The ‘check your status’ email pinged his phone, but he was too scared to see his results.

He thought he had bombed the first round of auditions, and with friends texting him about their results — watching them get callbacks – the pressure was high. 

He eventually checked the email and logged into the Blue Devils website: he got the call back. What may have felt like the best day of his life was only the beginning of his journey.  

Senior Mark D’sa was selected to play trumpet for the Blue Devils Drum Corps International (DCI) group on Jan. 14, and will attend monthly camps in preparation for this summer’s band camp and tour. He will compete in the DCI World Championship competition at Lucas Oil   cStadium in Indianapolis Aug. 8-10. 

“DCI has always been in the back of my mind, especially every marching season,” D’sa said. “My dream has come true, and I [have] to work really hard to make sure that I can continue doing this.”

D’sa poses for a picture wearing the mellophone section shirt: The Little Mellos – a play on “The Little Mermaid.” Every year, each section in the band has a theme; they decorate lockers and shirts to fit their theme.“Spending all that time with the band really creates a whole new family,” D’sa said. “Whenever I’m in marching season my parents say ‘we’re his second family because his main family is band.’” (Avery Dyer)

COVID-19 hit during D’sa’s eighth grade year. Due to social distancing regulations, students at rehearsals had to stay five feet apart and wear masks at all times – even while playing their instruments. 

“We had our summer band [camp] through zoom calls,” D’sa said. “So, it was really weird once we finally got to come [to school] in-person. But, it was [my] first [year], and it just meant so much to work really hard. We did our three competitions that year and ended up second in the state.”

In the beginning, D’sa said he struggled with playing, due to his braces, and marching. He questioned whether or not he’d continue band after freshman year. 

“I didn’t love [marching] because I was actually really bad at it at first,” D’sa said. “I had taken [band] off of my schedule, [but] I talked to some of my friends, I talked to my directors and I talked to everyone, and I realized if I put in some time and effort, it might actually end up being worth it.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the band moved their original 2020 show, “Penstriped,” to the following year. The band earned first place at the UIL state championship that year, winning all three captions: music, general effect and visual. 

“That night was probably the best night ever,” D’sa said. “That was a feeling you can’t replicate or describe. [It] really helped me [and] motivated me to keep trying. I still had doubts after my sophomore year because of how time consuming [it was] and how much effort band was requiring. But after winning state, and then all these other positives, it really motivated me to keep going.”

One of D’sa’s directors, Brock Alsaffar, became an assistant director in 2021. He said he has watched D’sa grow a lot throughout the years with his playing and marching.

“I could see him become a superstar — if he keeps working [hard],” Alsaffar said. “He’s doing a really good job, [and] I’ve really enjoyed working with him.”

In D’sa’s junior year, current senior Luke Hines and D’sa were selected to switch to mellophone for the 2022 marching show, “Odyssey FM.” The band placed second in the state with the performance. 

“I made even more friends because I got to bond with another section,” D’sa said. “So, I really got to be close with a lot of new people; [it] extended my family.”

In the 2023 marching show, “Monomyth: A Hero’s Journey,”  D’sa was moved to first part for trumpet where he played the screamer part – several high range notes, sounding similar to a scream. 

“I was super excited,” D’sa said. “[I went] from being towards the bottom of my section, [to] now [being] at the top of my section, playing all these crazy high notes that I never believed I would ever be able to do.”

D’sa uses his flipbook — a miniature band binder that holds the marching tunes — to rehearse his part with the band. D’sa started off in the third band — Concert Band 1— his freshman year, and is now in the top band, Wind Symphony. (Photo via Mark D’sa)

DCI is a professional marching arts organization where groups from around the country rehearse for 30 days in the spring, travel the U.S., and perform marching shows. They compete in more than 100 competitions, leading up to the national championship in Indianapolis. Alsaffar marched for the Blue Devils DCI group in 2019 before coming to teach band.

“It’s like college football versus [National Football League] football,” Alsaffar said. “My experience [in DCI] overall is probably the best experience I had.”

D’sa was still unsure whether or not to audition for a drum corps; however, trumpet player and drill technician for the band, Zach Worley, encouraged him to try out for the Blue Devils – a DCI marching band based in Concord, California. Worley participated in the Blue Devils in 2017 and 2018. 

“I’ve watched [D’sa] grow in his maturity in which he has handled his playing abilities,” Worley said. “He shows a strong enthusiasm for marching band and high notes, and the Blue Devils are known for having really good trumpet screamers. I thought with his marching and playing ability, and with him being so young, that he would be a great fit for the Blue Devils organization. They would see him as not just a talent for this year, but maybe a leader for the future.”

