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We want you to have the wonderful, rewarding experience possible. But we know you might have a few questions. Please contact us with additional questions.
IYAO
Impulse Youth Arts Organization
My parents are skeptical about me joining a drum corps.
A Message for Parents
When your child decides to be part of a Drum Corps International corps, he/she is making a choice that requires a deep personal commitment that will require strength and focus. Facing new levels of responsibility, discipline, and self-knowledge, they will gain values that will help them succeed in life.
Understanding Their Reasoning
Every student has personal reasons for wanting to be part of a Drum Corps International group. Your son or daughter is no different. It may simply be to become a better performer. Alternatively, it could be a way to be with friends. College-level students often view membership in a drum corps as a key rung in their climb to be professional performers or arts educators. For many students, it is a way to challenge themselves to become the best they can be.
Learn More
When your child decides to be part of a Drum Corps International corps, he/she is making a choice that requires a deep personal commitment that will require strength and focus. Facing new levels of responsibility, discipline, and self-knowledge, they will gain values that will help them succeed in life.
Understanding Their Reasoning
Every student has personal reasons for wanting to be part of a Drum Corps International group. Your son or daughter is no different. It may simply be to become a better performer. Alternatively, it could be a way to be with friends. College-level students often view membership in a drum corps as a key rung in their climb to be professional performers or arts educators. For many students, it is a way to challenge themselves to become the best they can be.
Learn More
Will financial assistance be available?
Yes – several fundraisers and a donation sheet, including financial assistance, will be available. For more information, visit Marching Art Education.
What are parents' requirements?
A member 18 years of age and under must attend our Meet & Greet.
Audition
Your evaluation will be small and large groups. Your visual audition will look and feel like a rehearsal.
We’ll start with a good stretch, physical conditioning, and a mile run. (It’s essential to have spent some time running beforehand so you can still perform a day of auditions!) A series of basic exercises will focus on forwarding, backward strides, and slides at various tempi. There may be some introductory body movement, dance
technique, and Jazz running.
Here are the elements we evaluate:
- Timing – You do not have to know our marching technique when you audition, but you must be able to demonstrate consistent foot pulse. During the auditions, use the marching style with which you’re most comfortable. We will teach the Impulse technique later.
- Attitude – We’re looking for students with a positive attitude toward receiving, reacting, and responding to instruction. Your ability to learn carries as much (or more) weight than your skill level.
- Improvement – Demonstrating improvement is a key component of success in drum corps.
- Fitness – One of the most important fundamentals to success is physical fitness. You should be able to comfortably run for a mile.
- Tempo Variety – Practice marching at a variety of tempos, from 60 up to 200 beats per minute, while maintaining good technique and control.
It’s to your advantage if you have tried jazz running, but this is a technique we’re happy to teach you.
The physical requirements of modern drum corps are akin to college athletics. Like a good athlete, a good drum corps performer must be in great physical shape during the season and off-season. Begin preparing physically for your audition the same time you begin musically. It is important you wear athletic fitness clothes and cross-training athletic shoes.
- Athletic clothes: You may get strange looks from the vets if you show up and try to do your weekend camp in jeans, cargo shorts, or cargo pants. Athletic shorts or pants are a must.
- Athletic shoes: No one needs to be marching in Converse, Sperry’s, etc. Rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t go running in them, don’t wear them.
Brass: We highly suggest that you bring your own mouthpiece, & Cotton gloves (white, no grip) if you are a brass player, unless told specifically otherwise. The finish on the horns lasts longer when you don’t get your bare hands on it. That’s why we all wear gloves. - Guard: needs to wear something flexible enough to dance in.
- Percussion: Bring sticks & pads.
- Come Prepared: Don’t decide as a last minute thing and have a terrible audition. Get your music/work/dance prepared.
Yes, a downloadable instruction PDF will be provide after your register for the audition.
Member tuition will be announced at Impulse Xperience. That program is all-inclusive and covers instruments, instruction, travel, and more. Tuition is paid in installments, and supported by fundraisers.
The audition packet will be provide after registering for an audition or before the audition date via email.
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