The crowd broke into cheers as Brandt Crocker, also known as “the Voice of DCI,” announced that the Blue Devils B (BDB) won second place in the Drum Corp International (DCI) finals.
For several SHS students, that Aug. 10 competition in Indianapolis’s Lucas Oil Stadium was a bittersweet moment; they finally saw their months of hard work pay off, but they also knew they had to say goodbye to the friends they gained in the process.
Every summer, thousands of students aged 14-22 join elite drum corps across the country to compete in the tier 1 world class (primarily made up of college students ages 18-22) and tier 2 open class division. As a niche in the performing arts and a step up from high school and college marching bands, drum corps are renowned for the level of excellence they bring to each show.
Over the summer, six SHS students toured with the Blue Devils. Senior Ryan Sanders was accepted into the Blue Devils A (BDA), which competes in the highest world-class division as one of the youngest members in the group.
The other five participated in BDB, the level below BDA, which competes in the Open class division. Junior Jeremy Huang and senior Logan Gecils played drums, while juniors Masha Sotoodehniakorani and Kevin Yu were part of the front ensemble. Also on the tour with the corps was junior Raymond Zhang, who worked as an audio intern, keeping all of the electronic aspects of the show running.
Along with these students, 10 recent alumni toured with the Blue Devils Organization. Additionally, percussion director Sean Clark spent his summer teaching both corps drumlines.
The Blue Devils, located in Concord, have been one of the highest performing corps for the past 40 years, primarily because of their high quality staff and the way they tailor the shows to the performers strengths.
“The Blue Devils is different than any other marching organization,” Sanders said. “[The instructors] don’t really have plans [for the visual aspects of the show]. They just sculpt the show until they get something they like.”
There are four sections in a drum corps: the brass, which makes up the body of the sound and visuals; the drumline, which keeps a steady pulse throughout; the front ensemble, which adds flourishes and color to the music; and the colorguard, which brings visuals and impact to the show using different props, like flags and rifles.
BDA had 165 members, while BDB had 158 members participating in the 2024 season. Members are primarily from California, though some travel from other states to be a part of the ensemble.
All students in the drum corps first needed to pass a grueling 3-day-long audition, where they were judged on their marching technique and musical ability. When preparing for his audition, not only did Sanders focus on his musical repertoire, but he also worked a lot on his dancing and marching skills.
“The marching pageantry arts is really all about how well you can move as a dancer and a marcher,” Sanders said. “[The question is]: can you still play like you’re in a concert setting, but while on the move and […] at incredibly loud dynamics?”
After receiving their acceptance into their respective ensembles, the members spent six weeks of 12-hour days at a rehearsal site called “Mars,” where they drilled their 10-minute show to perfection.
“At first it was a little scary,” Sotoodehniakorani said. “You think: ‘Oh my god I’m surrounded by all of these talented people.’ But it’s the presence of all of us together that makes us great. Everyone brings something special to the table and we all inspire each other.”
The BDA’s show was named “New Romantics,” an ode to the Romantic movement which occurred at the end of the 18th century when nontraditional philosophies and art swept through Europe as a response to the industrial revolution. They included excerpts from “Merry-go-Round of Life” from the 2004 animated movie, “Howl’s Moving Castle,” as well as “Can You Hear the Music” from the 2023 film “Oppenheimer.”
BDB’s show “Sacred Geometry” was inspired by the intersection of math and religion, showcasing contrasting lyrical melodies and harsh chromatic figures. Throughout their performance, the marchers arranged themselves in various formations which reflected mathematical sequences like the golden ratio and the fibonacci spiral.
Following the full-day rehearsals, the musicians traveled across the country for all of July. During that month, they performed their shows at various competitions, including one at Stanford University and another at the Panther Stadium in Texas. While on tour, they slept on the floor of various high school gyms they practiced at and traveled around in large buses — rather than flying — to save money.
The summer’s work culminated in their final competition at the DCI World Championships, where 50 drum corps in the nation were in attendance. The BDA received third place in the world class division, while BDB received second place in the open class division.
As members reminisced on their experiences, they remembered the camaraderie they built with their fellow members as their favorite part of the summer. In particular, Sotoodehniakorani fondly recalls their free day on the 4th of July, when she and a few others from her section went to watch the Independence Day fireworks together near their rehearsal site.
“I made friends from all over [the nation], and I didn’t expect that,” Sotoodehniakorani said. “They made me the best version of myself, rather than just the best player.”
