Eminence-focused talent development in drum and bugle corps

Abstract

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.