The Blue Devils have won the national championship 21 times —- the most titles in DCI history. They even set a record in 2014 when they scored a 99.65 on their show: “CUT TO.” 

“As [D’sa] anticipates this summer he needs to be teachable and approachable,” Alsaffar said. “He’s gonna have a lot of times where he may learn something one way, then he’s going to have to ignore that way and learn it a new way.”

The preliminary round of the audition for the Dallas area was on Nov. 19, at LD Bell High School with an entrance fee of $50. The audition consisted of a marching and playing segment. Members who got a call back then had the opportunity to participate in the final round.

“When I went in for my audition, it was not as good as I wished,” D’sa said. “I knew I could’ve done better and qualified for a callback [to the finals round]. [But] I also knew with the way that I had played, there was a chance that I [couldn’t].”

D’sa said in the following weeks, while waiting for the results, he became discouraged. He stopped looking at the audition material and spent the next few weeks stressed.

“I was really scared and almost kind of gave up for a little while,” D’sa said. “Whenever I got the email that said to ‘check your status,’ one of my other friends, [Brendan Schmidt], who marched here at Hebron last year, texted me. He had gotten a callback and [I] was like, ‘I really hope I get one, because I don’t want to be the guy who doesn’t get the callback.’”

When he logged into the Blue Devils portal, he noticed he had gotten the callback and was immediately overjoyed. The callback camp was Jan. 12-14 in Fairfield, California. Those participating in the callback camp were required to fund their entire trip including transportation, hotel and food.

“I was just so happy to see I got a callback and I was able to give myself one more chance at making this top corps,” D’sa said. “[The Blue Devils] had a very high returning rate with people who had marched in previous years. So, there were less spots open [and getting that] callback was so meaningful.”

The first part of the camp was brass block – everyone received music and played fundamentals as a group. At the camp, they handed out the first part of the music that would potentially be used for this year’s show. 

“It felt very close to home,” D’sa said. “The way they learn, teach and play music; it’s very similar to what we do here at Hebron. It felt really simple and nice – another way to continue what I’ve been doing here for the past four years.”

The second day of camp was focused on visuals. Members were taught similar choreography sequences and expected to perform the moves without a time signature, meaning members had to listen closely to the music and determine when and where to move. 

“I’ve never really taken a dance class in my life,” D’sa said. “There [were] people there that had taken ballet classes and a lot of other dancing classes to prepare for this camp — and I hadn’t yet. [It] was really hard for me because I’m just used to being told exactly what I need to do. [It] was a really different experience.”

D’sa said he started to feel more comfortable by the afternoon when they began marching block. 

“Marching came across pretty easily for me because they marched the same style we do here,” D’sa said. “[Marching is] what we work really hard [on] here at Hebron, so that paid off.”

By the evening, they transitioned into the last part of the day: back to brass block. D’sa was handed the third part’s music; however, the main brass director, Cameron “Chip” Crotts, pulled him out and moved him to lead trumpet. 

“I was so happy when he pulled me out; [it] was like a dream come true,” D’sa said. “Whenever I was standing in concert arcs, at the top of [my] section, playing all these super high notes – I [thought], ‘if I make it, it would be so great, and if I don’t, I’ve played lead trumpet for the Blue Devils.”

On the last day of the camp, the first part of the audition, camp members were told to do “show and tell.” Sections were called up to demonstrate what they had learned visually and marching-wise. A board of directors evaluated everyone and would call up small groups again to re-evaluate members more precisely. 

“They want the best to march for them because they are such a high level corps,” D’sa said. “I completely bombed [the first part] because it’s slightly different exercises than what [I] would do at home, so it [wasn’t] complete muscle memory. I [thought]: ‘I’ve paid so much money to get this camp and I’ve spent so much time, and I just completely bombed my shot.’ I messed up speeds and everything and so I was really scared — I was on the verge of tears.”

After feeling defeated in the first round, D’sa got the opportunity to perform the marching and dancing portion of the audition again.

“[The judges] would call small groups to go back in [to] do the dance or march again to really evaluate you,” D’sa said. “I was really happy and grateful to do it again because I did it pretty good the second time.”

The last part of the audition was a music audition. Members would go in one at a time, play the specified fundamentals and part of the show music they had been handed. D’sa said he played his etudes well, but messed up his fundamentals.

