A Spotlight on Drum Korps

Author's note: the author of this article has participated in Drum Korps events previously and is friends with the club signators. The author has aimed to be objective in his coverage of Drum Korps.

While you may not have heard of Drum Korps, if you've gone to Noise Parade or one of the two Thesis Parades, you certainly have heard them. At Noise Parade, they lead students across campus in the raucous celebration of the new academic year. At the two Thesis Parades—the first at Spring/Fall and the second at Renn Fayre—they lead the Parade from ODB through several academic and administrative buildings and stop at the library around when final theses are due. There, they provide the soundtrack to the burning of the theses and then parade through the library in perhaps the only noisemaking activity sanctioned by library staff. Following that, they lead the seniors to Eliot Hall and play for the celebrants outside. "The parade is something that kicks off the festivities and gets people interested," says Drum Korps signator Connor Gilligan.

It all starts when, shortly before Renn Fayre, the leaders of Drum Korps put out an announcement requesting all volunteers—newcomers, veterans, those with music experience, and music neophytes alike—to meet at a particular time, usually around 3:00pm-3:30pm on the Quad, right next to the drum storage room in ODB. From there, the leaders of the drum line discuss the parade route, teach the parade beat, give the newcomers tips on staying in time, and ensure that everyone has hearing protection. "No more than a quarter of the drummers" in any given parade are particularly experienced and "anywhere from…33% to 50%" participate regularly, according to Gilligan. While he's particularly keen on having people with musical experience join in, everyone is welcome. "We need things to be chaotic, but also welcoming…and safe." Some participants bring their own gear as well, such as trumpets and improvised percussion instruments.