SCV Audition Memories
Kevin Brooks
Okay, there have got to be some great stories here. How in the
world did you ever get in SCV? is a question I often considered.
Anyone else feel the same? My audition was an odd thing--
rainy October night at the corps hall. I had never touched
a real soprano bugle in my life, figuring it couldn't be THAT
different than a trumpet. Wrong. And I somehow got the
wrong information. Horn auditions were the following week,
which would have been fine if it weren't for the fact that I
trekked 500 miles from Southern California on a weeknight.
I didn't know a soul, and I figured my odds were slim.
Somehow, I convinced Rick South to hear me play. Everyone else
had gone home after listening to a parade of staffers describe
their plans for the upcoming season. I went to a side room
where I had about 5 minutes to "warm up" (meaning: learn to
play a soprano). The rain and thunder were only adding to
my apprehension, but I figured I'd do the best I could.
So imagine how surprised I was when Rick comes in with three
other people to hear me play: Gordon Henderson, John Figueroa
and Gail Royer. Yikes. They weren't really trying to make me
uncomfortable--I think they were just looking for a place to
talk and figured they would listen to some 15 year old kid.
I realized later that the odds were in my favor. This was 1984
and the soprano line had been decimated by the Olympics. three
of the top leads--major vets (Abadam, Kono, McWilliams)--
took a year off to play in the Olympic fanfare trumpet
brigade. Other sections of the corps were also full of
rookies. Martha said it was something like 98 rookies,
and that sounds about right. The staff was prepared
for the worst, I think.
I don't remember how I played--no major chokes at least.
Some range things, sight reading and dynamics. Really
basic. Their faces were stone, so I figured I was dead.
I came all the way to Santa Clara only to make a fool of
myself. In the back of my mind I was thinking maybe I
could be an alternate or something. They said they
would be in touch. Famous last words.
So I went back home, glad that I tried and sure that I
didn't make it. Later the call came--I was in, but placement
was not decided. In the meantime, I should plan
to attend the first camp.
From that moment on, Santa Clara was a series of
unexpected victories and triumph. I feel lucky
to have joined the corps during such a rookie-intensive
season. There was a feeling like we were all in this together
and, as Ty has said about the drum line in early 87, we
were a little awed by the fact that we were actually
with the Santa Clara Vanguard. A real Cinderella
Season it was, too. And I believe it definitely
planted the seeds for 1987.
Anyway, sorry for reminiscing. I hope others have more
interesting audition stories. Post 'em!
Kevin Brooks
SCV Sop 84,85,86,87,88
kev...@velocity.com
Robert James jr
My first audition experience with SCV was not far off from yours. I
remembermy first rehearsal was the December 1986 camp. My flight was
late landing in San Jose'. Tim Andriese picked me up. I had no idea
what I was going to experience. This was the year after the fantastic
1985 corps. I marched in the Kingsmen for three years, and now I was
going for the top. Tim and I arrived at the corps hall at 1765 Space
Park. I thought, wow, an entire building for one corps, has to be cool!
Since I was late, horn rehearsal had already begun. I walked in and
nearly fainted. There was over 70 horn players in this room. Kingsmen
at best topped with 40 horns, and never full at reahearsals. Tim found
we a soprano and found a place in the line for me.
The hornline was wrapping up the basic arpeggio warm-up stuff. #3, #8.
I was really intimidated by this. To my rookie point of view everybody
in that corps hall was a god. I found out the truth later. But then we
started to work the opener, Festive Overture. My legs started to shake,
my knees started to knock. I had never ever been this nervous or felt
this out of place. Could I rise to the grandure and excellence of the
Vanguard. The I heard Brad Gathercole play a solo and knew I would.
There was horn auditions for new people the next morning. Tim Salzman
was doing them. I didn't know who he was. Just some horn guy. The best
thing about Kingsmen was the chops they gave me. I was much stronger
than most people my age. So I did my audition. Tim says "Are you a
music major?" I said "No, it doesn't pay enough money." He said, "Well
you sure fooled me, nice audition!" I was taken back by his statement.
I thanked hin\m and went to find a corner I could relax while the rest of
the rookies auditioned. When the list was posted for placement of people
within the section, I was placed at the top. First Soporano of the Santa
Clara Vanguard?!? Me? Tim confirmed that it was me. I played in the
opening quartet for the fanfare. Pretty cool. Rookie Bob as an upper
lead his first year in SCV. I wound up sitting I think third person in
the arc. Pretty Cool. It made the flight home very relaxed.
