What is Band Camp?

Band camp is a time to rehearse and train for the 2024-2025 school year and the fall parade competition(s). Most high schools have a 2-3 week long band camp that lasts from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. Then on top of that, they will hold 1 or 2 night rehearsals during the week once school starts. I don't want to require after-school rehearsals every week, so we plan to have a 5-day band camp from 8 am until 12 pm each day. During band camp, we will get to know each other, practice marching techniques, practice in sectionals, and practice all together. We'll be learning our parade march and some new pep tunes that we'll perform at football games (see events for dates). Band camp is mandatory. This is because we will be spending about 4 hours each day practicing and rehearsing. If a student misses band camp, it's almost like missing 5 weeks of rehearsals during the school year. 

Competitive Drumline

In the parade competition, all students will perform as a full band. We will also have the chance to have a competitive drumline performance. The competitive drumline will be separate from the band and meet after school once or twice a week with either Mr. Jacobsen or Mr. Schofield.  Band members can be a part of this drumline even if they play a wind instrument. This will only happen if there's enough interest. If any students are interested, please email Mr. Jacobsen. 

Color Guard

As you can see in the example videos below, bands usually have a color guard or flag team. This is a group of students who have a choreographed part for the parade. They would meet after school and be completely separate from the band until right before our competition(s). We want to have a color guard, but we need interested students. If you know a student who would be interested, please have them contact Mr. Jacobsen. 

Parent Volunteers

This year we'll need quite a few parent volunteers. We have 26 students in the band this year and we'll have 1-2 competitions and many concerts. I am looking into the possibility of forming a band booster group where parents would be in charge and run it. If you're interested in participating in that, please let me know. This year we will need help at each competition and we will need a lot of help with uniforms - organizing, fitting students, caring, maintaining, transporting, etc. 

Band Camp Dates

Band Camp will be in the GHS Guardian Building

August 12 - Monday 8 am - 12 pm

August 13 - Tuesday 8 am - 12 pm

August 14 - Wednesday 8 am - 12 pm

August 15 - Thursday 8 am - 12 pm

August 16 - Friday 8 am - 12 pm

Our March

For 2024 we will be playing Hosts of Freedom by Karl L King

Below are examples of this march played at parade competitions by various middle and high schools. 

Hosts of Freedom Music & Recordings

Competitions

Band Competitions are an all-day event. We will leave early in the morning and return late in the afternoon or evening. There will be many, many bands competing - of various sizes and from all over. We will park, get dressed in uniform, warm up, and then line up behind another band and get ready for our performances. Below are the band reviews that we will potentially compete in. 

Franklin Invitational Band Review
Oct 12, 2024
Elk Grove, CA

Del Oro Band Review
Oct. 19, 2024
Loomis, CA

Examples from Parade Competitions

2024-2025 Leadership

Christian Harshbarger - Band President
Alyssa Hubbard - Parade Drum Major
Kaiza Quist - Assistant Drum Major, Band Vice President