WGI (Winter
Guard International), once known only as an activity for color guards,
is
now considered an educational staple within the percussion education community.
WGI Indoor Percussion is the fastest growing of the pageantry arts, sponsoring
twenty-two Percussion Regional Contests and a World Championship Contest
in Dayton, Ohio, held this year on April 10 - 12.
I had the great joy and honor of directing a percussion program that
attended these world championships from 1996 through 2001. I have since
stepped down from that role at King Philip Regional High School (from
Wrentham, MA) with many terrific memories. Most of the great memories
were possible as I learned how to better manage this experience each year.
In my time, I found that our wonderful experiences were better realized
when great mental and logistical preparation was applied. Experience surely
served us well!
As
the year rolls towards the World Championships, I thought I would share
some insights along with a few dear friends who are Percussion Directors
with some very successful programs. As Percussion Directors, we face challenges
that do not normally fall within our job descriptions. Usually, a Band
Director or Administrator would take care of all the planning on this
kind of trip. However, for the most part, in this activity, the Percussion
Director is responsible for all things musical and logistical!
Participating in this article along with me will be Don Click, Music
City Mystique; Dan Burke, Blue Knights; Tom Aungst, Dartmouth H. S.; Dave
Marvin, Northglenn H.S.; Dan Fyffe, Franklin Central H.S.; Tim Bray, Tunstall
H.S. & Virginia Helmsmen; Jason Ihnat, Eastside Fury; and Bill Etling,
Wauseon H. S.
As with any ensemble, the pursuit of musical excellence is a very high
priority with "Indoor" Percussion Ensembles. And it is a given
that as Percussion Directors, development of the players and of the show
itself will be a constant. As the year progresses, we all expect our ensembles
to develop into a well-oiled musical machine! Now, the next key is to
set ourselves up for performance success and fun by anticipating potential
logistical problems. And of course, we must set the right mood for the
kids to feel comfortable.
Dan Burke represents this thought well when he says , "I feel it
must be a goal to treat the trip as a great event for the kids. This should
be the highlight of our year. It is the greatest time of the season for
the kids. We work to make the schedule as seamless as possible. We make
the logistics transparent so that there is no need for the kids to be
worried about anything."
THE JOURNEY
The journey to Dayton is an event in and of itself. Many programs are
traveling from half way across the country with busses full of students,
staff and parents along with trucks to haul all of the equipment and props.
It can be quite an experience! "It is all about the experience for
the kids," said Tom Aungst. "Sometimes, that's what they truly
remember. The times they had on the bus-all the funny stories that come
from the kids being all together for a long period of time and away from
home."
THE ARRIVAL
Once you have arrived at your destination, it's time to set up camp.
Hotel logistics have hopefully been taken care of well in advance, and
it is a simple matter of checking in and getting on with your plan. "When
I schedule hotel rooms, I do it a full year in advance. I try to schedule
a block of 10-16 rooms for the parents as well as my kids," said
Bill Etling. Don Click likes to "make sure that the hotel we are
at is aware of the fact that we have some big vehicles to park in their
lot."
Once you are all set up with your rooms, it is time to really get down
to it. "I immediately drive the route from our hotel to the event
location," said Aungst. "I do it myself to be sure I know exactly
how much time will be required." "Heck, I try to get to the
arena before the event is even happening," said Dan Fyffe. "If
I don't know the site, then I would prefer to do it all months in advance
so that I don't have to worry about it!"
Jason Ihnat states that he "tries to over-estimate how long things
will take. If it is a 45-minute drive to the site - then I plan for 60
minutes." "I make sure that I take into consideration the time
of day and what the traffic will be like as it relates to our performance
time," said Click. "I am searching for possible construction
delays that may exist. I am also looking for good places for the group
to eat that are located near the arena and housing site." Dave Marvin
feels that "you need to give yourself more time than you think you
need to do everything. This will lead to a more calm and controlled environment
for your entire group." "The way I look at it, no one will complain
if we are running ahead of schedule. But if you are running behind---that's
a problem!" said Inhat.
CHECKING IT OUT
Everyone seems to feel that getting the kids and staff into the arena
before their performance time is very beneficial. There is so much to
be learned by doing so. Let's face it - very few kids will have experienced
playing inside such a large facility. They are all used to their local
gyms!
"On our walk through," says Marvin, "I identify everything
for the kids. The judge placement, warm up area, score postings, merchandise
booths, bathrooms and meeting places." "This helps so much with
the factor of coming through the curtain for your performance and seeing
how big it is for the first time," says Click. "I have my head
pit/prop person go through the 'route' to the warm up and
then to the performance area. We want to be sure to note any odd turns,
doorways, hallways and etc." "Make sure you familiarize yourself
with the flow from outside to inside," adds Tim Bray. "Not only
do I want the kids to hear how the arena sounds," adds Inhat, "I
also want to be prepared for how long the walk will be from the lot. I
want to avoid any wrong turns!"
REHEARSAL TIME
Rehearsal time during the event is important to everyone. However, by
the time you have arrived, you ought to be in the polishing stages. "Rehearsal
is for just keeping what we have sharp. We plan the calendar so that we
arrive in great shape. We don't expect to develop much further. By this
time, you are what you are," said Burke. "Now it's just about
enjoying it from here to the end." "We won't practice like when
we are home," said Aungst. "We may be making small adjustments.
