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 Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:39 pm
What I mean is, how does your band director choose who the next drum major will be?
I'm curious because I'm going to tryout for DM. Now that the season has finished, I'm already thinking about next year.
You have to do quite a bit at my school to become the drum major. First you have to have a grade check (at least 2.0 GPA) Then there's an essay you have to write about why you think you should be chosen. There's a teaching audition where you teach a non-band member how to do 5 commands in only 2 minutes. There's a conducting audition where you have to conduct the star spangled banner in front of the entire band. Then finally there's a formal interview with the director where he asks all kinds of hypothetical situation type questions. It's a bit much but it definitely weeds out the bad candidates.
Do you think your director's process is fair?
If any of you are drum majors, feel free to share some advice biggrin
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Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:31 pm
well i'm not a drum major, but i'm also shooting for it.
and wow.....we don't do any of that! the way we choose the new drum majpr is that the old one and the BD chooses the person that they think is the best one for the job with no audition, paper, or interview at all!
for your situation i'd say just practice conducting a lot and then try to get a good way to teach someone the moves so that it'll be easier
good luck!
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Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 1:45 pm
Im a favored candidate for drum major next year and I went through the process at my school last year. I don't think my director is fair.
The audition process goes on for 2 1/2 months. In that time we are told to do ridiculous things like count the tiles in the band room, write essays and do office work. We keep it all in a notebook that we have to take with us...everywhere. If we get caught once without it then we are out of the running.
The second part is conducting. We are put through different tests. Leading the concert band through scales, quickly memorizing a short peice of music and conducting it, and marching and conducting. I must say that this part was my strong point.
The last part is rookie training. There is a month long process where every saturday in February the rookies for next year come in for basic training. We are to learn names, teach them marching backwards, forewards, proper posture, lateral slides, stop-and-go steps, and box sets.
Then on top of that there are votings from the band members and then they go to the officers.
It was the most stressful period in my life...but this year I am so much more confident with myself and I am ready to do it again! My band director always told me that he was impressed with my ambition and determination in the audition.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:38 pm
Our school is kinda different. The members of the ensemble vote for whom they want to be drum major. Our process lasts all year, since you have to prove to the other members of the ensemble that you can lead the band.
The DM's also have to go through SLACer workshops. Learning how to teach and lead the band, and be able to prove that.
The actual try-outs take place during the band classes where you direct along with a portion of next years show. Then, everyone votes for 3 people. Our bd tallies it all up, and lets us know. He holds a veto power though if something seems horribly work or one-sided in a bad sence. But he's never used it.
I'm a DM hopeful for this year. I tried out last year, but didn't make it. It got beat fair and square by some upperclassmen.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:09 pm
Penguin.Ninjas.Attack I'm a DM hopeful for this year. I tried out last year, but didn't make it. It got beat fair and square by some upperclassmen. Same here. The two who beat me were the DM's the year before so they got it again for their senior year. I wasn't too upset,. I just wanted to audition early so that my BD would know that I was serious and committed. So now when I run for it again this year, I'll have a better chance. I did really well in each part of the process except on the conducting audition. I was so friggin' nervous last year but I'm way ready for it now. I can't wait biggrin
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:51 pm
Jive Master Desi Penguin.Ninjas.Attack I'm a DM hopeful for this year. I tried out last year, but didn't make it. It got beat fair and square by some upperclassmen. Same here. The two who beat me were the DM's the year before so they got it again for their senior year. I wasn't too upset,. I just wanted to audition early so that my BD would know that I was serious and committed. So now when I run for it again this year, I'll have a better chance. I did really well in each part of the process except on the conducting audition. I was so friggin' nervous last year but I'm way ready for it now. I can't wait biggrin Exactly what I did XD All 14 canidates had to wait up in the guard room ALL DAY LONG! All we could do was practice, and sit in a cold sweat! All of our DM's this year are seniors, so people are thinking I have a pretty good chance. But, it's still a chance and ya gotta try hard!
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:19 pm
star_dweller well i'm not a drum major, but i'm also shooting for it. and wow.....we don't do any of that! the way we choose the new drum majpr is that the old one and the BD chooses the person that they think is the best one for the job with no audition, paper, or interview at all! for your situation i'd say just practice conducting a lot and then try to get a good way to teach someone the moves so that it'll be easier good luck! yeh, we used to do that until the new bd came in my freshman year. yeh, she is not only nitpicky on the drum major but everyone that applies for an officer position or even equipment crew gets the pen during most of the process.
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:59 pm
my director chooses who she thinks is most capable and dedicated. I wish to be drum major... but it'll be another year before she chooses another one.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:02 pm
We have to teach a non band member for 5 minutes.
conduct national anthem
we have a personal interview with the judges
We also have to perform a parade routine with your specific form (military, mace, corps)
Thats pretty much our gist. I think your auditions are pretty fair... i'd give more time for the teaching thing though.
Practice conducting definitely. Go onto websites, make sure you're doing it right.
Prepare ahead of time for the teaching... make sure you know what you're going to say and make sure what you say will be thorough enough for them to understand but quick enough to get everything in.
The essay will probably be the easiest part because you can start sooner, you have more time.
good luck!!
