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Q&A With WilliAm mAson hs

Auditioning for Drum CorpsUnique InstrumentationThe Role of Grad Assistants

Confidence. Character.

Camaraderie. These are the three

tenets of the Disney Performing Arts

program. The confidence to perform

on the grandest of stages. The

character required to perfect your

chosen craft. And the camaraderie

that’s essential to come together

as a team. And when your group

takes part in a Disney Performing Arts program– whether that’s in a performance

or a workshop or festival– these are the skills they will learn, sharpen and refine,

becoming part of an exclusive group of artists bonded by this shared once-in-a-

lifetime experience. Want to strengthen your ensemble’s talents while building

memories that last forever? Contact your travel planner or call 1-866-814-6610 to

learn more about Disney Performing Arts opportunities.

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Volume 6, Issue 6November/December 2012

ISSN 1939-6171

They lurk in the shadows or hover on top of tall towers. They have

quick feet, frantic arms and growl loudly, especially when they’re over-excited or if you ever step out of line. But what does this creature have to do with marching band? Got ya stumped?

They’re graduate assistants, of course.Truthfully, I was rather intimidated

by them and never got to know them very well when I was an undergrad. But I definitely know how much they did for our band. They made our lines straighter and our sound more cohesive because, frankly, the band director can’t be in more than one place at a time.

The feature article “Graduate Assistants: Unsung Heroes,” page 16, sings the

praises of those irreplaceable instructors who don’t step into the limelight very often.

And so I dedicate this publisher’s letter to all of my prior Northwestern University (NU) graduate assistants, particularly those I’ve become reacquainted with because of Halftime Magazine. Since being at NU, they’ve definitely made prominent names for themselves in the band world.

• Christopher J. Woodruff joined the faculty at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo as associate director of bands in 2006. We met up at Drum Corps International World Champion-ships in 2007 when he became one of our first subscribers.

• Carolyn A. Barber is director of bands at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and joins the ranks of the very few top female directors.

• Elizabeth Driskell is the band director at McKinley Middle School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she teaches 6th and 7th grade band and jazz band. She is also the current president of the NUMBALUMS, band alumni from Northwestern University. I’m proud to serve on the board with her and have learned a lot from her this past year.

Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication.

To the rest of you, I say, go and hug your graduate assistant.

Musically Yours,Christine Ngeo KatzmanPublisher and Editor-in-Chief

Publisher & editor-in-ChiefChristine Ngeo Katzmanchristine@halftimemag.com(310) 594-0050

Art direCtor Jana Rade, impact studios

AssistAnt editorElizabeth Geli

editoriAl interns Samantha Berley, Jeremy Chen, Katie Finlon, Lydia Ness, Carolyn Shaffer

CoVer Photo Ken Martinson/Marching.com

Contributing WritersLane Armey, Chris Casteel, Haley Greenwald-Gonella, Matt Jones, Chase Sanborn, Zachary Smith, Jim Snyder

Contributing PhotogrAPhersLeya Andrews, Connie Chiodo, Michael Duebner, Steve Johnson, Erin Lytle, Ken Martinson/Marching.com, Akarin Mittongtare, Eric Quach, Cassandra Rutan, Dana Young

Web deVeloPersMike McCullen and Jeff GrantIntegrated Communications

AdVisory boArdDr. Arthur C. Bartner, University of Southern

California Trojan Marching BandTony Fox, University of Southern California Trojan

Marching BandAnthony L. White, Los Angeles Unified School DistrictCharles F. Whitaker, Northwestern University Medill

School of JournalismPeter G. Riherd, Entertainment WeeklySteve Goldberg, University of Southern California

Marshall School of Business

Chief teChnology offiCerJoshua Katzman

logo designerTimothy Watters, Teruo Artistry

subsCriPtions:Halftime Magazine is published six times per year. In the United States, individual subscription price is $14.95 per year, and group subscription price is now only $1 per person per year with a minimum of 25 copies sent to the same address. Cover price is $4.95.

Send subscription orders to:Halftime MagazineP.O. Box 15247 North Hollywood, CA 91615

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Publisher’s letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

noteWorthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6“Music for Your Schools” Giveaway; PAS Names New Executive Director; Guards on “Glee”; Hazing in the News: One Year Later

seCtionAls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Hold It for Clarinets; Self-Eval for Brass; The Little Stuff for Percussion; Aftermath for Guard

geAr uP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Fusion Bags; Ever-Jazz Shoe by DSI

regionAls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Calendar of events organized by region

direCt from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30William Mason High School

behind the bAton . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32The College Corps Connection

fitness to the mAx . . . . . . . . . . . 34Audition Ritual

for fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Crossword: “Edible Arrangements”

grAd AssistAnts: unsung heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Practically every college or university marching band has graduate assistants. But what exactly do they do? Anything and everything! By Katie Finlon

gloCks, oboes And Violins? oh, my! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Marchers with unique instruments add a special flare on the field while also posing various challenges. By Jeremy Chen

Auditioning for drum CorPs . . . . 24Interested in being a drum corps member? For newbies, the process starts with the audition, often held during a weekend camp. Find out from corps members and instructors what the process is like and how you can do your best. By Carolyn Shaffer

need more mArChing Arts mAteriAl?

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By ElIzABETh GElI

PAS NAMES NEw ExECUTIVE DIRECToRThe United States isn’t the only one campaign-ing for commander-in-chief this November—Percussive Arts Society, one of the world’s larg-est percussion organiza-tions, welcomes its new executive director, Larry Jacobson.

“I’m looking forward to getting together with the board and the staff,” Jacobson says. “My goal is continue to work on what they’ve been do-ing, educating the mem-bership and inspiring them.”

Jacobson comes to PAS from Universal Music Group, where he worked for 22 years, most recently as the North American vice president of financial services.

Throughout his career in the music industry, he has worked with artists such as Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mary J. Blige, Elton John, Sublime and Meat Loaf as well as on films such as “Pulp Fiction,” “This Is Spinal Tap” and “Leap of Faith.”

“I had been speaking and lecturing at universities and had considered retiring from the music industry,” Jacobson says. “I wanted to get more involved in the creative side of things. I think this is going to be an exciting, challenging and fun opportunity.”

Inspired by his high school drum instructor, Jacobson de-cided to continue with music through college at the Univer-sity of Maryland, where he joined the marching band and became president of his Kappa Kappa Psi chapter.

Jacobson holds a bachelor of music degree in percussion performance, master of music degrees in both Jazz Studies and Percussion Performance from Indiana University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University.

He is currently a doctoral candidate pursuing an EdD in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University, examin-ing the effects of public school music education programs on leadership in the workplace.

PAS is a not-for-profit music service organization that promotes percussion education, research, performance and appreciation throughout the world. Jacobson will also oversee the Rhythm! Discovery Center.

“There’s a great opportunity to inspire,” he says. “It’s a great opportunity for me to be around so many creative people, and I’m going to have a great time learning.”

For more information, visit www.pas.org.

“MUSIC foR yoUR SChoolS” GIVEAwAy

In recognition of decreasing school music budgets, music publisher Carl Fischer has continued its “Music for Your Schools” Giveaway and announced its slate of 2012 winners.

“To some extent, we’ve seen a freeze in our school budget for four years, and it’s been handled very carefully because our administrators are very supportive of the music program,” says Steve Edwards, band director at Falmouth (Mass.) High School. “We’ve been recycling music. I like to keep things new and relevant, but it’s been difficult to purchase or have a piece commissioned when you don’t have the money to do so.”

As one of the winners, Falmouth received a free year’s worth (eight band sets, levels 4 to 5) of music. Band students were encouraged to send photos, videos and essays to show why their band deserved to win.

“I received an email in regards to the sweepstakes, and I imme-diately posted it on our message board and asked kids to partici-pate,” Edwards says. “There was a lot of enthusiasm; they were very pleased to win. They’ve participate in other competitions with me.”

Falmouth’s instrumental music programs serve 118 students in symphonic band, wind ensemble, jazz combos, chamber strings ensemble, marching band and color guard. They compete in the New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA).

Other winners were the Chopticon High School Orchestra in Morganza, Md.; the Palm Springs (Calif.) High School Orchestral Strings Program; Susan E. Wiley Elementary School Band in Copiague, N.Y.; and the American School of Antananarivo Band in Madagascar.

Visit www.carlfischer.com for more information about the 2013 giveaway.

6

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GUARDS oN “GlEE”After featuring marching bands several times, the hit television series “Glee” has given color guard the spotlight, with two fea-tured numbers in the first half of its fourth season.

Robert Morales and 13 other guard veterans from groups such as The Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, Fantasia and Diamante were selected by The Blue Devils guard program coordinator/choreographer and WGI Hall of Fame member Scott Chandler and Glee’s casting professionals. They spent two days rehearsing with Air Blades and filming the number “Hold it Against Me,” made famous by Britney Spears and per-formed on “Glee” by Heather Morris for the season’s second episode, entitled “Britney 2.0.”

