The 8 to 5 Club

Following DCI’s recent announcement of the African American Legacy Corps, we answer the questions you may have about the AALC - who can perform, how much it costs to participate, how to get involved, and why it matters! YOU can be on the field with the AALC in 2027! *Stay in the loop* IG: @africanamericanlegacycorps TikTok: @aalc2k27 Read the DCI press release: https://www.dci.org/news/african-ame...

To celebrate the March 4th holiday, Jared reflects on the personal impact of the marching arts community, finding a safe space in the band hall during difficult times, and building life-changing friendships along the way. We are especially grateful for our 8 to 5 Club listeners! → The 8 to 5 Club podcast is made possible by Silent Command. Visit silentcommand.org for lessons, clinics, and videos.

What goes on at DCI’s yearly January meeting? Hear about the workshops and activities that the 2026 drum majors participate in at the “Jannuals.” → The 8 to 5 Club podcast is made possible by Silent Command. Visit silentcommand.org for lessons, clinics, and videos.

This week, we welcome visual educator Josh Davis to the club to talk about his uniqiue marching endurance and mobility training programs. Through his years as a staff member of the Blue Knights, BK Percussion Ensemble, and many more, Josh witnesses how training performers for strength and stamina positively affects injury prevention and even self-confidence. We learn his approach to building and e...

Today’s episode is all about ego’s ugly head. As an advisor and evaluator of hundreds of leaders, Jared has been face-to-face with a wide range of attitudes in the interview room. In the thick of DCI audition season, we talk about why experience grants entitlement to no one and why reacting to disappointment with decorum is always the best option. → The 8 to 5 Club podcast is made possible by Sile...

Wrap up the year with Jared and Corey on The 8 to 5 Club's final episode... of 2025. As the year turns over, we spill on what we've been up to during our holiday break, how we've grown (mostly muscle, in Jared's case), and what we're cultivating in the new year. Thank you for your continued support and stay tuned for more episodes in early 2026! XOXO,  Corey and Jared → The 8 to 5 Club podcast is...

Meet two of the pioneer woodwind soloists in DCI history here on The 8 to 5 Club! In this special double-feature, we get the inside scoop with Blue Knights oboe soloist Sammy Gonzalez and Blue Devils sax soloist Miguel Flores-Padilla. From the initial surprise of the 2025 rule change all the way through Lucas Oil finals, find out how these performers developed their musicality, dialed their equipm...

This episode, Jared is joined by three of our Silent Command band directors to discuss their points of growth in the early stages of their careers. Each representing unique schools, locations, and demographics, Quinten Wrenn, Hailey Francoeur, and Dajia Simmons share their band directing struggles and saving graces of past and present. We talk about pursuing personal and professional growth, expec...

In the marching arts, high expectations are placed on teams of leaders, each with their own human quirks and issues. The pursuit of team cohesion is ongoing and requires setting your boundaries while still setting the example. How do you work with an overly-controlling leader? What do you do when your team disagrees? How do you come to terms with unfair or unqualified leader selections? Tune in to...

WELCOME BACK to The 8 to 5 Club’s new season, just in time for the start of DCI audition season! Corey and Jared give you a preview of the topics and guests to come. In short, you can expect more variety in different styles! Keep listening to hear our strategies for feeling prepared and confident going into your upcoming auditions, from creating a methodically-simple practice plan to the power of...

This week’s episode is a round table discussion with Marley Black (Carolina Crown), Davon McKeever (Spartans), Susannah Wilkinson (Troopers), Emma Shiffer (Spirit of Atlanta), and Makenna Payne (Spirit of Atlanta). Coming off their first year in DCI, these drum majors weigh in on a range of topics from their expectations of “life on the road,” to selecting an audition piece, to managing nerves and...

Fresh off their 2025 DCI win, Boston Crusaders drum majors Wes Booker and Joe Zishka sit down for a conversation about the progress of their season. They talk about their culture of developing leaders early in the season, their relentless rehearsal drive, and how the iconic mellophone feature came to be. Listen to the end to hear their mental approach to the Lucas Oil marathon and their fondest me...

