News dal sito DCE

DCE is once again offering special Super Seats this year. You can enjoy the DCE European Championships from high-up seats in front of the sky boxes of Roda JC. As an added bonus, you will also have the option of booking an overnight stay in the stadium hotel!

The Super Seats are located above the normal stand. There, you can take place on the wonderfully comfortable seats belonging to the Roda JC sky boxes.

You will be offered lunch, dinner, five complimentary drinks and delicious snacks. Thanks to the bar on the level of the Super Seats, you will not need to walk downstairs and you will have every convenience at hand. The Super Seats are available for 125 euros each, and also include a year subscription to the new DCE Video Vault (or a DVD).

DCE also gives Super Seat holders the option of staying overnight in the stadium hotel. Drum Corps Europe has booked adjacent Golden Tulip Hotel. Please see the options below, combined with 1 or 2 nights' stay.

Super Seats Hotel Package:
1 Super Seat ticket + hotel room Friday: EUR 225
1 Super Seat ticket + hotel room Saturday: EUR 225
1 Super Seat ticket + hotel room Friday and Saturday: EUR 325
2 Super Seat tickets + hotel room Friday: EUR 350
2 Super Seat tickets + hotel room Saturday: EUR 350
2 Super Seat tickets + hotel room Friday and Saturday: EUR 450

Just like the regular grandstand tickets, the Super Seats (with or without hotel stay) will be on sale from Tuesday through the DCE webshop (UK time: April 30th, 11.00 PM). We hope to see you on Saturday 28th September!

DCE mette ancora una volta a disposizione l’offerta speciale Super Seats. È possibile godersi i Campionati europei DCE da una posizione rialzata di fronte agli sky box del Roda JC. Come ulteriore bonus, ci sarà la possibilità di prenotare un pernottamento nell’hotel dello stadio!

I Super Seats sono posizionati in un circuito più in alto rispetto agli stand tradizionali. Qui è possibile prendere posto su postazioni meravigliosamente comode appartenenti agli sky box Roda JC .

Vi verrà offerto: pranzo, cena, cinque bevande complementari e deliziosi snack. Grazie al bar allo stesso piano dei Super Seats, non ci sarà alcun bisogno di scendere e avrete a portata di mano qualsiasi comodità. I Super Seats costano 125 euro ciascuno comprensivi di stemma e l’abbonamento di un anno a DCE Video Vault.

DCE offre anche la possibilità ai titolari dei Super Seat di pernottare comodamente presso l’hotel dello stadio. Drum Corps Europe ha prenotato l’adiacente Golden Tulip Hotel. Qui di seguito sono riportate le opzioni, con un pernottamento di 1 o 2 notti.

Pacchetto Hotel Super Seat e hotel:
1 Biglietto Super Seat + pernottamento Venerdì: EUR 225
1 Biglietto Super Seat + pernottamento Sabato: EUR 225
1 Biglietto Super Seat + pernottamento Venerdì e Sabato: EUR 325
2 Biglietti Super Seat + pernottamento Venerdì: EUR 350
2 Biglietti Super Seat + pernottamento Sabato: EUR 350
2 Biglietti Super Seat + pernottamento Venerdì e Sabato: EUR 450

Proprio come i normali biglietti delle tribune, i Super Seat (con o senza pernottamenti in hotel) saranno in vendita a partire da martedì sul negozio online DCE. Speriamo di vederti sabato 28 settembre!

Mosson Drum & Bugle Corps has announced its new show. “Labyrinth” is both the theme and the title of the show.

The Italian corps is inspired by the labyrinth, originally the name of the maze on the island of Crete, where Minotaur, a figure from Greek mythology, was imprisoned. For centuries, the labyrinth has been the subject of study for writers, philosophers and poets. It is the symbol that is closest in proximity to the complexity of the human brain.