“For color guard you’re practicing every day for one show, and you only get one shot in front of the judges,” says Morales, a vet-eran of The Blue Devils, Fantasia and Diamante with 10 years of guard experience. “A lot us of had those same nerves going into filming, but then we realized that we’d be doing many takes—so not every mistake would be shown, like in a final performance.”

The guard members worked with choreographer and associate producer Zach Woodlee, who is known as one of the judges on “The Glee Project” and has received rave reviews every time those in the marching arts have worked with him on

“Glee.” This time was no exception.

Woodlee had led a day-after-finals guard clinic at WGI Sport of the Arts in April 2012, paving the way for this television opportunity.

“It was great working with Scott Chandler and Zach Woodlee,” Morales says. “He was phenomenal; as soon as he walks in, you feel his energy and his vibe. He was so encouraging and was experimenting with whatever strengths we had.”

A week and a half after filming, Morales and nine others were selected to appear on the show again. This time they rehearsed for four hours the first day and filmed overnight the following day for Hole’s “Celebrity Skin,” performed again by Morris with Chord Overstreet. The school election-themed production num-ber had the guard members spinning red, white and blue flags.

Morales, who works as a guard instructor at Ayala and Sierra Vista High Schools in California, enjoyed the experience work-ing on a professional television set and interacting with some of the show’s stars, including Morris, Darren Criss and Jane Lynch.

“It was the highlight of my career for someone like Jane Lynch to be noticing how well we did and appreciating it,” Morales says.

November/December 2012 7

hAzING IN ThE NEwS: oNE yEAR lATERAlmost one year after the death of drum major Robert D. Champion, Jr., in an alleged hazing incident, Florida A&M University (FAMU) and all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are still dealing with the aftermath.

Eleven former band members await trial on felony hazing charges,

and one other on misdemeanor hazing charges. Brian Jones, the first to be sentenced, pleaded no contest to the charges. The judge determined that he was minimally involved in Champion’s death, and he received probation and commu-nity service.

Champion’s parents continue to pursue a lawsuit against the charter bus company and the university, which has argued that Champion’s decision to undergo the hazing ritual known as “Crossing Bus C” as a 26-year-old adult makes him responsible for his own death.

FAMU’s famed “Marching 100” remains suspended through spring 2013. Investigations revealed that at the time of Champion’s death, more than 100 of the 350 band members were not enrolled students and more than 50 members had GPAs lower than the minimum of 2.0. When the band returns, it will be under the guidance of a dedicated compliance officer, who will ensure that all band members are full-time students with GPAs above a 2.0 and limited to four years of band participation.

Despite an anti-hazing website, town hall meetings and a new zero-tolerance hazing policy, various FAMU student organizations continue to struggle with allegations. An all-female dance team, a business fraternity and a professional healthcare sorority have all been temporarily suspended.

This fall, three other HBCU bands have been under investigation for alleged hazing. Texas Southern University’s “Ocean of Soul” underwent a month-long suspension for a hazing investigation that found 10 upperclassmen trumpet players had paddled (but not seriously injured) nine freshmen. Those responsible lost their band scholarships, were suspended from the university through 2012 and required to leave campus. The band was reinstated for home games, but not away games, and was barred from participating in the Honda Battle of the Bands.

The North Carolina Central University “Marching Sound Machine” drum line served a two-week suspension as school officials investigated hazing allegations. The university chose not to disclose whether or not hazing had occurred, but did say that its code of conduct had been violated. The entire drum line was ordered to attend an anti-hazing workshop and complete 10 hours of community service.

Hazing allegations at Clark Atlanta University’s “Mighty Marching Panthers” Band led to a month-long self-imposed suspension. The investigation ultimately determined that no hazing or illegal activity had occurred, and the band was reinstated.

Photo courtesy of Florida A&M University.

8

http://www.vicfirth.com

holD IT!!!By Jim Snyder

Let’s talk about holding your clarinet properly. This topic seems so obvious that you’re probably tempted to stop reading right now. You’d be surprised, though, how many of us get it wrong at least some of the time—including me!

With a few simple adjust- ments to the way you hold the instrument, your control and sound (and grades!) will improve.The do’S. First, make sure you hold it with only two body parts: your right thumb and your two front teeth—the upper ones. That’s it.

Your right thumb holds the weight of the instrument, and your teeth on top of the mouthpiece keep the clarinet from cart wheel-ing over onto the floor. Now the rest of your body parts can relax and get into position to do their assigned tasks.The don’TS. Don’t let your right index finger rest on that side Bb/Eb key; it will open when you don’t want it to, and you will squeak! And don’t dare rest the bell on your knee! If you get used to resting the clarinet on your knee, standing up to play a solo or marching in a parade will really be a challenge!The Tone holeS. Notice how the tone holes increase in size as they get farther from the mouthpiece? Using the proper part of your finger to cover these holes is mandatory, or you’ll slide off that large D/G hole when you try to use the four right-hand pinky keys.

Try putting your hands in position on the horn, covering all the holes, and pressing down hard. Now look at the little circles on your fingertips and make sure they’re on the fatty part. The little swirls in your fingerprints should be almost centered inside the rings.

Note, too, that the side keys for the right hand and the throat tone A and Ab keys are shaped to play with the sides of your fingers.

The clarinet is a marvel of ergonomic design and requires only a minimal amount of movement to use all the keys. By relaxing your hands and putting them in the proper position, your tech-nique will become more fluid and accurate.

ABoUT ThE AUThoRJim Snyder has been the busiest jazz clarinetist of the last 30 years, performing in clubs, concert halls and jazz festivals in the United States and abroad. Jim played for many years in New Orleans, where he was also a member of trumpet virtuoso Al Hirt’s band. He is regularly featured as a guest artist in concerts and recordings and is a staff musician for the Walt Disney Company. His solo CD, “Coliseum Square,” was released on the Apple Jazz label. Visit www.theclarinetguy.com.

wIN

DS SElf-EVAl

By ChaSe SanBorn

As I write this article, we are several weeks into a new school year, and I am working with a new flock of private trumpet students at the University of Toron-to. My first job is to evalu-ate each student’s overall abilities.oBSERVATIoN. At the

first lesson, I simply listen and take notes while the student practices. I encourage her to pretend I am not in the room—not an easy task as my fingers clack the computer keys relentlessly. This observation period gives me a realistic picture of each student’s abilities and the effectiveness, or not, of their approach to practicing.GRoUP DISCUSSIoN. Next is a group lesson where we turn the tables—I practice for one solid hour while they observe and take notes. This session is intense for all of us, underscoring the difficulty and effectiveness of sustained concentration, particu-larly in front of an audience. A group discussion follows based on their observations. This discussion is animated, with lots of observations thrown onto the table.ChECKlIST. Prior to the next lesson, I ask them to self-evaluate by assigning themselves a mark in the following categories.

• Range • Tone • Flexibility • Fingers • Articulation (single,

double, triple, mixed tongue/slur)

• Time

• Intonation • Sight Reading • Lead Playing • Improvisation

(scales, vocabulary, style, feel, repertoire)

• Mental Focus • Work Ethic

They do not show their marks to me until I put them through a battery of playing tests. We then compare my evaluation to theirs. Generally, we are in agreement, though they are usually harder on themselves. At the end of the year, a similar test functions as the “final exam.”

This exhaustive process provides me with a good picture of the strengths and weaknesses of each student. We can then determine goals and procedures for the year. Self-evaluation will help you determine what you should focus on in the practice room. Don’t practice what you can do—practice what you can’t do.

ABoUT ThE AUThoRChase Sanborn is a jazz trumpet player based in Toronto. He is on the faculty at the University of Toronto and is the author of “Brass Tactics,” “Jazz Tactics,” “Tuning Tactics” and “Music Business Tactics.” Chase is a Yamaha Artist. Visit his website at www.chasesanborn.com. Questions about all things brass-related can be sent to info@chasesanborn.com.

BR

ASS

Leading instructors provide practical tips for each section of the band.

10

ThE lITTlE STUffBy lane armeyDrummers are great at working the big stuff: playing rolls faster, learn-ing new ridiculously named flam rudiments, etc. But they often struggle when it comes to the little stuff.

Here are a few things you should try and pay

more attention to the next time you’re working by yourself or with your drum line.aTTaCkS and releaSeS. The beginning and ending of a phrase are critical to any musical passage but tend to be much weaker than the “guts” in the middle. Really hyper-focus on your attacks and make

them aggressive—not necessarily loud, but aggressive. For your drum line to play clean attacks at the beginning of

phrases, everyone needs to approach the drum in the same way. And it is infinitely easier to clean an attack when everyone is “going for it” as opposed to just throwing a stick at the head.

Similarly do not give away a great passage by rushing to the release. So often I hear drum lines play a clean roll and then tick the last diddle going into the release. Staying focused and driv-ing through to the release will make an immediate impact on your drum line’s sound.Buzz rollS and rim ShoTS. These are both easy, right? Nope, guess again.

