One week from tonight I start on the adventure of my life-time when I take Laura to the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps audition camp in NJ. Why my adventure, you ask, when Laura is the one auditioning? Parents often enjoy experiences vicariously through their children, especially if the experience was not available to them when they were young. I have been a fan of drum and bugle corps (core, like apple core - not corpse like a dead body) when I went to my first show in 1971 (Smeltzer wasn't even potty trained then and Guise wasn't even alive!) Since that experience (I went with my band director) I have been hooked on drum corps.
What is a drum and bugle corps, you ask? Basically, its like marching band but without woodwinds (sorry guys!) and corps perform on a football field, 11 - 13 minute shows and they perform at a much higher level than marching band. Most corps practice once a month from November through April with "move-in" during May. The end of May and 3 weeks into June is when the corps learns their show. After this they compete from the end of June to the middle of August, usually about 30 - 35 contests per season all around the USA. Drum corps season is really like a 9 - 10 week band camp!
Please excuse the above meanderings - but they have brought me to my discussion question for the next couple of weeks which is: Summer Band - Take It or Leave It?
Obviously, a large majority of our band must enjoy the experience since most are involved. What do you like best about summer band and what do you like least? How about band camp? Should we go away (ie - Miami University) or stay at the high school? What about those who are not involved(my so-called "fall freeloaders)? Why do you not participate?
Come on Patriot Band - talk to your Daddy V!
What is a drum and bugle corps, you ask? Basically, its like marching band but without woodwinds (sorry guys!) and corps perform on a football field, 11 - 13 minute shows and they perform at a much higher level than marching band. Most corps practice once a month from November through April with "move-in" during May. The end of May and 3 weeks into June is when the corps learns their show. After this they compete from the end of June to the middle of August, usually about 30 - 35 contests per season all around the USA. Drum corps season is really like a 9 - 10 week band camp!
Please excuse the above meanderings - but they have brought me to my discussion question for the next couple of weeks which is: Summer Band - Take It or Leave It?
Obviously, a large majority of our band must enjoy the experience since most are involved. What do you like best about summer band and what do you like least? How about band camp? Should we go away (ie - Miami University) or stay at the high school? What about those who are not involved(my so-called "fall freeloaders)? Why do you not participate?
Come on Patriot Band - talk to your Daddy V!
Good Luck to you and Laura. I am majorly jealous, but yet very happy for Laura and that you get the oppertunity to see her go through this. In the future it is my goal to march in the color guard of a drum and bugle corp. as a step toward my goal of possible having a job as a music educator. So be prepared Daddy V cause in the future one of you 31 daughters may come to you for help on this one!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was debating whether or not to do summer band Staff members told me that it was the best way to get to know the other band members and build friendships within the band. VERY true. Often times, some of us will get so close we even have a family (like pit this past summer) It is really cool being able to get to know your fellow classmates so well. However, I HATE the heat! But, pretty much everyone does. For band camp, I think it is a good thing we go away. I think that we are not always as distracted when we are away from home. We do not constantly have to worry about what we have to do where we have to go, and all of that stuff. It also gives us times we have to learn to follow and be responsible for. Besides, for some of us, it gives us some much needed time away from family and other things at home. We should continue to go away.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to one of your questions...I say we should try to have band camp at the high school once...that would be awesome !!! !!!
ReplyDeleteSummer band is a great experience. It not only involves some hard-core discipline, work ethic, and marching skills, it is a great way to meet new people and hang with your friends (8th graders, if you found this page, I strongly urge you to do summer band next year! You meet people, so you don't feel lost during your first year of highschool. Believe me, it's nice to know people!!) Anyways, I reallllllly enjoyed it this past summer and was so excited about our 2nd place and music caption. It was so worth every ounce of sweat it took to get there. The point is, summer band is just a great program.
ReplyDeleteAs for the band camp question... I like the location and think it is nice to get away from the high school. Could we have as much fun if we stayed in Jay County?! HECK NO! Keep it the same, JCHS Band Staff! It's great the way it is!
Ok, I am done with my extensive message. Now, the question isn't what I think, it's what you think. Talk to me Daddy V!
P.S. Good luck Laura!
Holy Crap! I live for summer band. The day after State Fair, i just want to cry. I don't realize how close i am to the people i am around 24 hrs a week and sometimes more until they are gone for 2 weeks until school starts. I cant ever wait to get the dvds and when I do i watch it almost everyday. When I am at practice, i just feel... good. I cant really explain it. I cant get enough of the feeling when the entire Jay crowd stands up after u pop that last note at the fair night show. Every day i look forward to practice in the summer. When i was a freshman, i didnt know whether or not to do it. But i did it and it was the best thing i ever did. Everybody is nice and we only work as a team and everybody knows it. If someone is gone, there is a hole and it sticks out. its not like the football team where there is always competition with eachother on the team. WHenever i think about summer band, i just feel like im in the movies, especially right before the night show at state when everyone is givin speeches. I cant get enough of it. When I show up for school on the first day. i have a huge loyalty to the guys who did it in the summer. I feel closer to them tha anybody else because of all the stuff we went thru together. Ya i have friends at school but nothing like the friends in band. SUmmer band taught me so much like responsibility honesty frendlyness and team work. It really ticks me off- the people who didnt do it in the summer, because it just seams like they are really lazy and to them band in high school is the same as middle school band where you work for six months on the same 4 pieces of music and do two concerts a year but if u do summer band it is so much more. I would do anything for almost anybody in our band. I love u all!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, I never knew that there was any question about weather or not to go away for band camp. I gotta say, it shouldn't be held at school, that defeats the purpose of "band camp". If you had it at school, all it would seem like is having two or three practices in one day, and people would just complain. Plus, when you go away, you don't have to deal with outside distractions, its all about the band, guard, and the show. Its a great time. The whole summer band program is a great time.
ReplyDeleteJust my thoughts
P.S. Good Luck Laura