Good reason for Mosson to base their show on this. In the show, the fear of the unknown comes forward, as well as the frantic search for the exit. The music for the Italian corps is written by John Meehan (brass) and Maarten Deschacht (percussion). Nicola Esposito is the drill designer for the 2013 show.

On Saturday April 20th, the Flemish organisation for amateur musicians Vlamo organised the clinic 'Vlamo meets Blast' in Evergem (Belgium). Two former performers of Blast! taught the participants in brass (Sanford Jones) and percussion (Jeff Queen). Vlamo asked Jeff to respond to a few questions.

It is said, percussionists are no brass players. Why did you choose to play the snare drum?
I started playing drums in 5th grade (around 10 years old), I always seemed to be more drawn to the drums than to a wind instrument. I think it has more to do with watching rock bands and wanting to play drumset than any dislike for brass/wind instruments.

Are basic techniques really that important?
Yes. Without them, you have nothing to build on. All of the hard stuff is built off something basic and expanded on. If you have problems playing a certain pattern or skill, you can probably break it down to something relatively simple.

How do you become a better drummer?
Practice and patience. Focus on the basics and keep trying to push yourself. In terms of drumming, get better at timing skills, control of multiple heights, diddles, rolls, and flams. Go slow, be patient, try to practice every day.

Is there a magic formula thow to write a a good snare drum solo?
I don't know. I know the methods that I use work for me, and there are times where the notes take longer to come out than others. I just know that if I stick to it, keep trying to find different ways to approach phrases, I will eventually come up with something that I like and be able to keep pressing forward with a composition.

Why did the theatre production Blast! inspire so many musicians, choreographers, arrangers and bands?
It was inspired by the skills that it takes to be in a drum corps. The producers wanted to be able to showcase the oustanding virtuosity that is present in drum corps and that was the inpiration behind the show. We tried to incorporate as much of what we knew from the activity as possible and showcase it in our respective moments of the show. I think everyone pretty much had that mindset and was able to put something pretty great together.

Finally, what advice would you like to give young musicians?
Do what you love and the rest will follow. Keep after whatever inspires you, no matter what. It will take a lot of time, effort and sacrifice, but in the end, it will be worth it.

Interview: Geert Vanmaeckelberghe

Sabato scorso, Jordan Murray dei The Company è diventato campione mondiale di percussioni con Rhythm X, in occasione dell’Independent World Class della Winter Guard International a Dayton, Ohio (98.263).

Quest’anno, il sedicenne Murray è stato il primo Brit a marciare nella drumline WGI ed ha suonato lo xilofono per Rhythm X negli ultimi anni. Murray ha realizzato il suo sogno grazie alla collaborazione della sua scuola. Siccome sta frequentando l’ultimo anno, la scuola ha organizzato un programma che consente a Murray si andare negli Stati Uniti per qualche mese.

Anche il belga Tijl van der Meulen ha ottenuto un buon punteggio a Dayton con i Matrix. Dopo una penalità di 1.6 punti, i corps hanno ottenuto un deludente ottavo posto nelle fasi preliminari Independent World Prelims, ma si sono ripresi nelle finali raggiungendo il quarto posto (95.150). Secondi nell’Independent World Class si sono posizionati i Riverside Community College (97.425), mentre i Music City Mystique si sono classificati al terzo posto (96.125). I Chino Hills HS hanno vinto la Scholastic Marching World Class (95.513).

Punteggi e ricapitolazioni sono disponibili su www.wgi.org. Sia Jordan Murray che Tijl van der Meulen hanno tenuto un blog sulle loro avventure WGI all’interno del sito internet Indoor Percussion Europe.

Gli Staffordshire Knights anche quest’anno parteciperanno ai Campionati europei DCE, sostituendo i compatrioti The 6th.

I The 6th purtroppo hanno dovuto rinunciare alla partecipazione a Kerkrade, ma gli Staffordshire Knights sono degni sostitutori. Non è la prima volta che questi ultimi partecipano ai Campionati europei DCE: dal 2010, i corps hanno sempre partecipato ai Campionati europei. Quest’anno gli Staffordshire Knights erano sulla lista d’attesa, ma non appena si è liberato un posto, sono stati immediatamente pronti ad accettare l’invito di Drum Corps Europe.