“Easy stuff” like buzz rolls require everyone to apply a uni-form pressure on the stick, so that individual players do not pop out of the sound. Likewise make sure to define whether every buzz roll is sixteenth note or triplet based. Without that defini-tion, the likelihood of releasing the end of the buzz roll together is very small.

As for rim shots, there are always many interpretations as to where to play the stick on the head/rim as well as the amount of energy to put into the shot. Rim shots are something we all love, but your instructors and judges will love them more if there’s a uniform sound and approach to them.uniformiTy in appearanCe. Finally always take care of the small aspects of your drum line’s appearance. The little things like clean drums, even intervals, well-taped sticks and level drum heights all add up to make a big difference in how your ensemble is perceived.

ABoUT ThE AUThoRLane Armey is the battery percussion coordinator for Home-stead High School in Cupertino, Calif. During the past 10 years, he has worked with various groups including North-western University and the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.

AfTERMAThBy ChriS CaSTeel

I am going to change it up a bit in this issue. It seems as if these articles are gen-erally focused toward the processes of training or competitive performance. However, there is value to be found in what happens after the performance and how performers utilize these moments/thoughts.

I am quite sure that we have all marched off a football field or basketball court and had the following thoughts: “If only I had …”; “I should have done better”; or, my very favorite, “What just happened out there?”

Good or bad, the past is the past, and there is nothing that we can do to change what has just occurred. However, we can utilize the past to make ourselves better performers for the next time. As an artist, we are in a constant state of evolution. That being said, evolution or change does not always come from the positive. In fact, the desire to become better most often results from negative experiences. How does the aftermath process look?CoRRECTING MISTAKES. First, it’s important to realize that mistakes happen; accept it. If your performance was not all that you wanted it to be, then you have some work to do. The bigger the mistake, the harder you should strive to ensure it doesn’t occur again.

Write down the challenges of your performance as soon as possible. That way, you will not forget the details of your mistakes and will be able to correct them with time spent in practice. Most mistakes are individual in nature, so do not expect ensemble/guard rehearsal to be the time to correct them. On the contrary, your errors are best taken care of during your at-home practice time.MAINTAINING CoNSISTENCy. On the flip side, if you have a great performance—that’s awesome! However, the aftermath process is just as important. Your goal should be to make it hap-pen two times in a row, then three times and so on. That is easier said than done. It takes a good amount of time to simply maintain a level of performance, but going beyond requires far more effort.

Every effort makes us better, so let’s not ignore the important opportunities that can be found in the aftermath of a performance.

ABoUT ThE AUThoRChris Casteel has been involved in the color guard activity since 1981 as a performer and an instructor. She has a master’s degree in education. She has instructed several medaling guards for the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC). Currently, Chris is an adjudicator for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association and the WGASC as well as a guest adjudicator for many other circuits. She also holds the position of education coordinator for the WGASC.

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November/December 2012 11

Check out the following cool products before your next practice, show or competition.

By ElIzABETh GElI

Add an extra kick to your guard performance with the new Ever-Jazz shoe by Director’s Showcase Interna-

tional (DSI). The split-sole dance shoe forms to your foot and works for both outdoor and indoor performances.

“The people who have tried it out have absolutely loved it,” says Jeff Dyson, vice president of marketing at DSI. “The first thing we hear is that it’s the most comfortable shoe they’ve ever put on their foot because it’s so light-weight and flexible.”

The Ever-Jazz is made of the same stretchy, moisture-wicking material as the Ever-Dri glove—meaning that it is also anti-odor, quick-drying and machine washable.

“We heard that a lot of the shoes out there were too stiff or weren’t forgiving enough as far as flexibility, so we saw the need to create a shoe that would form to your foot like a glove,” Dyson says. “Since it does stretch, it fits like a glorified sock on your foot.”

The split sole is sewn onto the shoe for durability. Unlike shoes where the sole is glued on, it won’t peel off or fall apart.

“It’s thick enough to withstand outdoors and thin enough to be used indoors as well and not be clunky and chunky like a sneaker,” Dyson says. “It is more durable than any other jazz shoe on the market. We sew the soles right onto the shoe, something that no other company does.”

Available in tan and black, the Ever-Jazz comes in women’s size 4 to 14 (men’s 2 to 12) in whole sizes and medium widths only. Due to the flexibility of the material, half or wide sizes are unnecessary. The Ever-Jazz retails for $34.95 in the 2013 to 2014 season.

For more information, visit EverJazzShoe.com.

EVER

-JA

zz

Sh

oE

By D

SI

What if one bag could carry everything you need—instru-

ment, music, laptop and accessories? British company Fusion Bags offers that and more with its line of soft instrument case backpacks.

“Myself and three other ladies wanted to make our own range of high-quality gig bags/soft cases, incorporating function and style into the designs,” says Nicole Szekeres, marketing and sales director of Fusion Bags. “It was a huge risk and personal sacrifice as we spent all our combined savings in order to fund the project. We lived and breathed Fusion, but it has been worth it as we have rapidly established ourselves as one of the leading manufacturers in the gig bag market, now selling in over 30 countries worldwide.”

Available for alto, tenor and soprano saxophone; trumpet; cornet; flugel-horn; tenor and bass trombone; and French horn, Fusion Bags protect your instrument and come in four stylish colors.

“Fusion manufactures the perfect bag for a gigging musician who needs to carry their instrument without compromising its safety,” Szekeres says. “The bags offer extreme resistance to

scuffs and abrasions, a robust molded base and hard-wearing finish, and a soft non-scratch, non-fibrous velvet lining that cradles your instrument providing excellent protection.”

Fusion’s “Fuse-on” system features a line of laptop, accessory and back-pack attachments that clip on to the instrument cases for additional storage space. “The ‘Fuse-on’ concept is a great example of our company approach to problem solving,” Szekeres says. “How exactly do you carry a laptop computer, sheet music, change of clothing, personal belongings and an instrument to a gig? ‘Fuse-on’ will allow you to attach accessory bags to the main instrument case, so that all this additional gear can be carried.”

And to prevent back pain from carrying all those necessary items, the rear of the case features a “Fusion Flow System” with lumbar supports and a waist belt for extra comfort and support.

“There are many advantages of using a Fusion case: peace of mind, function, comfort and style,” Szekeres says. “High school and marching band students can all benefit by using Fusion cases. These products will enable stu-dents to carry all the gear they need for a gig or practice, hands-free.”

This month, Fusion’s Facebook page is running a giveaway in conjunc-tion with John Packer Instruments. For every 1,000 entries, the compa-ny will donate 50 gig bags to Music Fund, which supports young musi-cians and music schools in developing countries and conflict areas.

To enter the contest, go to www.facebook.com/FusionBags. For more information or to order, visit www.fusion-bags.com or www.fusionbagsusa.com.

fUSI

oN

BA

GS

12

http://www.dshowcase.com

WeSTTradeshows

Jan 9-12—Albuquerque, NM—New Mexico MEA

Jan 23-26—Colorado Springs, CO—Colorado MEA

Jan 24-27—Anaheim, CA—NAMM, the International Music Products Association

Feb 14-17—Portland, OR—All-Northwest Conference

Feb 1-2—St. George, UT—Utah MEAFeb 16-17—Honolulu, HI—Hawaii MEAFeb 21-24—Fresno, CA—California

Association for Music Education

Miscellaneous

Nov 17—Fresno and Clovis, CA—WBA Championships

Nov 17—Menifee, CA—California State Band Championships

Nov 23—Honolulu, HI—Waikiki Holiday ParadeDec 1—Oakland, CA—2013 America’s

Children’s Holiday ParadeDec 1—Location TBA—Southern California

School Band and Orchestra Association Championship

Dec 8—Los Angeles, CA—Los Angeles Unified School District Championship

midWeSTBands of America

Nov 7-10—Indianapolis, IN—Grand National Championships—Lucas Oil Stadium

Tradeshows

Dec 19-22—Chicago, IL—Midwest ClinicJan 17-19—Fort Wayne, IN—Indiana MEAJan 23-26—Peoria, IL—Illinois MEAFeb 7-9—Columbus, OH—Ohio MEAFeb 14-16—Minneapolis, MN—Minnesota

MEA

norTheaSTCavalcade of Bands

Nov 10-11—Hershey and Millersville, PA—Championships

USBands

Nov 10—Allentown, PA—National Festival (Non-Competitive)

Nov 10-11—East Rutherford, NJ—Open Class National Championship

Tradeshows

Nov 29-Dec 2—Rochester, NY—New York State School Music Association

Feb 21-23—East Brunswick, NJ—New Jersey MEA

Miscellaneous

Nov 10—Bridgeport, CT—Musical Arts Conference Championships

Nov 22—New York, NY—Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

SouThUSBands

Nov 10-11—Annapolis, MD—A Class National Championship

Tradeshows

Nov 10-13—Winston-Salem, NC—North Carolina MEA

Nov 15-19—Baton Rouge, LA—Louisiana MEA

Jan 9-12—Tampa, FL—Florida MEAJan 10-12—Montgomery, AL—Alabama MEAJan 24-26—Savannah, GA—Georgia MEAFeb 7-9—Charleston, SC—South Carolina