“[The directors] said, ‘we’re sort of confused because you can play really well, but you messed up a little bit in your fundamentals,’” D’sa said. “I said I was just really [nervous], and so they [told me] to ‘just play them again.’ [So], I played them again and they came out pretty well.”

Everyone was sent back to brass block to rehearse music together, while the judges discussed the scores with each other. 

“[Everyone was] really scared because our audition process was basically over,” D’sa said. “Either all of our dreams are coming true, or they [were] getting crushed.”

At the end of the block, members were prompted to go into the middle of the gym, and judges came in and explained to them the process. They would be split into three categories. The third category were those who didn’t make it, but were encouraged to try again next year. The second category was the Blue Devils 360 experience: members who would participate in summer camps, but not on tour and swing/alternate spots. The last group, the first category, was for those who got primary spots for the upcoming season.

“[They explained] to us the situation, scenarios and everything and then they said ‘it’s time,’” D’sa said. “Everybody is really good at this camp, anybody can make it, anybody can’t make it: it’s all up to how you perform at this camp all around.”

It wasn’t specified which group was which to the auctioneers, so when two groups of names were called, both categories were ushered into separate rooms to discuss. D’sa’s name was announced with the last group, the first category. 

“The main brass guy [came] back to us and said, ‘Congratulations, welcome to the Blue Devils,’” D’sa said. “Most of us were just sitting there in shock; there were people crying and hugging each other. We were all just so excited and happy that all of our hard work over the past years – especially these last couple of months – had really paid off.”

Once he got back to school, D’sa stopped Alsaffar in the middle of sectionals in the foyer to tell him the news. Alsaffar said he was really happy for him and immediately gave him a high five.

“I was really surprised,”Alsaffar said. “It’s not often [the Blue Devils] take members who have no [DCI] marching experience. When I marched, they only took two: me and one other guy. I imagine it was the same way for [D’sa].”

D’sa poses for a photo with his brother, sophomore Jaden D’sa. Jaden is currently playing clarinet for the band. They are active leaders in the Boy Scouts of America, and volunteer weekly for their Catholic church, St. Catherine of Siena. (Photo via Mark D’sa )

D’sa’s parents, before and after he made the Blue Devils, were not on board with him doing DCI due to the amount of time it takes up in the summer and the how much it costs — this year’s tour fees are around $5,000.

“We had to really sit down and talk [about] if it was going to be affordable and if the time commitment was really worth it,” D’sa said. “And, if all things come together, if it was worth it as a whole to put this much time and effort and money.”

Going into the camp, they told D’sa that it would be a really great experience, but even if he did make the group, they would have to think about it. 

“Going into the camp I was under the impression that I was probably not going to [make] it,” D’sa said. “[I thought], I’m just gonna go to this camp to have fun because if I do make it or I don’t, I don’t know for sure if I’m going to march this summer anyway.’”

When D’sa found out he made the group, he immediately tried texting and calling his parents. Forgetting the time zones in California versus Texas, his parents were at church. His dad, John D’sa, texted him, asking what was up and if he needed to step out. D’sa said no and that he’d call them later.

“They [said], ‘We are so proud of you. Now we need to think about what we are going to do,” D’sa said. “There are camps throughout the rest of the school year – at least every month. [I would] have to fly out to California once a month, which is around $200 a month.”

Alsaffar said there were a lot of fees and expenses that went into marching with the Blue Devils and DCI in general. With monthly camps, uniforms, tours and instrument fees, it came out to be a very pricey experience.

“There’s a lot of fees that you have to accommodate,” Alsaffar said. “So, I was only able to do one year of it, and I was grateful that I got to do it the year that I did.”

After several days of talking to his parents and discussing solutions, his parents got on board. They said in order to participate with the Blue Devils, he had to do fundraisers and create a GoFundMe account. His goal is to raise $4,000, and the price will increase once he reaches his goal — the GoFundMe only covers tour fees, not camp or additional costs.

“My goal is to raise the majority of my tour fees from the GoFundMe,” D’sa said. “Since I’m working a job [at Chick-fil-A], I’m saving up money from my earnings.”

Whatever amount of money that is not covered by the GoFundMe, D’sa’s parents will pay for and he will pay them back later. He said he plans on getting a job in college to pay them back, and possibly save up enough money to pay for next year’s camp on his own. 

“It may sound really silly, but it means a lot seeing that people are willing to donate and help me achieve my dream of marching this corps,” D’sa said. “This is the top of the top and I’ve dreamed of this day and summer [that I get] to march with them, for so long. So, finally achieving it is so great.”