Lo spettacolo degli Staffordshire Knights di quest’anno si intitola 'Romeo & Juliet' ed oltre alla loro partecipazione ai Campionati europei DCE, i corps parteciperanno anche alla competizione Drum Corps United Kingdom di quest’anno.

The ticket sales for the DCE European Championships will start on 1st May. However, ten people will not have to order tickets, because Drum Corps Europe is giving away ten of the best tickets!

On 30th of April, Drum Corps Europe will raffle off no less than ten free tickets in the best block of the main stand (section A) among anyone who likes one of the five Facebook pages of DCE. There are now five DCE pages on Facebook: English, Dutch, German, French and Italian, and for each page, one of the 'likers' will be given two free tickets.

Who knows, maybe you will be walking into the largest drum corps event in Europe for free! Like one of the following Facebook pages (or all of them for even more chance to win, it only takes a few seconds):

English
Dutch
German
French
Italian

On 30th April the winners will be announced, via Facebook of course.

D’ora in poi i visitatori dei Campionati europei DCE riceveranno gratuitamente un libriccino col programma. Gli spettatori non pagheranno più alcun extra per ricevere la rivista con le informazioni sui partecipanti e i loro spettacoli. I prezzi del biglietto rimarranno gli stessi. Ci sono numerose ragioni per consigliare la partecipazione ai Campionati europei agli amanti della musica!

Coloro che hanno ordinato i biglietti preventivamente possono ora godersi la copia gratuita della brochure del programma sull’Helpdesk. DCE ha eliminato il prezzo per la brochure. ”Pensatela come un piccolo extra per i nostri visitatori, in un momento in cui tutti abbiamo bisogno di fare attenzione a spendere i nostri soldi”, ha affermato il Presidente DCE Marcel Matthijsse. Per lo stesso motivo i prezzi dei biglietti della tribuna non sono aumentati. “Naturalmente dobbiamo sempre tener d’occhio anche i costi, ma stiamo cercando di mantenere l’evento più possibile alla portata degli amanti della musica”.

Ciò significa che potrete acquistare un biglietto per la sezione A a soli 27.50 euro, potendo quindi godervi della buona musica e deliziosi spettacoli per tutto il tempo, dai migliori corps provenienti da tutta Europa, seduti comodamente proprio al centro della tribuna. La sezione B è disponibile a 25 euro, mentre i biglietti per la sezione C costano 22.50 euro, quelli per la sezione D 20 euro, la sezione E 17.50 e infine la sezione F soli 15 euro. Per coloro che desiderano spendere un po’ di più ed avere dei piccoli extra, ci sono sempre a disposizione i Super Seats anche quest’anno, con o senza camera d’albergo. I dettagli saranno presto comunicati.

Anche il metodo di ordinazione e pagamento sarà molto più facile quest’anno, in quanto il nuovo sito internet consente diverse opzioni di pagamento. È possibile ordinare, come sempre, attraverso Paypal (compresa carta di credito) o bonifico bancario, ma sarà possibile anche pagare via iDeal (Paesi Bassi), BanContact/MisterCash (Belgio) o DIRECTebanking/SofortBanking (Germania).

Come da tradizione, la vendita dei biglietti inizierà il 1° maggio. Ci vediamo a Kerkrade!

From now on, visitors of the DCE European Championships will get a free programme booklet. Spectators will no longer pay extra for the magazine with information about the participants and their shows. The ticket prices remain the same.

Those who have ordered tickets in advance can now pick up their free programme booklet at the DCE stand. DCE has dropped the price that it charged for this. "Think of it as a little extra for our visitors, at a time when everyone has to be careful with their money", said DCE Chairman Marcel Matthijsse. For the same reason, the prices for grandstand tickets will not be increased. "Of course, we have to keep an eye on the costs too, but we're trying to keep the event as accessible as possible for drum corps fans."

