The sound labeled “slow rise” rudely awakens me to the day that has been timed to the minute and whose structure will closely resemble the next 80 or so days. I have to pack my rehearsal bag, get dressed, walk to the dining hall, and set my equipment before going to the stretch block in order to be ready for the 13-hour workday ahead of me. It’s summer, but it’s so cold outside. The first week of Spring Training is the hardest, but many challenges and laughter will come in the next two and a half months. Drum Corps International (DCI) is one of the hardest yet fulfilling activities.
In essence, DCI is a world-class, professional marching band. Many groups exist under this umbrella term, including the Bluecoats. This group is one of the highest placing in the world, with the majority of its members between the ages of 20 and 22 and most working towards a degree in music performance or education. I was ecstatic when I learned I was offered a contract this season and selected to be a mic’d performer!
Our production includes a lengthy process of memorizing challenging music to a highly detailed level, performing intricate choreography, and marching with an unnatural and uniform technique. The hardest part is combining all these aspects with the other 165 members on the field and doing it precisely how our designers want it. And if it isn’t perfect? We continue repping it until it is.
Over the summer, there were countless changes every day that we were expected to have performance-ready by that same night. At this level, everyone is extremely talented, and our staff is world-renowned, setting the bar pretty high. As stressful as this sounds, finding friends to help support each other becomes essential. Even though I was the youngest, I luckily found a great group that I made unforgettable memories with. We had many international members from Canada, the UK, and Japan! With such diversity, the culture was great, and everyone was very supportive and kind.
After about 5 weeks in Canton, Ohio, we had our first debut performance and started a tour around the country to entertain and compete! Our rehearsal days became more scarce and essential as we could have up to 4 competitions in a week. It was quite the experience waking up each day in a different state and only getting 3 hours of sleep some nights after 5-10 hour-long bus rides. However, seeing so many new states and meeting new people at each show made it all worth it.
The biggest challenges came in two forms: physical and mental. Physically, the constant cardio and movement created several injuries (sprains, shin splints, etc.) since our bodies weren’t designed to perform the marching technique. Connected to this, pushing past these physical barriers (including 110º+ temperature on some days) becomes difficult, especially since we dedicate every second to preparing ourselves for August 12th. But our exceptional medical staff and huge crowds were instrumental to our recovery and success!
We ended up winning 2nd place with almost 25,000 people in the audience and many more watching live online. This season taught me so much about grit and perseverance, not to mention the incredible music education I received. I am endlessly grateful for such an experience, and I hope to share what I have learned with the rest of the PPCHS band as this year’s Brass Captain.
I look forward to my four years left at the Bluecoats and the many more memories and life-long friends I’ll make!
