Drum Corps International Hall of Fame member Michael Cesario presented the keynote address, "Excellence is in the Details," to the Tour Event Partners (TEPs) in attendance at the DCI Annual Meeting & Conference Weekend on Jan. 25. Each year, Drum Corps International sanctions more than 115 events as part of its annual summer tour. The TEPs are the network of individuals in each host city who handle the logistics and production of their respective DCI shows. Cesario spoke to empower the TEPs, reinforcing the importance of the role they play in producing drum corps shows and how their attention to detail plays a critical role in the continued success of their events and the excellence of the performing drum corps.

Michael Cesario delivers his keynote address, "Excellence is in the Details."
Playing off the name of the group to which he was speaking, Cesario said, "We are partners in creating moments that take the audience's breath away." He asserted that because so many particulars are involved in putting together a show, those in the room could easily lose sight of one of the most important details – the performing members of the drum corps. Cesario told the TEPs that it is important for all those who are running events to take time out of their busy schedules on the day of a show to recognize those performers and to make some "me" time to enjoy the experience. Many times, he said, people will lose sight of this as they get locked into the nitty-gritty logistics of their events and don't have a chance to enjoy a single corps performance. He reinforced, "Let yourself have the moment." To Cesario, "tradition," "innovation" and "state of the art" are three concepts Tour Event Partners should consider when planning an event to thrill everyone in attendance and to get more fans in the stands. He spoke of what those elements might mean to those in the room. Tradition: What made drum corps great in the first place? Play up those moments in promoting the show. Innovation: What's next? How can TEPs work to make the contest bigger, better, and more fun for the audience? State of the Art: What new things are other TEPs doing that can be borrowed and utilized for one's own show? If you've never had the opportunity to hear Cesario speak, you're missing one of the joys of being a part of the drum corps activity. The TEPs left the room feeling energized upon the conclusion of his presentation, perhaps realizing with greater appreciation their own importance in the activity they love so dearly.