The article (gift link here) sums up the drum corps activity quite succinctly early on:
The activity is a study in passion — or perhaps delusion. It is not easy. It does not make money. It does not clearly translate to a career. And it ends; groups like the Bluecoats that compete in Drum Corps International’s world-class division are made up exclusively of participants under the age of 22.
“I can’t do this ever again,” said Mebibora Akerejola, a 21-year-old member of the Bluecoats drum line and a computer science major at Georgia State University. “So I’m willing to sacrifice a summer just to do it at least once.”
But there is something special to be found in the rules and schedules and restrictions, in creating perfection and then leaving it behind.
The article, which will appear in the print edition of the NYT between Thursday and Sunday, is the most positive mainstream coverage the drum corps activity has experienced in decade, when CBS This Morning profiled Olander as he won his first DCI title with the Blue Devils that season.
I wrote “positive” because there was a point more recently when the activity experienced bad press and publicity on a national scale. I refer to Tricia Nadolny‘s coverage of both George Hopkins and Roman Blenski and their abusive treatment of those under their care and employment. While that coverage was necessary to shed light on the significant issues of member safety in drum corps, it is good to see drum corps having that light also shining on what makes this activity great.
Let’s hope for more coverage of this nature and for the activity to continue to grow.
