Drum major
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A Sergeant Major of the Drums or drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band. The Drum Major is usually positioned at the head of the Band or Corps and is the figure who stands out in the public eye. The Drum Major is responsible for providing commands either verbally, through hand gestures, or with a mace in the military or with whistle commands or a baton in the US civilian bands to the ensemble regarding where to march, what to play, and what time to keep. He/she is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the Band or Corps.
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[edit] History
The position of Drum Major originated in the British Army with Corps of Drums in 1650. Military groups performed mostly duty calls and battle signals during that period, and a fife and drum corps, directed by the Drum Major, would use short pieces to communicate to field units. With the arrival of military concert bands and pipe bands around the 18th century, the position of the Drum Major was adapted to those ensembles.
Traditionally, a military Drum Major was responsible for:
- Defending the drummers and bandsmen (The drums and bugles were communication devices)
- Military discipline of all Corps of Drums members
- The Corps of Drums's overall standards of dress and deportment
- Corps of Drums administrative work
- Maintain the Corps of Drums's standard of military drill and choreograph marching movements
The Drum Major was also given duties in the battalion at several points in history, which included the administering of military justice (lashing), to any member of the battalion and collecting the battalion's post.
[edit] Military position
A Drum Major in the armed forces is these days an appointment and not a rank.
In the British Army, a Drum Major holds the rank of Sergeant, Staff Sergeant (or equivalent), or Warrant Officer Class II. Royal Air Force Drum Majors hold the rank of Chief Technician (Sergeant in the Air Training Corps), except for the Senior Drum Major RAF, who is a Flight Sergeant. Royal Marines Band Service Drum Majors are Corporals, Sergeants or Colour Sergeants, except for the Corps Drum Major, who is a Warrant Officer Class I. The Drum Major is always referred to and addressed as "Drum Major" or 'Drummy' and not by his rank. The insignia of appointment is four point-up chevrons worn on the wrist, usually surmounted by a drum. Staff/Colour Sergeants have a small crown between the drum and the chevrons and Warrant Officers have the larger crown from their rank badge in its place. Since the Drum Major is part of the battalion staff, he will wear a crimson sash instead of scarlet, and will dress as a Warrant Officer regardless of his rank.
The Australian Army traditionally follow the appointments along the same lines as the British Army. The Drum Major is always an experienced member of the Australian Army Band Corps, usually with the rank Sergeant, Warrant Officer Class II or Warrant Officer Class I. However, the member of the unit with the highest or most senior of these ranks is not always the drum major. The ability of the Drum Major is the main condition for the appointment.
In the Royal Marines Band Service and in regimental corps of drums of the British Army, the Drum Major is always a side drummer(titled Bugler in the Royal Marines), and would normally be required to have passed a number of courses in music, military skills, and leadership throughout his military career before he would be considered for appointment as a Drum Major.
In the Corps of Army Music, Royal Air Force, United States Armed Forces and Canadian Forces, the Drum Major is not required to be a drummer, the appointment being held by any suitably qualified musician.
Within Commonwealth Military's the Drum major is one of four types of Sergeant Majors
The Drum Major of The United States Army Band (Pershing's Own) in Arlington, VA is Mitchell Spray.
[edit] US Marching bands
The drum major position is one of leadership, instruction, and group representation, but usually not administrative duties. A band director or corps director assumes administrative responsibility. In the absence of the Band Director, the Drum Major carries the authority of the director or instructor and assumes complete leadership over the band.
Drum majors are mostly responsible for knowing the music of the ensemble and conducting it appropriately. What is "appropriate" conducting has evolved over the decades. During the 1970s and prior it was not uncommon for a stationary drum major to do a high-lift mark time on the podium for an audible and visual tempo; with the arrival of increasingly higher drum major platforms and thus greater visibility this has become both dangerous and unnecessary. In addition to memorizing the music (between six and nine minutes of music is typical for high school marching bands, college bands and drum corps may have that much or more, up to more than eleven minutes of music) a drum major must memorize dynamics as well as tempo in order to provide proper direction and cues, particularly in area where the drum major has some discretion, such as a ritardando or fermata.
To see one to three drum majors in most ensembles is typical. More usually indicates a group of prodigious size; conversely, no drum major may indicate a small band conducted by its director or a group lead by a horn sergeant or drumline captain. In some ensembles, drum majors switch positions during the show to allow all individuals a chance to conduct from the central podium, occasionally they may serve in other capacities such as performing a solo.
As marching bands have started to focus more directly on halftime shows and less on parades, the stereotypical staff or mace has largely vanished in preference of hand movements, occasionally with the use of a conductor's baton. Some drum majors have also become more elevated over the years, having moved off of the field over the course of the 1970s and 1980s and onto small podiums, which in recent years have often become some eight feet in height or larger. There may be supplemental podiums for additional drum majors, usually smaller in stature.
A marching band or drum corps drum major (field conductor) is in charge of holding the band/corps together, and directing the entire band/corps during shows and competitions. This drum major can come from any section of the performing unit: percussion, winds, or color guard. They are chosen on their musical abilities, leadership qualities, attitude, and passion for the sport. The Drum Major is the highest ranked band participant, usually followed by the captain(s) of the drumline, then by guard captain(s), pit captain(s) horn sergeant(s), section leaders and band officers.
One marching band clinic, the Smith-Walbridge clinic, currently run at Eastern Illinois University, has created the ranking of "Drum Major, First Class." The ranking is given only to drum majors who complete a difficult, four-stage test. The camp is the first and longest running Drum Major and twirling camp in the United States, and is highly regarded by many in the marching band world.[citation needed]
[edit] High School Drum Majors
High School marching bands generally have anywhere from one to four drum majors who are responsible for conducting and leading the band. There is, with only a few exceptions, a drum major on the 50 yard line. Any other majors are placed on yard lines closer to the end zone, or to the rear of the band for about face maneuvers. A member of the on-field band may take a position as drum major temporarily if the band's movements require a rear drum major or the lead major performs. Some drum majors also serve as leadership positions and can conduct, but prefer to march. These drum majors serve as replacements in case one or more of the permanent drum majors (usually older members of the band) can't make it to a performance, but still continue to practice their conducting abilities.
A marching band show (college or high school) usually begins with a salute from the drum major(s). Salutes range in complexity from a simple salute to complicated routines involving many members of the band. The salute is traditionally the beginning of judging in a competition, and also signals the end of a band's show. The dropping of a salute usually involves making the hand into a fist just above or in front of the face, and bringing the hand down by the side. A drum major is also responsible for calling the band to attention, beginning, and conducting the show. For calling the band to attention a drum major may use a command such as "Band-Atten-HUT," thus bringing the band to the attention position. The command "Detail-Atten-HUT" is also used to call a specific group within a band to attention. The drum major may use a whistle, vocal, or hand commands to accomplish this. This practice goes back to the military origins of the marching or field band.
A high school drum major usually wears a uniform different than the rest of the band. It may either be a show-specific uniform, or a custom uniform based on the school's uniform or colors. It is designed to help the drum major stand out when coming onto the field and to give distinction to the leader of the band. High school bands usually have a(n) older member(s), most often seniors, to train younger "in training" drum majors, usually juniors, then next year the once-juniors become seniors and train new juniors, thus continuing the cycle of proficient drum majors.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Regimental Drum Major Association
- Doug Brassel's Drum Major Resource
- www.militarytattoo.org - Information Website
