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Inaugural Parade Selection Process

The bands and other performing groups that marched in the 2009 inaugural parade went through a relatively fast screening process. Here’s a look at the timeline and selections.

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Inaugural Parade List of Bands

More than 100 groups participated in the inaugural parade, including marching bands, military units, ROTC programs, horse-riding troupes, associations and a few floats. This list celebrates the bands and auxiliary groups.

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ABC Show "Wife Swap" Casting Band Families

Last Thursday (March 12, 2009), Halftime Magazine received the following email from an ABC casting producer for "Wife Swap." The show is looking to feature a marching band family in a future episode.In addition, i f you appear on the show, Halftime Magazine will feature your experiences in an upcoming issue. So we hope you will take advantage of this opportunity; mention that you heard about the opportunity from us, and keep us posted.

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Top 10 Marching Moments of 2008: Nominations

Halftime Magazine is assembling your thoughts about 2008's Top 10 Marching Moments. These moments could include bands or marching ensembles in college, high school, drum corps, indoor percussion, winter guard, pageantry/parade, all-age groups or any type marching activity.

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Bob Morrison To Leave Music For All

Indianapolis – January 14, 2009 – Music for All Inc., one of the largest and most influential national music education organizations in support of active music-making, today announced that Robert Morrison, executive vice-president and founder of the Music for All Foundation, has resigned his management position with the organization. Mr. Morrison will transition out of the organization over the next month.

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Marching Black and Gold

How do you build one of the nation’s top high school band programs? It takes a great team and a ton of patience, according to Jay Webb, director of bands at Avon High School. Here is some more advice from Webb on building a championship program.

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Photos from the 120th Rose Parade

"Hats Off" to all of the groups that performed in the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade. Here are some photos of the memorable "entertaining" event.

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Michigan Fight Song: Break in Tradition?

Who really wrote "The Victors," the University of Michigan's fight song? Read Dale R. Leslie's story that researches how it came to be.

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Four More Weeks

What’s it like to suddenly realize the end of all your hard work and efforts is near? Read about one band member’s reflection with four weeks left in the season.

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Confessions of a Trumpet Player's Wife

Some say the drum corps experience lives through us all. But for some people, it lives through those around us. Find out from a trumpet player's wife about her life on the other side of the bell.

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An Ode to the Field

In its center lies an “X,” where the journey begins. The “X” is insignificant to most and more often than not overlooked. But to those that understand its importance, it appears as a glimmer of hope, a uniting force among an overwhelming sea of separation; it is the heart.

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Ten Exercises for Improvisational Marching

Typical “box drill” gets boring. Sure, it teaches kids to stay in line. But field shows are more than just box drill. One person has found a way to help students better understand and respond to the demands of today’s complicated drill by studying the moves behind our 2-D choreography. Here are ten improvisational drill exercises, one for each move, in order of difficulty.

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Marching Sound Machine

North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) Director of Bands Jorim Reid came up with the nickname "Marching Sound Machine," by using the first letter of 20 words, or 20 principles that each band member must live by. Find out about these 20 principles.

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A Mom's Reflection About the Olympic Experience

The following are excerpts from an email journal written by a chaperone who traveled with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Orchestra. Read about the travel experiences (the history-making moments, the heat and the homesickness) from a mom of two kids who took part with the 600-member United States conginent of the Olympic band.

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Pre-Olympic Festivities

Besides the official Beijing 2008 Olympic Orchestra, many other American marching and concert bands made the trip to China this summer to take part in the excitement leading up to these historic games. Read about the Rancho Buena Vista High School Band from Vista, Calif., which traveled to China with the Chinese-American Cultural Bridge Center for 10 days in June.

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Cavaliers 60th Anniversary Alumni Corps

The Cavaliers Anniversary Corps made a special appearance at the DCI World Championships semifinals, providing "glimpses" from each era, to commemorate more than 60 years of history.

