As a youth activity, the world of competitive drum and bugle corps is an intense, choreographed musical experience staged on football stadium fields by students achieving high levels of excellence in performance. Through the drum and bugle corps experience, young people develop life skills including self-discipline, teamwork and leadership.
Read more: http://www.dci.org/corps/#ixzz21Ajgml5W
This is who Phantom is:
Originally founded in 1956 as the Rockford Rangers, the corps’ name was quickly changed after staff members heard the popular Leroy Anderson song, “The Phantom Regiment”. The corps has been a Drum Corps International World Championship Division I finalist every year since 1974 and the group earned its first World Championship in 1996.
Read more: http://www.dci.org/corps/?criteria=5758bd46-aef8-4181-9852-eb9fa551842b#ixzz21Ak6YErk
They tour around the country all summer long and they practice all day every day. Just to get an idea here is what a typical day looks like:
Here is what their show is about this year:
Synopsis
Turandot
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ACT I. Peking, legendary times. In a quarter swarming with people near the Forbidden City, a Mandarin reads an edict: any prince seeking to marry Princess Turandot must answer three riddles - and if he fails, he will die. Her latest suitor, the Prince of Persia, is to be executed at the rise of the moon. Bloodthirsty citizens urge the executioner on, and in the tumult a slave girl, Liù, calls out for help when her aged master is pushed to the ground. A handsome youth recognizes him as his long-lost father, Timur, vanquished king of Tartary. When the old man tells his son, Prince Calàf, that only Liù has remained faithful to him, the youth asks her why. She replies it is because once, long ago, Calàf smiled on her. The mob again cries for blood, but the moon emerges, and all fall into sudden, fearful silence. The doomed suitor passes on the way to execution, moving the onlookers to call upon Turandot to spare his life. Turandot appears and, with a contemptuous gesture, bids the execution proceed. The crowd hears a death cry in the distance. Calàf, smitten with the princess' beauty, determines to win her as his bride, striding to the gong that proclaims the arrival of a new suitor. Turandot's ministers Ping, Pang and Pong try to discourage the youth, their warnings supplemented by the entreaties of Timur and the tearful Liù. Despite their pleas, Calàf strikes the fatal gong and calls out Turandot's name.
ACT II. In their quarters, Ping, Pang and Pong lament Turandot's bloody reign, praying that love will conquer her icy heart so peace can return. As the populace gathers to hear Turandot question the new challenger, the ministers are called back to harsh reality.
The aged Emperor Altoum, seated on a high throne in the Imperial Palace, asks Calàf to give up his quest, but in vain. Turandot enters and tells the story of her ancestor Princess Lou-Ling, brutally slain by a conquering prince; in revenge Turandot has turned against all men, determining that none shall ever possess her. She poses her first question: what is born each night and dies each dawn? "Hope," Calàf answers correctly. Unnerved, Turandot continues: what flickers red and warm like a flame, yet is not fire? "Blood," replies Calàf after a moment's pause. Shaken, Turandot delivers her third riddle: what is like ice but burns? A tense silence prevails until Calàf triumphantly cries "Turandot!" While the crowd gives thanks, the princess begs her father not to abandon her to a stranger, but to no avail. Calàf generously offers Turandot a riddle of his own: if she can learn his name by dawn, he will forfeit his life.
ACT III. In a palace garden, Calàf hears a proclamation: on pain of death, no one in Peking shall sleep until Turandot learns the stranger's name. The prince muses on his impending joy; but Ping, Pang and Pong try unsuccessfully to bribe him to withdraw. As the fearful mob threatens Calàf with drawn daggers to learn his name, soldiers drag in Liù and Timur. Horrified, Calàf tries to convince the mob that neither knows his secret. When Turandot appears, commanding the dazed Timur to speak, Liù cries out that she alone knows the stranger's identity. Though tortured, she remains silent. Impressed by such endurance, Turandot asks Liù's secret; "Love," the girl replies. When the princess signals the soldiers to intensify the torture, Liù snatches a dagger from one of them and kills herself. The grieving Timur and the crowd follow her body as it is carried away. Turandot remains alone to confront Calàf, who at length takes her in his arms, forcing her to kiss him. Knowing physical passion for the first time, Turandot weeps. The prince, now sure of his victory, tells her his name.
As the people hail the emperor, Turandot approaches his throne, announcing that the stranger's name is - Love.
by John W. Freeman
-- courtesy of Opera News
You have to understand that they practice outside on the field no mater what. Rain, heat, wild fire, whatever it is. The intensity is only comparable to the army and that's no lie.
All of the hard work and hard ship is to preform a marching show that is out of this world.
I am so very proud to call Liz my friend. It's amazing to me that she can do this and do it well. It was amazing to get to see her and I miss her dearly, but I can not express to you how proud I truly am. It's been a blessing to get to know her and her family and they will always be very dear to my heart. You rock Liz!!! haha.
I suggest that if you have time to look up Phantom Regiment 2012 on YouTube. It doesn't do them justice but it gives you a good idea.