That means you can buy a ticket for section A for 27.50 euros, allowing you to enjoy music and shows all day long from the best corps from all over Europe from a comfortable seat in the middle of the grandstand (seat numbers are only valid during Premier Class Finals).

For section B the price is 25 euros, tickets for section C are 22.50 euros, section D is 20 euros, section E is 17.50 and for seat in section F you only pay 15 euros. For those who want to spend a little more for all kinds of luxury extras, we once again have exclusive Super Seats available this year, whether or not combined with a hotel room. The details will be announced soon.

Ordering and paying for a ticket will also be a lot easier this year, as the new website offers more payment options. You can order as usual via Paypal (including credit card) or bank transfer, but you can now also pay through iDeal (Netherlands), BanContact/MisterCash (Belgium) or DIRECTebanking/SofortBanking (Germany).

According to tradition, ticket sales will start on 1st May at midnight (UK time: 30th April 11.00 pm). See you in Kerkrade!

Starriders Drum & Bugle Corps from Bad Münder has had a lot of membership applications recently. Although the corps is pleased with the influx, the new members can no longer be written into the current show. That’s why the corps is starting a 'Prep Season'.

The Starriders realise that they have to sell 'no' to motivated young people who apply to the corps. "That really hurts, but we have to stay true to ourselves. For years, our show has been custom written for the people that we have at the start of the season. Of course there are occasional exceptions, but once the show is written and rehearsed, then we can't start all over again."

Because the German drum corps champion does like to expand, a solution was thought up. This summer, anyone who is interested can participate in a kind of build-up programme, 'Prep Season'. On certain weekends before the start of rehearsals, the group of new members can work with the staff team of the Starriders, and then also join in with the basic exercises of the corps' regular rehearsals.

This way, the new members get a good impression of the rehearsals at Starriders and they get to know the corps.

Studiato per secoli da letterati, filosofi, poeti e persino medici, il labirinto è il simbolo che più si avvicina alla complessità della mente umana. Un luogo così aggrovigliato da apparirci incomprensibile e quindi terrificante. La paura dell’ignoto, l’inquietudine, l’ansiosa e continua ricerca della via d’uscita e i tetri colpi di scena costituiscono il tema dello show con cui nel 2013 Mosson agiterà i vostri sonni.

Dal labirinto di Cnosso, prigione del Minotauro, alle deliranti Carceri d’Invenzione di Giovan Battista Piranesi, quello che emerge nelle opere d’arte ad esso dedicato è la sinonimia sempre più forte che questo spazio ha con la mente umana. Il terrore dell'ignoto e l'impossibiltà di capire che cosa questo ci riservi compongono uno scenario tetro e suggestivo.

Per rompere il confine tra la realtà tangibile ed il mondo della psiche, Mosson fonderà in maniera unica ed affascinante musica, coreografia e musicisti, in un mix capace di farvi assaggiare inquietudine, paura e brividi. La stagione di Mosson è già cominciata; entra anche tu nel labirinto della nostra storia. Perderti con noi sarà l’esperienza più sensazionale che ti potrà mai capitare.

Trovi altre informazioni sulla nostra stagione, sui nostri appuntamenti, sul nostro merchandising e su come sostenerci o ingaggiarci nel sito ufficiale www.mosson.org

The Staffordshire Knights will be participating in the DCE European Championships again this year. The corps replaces its compatriot The 6th.

The 6th has unfortunately had to opt out of participation in Kerkrade, but the Staffordshire Knights are a worthy replacement. The corps is no stranger to the DCE European Championships. Since 2010, the corps has been participating in the big drum corps event. This year the Staffordshire Knights were on the waiting list, but because a spot became available, the corps was able to accept the invitation of Drum Corps Europe after all.

