Eminence-focused talent development in drum and bugle corps

ABSTRACT

We analyze eminence-focused talent development in drum and bugle corps. After defining and characterizing the world-class drum and bugle corps activity as a collective aesthetic sport in which eminent group performance levels are achieved, we introduce a framework for investigating eminence-focused collective talent development in drum corps from a systemic perspective based on the actiotope model of giftedness. We then illustrate the framework’s application to eminence-focused world-class drum and bugle corps with examples taken from the research literatures of marching arts, talent development, and musicology. We also note examples of masterly drum-corps performances and the framework’s utility for future scientific investigation.

KEYWORDS:

• Drum and bugle corps
• drum corps
• actiotope
• systemic talent development
• marching arts
• performing arts

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ Drum corps also have a small number of conductors, called drum majors, and specialists for operating amplification devices and electronic instruments (Maher, 2011) for whom other specifications apply.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daniel Patrick Balestrini

Dr. Daniel Patrick Balestrini is a full-time researcher at the Chair for School Research, School Development, and Evaluation at the University of Regensburg in Germany, where he coordinates an international online mentoring program focused on high achievement in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the medical sciences (STEMM). After earning degrees in music and musicology, Dr. Balestrini completed his doctoral dissertation in education science by examining everyday outlooks about learning and hard work in different cultures.

Heidrun Stoeger

Prof. Dr. Heidrun Stoeger is chair professor for School Research, School Development, and Evaluation at the University of Regensburg in Germany. She is currently serving as the vice president of the International Research Association for Talent Development and Excellence (IRATDE). She has published about 250 books, chapters, and articles in the fields of talent development, educational psychology, and education. She has served as editor-in-chief of the journal High Ability Studies and is a member of the Editorial Board of the German-language Journal of Talent Development. Her main interests in the field of talent development and excellence are teacher training, the actiotope model of giftedness, educational and learning capital, and learning and motivational training programs.