MEAFeb 6-9—Louisville, KY—Kentucky MEAFeb 13-16—San Antonio, TX—Texas MEAFeb 21-23—Wichita, KS—Kansas MEA

Miscellaneous

Nov 17—St. Petersburg, FL—Florida Marching Band Coalition State Finals

Jan 26—Atlanta, GA—Honda Battle of the Bands

mAjor eVents by region

boWl gAmes& eVentsDec 15—Albuquerque, NM—Gildan New Mexico BowlDec 15—Boise, ID—Famous Idaho Potato BowlDec 20—San Diego, CA—San Diego County Credit Union

Poinsettia BowlDec 21—St. Petersburg, FL—Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg

BowlDec 22—New Orleans, LA—R+L Carriers New Orleans BowlDec 22—Las Vegas, NV—MAACO Las Vegas BowlDec 24—Honolulu, HI—Sheraton Hawaii BowlDec 26—Detroit, MI—Little Caesars Pizza BowlDec 27—Washington, DC—Military Bowl Presented by

Northrop GrummanDec 27—Charlotte, NC—Belk BowlDec 27—San Diego, CA—Bridgepoint Education Holiday

BowlDec 28—Shreveport, LA—AdvoCare V100 Independence

BowlDec 28—Orlando, FL—Russell Athletic BowlDec 28—Houston, TX—Meineke Car Care of Texas BowlDec 29—Dallas, TX—Bell Helicopter Armed Forces BowlDec 29—Bronx, NY—New Era Pinstripe BowlDec 29—San Francisco, CA—Kraft Fight Hunger BowlDec 29—San Antonio, TX—Valero Alamo BowlDec 29—Tempe, AZ—Buffalo Wild Wings BowlDec 29-30—Pasadena, CA—Tournament of Roses BandfestDec 30—Glendale, AZ—Fiesta Bowl Band ChampionshipDec 31—Nashville, TN—Franklin American Mortgage Music

City BowlDec 31—El Paso, TX—Hyundai Sun BowlDec 31—Memphis, TN—AutoZone Liberty BowlDec 31—Atlanta, GA—Chick-fil-A BowlJan 1—Jacksonville, FL—Taxslayer.com Gator BowlJan 1—Dallas, TX—Heart of Dallas BowlJan 1—Tampa, FL—Outback BowlJan 1—Orlando, FL—Capital One BowlJan 1—Pasadena, CA—Rose Bowl Game Presented by VIZIOJan 1—Miami, FL—Discover Orange BowlJan 2—New Orleans, LA—Allstate Sugar BowlJan 3—Glendale, AZ—Tostitos Fiesta BowlJan 4—Arlington, TX—AT&T Cotton BowlJan 5—Birmingham, AL—BBVA Compass BowlJan 5—San Antonio, TX—U.S. Army All-American BowlJan 6—Mobile, AL—GoDaddy.com BowlJan 7—Miami, FL—Discover BCS National Championship

14

http://www.dcacorps.org

In a college marching band of 100-plus members and staff, you have to think

to yourself: How was the drill completed? Who arranged the music for this particular show? Who deals with the logistical end of things and transports an entire band from point A to point B? How do all of the odds and ends come together? Who’s the brains behind this—if there’s only one, even?

They’re like sasquatch—you can’t see them, but you know they’re there. Mike Phillips, a University of Florida gradu-ate assistant for the Gator Marching Band in Gainesville Fla., says with a chuckle that he isn’t often caught on camera because he’s constantly running around and making sure everything is put in its right place. “Pictures of us tend to be rare, unfortunately,” Phillips says.

Graduate assistants—students at a college or university earning a master’s or doctorate degree—are important assets to almost every college or university marching band in the country. However,

they typically stay behind the scenes to make everything run as smoothly as possible. And they’re very good at making it look easy.

mAking the imPossible PossibleGraduate assistants have several things going on at once at any given point in time; they have their own lives and educations to worry about, and they are certainly kept busy in their positions within the marching band.

One of the their duties is to help with special projects such as run-out gigs, says Dr. Brad McDavid, director of athletic bands at the University of Wash-ington in Seattle. “They are my right-hand people,” McDavid says.

They also often handle last-minute needs. “[They] are the unsung heroes of college and university band pro-grams everywhere,” says Justin Mertz,

marching band director and assistant director of bands at Syracuse (N.Y.) University. “I am just as guilty of this as anyone, but often, professors say to a grad assistant, ‘Hey, I forgot to tell you that I need something impossibly difficult, and I need it in 20 minutes, and it has to be perfect.’”

Mertz takes pride in his graduate assistants for being so good and so quali-fied that they adequately complete the task every time. Not only that, but they smile when they do it—and, as if that wasn’t enough, they always come back for more, Mertz says. “I try very hard to give them experiences that will translate to their future careers because it is the very least I can do for those who do so much for me.” Mertz says.

At Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, graduate assistants Ken Will and Josh Boyer had the task of organizing the pep band’s trip to Cleveland after their men’s basketball team had qualified for the NCAA Tournament; director Dr. Richard

grAdAssistAntsUnsUng Heroes By KATIE fINloN

16

Practically every college or university marching band has graduate assistants. But what exactly do they do? Anything and everything!

graduate assistants for syracuse University Bands—John Hylkema,

Allison Thurnherr and samantha Baldwin—take a well-deserved

break. Courtesy of syracuse University Bands.

University of Washington’s band director, Dr. Brad McDavid (center), is thankful for his graduate assistant directors, Dan McDonald (left) and Cory Meals. Courtesy of eric Quach.

University of Florida graduate assistant Mike Phillips (standing on the ground) helps the band with its recent performances during the London olympics. ©2012. steve Johnson. All rights reserved. November/December 2012 17

Suk was overseas. They had to select a band of 29 members, collect their infor-mation to build a flight manifest, coordi-nate travel schedules and pep rallies with athletics, and plan a daily itinerary.

Those might be considered usual duties for any graduate assistant, but they are often completed under unusual circum-stances. “We had to do it all in the span of about 12 hours from selection to departure,” Will says. “I feel like that could have been a pretty solid reality TV show.”

No matter how crazy his experience, Will regrets absolutely nothing. “I learned more that March than I bargained for when I came back for my master’s, but it was so rewarding to be a part of that expe-rience for my school,” Will says.

generAl dutiesUp until 2001, McDavid had a full-time assistant on staff to take care of the miscellaneous work in the University of Washington marching band office. Since the position would never be on the university tenure track within UW’s school of music, no one wanted to fill that position.

Instead of trying to find someone every year, he decided to take the respon-sibilities of that job and spilt it between two graduate assistants.

“Some universities use [graduate assistants] as a glorified gopher and not intimately involved within the program,” McDavid says. “I made sure to design the [positions], so they have a hand in what makes our program so comprehensive and enjoyable.”

McDavid’s graduate assistants, Dan McDonald and Cory Meals, do many things that a faculty member would do at any other university. They help in planning band trips, fundraising and the overall marketing of the athletic department and band.

Along with that, the assistants have the opportunity to completely write a show—drill, music and everything else. “If they’ve written the show, they will run the show as head director and teach the show from start to finish,” McDavid says.

McDavid had been a graduate assistant at Purdue University and Ohio State Uni-versity, and he developed the graduate assistant positions at University of Wash-ington based on his own experiences. The ultimate goal is the same: to make the assistants very marketable after they finish their degrees.

One common duty across the board for graduate assistants is administration, not only with finances and secretarial work but also with helping to oversee student and undergraduate staff and assist in rehearsal setup and breakdown.

Graduate assistants also have the responsibility to take attendance, rent out instrument lockers, coordinate instrument repairs and organize events like alumni weekend, Phillips says.

While at first glance, it seems like a lot of grunt work, it’s all part of getting the absolute most out of a learning opportunity. Many of the graduate students are pursuing conducting or music education degrees, so their experiences with the band prove invaluable for their future careers. And with that mindset comes a special understanding between graduate assistant and director.

“Dr. Suk always holds the best interests of the student as priority number one,” Will says. “He allows [the graduate assistants] to act as a true teaching assistant and allows space to be creative, take chances and to grow as educators.”

Syracuse University recently did a non-competitive exhibition at a local high school that they had never performed at before. Mertz trusted his graduate assistants to supervise loading seven busses with personnel and equip-ment while he met with the hosts of the show. Nothing and no one was left behind, and the graduate assistants helped the bus drivers get all seven busses to the exhibition on time.

“It was quite a sight to see my own band showing up!” Mertz says.