But for the most part, we are just making everyone comfortable with what
we already have in place." "Careful planning on rehearsal sites
can be a huge benefit," said Marvin. "If you get a gym to rehearse
in, you will typically only get a two hour time slot. I try to plan back
to back with another group to trade run-throughs and meet each other.
It maximizes the experience of playing in front of strangers." I
can attest to what Dave says here. Dave and I made this happen with King
Philip and Northglenn in 1998. It was great for all involved!
THE SOUNDS & THE SETUP
Those who have experienced playing in a large sports arena like the
Nutter Center in Dayton know that the acoustical experience is very dry.
It is almost "vacuum like" for the players. It is like playing
in a soundproofed practice room. To simulate that, most of the "marching"
groups like to prepare by practicing outside. Yes, as crazy as that may
sound, practicing outside will better prepare the kids for how they will
hear inside! "The hope here is that they will be able to take what
they know from outside and apply it indoors," said Ihnat. "I
bring a generator to hook up my electronics in case we can't find
an outdoor power source," said Marvin. "Prepare for all types
of weather," said Bray. "We have had everything from snow to
80 degrees. And the wind always blows!" While this approach seems
to work well for the marching groups, it may not be as necessary for a
concert group. "For us, we prefer to practice inside all the time.
Being outside does not seem to benefit us at all," said Fyffe.
When it is time to head to the arena for your performance, you should
be feeling great. And probably nervous, as well, for there is still much
to be done. As Click says, "Hopefully, you have figured out who gets
the staff passes, and how many extra tickets you must buy for the setup
people. Also, we must figure out if the drivers are staying at the venue
during the performance or do they need to get back to the hotel to rest."
"We make sure our prop people are prepared for wind and rain. We
are prepared to play without a 'real' warm-up. If the weather
is bad and everyone has to warm-up inside, it is a rumble in the warm-up
room. You can not even hear your own thoughts." "Whether you
are inside or out, you have a short period of time to warm up. We get
the hands going, give reminders about certain segments and then play the
whole show," said Aungst.
Sometime during the event, most directors try to find a way for the
kids to see other groups perform. "Kids enjoy seeing other groups.
It makes the experience more fulfilling," said Aungst. "If you
progress competitively, you may find less time to do this. So try to plan
accordingly," said Marvin. "Make sure the kids get to check
out the lot," said Click. "It is a site to see and hear!"
WISDOM
While all of the above information is logistically based, the following
thoughts really come from the wisdom that experience can bring you. These
are some of the "inner game" tidbits that can really help keep
you and your kids mentally strong. "One of the best ideas I have
discovered is to build in stress relief times," said Marvin. "Plan
a couple of spots when they can relax and have down time. Visit a mall,
have a pizza party or some pool time. Don't expect the kids to be running
at 100% every waking minute." "We always schedule time for the
kids to play laser tag with other schools from our local circuit,"
said Etling. "It's a cool way for the kids from different
schools to meet each other."
Tom Aungst has some very definitive issues that he insists are taken
care of. "Coordination of the parents and staff with prop and pit
set up is so important. Actually have the parents practice the set up
before you go to Championships. You do not want a lengthy set up or breakdown
to cause you to be overtime and possibly affect the outcome of your score.
I make sure that I talk to the kids on how to behave, treat others and
react to the outcome regardless of our competitive results. They must
realize that they are representing their school and community. We also
discuss nerves and how to manage them. We talk about it through the season,
trying to put ourselves in that place where thousands of people will be
watching. We try to 'feel it' while practicing. I really try
to 'know' my group and how they act and react to situations.
There can be a different group personality each year. Realizing this helps
me know when to lighten my approach to the group."
"In the event we don't make finals, we will still watch the contest,"
said Etling. "It is important for the kids to see and support the
other groups. After all, the kids are why we do this!"
There are bound to be problems that will arise no matter how well you
plan. However, it is not what happens to you, it's how you deal with the
situation that is most important! "Equipment problems are going to
occur," said Aungst. "So we bring more than we need---spare
heads, sticks, mallets and actual drums that are tuned and ready to go.
We have had 'blow outs' right before the performance. How
it is dealt with can actually add a certain level of calm and confidence
for the kids. Of course there are some things that happen that you really
don't expect. Like the time our truck driver drove over our piano only
a few hours before our performance time! Fortunately, I knew where to
go to rent another instrument."
"We always have a repair kit with every possible replacement part
we may need," said Fyffe. "As with most schools, our instruments
are not in perfect working order. So anticipating whatever can go wrong
is a smart way to go."
So what happens when you are in a real jam? "We use two way radios
in the lot to coordinate connecting with prop and pit parents," said
Marvin. "If something goes wrong, at least we can work with each
other towards a solution.
"I have a card made out and laminated with every parent, staff
and bus driver cel phone number. I also include the number for the hotel,
bus company and arena. Every adult traveling with us gets one. This really
reduces any possibilities of not being able to get to someone when you
really need them!"
I hope that some of these points can be helpful to you as you make your
way to the World Championships. You may find some of these points great
for any kind of group travel, as well. Being prepared can really help
you achieve your very best results. What's left? "Well," said
Click, "Directors-remember to bring your Rolaids!"
For more information on WGI, call 303-424-1927 or go to the WGI website
at www.wgi.org.
