By Brannigan Watson|Web Managing Editor

Drum Corps International is an organization that holds competitions for drum corps or marching bands around the country June through August. The championships are held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Each corps consists of 150 or less members, they train starting in the spring and tour around the US throughout the summer competing in a number of competitions, finishing in Indy for Finals. Senior Tyson Harloff is one of the members of Carolina Crown, a DCI member for the summer of 2019. Harloff said he chose Crown because of it’s presence over his whole life. His father is a longtime member of the staff.

“I’ve decided to join crown because it has been a part of my entire life. I wouldn’t want to join any other corps than Carolina Crown,” Harloff said.

Since the corps was founded in 1998, they have had 23 finals appearances. Harloff will be playing trumpet in the ensemble, Crown is one of the most prestigious brass lines in the world. This made the audition process long and difficult for Harloff.

“The [audition process] is way more than just going to camps,” Harloff said. “You have to join a private facebook group and post videos of yourself playing, [including] technique videos, playing on the move, [and] practicing. You have to post every week until camp. The most difficult part was playing in front of two DCI Hall of Famers by myself.”

While Harloff has spent numerous amounts of time preparing for the audition including spending his evenings at the school doing 30 plus, repetitions of audition pieces, he couldn’t think of anything he would have done differently and was relieved when he received the great news.

“I was so excited and relieved [when I received my contract], it took a lot of hard work and dedication to get this contract,” Harloff said.

The hard work of becoming a member of the corps is over, but Harloff still has to make it through the summer, he said his biggest fear is the toll it will take on his body.

“I’m very nervous about the pain I will be in during the summer, especially when we tour in Texas where temperatures are up to 100 degrees,” Harloff said.

Harloff said that his experiences in high school band has better prepared him for that experience. Though his journey with the Avon Marching Black and Gold is over, Harloff has made it clear that he will never forget the experiences he had with the group as he moves on in his music career.

“I would like to thank the Avon Marching Band for preparing me for drum corps and for changing my life,” Harloff said. “You guys mean the world to me and I will never forget the experiences you gave me.”

Photo submitted by Tyson Harloff