Dorman High School
Achieving Clarity at Scale in 5A Competition
The Unique Challenge of "Big"
Dorman High School fields one of the largest ensembles in South Carolina, consistently marching over 200 students. While size is an advantage for volume, it presents significant design hurdles:
- Clarity: It is easy for a 200-piece band to sound "muddy" or chaotic if the scoring is too dense.
- Visual Readability: Moving that many bodies requires expert drill design to avoid clutter and ensure forms are readable from the press box.
- Pacing: Managing the energy of a large group so they don't burn out by the end of the opener.
The Solution: Layered Design
For Dorman, Bright Designs served as Program Coordinators and Music Designers, implementing a philosophy of "Clarity through Layering."
Music Design: Orchestration
We scored the winds to ensure the melody always cuts through. By using "pyramid balance" in the writing itself, we ensure the low brass provides a massive, warm foundation without obscuring the woodwind flourishes.
Program Coordination: Visual Scope
Working with the drill writer, we coordinated a visual package that utilized the full field (goal line to goal line). We ensured large-scale forms allowed the sheer mass of the band to be a "wow" factor, while using staging to hide transitions and maintain flow.
Balancing Accessibility and Achievement
With a band this size, ability levels vary wildly. We write "tiered" parts—Lead Trumpet parts that challenge the All-State players, supported by 2nd and 3rd parts that allow freshmen to contribute successfully. This ensures the entire ensemble sounds great, not just the top 10%.
The Outcome
Dorman continues to be a perennial State Finalist and a dominant force in SCBDA 5A competition. Their productions are renowned for their massive, wall-of-sound impact and visual grandeur. Year after year, judges comment on the "professionalism" and "maturity" of the ensemble's sound—a direct result of design that prioritizes clarity and tone quality.