What Do I Play?

Piano

I started playing piano in 1988 when I was standard 5(grade 5). After getting the Grade 6 certificate from the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music, England(ABRSM), I stop playing due to my preparation on aboarding to US. According to this system, your piano lesson is considered incomplete if you didn't take the exam and get the Grade 8 certificate from them. I still play piano occasionally, just need more time to brush up my skill.

Euphonium

I could barely remember why I picked this instrument when I first joined the marching band in high school. Nevertheless, for those who play this unique instrument, I bet you all realized that the more you play it, the more you like it. (more information about Euphonium will be up later...be bear with me ok!?)

Marching Band

Joining the CPSS Marching Band in 1991, I have always loved this activity. Basically, the intruments below are common in Malaysia high schools' marching bands.

1. Brass
   1. Trumpets
   2. Cornets
   3. French horns
   4. Trombones
   5. Baritones
   6. Euphoniums
   7. Tubas
   8. Sousaphones
2. Woodwind
   1. Piccolos
   2. Flutes
   3. Clarinets
   4. Alto clarinets
   5. Oboes
   6. Bassoons
   7. Saxaphones(Alto, Tenor and Baritone)
3. Percussion
   1. Snare drums
   2. Bass drums
   3. Multi drums
   4. Timpani
   5. Cymbals, Gongs
   6. Glockenspiels
   7. Xylophones
   8. Marimbas
   9. Vibraphones
   10. Other Latin Percussions (LP)

Drum & Bugle Corps

If you like marching bands, chances are you will be a drum & bugle corps(or simply drum corps in short) fan. Marching band is the closest marching musical unit to drum corps. HOWEVER, they are two completely different organizations.
Drum corps exist merely for the purpose of competition and achieving higher level of performance. There are three sections in a drum corps:

1. Brass Instruments
   1. Soprano Bugles
   2. Mellophone Bugles
   3. Baritone/Euphonium Bugles
   4. Contrabass Bugles
2. Percussion
   1. Snare Drums
   2. Multi-Drums
   3. Bass Drums
   4. Cymbals
   5. Mallet Instruments
   6. Gongs, Bells, Chimes
   7. Timpani
3. Color Guard
   1. Flags
   2. Rifles
   3. Other visual props

Another big different between a drum corps and a marching band is no more than 128 members are allowed in a corps but you can have as many as 400 people in a marching band.
Drum corps season normally starts as early as November. The competition season, however, always starts in late May till the 3rd week of August.

DCI(Drum Corps International) top 12 corps:

Blue Devils Concord, CA (9 times DCI champion)	Santa Clara Vanguard Santa Clara, CA (5 times DCI champion)	Madison Scouts Madison, WI (2 times DCI champion)
Cavaliers Rosemont, IL (2 times DCI champion)	Cadets of Bergen County Bergenfield, NJ (7 times DCI champion)	Phantom Regiment Rockford, IL (1996 DCI Co-champion)
Glassmen Toledo, OH	Carolina Crown Ft. Mill, SC	Crossmen Bergenfield, NJ
Bluecoats North Canton, OH	Magic of Orlando Orlando, FL	Blue Knights Denver, CO

---

| MAIN PAGE | ABOUT ME | MUSIC PAGE | NEWS | PHOTO ALBUM | Some Where in Time |

Please e-mail me at : boonaiktan@hotmail.com or btan1@niu.edu

---

This page hosted by Get your own Free Homepage