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Video Interview with The Blue Devils' David Gibbs

A video interview with David Gibbs, executive director of The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. Live from the 2008 Drum Corps International World Championships in Bloomington, Ind. Also includes video of The Blue Devils' warmup rehearsal prior to its semifinals appearance. Produced by Halftime Magazine, a bimonthly print publication and online community.

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Doherty Speaks About Drum Corps: Part 3

Freelance writer Stuart Rice interviews Gary Doherty, the former executive director of Drum Corps International’s OnQ Performance Education division, about his history and his opinions regarding the drum corps activity, changes at DCI and the future of music education.

Part 3 (in a three-part series): The Band/Corps Divide?

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Direct From: David Gibbs - Web Extras

What makes The Blue Devils the winningest drum corps? How does the business operate? What are some of the corps’ philosophies? Halftime Magazine interviewed David Gibbs, executive director of The Blue Devils, for “Direct From” in our July/August 2008 print issue. Here are more of his comments.

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Doherty Speaks About Drum Corps: Part 2

Part 2 (in a three-part series): Marching Standards

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2008 Drum Corps Programs

Who are you rooting for this year? Read a synopsis of all the 2008 drum corps programs, listed alphabetically in each class.

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IAJE Folds; New Jazz Initiatives Begin

Organizations are trying to fill the void in the midst of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE)'s recent collapse.

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Doherty Speaks About Drum Corps: Part 1

Part 1 (in a three-part series): Introduction and Status of OnQ.

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Remo Drummer Night Benefits Teenage Cancer Trust

Sixteen world-class drummers came together to perform at the Remo Drummer Night in London to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

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Starting from Scratch

Sustaining a drum corps can be hard; building one from the ground up can be even harder. Read about the journey being undertaken by the Desert Fire Drum and Bugle Corps.

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Allegheny Adult Band Camp

Can't get enough of band camp? Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., offers Adult Band Camp, a weeklong program where adults from all over the country come together to play concert band music.

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Direct From: Jeff Fiedler - Web Extras

After 35 years with The Cavaliers, Jeff Fiedler retires from the corps and becomes CEO for Santa Clara Vanguard. Read what he plans to do with this new position.

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Lead by Example

How to be a student leader in the marching band without the title.

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The Military's Best

Each branch of military has its own special band or bands, whose mission is to promote national pride and foster patriotism. Here are 11 military groups designated as premier bands:

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A Tribute to William F. Ludwig II

On March 22, 2008, William F. Ludwig II (age 91), passed away after years of declining health. Son of William F. Ludwig Sr. who founded the Ludwig Drum Company, Bill Ludwig had made many contributions to the marching activity in his own right. To pay tribute, Dennis DeLucia share a few personal memories about Bill Ludwig II’s life and legacy.

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Direct From: LSU Tiger Marching Band - Web Extras

Read additional comments from Dr. Linda Moorhouse, marching band co-director and associate director of bands for Louisiana State University, regarding motivation and the BCS National Championship experience. For the questions and answers that appeared in the printed article, click here.

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A Blue Devils Audition

Although not nationally televised, auditions for a top-rated drum and bugle corps can be just as exciting and just as frightening as those for “American Idol.” Halftime Magazine follows one musician in her bid to go to Concord, Calif., to play with The Blue Devils.

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Ten Dates in American Marching Arts

As a foundation for marching arts research, this historical “charter” gives us knowledge of who we are and where we came from.

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For the First-Time Instructor

Advice for the first-time instructor, based on a personal look back at the writer’s own first day in front of a 160-member marching band. By Joe Haworth, brass and visual instructor for The Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps.

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For the Aspiring Perfectionist Percussionist

You’ve all heard that practice makes perfect. But practicing the wrong way can reinforce bad habits. Instead, practice meticulously in slow tempos and with core elements. From Lane Armey, marching percussion arranger for Homestead High School and former percussion caption head of the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps.

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