I was told that there was this other guy who shows up in May named Kevin
Brooks. For five camps all I knew was there was this ghost soprano
player named Brooks. Glad we met Kevin. Or otherwise known as
Brookski!
Keep those stories coming SCV alumni. We all shared in something special.
Bob James
SCV Sop 86, 87, 88
MothraL
My audition night was probably the same as yours. Rainy night in October
1983. I was 17 or barely 18, and had to do a tympani audition for the
great Ralph Hardimon. There was another guy auditioning too named Mike. He
was from Redlands (southern CA), and was apparently a student of Greg van
Winkle, SCV tymp 81-82. I had worshipped Greg V.W. as a god, and here was
his student trying out against me. Yikes! Ralph made me play a bunch of
stuff including rolls, and some very complicated crossover and sticking
stuff. Thank god it was a private audition. I don't remember if I did good
or not (I think it would be safe now to assume that I did OK), and I
didn't find out for about a month that I was in the corps.
Mike, whoever he is, went back to Redlands and told everyone how much I
sucked and how he'd been beaten by a girl (so the story was told to me by
someone at a later time). Hey Mike, whoever you are, if you're out there -
HA HA!!
I really don't remember much else of my first night of auditions other
than that I felt very small and unworthy.
Martha
Roger French
Ok, here is mine.
In October of '83, Terry Medwig (snare in '84,'85 ex Kingsmen) and I
and a friend from Long Beach City College in California decided to trek
it up on I-5 up to Santa Clara. My college friend was, like me, also
auditioning for the pit (or the freestanding mallet instruments back then-
there was no extravagant setups like you see now.) Driving up through
past Valencia (Magic Mountain), Terry was driving and I in the passenger
side and Dave my friend was in the covered trunk cab. We left at like
1:00 AM from L.A. hoping to get into a Motel 8 on El Camino Blvd. in
San Jose later that day. On the way, Terry looked over at the white
(Porche?) driving next to us, and startled both Dave and I with, "Hey,
man, that's SCOTT BAIO in the car next to us!!" Even though now I
would have laughed at the thought of seeing Scott Baio live in person,
it was a surprize (dorky one albeit) never the less. He waved at us.
And then drove (sped) past us, probably on the way to some beach bimbo's
Malibu (or Fresno?) condo.
So, 8 hours later, we get to the motel and we're all talking about what
it's going to be like auditioning and stuff. Terry was practicing his chops
and Dave and I just....(hmmm can't remember.) Anyways, I think the 1st
audition tryout was later that night at the hall. Wow... walking into
that place for the 1st time was SO intimidating. I knew what history
had walked these floors. So, there was perhaps 20 guys auditioning for
snare, about 20 for tenors, about 12 or 13 for bass and about 8 or 9
for mallets. A guy from New York had even flown out that day to try
out but it turns out when he heard that the snare line was going to
traditional grip that year, he freaked and went right back to the airport.
Apparently he couldn't play traditional. Oh well, guess he should have
thought of that earlier! Anyways, it was SO loud in that small rehearsal
room that I though to myself, ("I can't stand this anymore!!") And the
pit people were I think the last to audition in the drum line. Since
I was used to playing quality, concert instruments I was a little dismayed
that they *still* had the 1983 instruments, which were typical, Slingerland
and Musser 2.5 octave instruments. I was planning on playing George Hamilton
Green's xylophone piece (one of many he wrote during the early 1920's or 30's)
So Ralph calls me in to the room and I played this piece meant for xylophone
on a rusted, non-dampening vibraphone (which if ya know vibes, no dampening
means that the sounds just floats away.....annoying to say the least.) I
apologized for having to play on this instrument and so forth. But Ralph
said that's okay anyways.
Later on, the pit auditionees, sight-read this 6/8 piece that would later
become the drum solo for '84. I had the bass vibraphone part while what's his
name had the lead. AGGHH! I was very intimidated with all of this
talent; Freelancers were NEVER like this I thought. Anyways, I struggled
though that 1st audition night and was very tired. My friend Dave was
disappointed cause he thought drum corps was limited and besides he wanted
to do gigging in L.A.
