Drill Design

Drill Design Preparation 2009 Drill Design Scott Kurtzweil, Kurtzweil Designs Before we get into the particulars of the actual design for the 2009 Notre Dame HS Band, let’s take a few minutes to go over the design preparation that I…
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Last fall, at the end of my first Marching Band Season, Steve Martin and I sat down to talk about what worked and what didn't with regard to the design of Reno's 2011 show. Part of the problem was that the Band Director job at Reno had been…
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For this final installment, we are looking at the remainder of our opener. Our show follows the same formula of 99% of other marching programs in that the opener ends with a coda like re-cap of musical themes restated tutti and up tempo.
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I should say this is the best way I have used to teach drill. There are so many ways to put a show on the field, and each director needs to find the way that is the most comfortable. However, I cringe when I hear of people placing students…
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Last week, the staff of the Wyandotte-Roosevelt High School Band and I had a great conference call meeting in which we discussed each of our agendas for the show and then melded them into one cohesive plan.
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This year the 2012 Field Show Design project will showcase three different band marching programs. You will be heard from the directors and staff as well as the arrangers and drill writers as their custom shows evolve.
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Proper programming for the marching band is equal to or even more important than for the concert band. Two key points to designing a successful show that we have avowed since day one are "Know your band" and "Know your audience".
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Before we begin to discuss the drill design specific to this project, we first want to establish common compositional techniques used by all drill designers. These techniques are used individually and often in conjunction with others.
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There are several methods of fixing timing issues with your marching ensemble. One method is to stand on the front sideline, directly behind the pit. Now, you are in the ultimate "hot spot". From this position, you can watch the drum major…
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Whether you're a first year teacher or a veteran band instructor, you will probably agree that one of the greatest challenges you face is achieving a workable balance between all you would like to do and that which you are reasonably able…
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Before sitting down to design a visual package for a particular ensemble, I like to review video of its previous three years of performances. From these I can gain a wealth of information including performance and design techniques with…
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Do you rush around like mad trying to finish your workday? When you finally leave school, is it an hour later then you planned? Even so, do you feel like you are lagging behind? If this scenario sounds familiar, it is time to rethink your…
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Marching percussion ensembles spend hours upon hours in rehearsal each day to perfect their indoor or field show, with their main objective often being to PLAY CLEAN. Most adjudication criteria focuses on the "how" as opposed to the "what."…
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I recently saw a comic depicting a boss pointing at a subordinate saying, "You get back to your cubicle and start thinking outside the box!" Other than being an obvious oxymoron, you can hardly live in our world without hearing, seeing or…
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