Band Camp Newsletter 2018

Greetings Buckhorn Band Parents & Students – this email and the attached “Band Camp Newsletter” includes super important detailed information covering just about everything you (and your student!!) need to know about the two weeks of camp starting week after next, the two rehearsals during the week between camps and the start of school, and the “Uniform Fitting and Form Submission Day”.

But first….

*Over the years, veteran parents and staff have suggested that all parents COME IN on the first morning of camp for a quick debriefing on a bit of what to expect, particularly with how students might react throughout the two weeks of camp.  (Some have even suggested parents try their hand at what our students do, but that’s a different story.)  I know even a brief meeting is difficult with everyone’s schedules, getting to work, etc.  In lieu of a brief meeting, this paragraph is the best I can do to relay what would be shared at such a meeting, particularly for our new students/parents.

For many of our students this camp may be one of the most challenging things they’ve ever done.  It is quite possible your student may express a desire (a strong desire) to sleep in / stay home / even quit / and/or may say they’re sick, particularly after the first day or two and particularly during week 2.  (Trust me, I will be feeling a lot of the same emotions.)  They will be tired and may be sore, but they are more than capable of doing everything we’ll ask of them, including the schedule.  It’s human nature to recall the negatives over the positives, particularly in the short term.  I am certainly not saying I know your student better than you but I just ask you to please push your student to continue, to push through the discomfort because I know from experience and from the thousands of testimonies over the years that what our students accomplish throughout band camp, individually and as a team, proves to be one of the greatest and most worthwhile things they’ve ever experienced despite simultaneously being the most challenging.  Discomfort is a catalyst for growth!  If they’re comfortable the whole time, they’re not really growing.  Every morning, afternoon (inside), and evening session is very important – it is scheduled very carefully with each step part of the next.  The preparation I’ve been mentioning in messages throughout the summer will help – especially HYDRATION – it’s HUGE!  Students should be drinking water ALL THROUGHOUT the day, EVERY day.  Throughout this experience, we will teach your student(s) so much more than the marching and music, but we can only teach them if they are there.  It will be very important they understand they are part of something that requires them to fill their part – that missing doesn’t just hold them back – it holds everyone else back, too.   Please understand we cannot re-create the group instruction and repetitions required for students to stay on par with the two-week curriculum, particularly for the short time we will have additional staff with us.  So, again, I ask you to please trust us to care for each student.  We will push them, often with tough love and delayed gratification.  We will have a few parents, including a nurse, on hand to assist any extenuating needs.  There will be ample breaks and varied mental and physical activities.  We will be aware of the weather and of course we will be in the heat with the students with a system in place to address the varying abilities of our students.  We will NOT be outside in the sun during the hottest part of the day.  Still, it’s going to be a challenging but awesome two weeks!  And finally, parents, please COME – we invite you and ask you to come.  Don’t just come sit in your cars looking from a distance as you can’t tell what’s really going on, but rather bring a lawn chair and come observe/listen (at any time) to what your student is going to experiencing.  Thank you for reading in lieu of meeting.

A few clarifications:

• Students will need to bring lunch and ALREADY full ice water for both weeks of camp (+ the other things listed in the camp letter.  We provide dinner second week of camp.
• If you are a mellophone, baritone, or tuba player (or spoke to me about needing an instrument) you should already have your instrument from auditions.  But if you don’t have an instrument for some reason, please let me know. I am on break but will try to work with you or get you with a student  leader.
• Percussion and Color Guard students have been working twice a week all summer. Section leaders for wind students have been reaching out to their section members this summer about getting  together. If you are a wind student, and haven’t heard from them or someone in your section about getting together, please reach out to them directly. Numbers/contact info (some have used social media) were to be shared during auditions. We literally took 15 minutes on the first day exchanging info. .

Now – Please be sure you read absolutely everything in the letter – a lot of planning, time, and energy has been put in to preparing it thoroughly so everyone is well-informed and prepared.

Here is a list of the incredible staff who will be working with your students during camps.  Our program is fortunate to be able to bring in talented folks year-round and specially for our camps.  You can read bios of our highly qualified “regular staff”, including myself, on our leadership page if you haven’t already, when it is back up and running soon.  The forms referred to in the attached letter are on the website so we will let everyone know when the site is accessible again.

Regularly employed staff:
Dennis Crosby – Percussion Program Coordinator, Battery Instructor & Music Arranger (Gateway Indoor Percussion, Music City Drum Corps)
Leah Farris – Front Ensemble Percussion Instructor (Bachelors of Music in Education, UNA)

Hollyn Occhiline – Color Guard Program Coordinator, Instructor (Northeast Independent Winter Guard)
Hannah Brower – Color Guard / Visual Instructor (JSU, Phantom Regiment, Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps)
Katy Souder – General operations, Brass instructor, Color Guard Sponsor (UNA, UAH, Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps)

Band Camp staff:

*All of the above staff plus the following:

Nick Murphy – Brass (UNA, Florence City Schools)
Tyler Gean – Brass (UNA)
Wade Dillingham – Woodwinds – Saxes/Clarinets (UNA + currently in grad school out west)
Mary Barnes – Woodwinds – Flutes/Saxes (UNA, Buckhorn Band grad)

Angelo Sandoval – Percussion (UNA)

Show Production Staff:
Dennis Eveland – Wind Music Composition/Arrangements – Laredo, Texas (Marching Show Concepts, Grand Mesa Music Publishers, TRN Music Publishers, C.L. Barnhouse Company, Director of Bands @ Los Obispos Middle School, married with children.)
Dennis Crosby – Battery Percussion Music Arrangements – Moulton, Alabama (Professional Sound Engineer, previously for Sutherland Sight & Sound and Sweet Tree Productions; Professional percussionist and pianist, studied at University of North Alabama; taught percussion with Music City Drum Corps and multiple high schools; married with 1 year old baby girl.)
Brandon Dodge – Front Ensemble Percussion Music Arrangements -Previously Atlanta, Georgia (currently on percussion staff with Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps), studying Doctor of Musical Arts at University of Cincinnati.
Andy Tye – Show Production Drill Writer – Brass Caption Head for Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps (06-07), heavily involved in the marching arts as a teacher & designer, teaches as instructor at Carmel HS, IN, highly desired for his show drill expertise; married with kids)

Jacob Souder
Director of Bands
Buckhorn High School
256-851-3300 ext. 21142

This email has been sent via Charms Office Assistant on behalf of:

Buckhorn High School Band
4123 Winchester Road
New Market, AL 35761