The next audition night was a week later,in which this time they showed a
video of the 83 season (remember the swirling, expanding flower and the
rotating block?) WOW! This really got me psyched. Another friend of mine
from L.A. who played trombone also auditioned as well as Terry. More prac-
ticing with the pit.....Ralph was INTIMIDATING!!
Okay the 3rd audition night 2 weeks later I think, the other drums were set
but the pit was still working it out. I had improved somewhat. When I got
back to L.A., Ralph called me up and we talked and stuff and offered me a
spot with the 1984 Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps. WOW. What a
hype. Saying yes was no problem at all.
Well, right after that Terry and I drove up and we both got music to prac-
tice. We worked our buns off. Sadly, my mother became very ill this very
same time and after only 2 or 3 weeks with the corps, I called Ralph and
had to tell him that I had to quit...:*(. Major bummer. Mom was more im-
portant than the corps at the time. (BTW, I ended up marching Freelancers
in '84 after Ralph told me there were no more open spots after I returned
in March.:*( )
Anyways, memories will live forever. And thanks Gail for pointing out
the directions to the movie theater where "Scarface" was showing. Terry
and I tripped out on that one.
Roger
Freelancers '81-'84
SCV '84
IRC Corps '95 ("Chases")
Colby Brian Springer
had finished with one of their lower finishies (seventh) and I was
aware that a large number of the pit had aged out, moved and so forth.
In fact, there was only one veteran returning- the timapni player
so I knew there were essentially seven keyboard spots open, one of
which I hoped to attain. Well for those of you not familiar with
United States geography, Dallas is quite a haul from San Jose, CA, so
I really didn't give SCV much thought. So just for giggles, I send
a tape out to Lee Rudnicki anyways just to see what would happen.
Well it turns out that I'm at All-Region tryouts or something for
band that day (I was a senior in high school) and I call my parents to
let them know how I did. They tell me, "By the way, some guy named
Lee from Santa Clara called and said he liked your tape." LIKED IT!
That was more than I could ever have hoped for. Just imaine a room
full of high school kids warming up on their various instruments and
they all stop to look at the guy on the pay phone yelling and screaming
because he just found out that Lee LIKED his tape- needless to say, I
was excited. As far as I cared, the audition could stop there- Lee
had liked my tape and that's all I cared, it didn't matter if I was
to go no further in my career with SCV, I was at least a possibility.
Well, Lee sends the tape on to Ed Teleky (the pit guy) and he calls
me a few days later and says he LOVES my tape. Life couldn't get much
better at this point. I'd gone from let's see what happens, to like
to love. Ed wanted me to come out to San Jose next week for the
first audition camp. This was ALMOST a dream come true for me. Ever
since I saw SCV in 1987 I was absolutely and totally in love with
them...as ridiculous as it might seem- it was a goal for me in life
to march at least one year with the Santa Clara Vanguard..and I was
almost there. Well, Ed also informs me that he's invited about four
other kids scattered around the country to come out and plus all the
kids in San Jose were welcome as well. He also told us that one spot
was already guaranteed to a girl from Japan (Makiko- she ended up
finishing second I belive at individuals). So, six spots left. I
finally decide to get up the nerve and head out to California. Ed
sends me a huge packet of music and warmups that I get the day BEFORE
I leave with a little note saying, we'll "run through" these at the
camp. I spent the next sixteen waking hours hammering away on the
Marimba in my room. Well, I finally get to California and it's raining
(I think this is a weather requirement for all audition camps- we
always sang "Here Comes the Rain Again at camps- it was ALWAYS raining)
Well, I walk into the corps hall and for those of you who have never
seen it, there is this huge room where the guard and sometime the horn
line rehearse. And around the room are all the finals, regional, and
world championship flags from through out the years. It was a weird
feeling walking into that room as you could kind of feel the history.
I probably looked like a total tool staring at them, but oh well.
We head into the room where the pit usually reherases and there is all
the equuipment. I'm like, hey those are the sound plates from '87
and the siren from 91 and so on. Years of incredible memories had been
created from these instruments and hopefully it would for me as well.
Well, Ed hands me the Xylo part and says, here's the opener, look at
this real quick and we'll run through it tonight. 180 beats a minute
and I think there was one blank measure in forty! (By the way- I'm a
horrible sight reader). Well I figure I'm dead right there- but oh
well. Ed then had each one of us there play out solo for him...and
Lee Rudnicki, and Murray Gusseck, and Kent Cater, and even Dave Carico
the horn guy. A little more stress please! Well, I'd never played
on Rosewood before (always on Kelon) and the difference in sound scared
the crap out of me and I thought I had totally sucked. Well, I sweat
through that and then Ed informs us all that we aren't using the
technique he wants us to use- none of us. So we spend the entire
night learning this new technique (which truly paid off in the end).
