What is DCI?

As I mentioned in a earlier post entitled, "What is the Western Band Association?" drumlines combine with bands and colorguards to compete on the football field. Well DCI,  or Drum Corps International, is the professional organization for marching bands. Like WGI, which is the professional organization for indoor percussion ensembles, wind ensembles, and colorguards, DCI is the Marching Music's Major Leagues. Since marching band season is about to start, I decided to do this blog post about what DCI is, its relationships with other organizations, and the DCI Hall of Fame.

Starting from modest beginnings for more than three decades ago, Drum Corps International had transformed into a spectacular, nonprofit, world-wide youth activity with extensive artistic, educational, and organizational influence. The yearly DCI Tour and World Championships allows the Drum Corps International to entertain millions around the world through lives performances and nationally- broadcast events. Drum Corps International is Marching Music’s Major League™. Drum Corps International carries the message of excellence in performance and in life to more than 7.2 million young people, between the ages of 13- 22 involved in performing arts in the U.S. Active participants in drum and bugle corps come from more than 15 countries in the United States. The annual Tour is made up of more than 100 events throughout North America and each summer over 400,000 fans attend the live shows and events. Each season, more than 8000 students try out for the fewer than 3,500 positions open in top- tier DCI member corps. More than 5,000 members participate annually and 59.6 percent of the performers are current college students pursing music education degrees. Also, 65 percent of those indicated that high school students intend to major in music education. While and exclusive limited amount of students participate on the field with DCI drum corps, millions follow the DCI corps by attending competitions, DCI- sponsored programs, purchasing merchandise, and simply being fans and following their favorite corps through social media.  DCI has continued to grow consistently, with a combined attendance near 60,000 at the World Championships. A big organization like DCI has a lot of business partners. They include: National Association for Music Education, U.S. Army Bands, Band Shoppe, Vic Firth Company, Zildjian, Remo Inc, Pearl Corporation, NAMM, the International Music Products Association, Dynasty USA, PreSonus Audio Electronics, ON2 Percussion, AWCT Performance Wear, Delta Dental, Drum Corps Associates, Music For ALL, Inc (BOA), WGI Sport of the Arts, Athletes and the Arts, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, USBands, Jolesch Enterprises, Cavalcade of Bands, Markey's Rental and Staging, Percussive Arts Society, Tournament of Bands, Association of Music Parents  Arts Council of Indianapolis, The Registration System, Japan Marching Band Association, Winter Guard Tarps, Marching.com, Drum Corps World, and Halftime Magazine. The Drum Corps International Hall of Fame is where the legends of the drum corps activity are remembered for the impact and history they left on the activity. The Hall of Fame began in 1985, with six inductees inducted that inaugural year. Each year, new members are added to this prestigious institution. To this day, 114 people have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. New Hall of Fame members are elected by the DCI Board of Directors and Hall of Fame Members in the spring of each year. This source I used to research DCI was the organization's website. It provided a great detail of information especially about who they work with and the competing drum corps. They also provided a copy right section, thus I can conclude that this source is reliable because it is owned by a professional institution. Each summer, my band director, Mr. Stone sets up the live streaming of the World Championships. However, this year as I'm sitting down with my friends and watching our favorite drum corp group take the field, I will remember what I learned today, and carry it with me while watching the groups. Drum Corps International. "About Drum Corps International." Dci.org. Drum Corps International, n.d. Web. 17 May 2016.