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Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:23 am
Jive Master Desi What I mean is, how does your band director choose who the next drum major will be? I'm curious because I'm going to tryout for DM. Now that the season has finished, I'm already thinking about next year. You have to do quite a bit at my school to become the drum major. First you have to have a grade check (at least 2.0 GPA) Then there's an essay you have to write about why you think you should be chosen. There's a teaching audition where you teach a non-band member how to do 5 commands in only 2 minutes. There's a conducting audition where you have to conduct the star spangled banner in front of the entire band. Then finally there's a formal interview with the director where he asks all kinds of hypothetical situation type questions. It's a bit much but it definitely weeds out the bad candidates. Do you think your director's process is fair?If any of you are drum majors, feel free to share some advice biggrin yep it does, in our school the BD gets the names of the people going for the audition, then he checks the grades when you least expect it...behind your back, then you have to conduct next years opener and a concert song from one section to another, then the BD and the band ask questions starting with the bd and the drum major of the year pasted. then the formal interview. now for some advise, ok you need to do your score studies when you get what you are conducting, basically know what you need to conduct. be truthful but you gotta be stern. also if you make it, here are sometips. I would get like 2 soup cans and conduct with them. i know it sounds silly but it will help...your arms will hurt when conducting. if you get it...then you need to take charge of them, DONT LET OTHERS WALK ALL OVER YOU!!!! trust me...it happened to me and i had to ba a major a** hole to get my band back. but other than that its really fun to be a drum major and i hope i gave you good advise. pm me if you make it. mrgreen
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ayane11111111111111111111
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:47 pm
I'm trying out for drum major as well.
For our "auditions" we have to:
-conduct for a bit of time during pep band (at the basketball games, each person conducts a quarter)
-go to a meeting after school where our BD gives us a bunch of papers to look over
-write a one page essay on why we want to be drum major and our ideas to help improve the band
I'm excited to be trying out, since both our DMs will be gone next year, but I'm almost sure I won't get it because I'm one of the few trumpet players left next year and I'm going to be a senior, so if I went to camp that'd be the band wasting 200 dollars for one year of me conducting.
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:04 pm
First they decide how many they need, and if there are any open spots.
Someone who was a drum major in their junior year automatically gets Center Podium as a senior.
If there are open spots, then the classes begin.
Drum Major candidates at my school have to:
-Write an essay on why they should be DM
-Conduct a recording of the show
-Conduct 3 tempos in 3 time signatures (80 in 4/4, 120 in 3/4, 180 in 2/4, usually)
-Command the other candidates in a Basics Block
-Be able to march the commands that the other candidates give (to prevent people intentionally ******** up to hurt another's chances)
-Go through an interview with the directors
Also, there's a hidden score that we're not supposed to know about.
They judge us on our attitude and focus during the classes.
Are we on time? On task? Trying our hardest?
Do we act like asses in front of the other candidates? Treat them with respect? Ignore their existance completely?
We're not supposed to know that they do that, because it changes how we act in front of them, but I saw a score sheet they accidentally dropped, and that was there.
I always conducted the music I was listening to as practice.
I analyzed the band music I had even more than I did before.
When we got our scores to practice with, everybody started highlighting like mad the time changes and dynamics and measure numbers.
When you practice conducting, do it in the mirror. Examine your pattern. Is it big enough? Are the beats solid? Could someone see and follow it from the other side of a football field?
Reteach one of your friends to march and follow commands.
Since they already know, they can better analyze what it is you're doing wrong, and help you fix it.
Work on projecting your voice. You want to be loud, but you want to be clear. People need to hear AND understand you.
As for the interview?
Don't sweat it. There's really nothing you can do to prepare.
Just answer honestly. If you tell them what you think they want to hear, they'll pick it out immediately, and it'll hurt your chances.
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:58 pm
Jeez. You just act like a leader and direct the band a couple times. Whoever does best gets to be dm.
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Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:49 pm
In my high school band we have a four step process that takes about a week, but it'll probably change since we have separate band classes...this split band is new to my group.
Before we have any interviews or auditions, we have to write an essay of why we should be chosen for leadership, what we can do if we were leaders in the past to be better leaders and what is leader ship to you and to the ensemble and a bunch of other related questions. If we don't submit a paper by a specific date, we are ruled out of the running.
After the paper, we have a one on one interview with our band director to discuss the good and bad points of us as a leader. He usually focuses on the essay as a guide line to our attidudes, or if you had a bad first impression on him, you're automatically ruled out, even if you are the most qualified person for the position.
After the interview with him, you have a class interview with you against the band. The band has the opportunity to ask questions about situations that could happen during band and how would you resolve those issues.
The third part of the qualifications for us, is to conduct the band in a stand tune. Conducting time and seeing how well your pattern is, if you can conduct dynamics and such.
The last part is leading the band around in the student parking lot, calling commands to see if you are loud enough to be heard throughout the whole band and not having so many people calling "Sound off Sir!" to repeat the command.
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Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:43 pm
i tried last year and am going again this year. our BD brings in 3 BDs from other schools to judge us while he sits in the sound studio and plays the tape of our music so we can conduct. We also show off our speacial salute and comands. the judges also ask an oppinionated question.
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