COVID-19 — Some workshops have been rescheduled or cancelled

Heidi Sarver 0
14
Charlie Brown, Director.
General
May 18, 2017

It’s Not About A Title

(This post was first written as part of SARV BLOG. It is reproduced here with some edits by the author.) I loathe the end of the school year. I cannot stand goodbyes. I don’t even go to commencement because I might break down into tears. Frankly, I hate endings. There is, however,…
Read More
TJ Kelly 0
14
DMA's First Blog Post.
General
Mar 19, 2017

Evolution of the DMA Blog

Since DMA has a brand new website—all of 14 hours old as of this post on Mar 19, 2017—we thought it would be a good idea to update our evolution timeline so everyone out there knows how we’re progressing. June 6, 2007, 9:00 AM: DMA BLOG went “live.” June 6, 2007, 9:16 AM:…
Read More
TJ Kelly 0
16
Drum Major Academy Conducting on the field.
Mechanics
Jan 17, 2017

The Physics of Marching Band: Sound delay is a thing! Why selective hearing is a Drum Major’s best friend.

The best Drum Majors understand how sound delay affects their job, and they’re constantly working to compensate. In practical performance terms, this might be the hardest thing a Drum Major does.
Read More
Evan Doyle 0
50
Drum Major Academy Conducting.
Education
Jan 17, 2017

How to Become Drum Major: 4 tips for a better Drum Major audition

Wondering how to become your school or ensemble's Drum Major? Here are 4 of the most important lessons you need for a better Drum Major audition. 1. The audition has already begun. Being a DM isn't about being impressive at the actual audition. There is a consideration of your cumulative contribution…
Read More
TJ Kelly 0
47
What makes a good drum major? 7 Things Every Drum Major Should Do.
Resources
Sep 30, 2016

What Makes a Good Drum Major? 7 Things Every DM Should Do

What makes a good drum major? Well, every band is unique, but most drum major positions need the same few skills. After 40 years of training intensely motivated drum majors across the United States and the world, here's what we've learned. Here are the 7 simple things every drum major should do.…
Read More
jables 0
14
General
Nov 26, 2015

“Where words fail, music speaks.” ― Hans Christian Andersen

With today being Thanksgiving, I struggled with how I was going to narrow my post about "giving thanks" to just one topic - truly, we all have so much to be thankful for in our lives.  So instead of making a huge list, let me be general.  I'm thankful for…
Read More
jables 1
15
Band is a place for everyone.
Leadership
Oct 27, 2015

Starred Thought™: Band is a place for everyone

If you're like me, the notebook you took to the Drum Major Academy® is filled with Starred Thoughts™, and each one seemed equally important as the next. At the time you might have thought they only applied to marching band, but as your compassionate eye developed, you saw that these…
Read More
jables 0
15
General
Sep 28, 2015

got band?

Ever wished half time didn't end?! Well, we've got just the cure for you this upcoming weekend on October 4th in Allentown, PA!  Since 1996, the College Marching Band Festival has been entertaining audiences with an ever-growing list of performances from a variety of colleges throughout the country. This year's…
Read More
Heidi Sarver 0
7
General
Sep 16, 2015

5 Years Have Flown By

As I scan through years and years of posts to this blog I see that I (and now Jen Ables) have kept our posts to business: leadership, drum majoring, band, etc. I noticed that at no point was the passing of George N. Parks noted in this blog beyond the…
Read More
jables 0
8
General
Sep 9, 2015

Welcome Back to School!

If you hadn't already started, then by now it's official: school is back in session!  For those of you entering your senior year of high school, perhaps you have given some thought to continuing your education at a local college or university.  If that's the case, your participation in your…
Read More