PersonAl bAlAnCeAs Mertz might agree, it’s a relief to trust and rely on graduate assistants that get the job done and done right every time. Perhaps the reason why graduate assistants make sure to prove themselves trustworthy is because some were in the directors’ shoes before.

Will was the assistant director of bands at Lakewood (Ohio) High School prior to going back to school. “There was definitely an adjustment period, but the experience that I gained from teaching at Lakewood prepared me well to make that transition,” Will says.

The common theme for balancing your personal and professional life as a graduate assistant? Compartmentalize, compartmentalize, compartmentalize.

“First and foremost, we are students working on degrees, and nobody is here getting a degree in marching band,” Phillips says. “We make the choice to invest our energy with the program in the short time we are here.”

Joshua Gall, a graduate assistant for the University of Florida, is a firm believer in planning ahead with a schedule that is full almost every day. “If I plan properly, I can sometimes get a little free or personal time on Sunday, maybe,” he says.

Will agrees that you mustn’t forget about yourself. “The ability to switch gears from teacher to student is tough enough, but you can’t forget about your own identity, either,” Will says. “I’ve had to keep reminding myself, ‘When you can afford to escape, do it. Don’t just work hard; work smart.’”

While pulling at least 20 hours a week with a stipend to show for it, having the role of graduate assistant has proved to be nothing short of rewarding. “You definitely have to love what you do and the people you’re doing it with,” Will says.

Directors certainly appreciate the hard work put in by graduate assistants, knowing that they are also full-time students. “There is no way we could operate smoothly or efficiently without them, and we wouldn’t look or sound as good without their work in rehearsals,” Mertz says.

McDavid concurs. “I think creating the assistantships has been one of the smartest decisions of my career,” McDavid says. “Not only does it make us better as a band, but I have certainly learned a lot from them.”

ABoUT ThE AUThoRKatie Finlon is a journalism major at Northern Illinois University (NIU). She has participated in color guard within NIU’s Huskie Marching Band and has also marched snare in its drum line. During her time at NIU, she has been awarded “Rookie of the Year” for guard and “Most Improved Member” for drum line. Katie is also a freelance entertain-ment writer for NIU’s newspaper, the “Northern Star.”

18

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When imagining a marching band, the high trills of the flute, the croon

of the trumpets, the low bass of the tubas and the rolling of the snare drum may come to mind. While the style and dynam-ics of marching music has changed, the typical instrumentation of most marching bands has changed very little.

Now imagine seeing a marching band with oboes, bassoons, glockenspiels or even violins on the field. They aren’t exactly seen very often in marching bands, but some groups encompass those types of instruments anyway. Reasons vary, from added musicality to years of tradition.

gloCkensPielsThe Pride of California at the Univer-sity of California, Berkeley, is one of a handful of bands in the country that still have a marching glockenspiel section. With the introduction of the pit into marching bands in the 1980s, the marching glockenspiel became nearly obsolete along with other marching melodic mallet instruments due to their weight and bulkiness. However, the Cal Band prides itself on the fact that tradi-tion still prevails in terms of having the “glocks.”

“The glockenspiels have been around in the Cal Band for a very long time, way

oh, my!

By JEREMy ChEN

gLoCks, oBoes AnD VioLins?

Strings and electronics at Rice University perform in the Marching owl Band. © 2012. Erin lytle. All rights reserved.

20

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before I came here in the 1970s,” says Rob-ert Calonico, director of the Cal Marching Band. “They were around since at least the 1940s according to the pictures that we have. They could have been around even before that in the 30s. If we were to let our glocks go, our band alumni would throw a fit. They are integral to the band.”

The challenges of having to march glock-enspiel are marked by the fact that the performer is only able to use one hand to play the instrument instead of two like on normal mallet instruments. The glock-enspiel is held in one hand, supported by a sling, rather than parallel to the ground. Similar to the pain issues faced by wearers of snare drums and bass drums, the harness for the glocks has its own stress points; it is worn similar to the harness for a flagpole.

“It’s an instrument that is typically played with two hands, but they are forced to play quite a few notes with one hand instead,” Calonico says. “So far, our players have been able to deal with it.”

Divina Magracia, a sophomore who plays the glockenspiel at Cal, made the transition from playing mallets in a front ensemble in high school and has adjust-ed to the fact that she needs to march as well as rethink the way she plays music.

“The keys on the glockenspiel are aligned vertically where you play acciden-tal notes on the left and the natural white keys are on the right,” says Magracia. “This is as opposed to playing them from top to bottom. I kind of had to reorient the way that I thought of the notes and how I read the music in order to play well.”

The glocks are considered a part of the drum line and do not have their own sec-tion leader; however, as the most senior player, Magracia guides the two fresh-men players. New members have rou-tinely been those with high school front ensemble or piano experience.

“I got the perspective of a teacher as I got to witness two different types of music styles,” Magracia says. “I was a little worried at first, but they have surprised me, and they are doing really well right now playing with me.”

double reedOboes and bassoons are more often seen in orchestras or in a concert setting, but the Apache Marching Band at Arcadia (Calif.) High School incorporates them into the field shows. Recently, the band has become rather well-known for having double reed instruments, but there is a logistical and educational reason behind

it. Director Seth Murphy wants them in the band due to the large size of the music program—the 360-member group includes seven oboes and seven bassoons.

“We want to give our students the opportunity to practice the instruments they are already playing all year long,” Murphy says. “This is so that they can carry over all of the technical discipline that we teach in the spring to the fall of the next year, so that everything remains in continuity.”

Murphy also wants oboes and bas-soons to provide a unique supporting sound for the ensemble. “The instruments allow us to add a different color to the ensemble,” Murphy says. “The oboe has an upper range that the clarinets aren’t able to reach as the pitch of the oboe is between the clarinets and the flutes. The bassoon adds another tenor instrument instead of having just a tenor sax or a baritone sax.”

Arcadia band member Renee Gao took up the challenge of learning to play oboe two years before high school to become a better musician but still felt the difficul-ties of playing a double reed instrument when she began marching.

“It is hard to maintain the embouchure when you are marching, but you get through it,” Gao says. “I think it is pretty cool to be playing an instrument that is not too often played by most people.”

Annabell Liao, a bassoon player, faced similar obstacles but enjoyed the chance to stand out in parades as spectators rou-tinely noticed the marching bassoons. “There would always be people pointing us out,” Liao says. “They would be like: ‘They are marching bassoons!,’ which created a unique visual effect.”

strings And eleCtroniCsSome bands march nearly anything, making up unique groups called scatter bands where there isn’t much traditional marching. One such ensemble is the Marching Owl Band or MOB at Rice University in Houston, Texas. The members pride themselves on their

eclectic instrumentation, making up the identity of the band. This includes the strings and electronics section.

“We try to include everyone into the band at Rice,” says Chuck Throckmorton, the band director of the MOB. “We have marched violins, cello, ukuleles and elec-tronic keyboards—you name it. They add a certain dimension to our musicality that not many bands can say they have.”

Accordion player Victor Acuna leads an electronics section that includes electric guitar, keyboard, bass guitar and keytar. Acuna doesn’t find the accordion too much of a challenge to adjust to in a field setting but knows of the challenges other members of his section face.

“It’s really not that bad moving around with the accordion as it’s strapped to my body,” says Acuna. “What is perhaps different is the way I have to learn music as I can’t carry around a stand on my instrument. The keyboards, though, probably have it the toughest as we had to build special mobile carts for them to move around.”

The strings section, led by Kathryn Powell, includes violins, cellos and violas.The fact that the MOB marches these instruments gives the band a special type of visual representation on television whenever the band is at a football game.

“The cameras will always have close-ups of us as people are fascinated by the fact the band has violins and cellos,” Powell says. “It makes for good television as there will be many people tuning in, and it raises the profile of the band as we have some-thing for them to remember us by.”

At all the schools, succeeding with a unique instrument allows performers to feel an even stronger connection to the band as well as their instrument.

“I definitely feel as if I’m closer to the rest of the band than I was in high school, especially during band camp,” Magracia says. “I used to be in the shade with my stationary instrument while the rest of the band had to be out in the sun. Now I get to suffer the heat with them by going through the same things they are. I definitely would not trade playing glocks for anything else.”

ABoUT ThE AUThoRJeremy Chen is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California (USC). He marched cymbals for two years at Rancho Cucamonga High School before playing bass drum and snare at Upland High School. He is currently a snare drummer and office staff member for the USC Trojan Marching Band. He aspires to one day become a correspondent for the BBC.

22

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After the departure of summer and all of its rehearsal days, bus rides

and competitions, fall brings with it a new year of drum corps. Every season of drum corps starts with thousands of students spending hours in practice rooms, running around town and prac-ticing their roll-step down hallways in preparation for one of the activity’s most daunting aspects—auditions.

the deCisionThe first, and arguably most important, step in auditioning for drum corps is the decision to take the leap.

