We are already gearing up for
the 2008-9 Marching Band Season! Check back here regularly for
updates! Pre-Band Camp will be held Monday, July
21st-Thursday, July 24th from 6-9 PM at the High School. Attendance
is Mandatory! Band Camp will be held at Lincoln Lake
Camp in Gowen again this year. We will leave CHS around noon on
Sunday, July 27th and return Friday, August 1st, sometime in the
afternoon.
Competitions
The marching band attends at least 3 competitions per
year. Call times are announced as soon as the director knows the schedule
of the competition, usually the week of the competition. (Depending on
the time of day, a meal may be served by the Band Boosters before getting
into uniform). The band members get in their uniforms, help load their
instruments and equipment into the band trailer and board the buses to
leave. They usually arrive about an hour before their performance time
so they can warm up. With many marching bands from around the area
competing, competitions last most of the day. Come early, and enjoy
the other bands! A nominal admission is charged, (about $5) and concessions
are available. Awards are given after each class of bands performs.
Usually there are between 3-6 bands in a class. The band students then
help re-load the band trailer and board their bus to return to Caledonia
High School. They will then change out of their uniforms and hang
their uniforms before they can be dismissed. A return time is usually
noted by the director so you’ll know approximately what time the marching
band will be finished and dismissed.
Indoor Concert
In November, the Marching Band participates in an Indoor
Concert with the Symphonic and Jazz Bands. The Marching Band performs their
show not on the field, but in the confines of the basketball court. A
not-to-be-missed concert!
Parades
The band marches in the Caledonia Memorial Day,
Fourth of July, and Christmas parades. They’ll meet at school a few days
beforehand to practice. The day of the parade, they will meet at the
determined call time for practice and to go to the parade route. The
uniform for the parade will be determined. After the Memorial Day
parade, the band marches to the cemetery and participates in the program
there.
Your student will
wear a jacket, sash, bibs (pants), marching shoes, a Shako and a plume
(feather) all provided by the band. What is a Shako?. …it’s the hat!
Students are required to provide black socks.
All marching band students (excluding Color Guard) will be fitted for
uniforms during Pre-Band week in July. Usually Seniors are fitted on
Monday, Juniors on Tuesday, Sophomores on Wednesday and Freshmen on
Thursday.
If your student’s Marching Band Uniform needs adjustments (bib hems or
jacket sleeves lengthened or shortened), it will be sent home for
adjustments. These adjustments are quite simple and are done with black or
clear thread. Local dry-cleaners provide this service as well for a nominal
fee.
During the fitting, gloves and shoes will be sized if not already owned or
ordered. There will be gloves and shoes available for the students to try
on. It is recommend that each student order two pairs of gloves for the
season.
Please
order the shoe size your child normally wears. Gloves and shoes will be
ordered at the end of the pre-band week and will be distributed a few weeks
later during a rehearsal.
The uniforms and the shakos will remain in the uniform room, unless special
arrangements have been made. Each student is assigned a uniform bag with
their name and the corresponding uniform number on the tag.
Band students
change into their uniforms in the band room and need to be fully uniformed
and ready to begin playing their instrument at the designated call time.
Arriving to the band 20 minutes prior to call time to begin getting dressed
is usually sufficient. Band students should wear lightweight athletic-type
shorts and a t-shirt under the uniform. In cooler weather, long underwear
is acceptable
Our week at Lincoln Lake was the perfect beginning to our
2007-2008 Marching Band season! The camp provided us with great facilities,
fun activities, awesome staff, terrific food and more fun than we ever
imagined! Our dedicated volunteers gave so many hours to ensure the week was
a total success! Many thanks to all our volunteers! The camp staff was
impressed by the level of respect and great behavior our kids displayed! Job
well done, Band! Parents' night was a huge success! We told the camp to
expect 30-50 parents and we were all overjoyed to see over 200 of you there!
The camp staff was not flustered at all. They just kept scooping ice cream
until everyone was through the line! Your kids may not tell you this, but we
know how proud they were that you were there! Your support and encouragement
are a real blessing to them as they endure many long hours of practice in
some pretty extreme temperatures! Thank you for your support! We are already
looking forward to returning in 2008. By then, the camp hopes to have
electricity and a permanent shelter built by the marching field.
