 |
Spotlight
The Marching.com Spotlight presents news and articles on topics related to marching bands and pageantry arts.
Share this page: View more articles Suggest an article topic
Popular articles
Seen and Heard at BOA 2017 2017 Winter Circuit Championship Schedule Prep your body for marching season 2015/2016 Bowl game parade and holiday parade schedule 12 Holiday Gift Ideas for Marching Band Fans Seen and Heard at BOA 2015 Double Thumbs Up for the Mighty Cavalcade of Bands Honor Band Inaugural Parade Marching Band Invitations Pride of the Dutchmen Marching Band German bugle band makes its mark at Calgary Stampede Marching bands to honor 9/11 anniversary Traveling Efficiently Specialized Marching Band Carts 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Band Selections Don't You Judge Me The Sound of Perfection Movie Working With a Travel Agent Fiesta Bowl Memorable for Norton Band Nerds vs. Geeks 'Band Nerds' Holiday Poem Drum beat sparks music passion Sport, Art, or...Spart? Musical Growth Spurt First Day of Rehearsal Troopers Drum Corps Documentary Ripped Jeans And Self-Esteem Boot Camp For Bands Gimme Some Props Benefits of Indoor Percussion Secrets of a Successful Audition A Disappearing Act An Alternate Universe One More Time Around Again Marching Band Steamboat Springs Ski Band Band Boosters Support Dreams Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band Rose Parade Float Honors Marching Bands Throw It Down Movie Bob McGrath inspires on Sesame Street Rose Parade Float Decorators Bugles Across America High School Musical Choreographer Bonnie Story Working in Harmony at Fillmore Central H.S., Harmony, Minnesota Marching Amidst the Glaciers at Colony H.S., Alaska Empowering Multiplicity at Trenton Peabody H.S., Tennessee Visualizing the Extraordinary at Sebring H.S., Florida Henson blends winter guard with puppetry in Panther & Crane Competition: How important is it? Band Nerds Poetry Book XtremeBrass Technique helps brass players Capturing Show Design Ideas Halftime Magazine Debuts From The 50 Yard Line Movie Three Tips for Cleaning Drill American Band Book YouTube Marching Videos Brentwood Band plays on Brad Paisley CD Macy's Marching Band Broken Arrow Documentary Online Fundraising Color Guard Flag Design Marching Band Health Tips European Flower Parades |
Poetry book delivers humorous observations of band lifeDJ Corchin celebrates the characters lurking in every band 
Don't let the word "poetry" scare you. There's a 100% chance that you'll connect with at least one of the 120 poems and stories in Band Nerds Poetry From The 13th Chair Trombone Player. The engaging and unexpected book from DJ Corchin uses clever prose and perfectly matched illustrations from Dan Dougherty to celebrate the quirks of life in and around the band room.
The book is filled with spot-on observations of sticky valves, squeaky clarinets, itchy uniforms and various other malfunctions that will bring former band members back to their glory days. There's also a dose of inspiration when Corchin reminds us that band is both a family and a launch pad for success.  The book got its start while Corchin was performing in the first national tour of the Tony and Emmy award-winning show BLAST! He was in the cast for more than two years and was featured as the "unicycling trombonist." Corchin created an outreach program where he and six other cast members gave presentations about the show to student groups. The team also had the chance to share personal stories and answer questions.
"I was able to speak to band students and directors all over the country from different walks of life," Corchin says. "Our message was that no matter where we come from, band is one thing that shows our similarities." Corchin started to assemble stories for a book after he found that his recollections of band experiences connected universally with current and former band students. Corchin is a big fan of poet Shel Silverstein, so he channeled Silverstein's fun and entertaining style. The resulting book is part memoir, part Saturday Night Live sketch. Don't worry if you were the squeaky clarinet, because Corchin gives equal time to flutes, tubas, guard and percussion. Corchin explains that his use of band stereotypes is meant to bring people together and to help laugh off the old tired image of being involved in music. "We can choose to let [stereotypes] shape us, or we can choose to write a silly poem book about them and laugh it off," Corchin says. First Chair
I am the first chair. A very important role. Everyone looks up to me. At least that's what I'm told. I have special duties. Passing music to the rest. I am the first chair I say Of all the 3rd part clarinets. Corchin is pleased that the book has received a warm reception, and he is currently working on a new book for younger kids. He has also written a new musical titled "Wings" that is currently in pre-production. Band Nerds Poetry is now available in paperback as well as the original hardcover edition (132 pages). For more information including excerpts from the book and videos featuring the author, visit The13thChair.com. Photo courtesy of the author. Copyright 2008 Marching.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published or redistributed without permission. Recent Headlines: 2018 Tournament of Roses Bandfest Photos | Prep Your Body for Marching Season | Marching Band Music Arrangers | Marching.com on Facebook | Marching.com on Twitter | Marching.com on Pinterest |
2017 WGI Championships Photos Prep your body for marching season 
Marching.com on Facebook |
Twitter | Pinterest
Working on your next marching show? Find Band Uniforms and Marching Band Music Arrangers in the Resource section. 
|