“I really made the decision to audi-tion for drum corps after watching DCI finals in 2008,” says Lia Huang Morris, a Phantom Regiment color guard member. “I never knew what the activity was until I sat in the stands and was blown away by 150 members’ energy shooting up at me all at once. I had nosebleed seats, but it still managed to take my breath away, and all I wanted to do was be a part of that.”

CAmP AtmosPhereMany drum corps set up audition camps as a weekend-long activity. For the majority of the camp, the attendees will be in a large group setting, working on the corps’ fundamental techniques, such as musical attacks and marching step-outs. These large group auditions allow instructors to see how each indi-vidual fits in with the overall sound and look of the group.

For the visual audition, there is no spe-cific routine to memorize in advance—

rather, it’s a chance to see how prospec-tive members take direction and work on the field.

”We’ll spend time together as an ensemble breaking down a few simple exercises, allowing everyone to use whatever movement technique they are familiar with,” says Christopher Alexan-der, visual caption head for Santa Clara Vanguard. “We use this time to identify the audition criteria and take notes on how each auditionee performs in a large group setting.”

Huang Morris’ color guard auditioning experiences have taught her to adapt to what each choreographer is looking for.

“I’ve learned that in every audition, you must find the best light to represent and sell yourself,” Haung Morris says. “And you must fight to be seen; they are look-ing for fighters. However, I’ve also noticed that sometimes your skill level doesn’t necessarily matter. The one thing all the choreographers have in common is that

they are often looking for people who are willing to work hard and people who have shown growth over the three-day audition weekend.”

indiViduAl AuditionsAt some point during the camp week-end, individuals will be called out for their individual auditions. These audi-tions allow instructors to evaluate and educate the prospective corps members in a one-on-one setting.

“Individual auditions are used to see how candidates perform when they receive focused attention,” says Landon Ewers, Legends percussion supervisor. “The individual audition is not designed to intimidate, but rather to give people an opportunity to show they are confident in themselves and give the staff a great read on what the candidate considers to be their best stuff.”

Auditioning for drum CorPs By

CA

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N S

hA

ffER

interested in being a drum corps member? For newbies, the process starts with the audition, often held during a weekend camp. Find out from corps members and instructors what the process is like and how you can do your best.

24

ConQuer your nerVeseven with heavy preparation, prospective corps members still need to overcome nervousness and avoid making simple mistakes. Here are some tips to help conquer your audition nerves.• “When you’re on a break, be it 15 minutes or an

hour, resist the temptation to play or practice movement constantly; just hydrate and stay relaxed,” says Christopher Alexander, visual caption head for santa Clara Vanguard.

• “i found that by setting daily goals for myself … the nerves subsided a little more every day,” says Meg Highley, brass member of The Academy.

• “The best way to handle nerves is to take deep breaths during the audition and to stay calm and focused on the choreography and not over-perform,” says Lia Huang Morris, a Phantom regiment color guard member. “Also i feel like auditioning is also like a job interview. The more practice you have, the more comfortable you feel.”

• “Drum corps is supposed to be fun, and the same stands for the audition,” says kristofer Borden, a brass member of The Cavaliers. “Also, the more prepared you are, the less nervous you will be, so practice.”

• “Being nervous is one of those things that lets us know how deeply we care about our work, but it is also something that can sometimes get in the way of performing at our highest potential,” says ryan Mohney, 2012 Blue stars brass caption head. “The only way to learn how to perform while being nervous, as almost all performers are to some degree, is to do it more often. Prior to your audition camp, perform for friends, family, pets, your band director, band class, private lesson teacher or anyone that you can find and will listen. The more you do it, the easier it will get.”

• “everyone makes mistakes; it’s the people that handle the situation tactfully that one considers professional,” says Landon ewers, Legends percussion supervisor.

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November/December 2012 25

During the brass audition process, the first part will most likely consist of casual questions about your background, schooling history and interest in the activ-ity. Next, the candidate will be asked to play a variety of ascending, descending, slurred or tongued scales to show their mastery of their instrument.

Then, the moment you’ve been antici-pating: Performing the audition pieces allows prospective members to show off their knowledge of the music and abil-ity to prepare music. Ryan Mohney, 2012 Blue Stars brass caption head, advises candidates not to be discouraged if you are asked to only play part of your piece or are stopped before you finish.

“Do not fret; this does not mean any-thing one way or another,” Mohney says. “All that means is that the judge has heard enough to get an understanding of your playing ability.”

Depending on the instrument and part for which you are auditioning, the end of the audition might include you showing your upper register ability, according to Mohney. “Remember, though, the per-forming group has the final say on the part that you will play,” he says.

For percussion, prospective members are expected to demonstrate a variety of skills. “Candidates prepare a packet of exercises: rudiments and rhythm con-cepts for the battery, two and four mallet techniques for the keyboards, pedaling

and tuning for the timpani, groove styles for the drum set, and various percussion techniques on snare drum, congas, bass drum, etc., for the auxiliary percussion,” Ewers says. “The only section not expect-ed to prepare a particular set of exercises is the cymbal line. All those techniques are taught by the staff at camps.”

The percussion staff looks at not only the skills the candidates have when they come to camp, but also how they apply the information given to them throughout the course of the weekend.

“The staff is looking for a certain level of ability, experience and adaptability,” Ewers says. “While having a base level of ability is certainly important, the staff understands that candidates are going to grow over time.”

The staff does not expect auditionees to know and perfect everything they are taught during the camp. The entire sea-son is a learning process, and while camp weekends are tiring, instructors are look-ing for students who show the ability to keep improving throughout the season.

“The biggest question the staff has to ask about a candidate is: ‘Are they far enough along and moving at a pace that will enable them to reach the goals for the percussion section over the course of the season?’” Ewers says.

Guard auditions differ from the rest of the corps as prospective members learn the audition routines at the camp. The

guard candidates are then split up into small groups to perform the routines in front of the staff.

“It is a lot like ‘American Idol,’ and you never know if you are going to have a Paula Abdul that loves you or Simon Cowel that will cut you,” Huang Mor-ris says. “You also feel like you are being

Get in Shape: The best preparation for the visual audition is physical conditioning, says santa Clara Vanguard visual caption head, Christopher Alexander (middle). Here, Alexander poses with other members of the Vanguard staff. © 2012. Cassandra rutan. All rights reserved.

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26

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broadcasted on national television, and you feel like the whole world is watching you.”

How students control nerves can be a large part of the camp experience. Audi-tion anxiety can reduce a well-prepared prospect to a shaking pile of nerves. “You have all these choreographers throwing new skills at you, putting you under a microscope and looking at every detail,” Huang Morris says. “You have to perform your heart out on these new skills learned in order to compete with the 70-some other applicants, and your body is also starting to become really sore from the three-day audition process. However, you must continue to go on until the end. But it is stressful on purpose because, let’s ad-mit it, drum corps is stressful, and they are looking for people who can look past the crazy cards dealt for them and still be able to enjoy the game.”

It is understood that not every prospec-tive member will be able to attend every camp, especially if he or she is auditioning for a corps far from home. In these cases, many corps allow prospective members to submit videos.

Meg Highley had a nontraditional entry into the world of drum corps—she was unable to audition in early camps and submitted an audition video for the chance to fill a hole in The Academy brass line later in the season.

“When I heard that The Academy was an option, I was really excited,” Highley says. “I spent several days recording an audition video. It got really frustrating at times; I would get to the end of the recording, mess up and have to start all over. Video auditions are much harder than they seem.”

CAllbACksEach corps has a different way they go about giving contracts to members. Many corps do not give contracts at the first camp and instead use a callback system. Corps may use a three-tier scale in order to rate prospective members: ready for a contract if they maintain the high level of execution shown at camp, needs improvement before being offered a contract and currently not at the level the corps requires.

Prospective members may receive the results of their audition at the end of the camp or in the following week. “Some groups will give you a rating at the end of the camp,” Mohney says. “This rating will be based on a scale that they have defined

and will tell you what you need to do. The second way may come via email or a tele-phone call within the next week after the conclusion of the camp.”

PrePArAtion tiPsIn order to get the most out of the audi-tion camp experience, adequately pre-pare for the musical audition. Much of the weekend will consist of learning how one part fits in with the rest of the group. If prospective members do not know their own part, then they will not learn as much during the camp.

When preparing the etudes for the musical audition, start practicing at a slower tempo to ensure the piece is played correctly before increasing the tempo. “Preparation is about more than notes and correct rhythms,” Mohney says. “Of course those must come first. However as a performer, it is your job to take on the role of what you are performing.”

You should be your harshest critic. Practice your music at the highest level of quality possible in order to perform to the best of your abilities. “Try to be as picky as you can about all aspects of performing,” Mohney says. “Some of these aspects would be using steady air from note to note, tonguing clearly with the same strength in the same place and ensuring that all markings are played correctly.”

