CCU Spirit of the Chanticleer Marching Band

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PERCUSSION AUDITION & PRE-CAMP INFORMATION

Audition Weekends

You must attend the audition weekend listed below based on your participation in the Drumline or Front Ensemble. Exceptions can be made by emailing Mr. Seymour. If you need university housing for either audition weekend, you must notify the Band Office (psilvers@coastal.edu or 843.349.6480) at least two weeks before the date.

FRONT ENSEMBLE
Friday - June 13, 2008
5:00pm: Registration (Coastal Band Hall)
6:00-9:00pm: Rehearsal
Saturday - June 14, 2008
9:00am-Noon: Rehearsal
Lunch on your own
1:00-6:00pm: Rehearsal

DRUMLINE
Friday - June 27, 2008
5:00pm: Registration (Coastal Band Hall)
6:00-9:00pm: Rehearsal
Saturday - June 28, 2008
9:00am-Noon: Rehearsal
Lunch on your own
1:00-6:00pm: Rehearsal

For information about the CCU Front Ensemble and Drumline please visit www.myspace.com/ccupercussion.

Pre-Camp (Drumline & Front Ensemble)

Thursday - August 7, 2008
9am-4pm: Dorm Move-in
Friday - August 8, 2008
9am: Registration (Coastal Band Hall)
9:30am-9:00pm: Rehearsal
Saturday 8/10
9:00am-9pm: Rehearsal
Sunday 8/11
2:00-9pm: Rehearsal
Full Band Camp
8/10-16

To become a member of the 2008 Drumline or Front Ensemble, you must attend the Spirit Percussion Auditions and:

Be a returning member, or
Be a freshman or transfer student who has been admitted to CCU or HGTC.
Have registered via the Online Interest Form on the marching band website as a returning or new member.
If you need university housing for either the Front Ensemble or Drumline audition weekend, you must notify the Band Office (psilvers@coastal.edu or 843.349.6480) at least two weeks before the date.

If you want to audition for the marching band percussion section, then this is the site for you! All students who wish to secure a spot on the CCU Drumline or Front Ensemble must attend the appripriate audition weekend. Exceptions for DCI participation and other reasons are made on an individual basis. Earning a place in the either section will not be easy. As the percussion section continues to improve, openings will become fewer and the competition for those openings will increase. That, of course, is the result of an ensemble that has made its commitment to excellence clear. We hope that you, too, will want to commit yourself to becoming a member of what will be a rich and rewarding musical experience for all involved.

Please continue to check our website for updates about our auditions, pre-camp, band camp, and anything pertinent to the marching band. And please make sure that you have been accepted to CCU or HGTC and that you have filled out the online registration form . We wish you the best of luck as you prepare for our auditions and hope that by the end of the audition, you will find yourself a member of our percussion section and ready to become a part of the history and tradition of the Spirit of the Chanticleer and Coastal Carolina University!

Here are some preliminaries you’ll need to know:

All auditions will take place on the grounds of the Coastal Band Hall.
If you need university housing for either the Front Ensemble or Drumline audition weekend, you must notify the Band Office (psilvers@coastal.edu or 843.349.6480) at least two weeks before the date. University housing does not furnish towels, pillows, or linens...nor are the dining halls open. Should you elect to stay in a hotel, here is a web site with information on area lodging. We also encourage you to stay with a current member of the percussion section. This will allow you to get to know your fellow students. Mr. Seymour can help you with this!
VERY IMPORTANT: To participate in our percussion auditions, you must have with you an insurance card or other information verifying that you have health insurance. We will make a copy of that and your driver’s license.
Please make sure you bring sunscreen, hats, appropriate clothing, and water bottles.
We’ll be outside for almost all of the camp. We will try to stay in the shade as much as possible, but it will still be hot and humid--always is in South Carolina in the month of June.
You will be responsible for your own meals, so please budget accordingly.
You must be a returning member, freshman, or transfer student who has already been accepted to CCU or HGTC, to participate in our camp.
Audition materials and other pertinent information will be mailed to you by the end of May. The materials will also be available for downwload at www.myspace.com/ccupercussion. Everyone who auditions will be responsible for having read through, and being able to perform, these materials.
Placement within the percussion section will depend three things: audition preparation, attitude, and work ethic.
All students will need to bring their own mallets and sticks to the audition. Cymbals will, of course, be provided for those of you who try out for cymbals or who are placed in the cymbal section.
Click here if you need directions to the campus and a map.
For information about the CCU front ensemble and drumline please visit www.myspace.com/ccupercussion.

Frequently asked questions:

Can I try out for any of the battery or front ensemble instruments?
Yes. You may try out for the instrument you wish to play.
What will the audition entail?
You will begin playing with the other students trying out for that particular instrument. During the first session on your instrument, each student will be taken out of his/her group and auditioned on an individual basis. You will be asked to play various rudiments or scales, excerpts from the materials you will have been given, downloaded or mailed, and sight-reading. After all the group members have been individually auditioned, then you will be evaluated with respect to your performance within your group and as you compare to its members. If it is apparent that you do not have the skills to perform on the same level as your group, then after the first session, you will be given the chance to audition for another instrument. After being assigned to another group, the process will begin again. Except that this time, an individual audition will not be required, unless the instructor deems it necessary.
Will everyone who tries out make the percussion section?
We wish we could take everyone, but we cannot.
If I can play a wind instrument and do not make the percussion section, can I participate in the hornline or try out for colorguard?
YES!
What happens if I decide that I am not interested in staying for the entire audition weekend?
If you decide that the percussion section is not for you, and leave early (unless you are excused by Mr. Seymour) then you will not be allowed to participate in the percussion section in the fall.
Will my ability to march factor into the Drumline audition process?
Yes. You should be able to capably demonstrate that you can play on the move with control of your instrument and implements, with an appropriate quality of sound, and with appropriate posture and carriage. Obviously, being able to maintain tempo with your feet will be a very important factor in our evaluation of you.
What types of sticks and mallets will we use?
We will use Vic Firth sticks and mallets.
Does attitude factor into our evaluation of potential percussion section members?
Yes, attitude, particularly a positive one, coupled with a strong work ethic will be something all potential members should demonstrate.
Do I need to work on my stick heights?
YES! Make certain you have a well-developed sense of where 3”, 6”, 9”, 12”, and 15” are. Also, most of our accent-to-tap playing will be at 9” to 3”, so you might spend time on developing that height relationship.
What else can I do to prepare for my audition?
Stay in contact as much as possible with Mr. Seymour. Ask questions every day if need be (via e-mail only). Asking for help and direction will pay off a great deal in the end.