We finally go home about two M and I spend about two more hours learning
the opener and just being nervous. We come back the next day at 8 and
start on the opener (only at 160 bpm- he gave us a break). That went
on and then we ensemble with drumline- if you've never played with a
line that just cranks out the notes, Hold On! It was a rush. Then to
make it even better, we ensembled with the horn line. Nothing against
the coprs I marched with before (Troopers) but this horn line had
volume like I'd never heard. And when we hit that push of Hunt
for Red October- WOW! Well the weekend comes and goes in the fashion
and on Sunday Ed has us just keep running warm ups while he is looking
at the forms that we filled out about our experience, time commitments,
and so forth. He was deciding who was to make it. But he kept
shufflinf the order around so we had no idea who was in or not- all
we knew is that the death blow was soon to come. Ed then calls me
outside and I'm like, "$h!t, here it comes- I'm cut." But he has me
play from snare rudiment stuff outside (why? I don't know) and simply
says- "Don't screw up..." We go back in and he says that he wants
to see the following people outside, "Melissa Caldwell, Kelly Garcia,
Diana Valenzuela, Amy Beuchamp, Colby Springer, and Robin Sidall." It
was kind of odd because we didn't know if we were in or out because
some of us were strong, and some not so strong. So we hike out with
Ed all thw way over to Three Ring which is about a quarter,half a mile
a way. He tells us to sit down and asks us how feel, well how do you
think we feel- NERVOUS!!! Well he gives us this lecture on the
traditon and all with the Vanguard, the responsibilities, the commitment
and then tells us "You are the 1994 Santa Clara Vanguard Pit." The
sigh of relief from the six of could probably have changed the air
pressure in the San Jose area. I remember calling my parents to
tell them that would have to get a new bumber sticker for the car
because I was now in the Santa Clara Vanguard! I had fianlly made
it! That was just the beginning, the memories that I accumulated over
the summer could never be matched. I remember putting the star on
for the first time and Concord Pavillon, Unloading and loading the
god forsaken truck (which took an hour), rehersals at Ground Zero (the
pit area at the rehersal field was total Dirt and Dust), the cyclists
running through our pit, the cops chasing us off the road, the time
Jim Casella almost got clipped by a car during rehersal, the cotton
crap in the trees and everything else- and that was just June. I
remember winning my first show (over Madison by a tenth), winning
high drums for the first time, winning Drums Along The Rockies (our
first regional since 1991), the crowd throwing babies at Pacific
Procession when we went into the Great Gate of Kiev and the color
guard change (our magic trick). Hearing someone yell "Take it home
Santa Clara," our pre-lims performance at Preview of Champions and
hearing someone yell "Welcome back Santa Clara!," putting on
incredible shows and not winning (after a while- you don't care, unless
you're 87) waiting in the rain at quarters only to be kicked off the
field, the pit screwing around with the visual staff (Mike Cherry,
Todd Nix, and John Escalera) during drill rehersals, our free day in
Chicago, 7-11 and Togo's, the "Jerky Boys," my first semi-finals
performance, my infamous tamborine solo at I&E, and most importantly
looking up into the crowd in Boston on Saturday night and realizing
this was the night I had waited for since 1987- it was finally here.
Even though we didn't win- it didn't matter. I had marched with
the Santa Clara Vanguard- I still remember the feeling I got
as we played for the last time at retreat when we got into the arc
and played "Send in the Clowns." You can't wait for it to end- but
once it gets there, you want it to last forever. Those were the
memories that started that December night in Santa Clara, California
at 1765 Space Park Drive. It started as a quest for a ring but it
turned into a little lesson about life, about growing up, and
being part of something special- I was a part of the Santa Clara
Vanguard. For those of you have even though about auditioning
for SCV, I strongly encourage you to do so- look at me and any other
member on this board that had ever been with SCV and look and the
memories that they are always sharing with others. Thank you Santa
Clara for all that you have been, all that you are, all that you will
be...