At camps, in order to direct everyone to the same place in the music, measure numbers will be used as starting and stopping points. Prospective members should number the measures in their music to quickly find a specific spot when requested.

“The saying goes, ‘Practice makes perfect’. Well that isn’t really true,” says Kristofer Borden, a member of The Cava-liers’ brass line. “Perfect practice makes perfect. I would always practice my audi-tion music as much as I could, but I made sure the practice I was doing was perfect and not creating any bad habits.”

Because you will be marching while playing on the field, make sure to mark

time while practicing to make it easier to transition from standing and playing to marching and playing. This will also help for the visual audition.

During the visual portion of the audi-tion process, strong physical conditioning is one of the key criteria.

“One of the best things you can do from a visual preparation standpoint is to show up at the audition with a good foundation of physical conditioning,” Alexander says. “There is a wealth of information online that can aid you in developing a routine that includes cardio, strength training and flexibility.”

Develop a long-term plan for physical conditioning. Drum corps is a physical activity that requires strength and endur-ance. Physical exhaustion creates tension in the body, which can be heard in the instrument’s sound.

Tension may also build up from nerves before an audition. By recognizing this habit before the camp, auditionees can use techniques while they practice to ward off tension.

“Practice evaluating and addressing your tension every day, head to toe, before you begin practicing,” Alexander says. “This habit will help you stave off anxiety if you become tense or inflexible on the day of your audition.”

No matter what, have no regrets. “Don’t hesitate to come out and give it a shot,” Alexander says. “Whatever your skill level, I can assure you that with consistent preparation and a good attitude, your audition weekend will be a valuable learning experience.”

While making the decision to audition for drum corps may be daunting, it is an experience like none other. Do not let the fear of the unknown or the challenge pre-vent you from taking the leap.

“Take the opportunities you are given and run with them; don’t think twice,” Highley encourages. “In drum corps we have the amazing opportunity to wake up every day in a new place with a clean slate and simply pursue excellence,” she says. “Nowhere else in life will you find 150 people working towards being perfect—and have it be an achievable goal.”

ABoUT ThE AUThoRCarolyn Shaffer played trumpet in the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps for a year and the Purdue All-American Marching Band for four years. She has bachelor’s degrees in professional writing and English literature from Purdue University.

28

FJM_Halftime Mag ads.indd 19 10/12/12 11:59 AM

By SAMANThA BERlEy

When the William Mason High School (MHS) marching band

from Mason, Ohio, received the 2011 Sudler Shield in a ceremony this past May, it became one of only 14 schools to be awarded both the Sudler Shield and the Sudler Flag of Honor (for con-cert band). Both awards recognize high school, youth and international bands of world-class excellence. Mason also made finals at Bands of America Grand Nationals for the first time in the fall of 2011. Director of Bands Robert Bass has constructed a comprehensive culture of

excellence in instrumental music, and his efforts have brought on national accolades.Halftime: Tell us about yourself, your music background and your relation-ship with Mason High School.Bass: This is my 28th year of teaching. I completed my undergraduate work at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a bachelor’s of music education and music perfor-mance. I earned my master’s degree at VanderCook College of Music. Origi-nally, I wanted to perform in a military

As a recent winner of the sudler shield, Mason (ohio) High school has reached a new level of success.

WilliAm mAson high sChool

© 2011. ken Martinson/Marching.com. All rights reserved.

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band, but my experiences at UC and in the community fostered a love of teach-ing children and marching band.

Mason presented the best opportunity for [my wife, Susan, and I] as educators and for [our son] Andrew as a student. I began in 1999, and Susan followed the year after to build the Mason Middle School band program. Andrew gradu-ated last year from MHS, and music has been part of our whole family. He hasn’t ever missed a Bands of America Grand Nationals finals. He was in our arms when he attended his first Grand Nationals in 1995. Now he’s studying music at the New England Conservatory of Music. We’re flying him into Indianapolis this November for Grand Nationals, so that he won’t miss it … that will be 18 straight!Halftime: How did previous achieve-ments/experiences shape your role at Mason?Bass: In my first position, I found out that woodwind and percussion meth-ods courses were not enough, and in order to educate students at a high lev-el, I had to take private lessons on the instruments that I wasn’t comfortable with—flute, clarinet, saxophone—to be a better teacher.

I learned that working with people can be quite challenging. Working with the football coach my first year didn’t go very well. I learned through conflict how to handle situations better, so I’d say it was a “people skill” sort of year for me.Halftime: How has the band program evolved in the Mason district in your 13 years?Bass: When I first came to Mason, in grades 6 through high school, we had six different bands and 76 kids involved in marching band. Now, we have 16 bands and 276 students in the marching band. Our administration was unbelievably supportive through this endeavor. We grew from three music teachers to seven in a period of six years. Currently, we have more than 1,100 students involved in the instrumental band program.

All the band directors are invested in the program, grades 6 through 12, and we all work together to create a cohe-sive curriculum. We all attend every performance of every group, regardless of grade level. It is through the support and dedication of each staff member—and one of our mottos, “Everybody, all the time”—that we have developed this Mason Band program.

Halftime: What are some of your favor-ite moments throughout your career? Bass: Having a former student at Fairborn (Ohio) accept a position here in Mason and watching him grow as a musician and teacher … seeing that little boy turn into a young man and become one of the finest educators around.

I definitely have a few highlights—winning the 2010 Pontiac Regional and making finals at Grand Nationals for the first time last year. Anytime you do anything for the first time is unbeliev-ably special. It was especially meaning-ful because it was our son’s senior year. Since he has attended Grand Nationals

every year for his entire life, his per-sonal goal was always to march on the field in finals. After our band’s finals performance, I raced down to the field, found Andrew, and we both walked off the field for the last time together. It was a moment I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life.Halftime: How does it feel to be one of 14 bands to receive both the Sudler Flag and Shield?Bass: While I am so honored to receive these awards, it’s just a product of what

we do. We’re very fortunate and privi-leged to have received both awards. I felt such pride watching our staff and students when these awards were received. There was so much joy, which just enhances making music. The one thing I teach kids—and I say this nearly every day—“Let’s sit down and make music!”Halftime: What is the most rewarding aspect of being a music director?Bass: I’m proud of the family atmosphere that has evolved in our band program. Our program is made up of band fami-lies, not just band students. The amaz-ing support of our parents and the hard

work and dedication from students, parents and staff are so rewarding because when a new goal is reached, it is a celebration for all of us—including former band families—to share together.Halftime: What’s in store for the future at Mason?Bass: We’ll continue doing what we do. We are facing new and different challenges in the state of Ohio with budget cuts and reduction in force. But through advo-cacy, we want to work hard to maintain the quality program we currently have.

ABoUT ThE AUThoRSamantha Berley graduated with honors from California State University, Northridge, with a bachelor’s degree in English and a strong passion for anything musical. As a teenager, Samantha ate, slept and played music for seven years through concert and marching band. While she still enjoys favorite corps, she is currently finding new ways to combine all of her passions through writing.

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November/December 2012 31

Last spring I took two giant strides in my music career: I became drum major

at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and became a member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. While the two could have posed a conflict with each other, I gained a lot of experience in my tour that helped me as a leader.

INITIAl JITTERSI had never been a drum major before. Ever. I had auditioned once in high school and hadn’t made it. I had taken

conducting classes, I had been a sec-tion leader, and I had taken so many education classes that my head spins just thinking about it. Even that didn’t help subside my nerves.

I walked into the audition room where more than 50 people from the band sat quietly waiting. Of course, that was one of the largest showings for drum major audi-tions we ever had.

After the process was over, the adult

staff and graduate assistants spent a long time deliberating. When Dr. Thomas Bough, our band director, finally made the announcement, my jaw dropped. I had been selected as one of the three drum majors.

A few days after being named drum major, I found out that I made the 2012 Cavaliers horn line. I had never been more excited or fearful in my entire life. I would be away from home for two and a

behind the bAtonBy zAChARy SMITh

Being a drum corps member brings new insights about how to be a leader.

College CorPs ConneCtion

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32

half months and wouldn’t be able to meet with the other two drum majors to plan our next year of band at NIU.

However, it turned out that the sum-mer in drum corps gave me a ton of un-derstanding into the psyche of teaching and gave me invaluable experience to apply to myself as a teacher. It also gave me a lot of confidence in myself as a future drum major.

CoRPS lESSoNSOne of the things that The Cavaliers preach and adhere to is the idea of per-sonal accountability. You should never have to worry about the guy to the left or to the right of you. No matter what you do, you need to make sure that you are always getting better, hitting your dots more accurately and playing your music cleaner. I cannot even begin to describe how meticulous, precise and perfect the corps strived to be. That really changed the way that I approach teaching. If I don’t hold myself to the highest stan-dard, how could I ever expect an ensem-ble to do the same for me?

There were times when I was under immense physical and mental pressure. Whether it was 110 degrees and sunny or cold and wet, I was being challenged. These extreme conditions have given me the ability to push through a lot of hard-ships as a student, think on my feet and problem solve.