The Staffordshire Knights' show this year is called 'Romeo & Juliet', and aside from their participation in the DCE European Championships the corps will also participate in the competition of Drum Corps United Kingdom.

On Saturday, Jordan Murray from The Company became percussion world champion with Rhythm X. Rhythm X won the title in the Independent World Class of the Winter Guard International in Dayton, Ohio (98.263).

This year, sixteen-year-old Murray was the first ever Brit to march in a WGI drumline and has been playing the xylophone Rhythm X for the past few months. Murray was able to make his dream come true thanks to the cooperation of his school. Because he is in his final year, the school put together a special programme which allowed Murray to go to the United States for a few months.

The Belgian Tijl van der Meulen also scored very well in Dayton with Matrix. After 1.6 penalty points, the corps attained a disappointing eighth place in the Independent World Prelims, but Matrix came back strong in the Finals with a fourth place (95.150). Second in the Independent World Class was Riverside Community College (97.425), and Music City Mystique finished third (96.125). Chino Hills HS won the Scholastic Marching World Class (95.513).

Scores and recaps can be found on www.wgi.org. Both Jordan Murray and Tijl van der Meulen have kept a blog of their WGI adventures on the website of Indoor Percussion Europe.

Drum Corps Europe ha lanciato delle nuove pagine Facebook in altre quattro lingue. Ciò consente ai fan drum corps di restare aggiornati con le notizie nella propria lingua attraverso Facebook.

Fino ad ora, c’è sempre stata solo la pagina Drum Corps Europe disponibile in inglese, mentre da oggi ci saranno ulteriori pagine in olandese, tedesco, francese ed italiano.

Ciò significa che per ciascun paese in cui ci sono corps partecipanti ai Campionati europei DCE, i fan potranno seguire le notizie dei drum corps attraverso Facebook nella propria lingua madre. La pagina in inglese resterà quella principale, con diversi extra rispetto alle notizie tradizionali.

Segui la pagina Facebook nella tua lingua cliccando su “Mi piace” sulla pagina in:
Inglese
Olandese
Tadesco
Francese
Italiano

The Johan Friso member Bjorn has secured a spot in the Colts Cadets this year. The corps came 12th in the Open Class last year and is the junior corps of The Colts.

Bjorn plays tenor at Johan Friso and auditioned for the Colts Cadets last month. He went for a tenor spot, but this was just one level too high. However he was offered a spot in the bassline. After his exams in June, Bjorn will go to the United States and he will enroll in the bassline. This year's programme of the corps is entitled 'Red' and contains music from 'Carmen' and 'The Red Pony' by Aaron Copland.

Bjorn is not the first in his family to move to DCI. In 1988, his uncle, Olaf Nahon, played baritone in the Colts. Bjorn is the first member of Johan Friso to make the crossing. He is the third member within the Juliana Corps group this year who is marching a DCI corps.

Jubal Drum & Bugle Corps has renewed its site. They have chosen to go for a major change and an unconventional approach.

The homepage of www.jubal.org has become a collection of news items and Facebook updates, which are displayed in separate blocks. When scrolling down, the page automatically loads new messages. Visitors can also decide on the size of the images, and it is possible to set up the homepage so that it only displays photographs.

Some parts, such as the guestbook, have disappeared. Instead, there is more focus on Facebook integration. The site is optimised for use on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.

The new site went online on the 102nd anniversary of the corps from Dordrecht.

Drum Corps Europe has launched new Facebook Pages in four additional languages. This allows drum corps fans to keep up to date with the news in their own language via Facebook.

Until now, there was only one English-language page available for Drum Corps Europe containing the latest drum corps news. As of today there are pages in Dutch, German, French and Italian too.

This means that for each country where there are corps participating in the DCE European Championships, fans can follow the drum corps news via Facebook in their own language. The English page remains the main DCE page, with various extras in addition to the news.