Colby Springer
1994 Santa Clara Vanguard
1992, 1992 Troopers
Jeremy Agresti
: Roger
: Freelancers '81-'84
: SCV '84
Finally we discover how someone could march two corps in one year. I
thought it would end up that you didn't REALLY march in one of the corps.
Jeremy
Adam Joseph Janecka
Thank you. I couldn't have said it better. I hope you have that saved
because I want a copy.
Adam
--
Adam "Bari" Janecka "It's a wierd thing......this cult we call drumcorps."
SCV Bari 93-95 "It's not so wierd. David Koresh was my drill
SCVC Bari 92 instructor."
IRCorps 94,95 ajan...@indiana.edu
SCV SOP
of the 86' season I wrote to the corps for the information packet, but I
never sent anything back to them because I never thought I would ever make
it. Around Easter time in 87' I called home from college and my parents
said someone from SCV called and wanted to know if I was interested in
marching. I couldn't believe it, I thought some of my buddy's called and
were playing a joke on me. I asked them and they all said no. Well, I
took a chance and called the hall. I finally was told to call Rick South.
I was petrified, what if I was making a total fool of myself. Well Rick
said there was a lead spot open and to send a tape with some scales,
slurs, tonguing and a solo or etude. I still couldn't believe it, and
neither could all the other trumpet majors ( most of them Garfield
members).
I sent the tape, and the rest is history now. I did get quite a bit of
grief from all those Cadets in my school, but even more after the season
was over.
Well that's just about it. Keep up all the interesting posts.
See Ya,
Hilary 87'
MothraL
I don't remember you, which would have been cool. I'm sorry things didn't
work out for you, otherwise we would've been pit buds together. Were you
in the Freelancer pit with a girl named Jluie Zelenski?
I love reading Colby's story. As an addendum to that, Colby and I had been
buddies for a while, since 1991 I think. I came home one Sunday night and
there's a message to call Colby Springer. I thought "hmmm, why is Colby
calling me". I called back, and Colby says "I just came back from visiting
your area". I asked why (stupid me - I couldn't figure it out on my own)
and he says "I was auditioning for SCV and I made it". In case I never
told you Colby, I was SO HAPPY for you! I hope you can come back for your
last two years!!!
Martha
whitney densmore s
: Okay, there have got to be some great stories here. How in the
: world did you ever get in SCV?
I was one of the *many* members of SCV that literally grew up in SCV 'B'
and was trained specifically for the 'A' corps - the Vanguard that
everyone else knows as the open class corps, these days.
There were a bunch of us that started with the B corps right when we were
old enough to join - had to be nine years old. And when you were old
enough to try out for the 'A' corps (you had to be 13 when first tour
started) you were ready. I *knew* that I had been prepared for SCV (at
the ripe age of 12) and wasn't all that nervous at tryouts. Actually, my
memories of tryouts were "fun" - I was able to march again with the
members that I had marched with in 'b' corps in previous years that had
moved up to the 'a' corps in '74, '75 and '76.
Some of the people I marched with in '77, '78 & '79 may be familiar names to
you guys, since they stuck around after I moved on, or they have made a
name for themselves in instructing:
Rick South; Rob Carson; John Figeroa (sp); Mike, Karen and Linda McWilliams,
Mike Zapanta; Hanny and Diane Bonte; Lisa, Cary, Joel and Kristi Avilla;
Dean Bull; Tim Griffin; George Brown; the McGee sisters; Kent Cater; Dave
Carico (aka DC); ... some of the instrutors from when I marched will also be
familiar names to you: Pete Emmons, Gary Moyer, Chaz Anderson, Ralph
Hardimon, Phil Olds, Jimmy Elvord (sp), Betsy Harper, Lenny Kruzecki (sp )....
just to name a few.
That's enough. My brain hurts <:|
Whitney Densmore (aka Harper and Mathias)
Blue Devils '81 & '82
SCV '77, '78 & '79
Roger French
>Finally we discover how someone could march two corps in one year. I
>thought it would end up that you didn't REALLY march in one of the corps.
>
"May I have your permission to continue posting to this group?"
"Please?" <eeep!>
"Oh better yet, how long will it take to bestow your approval upon
me? See, 'cause ya know, I'me here waiting here biting my handkerchief
and with nervous ticks. Any day now?"
Roger
Freelancers '81-'84
SCV '84
Pit Percussion
MothraL
probably shouldn't put it down as marching in SCV 84. Just my opinion
tho'.
Martha