Former Phantom Regiment Conductor Keri McCourt joins us as a special host this week to talk all about the drum corps skills that have helped her as an elementary school music teacher. From an embedded sense of urgency, the ability to manage multiple tasks at once, and gracefully communication, those who have marched can harness their skills to thrive in the classroom. Aspiring teachers, this episo...

Corey and Jared reunite to share some of their most memorable leadership stories. Hear about what happens when Jared is trusted with the corps credit card, Corey’s maddest moment, and the small gestures that affirmed our positions as leaders. → The 8 to 5 Club podcast is made possible by Silent Command. Visit silentcommand.org for lessons, clinics, and videos.

From the heart

This week, Jared shares how he’s adjusting and adapting to his new role on the BDB admin team. As he finds “emotional support” to be high on his responsibility list, we found it important to offer our advice on staying mentally healthy during the drum corps season. During those difficult times, bring your end goal into focus and seek support from people you trust. → The 8 to 5 Club podcast is made...

With the end of 2025 spring training fast-approaching, we asked some of our Silent Command drum majors how they’re doing! Jared updates us on all the admin logistics that he’s managing with Blue Devils B. Peyton Brillhart and Spirit of Atlanta have been putting the last dots on the field for their production “Rocket” after an unprecedented free day. With the Boston (Colorado?) Crusaders, Joe Zishk...

It’s about that time in the DCI move-in season when patience wears thin and empathy seems harder to come by. You may be experiencing new tensions within your leadership team — clashing personalities, mood swings, selfishness, apathy, the blame game… the list could be endless! If you feel like you’re a passenger on this struggle bus, it’s time to re-evaluate and have those difficult-but-necessary c...

Happy DCI move-in week! This episode, Corey and Jared review Barry Schwartz’s book “Why We Work” and apply its key ideas to our job as performers and leaders within the workplace of a marching arts group. What is the difference between subjectively “good” and “bad” work? Is an external reward system really the best way to motivate people? We talk about how to increase internal motivation through t...

… a conversation led by Spirit of Atlanta drum major Peyton Brillhart, featuring Megan Conlan, Amari Lewis, Makenna Payne, Susannah Wilkinson, Emma Shiffer, Marley Black, and Madelyn Williams. From our individual stories of how we got into the activity, we realize the importance of personal role models for women in this male-dominated activity. We also open the floor for vet-to-rookie advice, addr...

Carolina Crown drum major Mark Troy is back on the podcast to share his takeaways from W. Timothy's Galway's book The Inner Game of Tennis . How is a high-speed, high-stakes sport like tennis related to the demands we face in rehearsal and performance in the marching arts? Listen to learn how to build, practice, and refine your mental skills to allow your technical skills to operate at the...

After a much-needed hiatus, the podcast is back with Season 5 with more legendary guests than ever! This episode was recorded at the annual Silent Command staff retreat in January 2025. Our group of experienced leaders representing almost a dozen organizations join in a discussion about leadership vs. self-worth and identity, why differing corps values are a good thing, and how we view the traject...

As 2024 comes to an end, we thank you for another great year of The 8 to 5 Club! Jared and Corey come to you this week from the annual Midwest Clinic, sharing what they’ve learned from attending. We reflect on our highs and lows from the last year and what we’re looking forward to in 2025. Listen back to any season 4 episodes you may have missed, and we will catch you soon! → The 8 to 5 Club podca...

The podcast is back with Jared and Mark Troy, drum major of Carolina Crown! He shares his experience auditioning and marching first as a euphonium player, as well as some of his struggles stepping up the podium. Hear how Mark overcame hitting “the wall” early in the season and the heightened expectations placed on Crown conductors. → Find Mark: @mark.troy43 (IG) and silentcommand.org/lessons → The...

With drum corps auditions fast-approaching, Corey invites you to curate your own playlist of motivational and meaningful videos to level-up your mental preparation and help you get in the right headspace during stressful times. He shares some of the unusual videos that inspire him (Insomnia Cookies??) and his favorite songs to quiet an anxious mind. Check out Corey’s playlists: https://youtube.com...