If something went wrong over the sum-mer, you had very little time to recover, and you needed to know exactly what to do and how to do it in a split second. I have a newfound ability to push myself to survive and thrive in situations where I used to cave in.

As a player and as an educator, I learned a ton about myself over the summer. I discovered new pedagogical approaches and took my teaching to a new level. Since coming off tour, I have found myself putting an incredible amount of precision into everything that I do. I’ve also become a more understand-ing and patient teacher.

fAll fRENzyI had roughly five days after tour to fin-ish everything that I hadn’t done over the summer for our upcoming band camp. There was a lot to do. I had to meet with my band director, the other drum majors and the leadership team, put together my binder, figure out all of the commands, and learn all of the music that we would

be playing in the stands. To this day I don’t know how I figured it out, but I did.

During band camp we worked at a breakneck pace. Our first game was the first week of school, so we had to learn all of pregame and most of our halftime show. Football, school and band were starting, and I finally felt like I was back in my element.

Football games are amazing, and we are always on the go. We’ve done exhibitions for high school competitions, homecom-ing affairs, school spirit meetings, tail-gating and everything in between. I’ve learned to adapt in many different situ-ations because you never know what a collegiate football game is going to throw at you. The ability to think on my feet learned in drum corps definitely helped me through this process.

Being a drum major in a college band is much more than getting onto the podium and whistling off a rock tune. It’s an expe-

rience that really helps give you an idea of what it’s like to be a band director. Run-ning errands, getting equipment, finding people, helping people get home and get-ting everything done on time—all things that music education students should be looking into as they progress through their schooling.

I’m an aspiring 5th grade band director, drill writer, visual designer, fisherman and educator. While I don’t really know what will happen with my life, my experiences as a drum major are all great assets to my future, and I am positive that they will help me in whatever I decide to do.

And as for drum corps, this summer was an incredible experience. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I would nev-er trade anything for the time I spent with the corps this summer.

If you have any inclination to audition for drum major or drum corps, go for it! They are two of the most rewarding things you could ever do.

ABoUT ThE AUThoRZachary Smith is a senior music education major at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Ill. He has been playing trumpet since he was in fifth grade and has been involved with marching bands and the marching arts since 2004. Zach also played trumpet in the 2012 Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corp.

College CorPs ConneCtion

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Your heart is pounding. You are in a room full of people. You know you

are about to be judged and compared to other strangers. It’s audition season.

When it comes to auditioning, con-ditioning and preparing your body are of the utmost importance, just like conditioning and preparing for perfor-mance season. Having an audition rit-ual is one of the ways to get ready and feel relaxed during what can otherwise be a stressful situation.

SlEEPTraveling and sleeping in hotel beds or crashing on a friend’s couch is often part of the audition ritual; unfortunate-ly, this situation does not always make for a wonderful night’s sleep. Finding travel pillows that allow you to bring a bit of extra comfort with you to the audition experience is always a plus. The night before, make sure to get plen-ty of rest. Do something to relax your mind and body, and do not overthink your audition. Perhaps take a bath or play a piece of music just for fun.

EATEating foods that are a normal part of your diet is also important. Eating weird

food can make you feel off balance, un-settled or bloated. Feeling your best is key to having a good audition. Some athletes and dancers have traditional things that they eat before performanc-es, so find something that works for you—maybe it’s carbs, maybe it’s some-thing rich in protein, maybe it’s a piece of cake. Whatever it is, enjoy it.

wARM UPBefore you perform, make sure to warm up and stretch. I suggest bringing a small bag with you to carry extra clothes to warm up in before you perform. Pick a few exercises that you need and some that you like and do them in a set sequence and make them part of your performance routine. This way you will not have to think about warming up—you will just do it. I have seen plenty of people get so distracted during audi-tions that they forget how to warm up.

Remember, having the mental and performance tools at your fingertips is just as important as packing your suit-case and remembering your instrument. At the end of the day, knowing that you did your absolute best is almost as good as seeing your name on the list. Happy auditioning and good luck!

fitnessto the

mAx

After dancing since the age of 3, Haley Greenwald-Gonella thought it was time to try a new art. In elementary school, she began playing the flute and was in the marching band in middle school and for the first two years of high school. She also played the bassoon during concert season. Dance drew Haley back while in high school.

She graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with degrees in dance and English. She recently graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in Specialized Journalism (The Arts).

Haley is also a certified registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance. She draws upon her dance and yoga training when it comes to all things fitness and the arts.

By hAlEy GREENwAlD-GoNEllA

audiTion riTual

Prepare your mind and body for an audition just like you prepare your music.

34

Marching Band has a New Standard

usbands.org I facebook.com/usbands

Register for the 2012 USBands National Championships

November 8-11, 2012

MetLife Stadium I E. Rutherford, N.J.U.S. Naval Academy I Annapolis, Md.

USbandshalfftime:Layout 1 1/11/12 11:47 AM Page 1

aCroSS 1. rapper/actor Mos ___ 4. Long-time notre Dame

coach Parseghian 7. “oh, go jump in ___!”

(2 words)12. sandwich shop of sorts14. Quiet volume setting15. Female graduate16. Bready instrument that

goes well with hummus?18. Club participant19. instrument made of

avocado dip?21. Warning notices24. Before, to a poet25. organization that

monitors fuel economy26. Magnet ends27. new york giants

defensive end Umenyiora

29. Quick sleep

30. Jazz singer Fitzgerald31. ___ a tie (come up

even) (2 words)33. end zone scores, for

short34. instrument in the

Tex-Mex dip?38. Central41. grandiose stories42. georgetown athlete46. nPr reporter shapiro47. Actor Benicio ___ Toro48. outfits for supreme

Court Justices49. Discouraging words50. “My Big Fat greek

Wedding” star Vardalos52. Like the best room at

high-end hotels, often53. instrument good for all

sorts of munchies?57. 1997 best-selling book

“Tuesdays with ___”

58. instrument that’s been soaking in brine?

62. naval unit in spanish history

63. August astrological sign

64. Propel a yacht65. Birds’ homes66. Magazine staffers, for

short67. golf ball prop

doWn 1. Banned pesticide

(abbrev.)

2. suffix after mountain or musket

3. What some seasonal shots prevent

4. Jennifer garner spy-fi drama

5. Campus recruiting group (abbrev.)

6. Up and out of bed 7. Brewpub drinks 8. Bad thing to find in

gravy or oatmeal 9. Like soft noises in the

background10. Leg protector while

rollerblading or skateboarding (2 words)

11. Flaps on winter hats13. enthusiastic response to

“How’re you doing?” (2 words)

15. Forgettable condition?17. ___ two and two

together (figures out)20. Deteriorates21. Tarzan’s friend22. it’s bigger than [giggle],

in chat rooms23. Letter between kay

and em28. Traveler’s stop31. Actor estevez32. “The Voice” network35. University of Wisconsin

uniform color36. Where pirates sail

(2 words)37. Digging tools

38. He sets the example for masculinity (2 words)

39. some metal can be extracted from it (2 words)

40. Takes away all weapons43. “star Wars” character

___-Wan kenobi44. “owner of a Lonely

Heart” group45. Cloud from some

volcanos48. File’s partner51. iPhone 5 maker52. slang for “trains,” to

some train enthusiasts54. suffix after demo or

aristo55. nickelodeon ___

Choice Awards56. Hastened59. grab a bite60. Untruth61. Cheer at a bullfight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20

21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29

30 31 32 33

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38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

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53 54 55 56

57 58 59 60 61

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ABoUT ThE AUThoRMatt Jones is a 1998 graduate of Willamette University in Salem, Ore., where he majored in music education. Since 1994, he has also written crosswords for venues such as The New York Times, Games Magazine and Stagebill. He currently writes a syndicated weekly puzzle for more than 50 alternative newspapers across the country.

EDIBlE ARRANGEMENTS By MATT JoNES

SoluTion

For the solution go to

www.halftimemag.com.

Click on the magazine

issue on the home

page or “Archives,”

then scroll down to

“Crossword.”

INSTRUMENTAlly TASTy

36

Everything you (and your parents) want to know about becoming a part of a DCI drum corps is only a click away.

Learn more today...and take the field next summer with

Marching Music’s Major League™

Drum Corps International • 110 W. Washington Street, Suite C • Indianapolis, IN 46204 • (317) 275-1212

DCI.org/audition

DCI.org/parents

Parents_and_Audition_Halftime_Generic.qxp:DCI Recruitment Ad 10/9/12 2:00 PM Page 1

This comprehensive education tool brings harmony training,rhythm training and ensemble timing together in one convenienteducator resource. It enables music educators to clearly demonstrate for students how to tune individual notes withinchords, so that entire chords may be tuned. The HD-200 HarmonyDirector helps musicians understand how their parts fit into thecomplete harmony of the ensemble.

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