MARCHING BAND SHOW DESIGN
When it comes to marching band show design, you have a few options: 1. Buy a ready-made "canned" show, a low-cost option which can be adapted to your band, but lacks something in originality. 2. Hire a "design team", consisting of an arranger, a percussion writer, and a drill designer (plus guard designer, props designer, silks designer, etc.), which will involve a lot more money, plus countless hours of coordination meetings, missed deadlines, and potential personality conflicts. Or 3. Find a freak who likes to do all of that stuff, never misses a deadline, and rarely argues with himself.
This is where I come in. I'm the "freak" (I prefer the term "Renaissance Man") that loves to do it all. Having studied at the feet of Greg Bimm, Ken Snoeck, and the late, great Dale Hopper, I've spent the last thirty-plus years designing shows for my bands from the ground up, arranging (and composing) all the music (including percussion parts), designing all of the drill, and even designing most of the other visual elements such as props, costuming, and silks. The only thing I've "farmed out" with my own bands has been color guard design, simply because that requires more of a hands-on instruction that I haven't had the time for (and guard designers Paulette Rife and Tammy Pfob will attest to my supplying plenty of ideas along those lines as well). This has resulted in competitive shows with extremely cohesive visions, unlike many productions that were obviously designed by a "committee".
​
Don't get me wrong. I've certainly done my share of working within design teams as well, whether as arranger or as drill designer, and I know how to "play nice" with others in order to produce the best possible product. Just know that option 3, which combines the convenience of a package show with the creativity of a design team, exists. My arrangements are customized to the strengths and weaknesses of the bands for whom I write, providing maximum effect and impact, with a sensible approach to range and endurance. My percussion parts are musical, playable, and uncluttered, causing many adjudicators to comment over the years on how well the drum book seems to "fit" the horn book. My drill design is creative, yet achievable and teachable, with staging and timing always taking precedence. I understand that most bands are not dealing with the most athletic kids in the school, and that there are limits to what can be physically expected of fourteen-year-olds who have never marched before. I therefore design drill that achieves velocity through counter-motion and creativity, rather than constant jazz-running.
​
So, whether you've seen my award-winning shows in the past and want that level of creativity for your group, or you are simply looking for a writer who gives you proven success strategies and never misses deadlines, I would be glad to discuss your vision for your band, and how I might fit into that vision. I can be contacted at danielmooremusic251@gmail.com