyre all great drum majors. I won't comment on one of the above mentioned, but the others greatly impressed me every time ive seen them. alan riley is already legendary in my book. great guy in and out of competition.

I don't know if anyones been to a DM comp before, but aside from the action on the L or the podium, the competitions can become quite boring. lol. not because of the activity, that is far from boring. but at times its boring because theres no one from other schools to talk to; theyre all busy practicing for their next routine. haha. but thats what it takes to become legendary, and for anyone thinking you can walk in and blow away the competition cuz of your greatness -- think again. many of these people practice more than what can seem comprehendible, and it shows.

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Post by MOB_DM » Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:13 pm

wow it is weird seeing my name on there. thank you. I agree with the person above. it takes a lot of work. practicing takes a lot of time. i know for me it did. like 3 hours a day and on a weekend i never counted. You dont have to practice that much but it doesnt hurt. I was self taught so I felt like I had to.

I still think I have a lot of work to go. . . But that you for the compliment

well let me add to this list. . .of modern DMs

Liz Belinger was an amazing performer from El Dorado
Ben Jing was like WOW from Arcadia
Manuel Casteneda......I he was an independent spinner
Tye Kelly, who is now apprenticing under Rusty (who is also a preat DM)

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Post by cup_o_noodles007 » Thu Dec 15, 2005 2:52 pm

very admirable additions.

if im not mistaken, tye is out of his apprentice-ship (i think i just made that word up) and will probably be a judge next year. id think so anyways.

dont think theres a DM from arcadia that hasnt impressed me. someone was saying Arcadia use to be a DM factory. well... nothings changed, it still is. haha.

id keep my eye on them.

im surprised more schools dont have representatives. theres only 3 schools i noticed during my competition days as having a slew of DM, the 3 factories - Arcadia, Montebello and RBV (except rbv did not have as many competitors as they have in the past). im sure theres alot more talent out there going unnoticed.

GHS Sasquatch
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Post by GHS Sasquatch » Thu Dec 15, 2005 6:22 pm

as far as the practicing thing, i think some people have 2 practice a lot, but some dont. i no i havent had 2, really. i would only really practice when our band was having a street rehersal this last year (that ended up being bout and hour when we had street rehersals), and i still placed in every single parade i went 2. and i only didnt mess up my routine at one of them. i say practice till its good, but dont overkill it just cuz u think u have 2 practice a bunch.
"The only thing nessicary for evil to triumph is good men to do nothing."

cup_o_noodles007
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Post by cup_o_noodles007 » Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:06 pm

yup.

you have yet to do a drum major competition.

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Post by only4years » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:04 pm

One "rule" I have always lived by refering to practicing in my experiences performing music and drum major-ing, and maybe it's been said, but here it is in my words...

Being better does not mean you are good.

and it's so true. Strive to be good, not to be the best. (;
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Post by MOB_DM » Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:41 pm

only4years wrote: Being better does not mean you are good.

and it's so true. Strive to be good, not to be the best. (;
I agree.


practicing doesnt make you the best at all but it gives you an edge. you learn how to knitt pick. and make everything LOOK flawless. and then when you are done, you pik out the flaws.

I think practice is something that all of the people on this list willsay helps a lot.

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Post by cup_o_noodles007 » Thu Dec 15, 2005 11:10 pm

i agree to a point.

but you dont go out there and practice to be 4th place. is 4th place good? heck yes. especially in a grid of like 9 or 10 competitors. but is it the best? certainly not. everyone does good, but you compete to proove your stuff, to be the best. and its a system where through competition, you improove. on a more gratifying note, every person out there has the will to be the best, and thats why everyone competing is the best. and then you get to championships -- the best of the best.

you get the idea. striving to be is good. but striving to be the best can only improove you that much more.

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