Follow the Facebook page in your own language by 'liking' the page:
Englisch
Dutch
German
French
Italian

A phenomenon called 'mini corps' has started in the United Kingdom. Some groups have already been established and there is talk of starting a competition.

'Mini corps' are groups with a drum corps style, but in a small format. A group has 11-25 members, and the competition takes place in a sports hall instead of on a football field. An organisation called Mini Corps UK is in the making and is discussing what the competition should look like.

It was recently announced that a mini corps called Coastline Connection had started up in Brighton. Basildon is now also forming a group called Buccaneers Mini Corps. Earlier in the year, the Black Knights announced the formation of a 'winter corps' which might also move in the direction of a mini corps.

It is not yet known what form the competition is going to take. However, the reactions to the initiative have been positive.

For the first time, an Italian handbook of visual techniques has been written voor marching band and drum corps. The handbook will be presented on 19th April.

With the aim of promoting the technical development of the Italian groups, the Italian Marching Show Bands Association is committed to sustaining the organization of information and training courses for all the groups in the industry. Within this large project is the presentation of the first 'Handbook of Visual Techniques for Marching Band and Drum & Bugle Corps' written by Nicola Esposito, visual caption head and drill designer of Mosson (Vicenza - Italy) and Visual Tech of Colt Cadets (Dubuque - Iowa).

The manual will be presented Friday, 19th April at the headquarters of Brianza Parade Band to Veduggio, in Viale Segantini. "In this book I put everything I have learned over the years of experience on the field, both as a musician and as an instructor. Through the techniques taught to me by my instructors, I've added strategies and teaching methods learnt by many kids to which I had the honor to teach. My first instructors are always my students", says Nicola.

Specifically, the manual addresses all the visual issues of a drum corps or a marching band: stretching, breathing, posture, body movements, the different marching styles now existing and marching exercises designed to improve the specific style chosen by each group. "My hope is that the Italian groups can increasingly believe in their potential, intensifying their work and commitment", Nicola adds. "I can confidently say that the average age of the Italian groups is one of the lowest in Europe, so it's logical to expect energy, passion, fresh ideas and desire to grow by them."

The handbook is available without a charge. "I wrote this book and gift it to anyone who asks, because as I received for free, in the past, a lot of opportunities and knowledges", Nicola explains. "I also want to have the honor to give for free my little knowledges to the Italian young people who love this marching world, with the hope that they can do it always better."

Beeches Performance Ensemble have announced their 2013 programme. The show 'Rock!' will take the corps in another direction which they hope will push the performers to another level and produce an entertaining show.

Show music will be taken from 'Sweet Child of Mine', 'Sex is on Fire', 'Ever Fallen in Love', 'Iris', 'Sugar, We're Goin Down', 'Smells Like Teen', 'Spirit', 'Black Parade' and 'Livin' on a Prayer'. The design team includes Jason Ball (brass), Adam Edwards (percussion), Sarah Edwards (fron ensemble), Suzanne Hemming (visual performance) and Mark Bolton (visual show).

Beeches have added to their instructors for this season and also taken the decision to move the written book in house, apart from the visual that will once again be written by Mark Bolton. Taking this bold decision means that all three section heads within the corps will be writing their first full show this season. To assist and help them through this, David Reeves has been appointed consultant for the corps.

A large part of David's music career has been rooted in the drum corps, marching band and indoor percussion activities where he has arranged or composed well over 100 scores. He was an instructor for the DCI corps Santa Clara Vanguard and The Cavaliers, as well as an arranger for the Seattle Cascades and the Troopers.

Corps director Andrew Dallison said: "Yes it is a gamble to give our three section heads the chance to write their first full shows but with an ever decreasing amount of available writers, I felt that with their willingness and enthusiasm to want to take on the project, it is our duty to back them and allow their abilities to shine. Having David also on board this season has given them the support to allow them to explore their talents even further. We are really pleased with the progress of the show and how well the members are taking to it and working hard towards June."

Beeches will once again be entering BYBA in Division 1 and DCUK.