Freshman Camp 2002
The first day of the Freshman Camp was one of the better days of Summer Band. The first day we slowly began to gather in the band hall at about 6:30am till about 7:00am to begin our marching band experience. When I had arrived I was greeted by the Head Drum Major (Kasey Childers, the band director's daughter).
"Who are you?" she asked when I stepped out of the car.
"Mike," I said to her.
She says, "Mike Henson!? Wow, I have heard a lot about you. Congratulations on second chair."
"Thanks," I say and walk into the brand new band hall built onto our school. Inside there are only about three people already there, so I decide to go back outside to wait on some friends. After a couple of minutes of waiting, Michael Scott gets out of his mom's car and walks over to me and we talk a little while until he goes inside.
Later, when everybody arrives, Mr. Childers starts introducing the staff members and drum majors to us. Our drum majors for the year were: Kasey Childers (Head Drum Major) and Karmon Benbrook (Assistant Drum Major). After the introductions, we began to learn the basic things needed to know to march in our Marching Band.
Here I am going to explain the things that we learned that morning.
Position of Attention
-Feet should remain together at all times to look neat and uniform
-Stomach should be sucked in to help with better posture
-Shoulders should be pulled back to make you taller
-Chin should remain up at all times to "make you look honourable." We all know it's really to keep you from looking at the dots on the ground
Assuming the Positions of Attention (this is where we get to yell as follows)
Drum Major: Assume the positions of attention! FEET!
Band: TOGETHER!
DM: STOMACH!
B: IN!
DM: SHOULDERS!
B: BACK!
DM: CHIN!
B: UP!
DM: EYES!
B: WITH PRIDE!
DM: EYES!
B: WITH PRIDE!
DM: EYES!!!!!
B: WITH PRIDE!!!!!
Band Ten Hut
This is where the entire band immediately comes to attention. This is the standard position for all times when not playing.
Band Ra-Heat Hace
Right facing command. Counts are "1, 2."
Band Lay-Oft Hace
Left facing command. Counts are "1, 2."
Band Horns Up
This is the command the drum majors give for us to put our horns up to our mouths (playing position). Counts are "hit, in."
Band Horns Down
Command given for the horns to go back into Attention. Counts are "out, down."
Band Abahoot Hace
Turn around command. Counts are "1, 2, 3."
After we were taught all the basic commands, we all sat down in a big circle in the band hall and played this game where one person says their name and something about them, then the next person, ect. We started with the Assistant Drum Major Karmon.
"I'm Karmon and I'm cool," she said.
When it came to be my turn, I yawned (quite by accident) and said, "I'm Mike and I'm tired." Everybody thought it was kind of funny. I was too tired to really pay attention so I had some trouble remembering some of the people's names.
After that we learned this warm-up like song to do. It goes as follows:
DM: Hello!
B: Hello!
DM: My name is Joe. I have a house, three kids, and one spouse. And I work…
B: Where do you work?
DM: in a button factory, and one day...
B: One day!
DM: my boss came up to me and said, "Hey Joe! Are you busy?
B: I said, "No."
DM: He said, "Then push this button with your left elbow!" (you move your left arm back and forth until you are done)
And it goes on like that changing from the right elbow (move both arms), to the left knee bone (move both arms and left leg), to the right knee bone (move both arms and both legs). And at the very end, when the boss asks if you are busy you say, "YES!" and then you can stop.
I would say that the morning of that day was fun.
After we came back from lunch, we spent the rest of the day playing the music for the show and the stand tunes.
The first day of the Freshman Camp was one of the better days of Summer Band. The first day we slowly began to gather in the band hall at about 6:30am till about 7:00am to begin our marching band experience. When I had arrived I was greeted by the Head Drum Major (Kasey Childers, the band director's daughter).
"Who are you?" she asked when I stepped out of the car.
"Mike," I said to her.
She says, "Mike Henson!? Wow, I have heard a lot about you. Congratulations on second chair."
"Thanks," I say and walk into the brand new band hall built onto our school. Inside there are only about three people already there, so I decide to go back outside to wait on some friends. After a couple of minutes of waiting, Michael Scott gets out of his mom's car and walks over to me and we talk a little while until he goes inside.
Later, when everybody arrives, Mr. Childers starts introducing the staff members and drum majors to us. Our drum majors for the year were: Kasey Childers (Head Drum Major) and Karmon Benbrook (Assistant Drum Major). After the introductions, we began to learn the basic things needed to know to march in our Marching Band.
Here I am going to explain the things that we learned that morning.
Position of Attention
-Feet should remain together at all times to look neat and uniform
-Stomach should be sucked in to help with better posture
-Shoulders should be pulled back to make you taller
-Chin should remain up at all times to "make you look honourable." We all know it's really to keep you from looking at the dots on the ground
Assuming the Positions of Attention (this is where we get to yell as follows)
Drum Major: Assume the positions of attention! FEET!
Band: TOGETHER!
DM: STOMACH!
B: IN!
DM: SHOULDERS!
B: BACK!
DM: CHIN!
B: UP!
DM: EYES!
B: WITH PRIDE!
DM: EYES!
B: WITH PRIDE!
DM: EYES!!!!!
B: WITH PRIDE!!!!!
Band Ten Hut
This is where the entire band immediately comes to attention. This is the standard position for all times when not playing.
Band Ra-Heat Hace
Right facing command. Counts are "1, 2."
Band Lay-Oft Hace
Left facing command. Counts are "1, 2."
Band Horns Up
This is the command the drum majors give for us to put our horns up to our mouths (playing position). Counts are "hit, in."
Band Horns Down
Command given for the horns to go back into Attention. Counts are "out, down."
Band Abahoot Hace
Turn around command. Counts are "1, 2, 3."
After we were taught all the basic commands, we all sat down in a big circle in the band hall and played this game where one person says their name and something about them, then the next person, ect. We started with the Assistant Drum Major Karmon.
"I'm Karmon and I'm cool," she said.
When it came to be my turn, I yawned (quite by accident) and said, "I'm Mike and I'm tired." Everybody thought it was kind of funny. I was too tired to really pay attention so I had some trouble remembering some of the people's names.
After that we learned this warm-up like song to do. It goes as follows:
DM: Hello!
B: Hello!
DM: My name is Joe. I have a house, three kids, and one spouse. And I work…
B: Where do you work?
DM: in a button factory, and one day...
B: One day!
DM: my boss came up to me and said, "Hey Joe! Are you busy?
B: I said, "No."
DM: He said, "Then push this button with your left elbow!" (you move your left arm back and forth until you are done)
And it goes on like that changing from the right elbow (move both arms), to the left knee bone (move both arms and left leg), to the right knee bone (move both arms and both legs). And at the very end, when the boss asks if you are busy you say, "YES!" and then you can stop.
I would say that the morning of that day was fun.
After we came back from lunch, we spent the rest of the day playing the music for the show and the stand tunes.
