Wolf Tyrant Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 I just wanted to say congrats to my nephew the trumpet player. He made the Cavalier Drum and Bugle Corps. It's a huge deal in the marching band world. He was one of just a very few to be invited to join the 135 member corp this year. Thousands from all over the world attended auditions at four US cities. We are all very proud of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flemtone Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Congratulations! You're one proud Uncle, and rightfully so. Play. Just play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Brown Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 That's Great. Should be a fantastic experience. Cool of you to post it. "When I take a stroll down Jackass Lane it is usually to see someone that is already there" Mrs. Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke73 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Congratulations to your nephew! What a great achievement http://www.myspace.com/twoshortrocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Congratulations to him - great job! http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57pbass Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Congratulations... all the best to him... Can you tell us about the audition.... anything like American Idol... seriously.. whats the process like ?? Thanks www.danielprine.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Tyrant Posted June 13, 2007 Author Share Posted June 13, 2007 To make a short post much longer, here's the audition info straight from my nephew: I'm not sure if this is being asked for just for fun or because somebody might audition, so I'll approach it as if it were the latter. This coming year the auditions will be similar to how mine was the past year. There will be three entry-level audition camps--one in Houston, one in Atlanta, and one in Chicago. There are also going to be some pre-audition camps to help prospective members get a better understanding of what goes on. At that first audition camp, which is in November (or early December), there are two different segments of the audition: musical and visual. While the visual is nice to do well on, they really only care about the musical aspect of your audition weekend. They can teach you all the marching stuff (if you're in decent shape), but if you can't play they'll just give you some advice and send you on your way. It's basically 90% music and 10% visual. The cool thing about this whole process is that even if you're not a good enough player, you still learn a huge amount about how to play well and what kinds of things they are looking for. It's very encouraging and many of the current members auditioned 3 or 4 times even before making it. At the camp you will learn the Cavaliers visual technique and will be taught (and are expected to practice and memorize) a short visual audition, consisting of some drill sets and horn moves and the like. They don't expect you to just be great at their style all of a sudden, so there's not a ton of pressure here. They just want to know that you can physically handle yourself. Also at the camp you are given several pieces of music (sometimes you get them early in the mail). They will work with the whole group on these pieces, usually performing them at a little show for parents or whoever at the end of the camp. Sometimes they're just band standards or maybe even parts of old Cavalier shows. A lot of the time that you spend playing is also spent on learning their techniques and their process for how they develop their players. It's a really cool thing and is pretty unique. Your audition at this camp will be in a room with 3 or 4 other guys who play the same instrument as you. They'll go right down the line and have you play the audition materials, which should be purchased several months in advance. They'll rate you between 3 and 1, 1 being the highest and three being the lowest. The 1's are invited to the next audition camp in January, which is actually the first practice for the corps. At that first practice, or at least at mine, we were given the opener to the show for the year and we worked on it. At this point, there aren't many people left in the audition process. I know that 600-650 guys auditioned at those first camps (there were 4 different ones across the country). I'm not sure how many per instrument, but I know that when I went back for the January camp there were only 32 trumpet players and they were going to take 28 or 29. At first I thought this was the last cut, but I think that at the next practice camp in February they made more, because there are 20 trumpet spots in the corps. For the second audition camp you will play more of the same materials that you were to prepare for the first camp, and you'll do it alone in the room this time. This whole time, visually and musically, you are being taught and auditioned by the actual staff of the Cavaliers, which is cool. Anyway, I did not make it past the January camp, but was invited to attend the WIT (What It Takes) camp this past week, which is where I was asked on as an alternate. I was aware of that possibility and was approaching it as an audition and worked hard between the January camp and the WIT camp because I thought I had a pretty decent shot, having gotten so far in the audition process. Being an alternate is just like being a marching Cavalier in every way, except I won't march a spot in the show unless somebody gets hurt or quits. I will, however, march in all of the parades, play all of the encore shows, play in anything where we're standing still, be on tour all summer, get all of the instruction, etc. It's almost as good as the 100% real deal. But the WIT camp is a really cool thing, and it's only been around for 2 years so I know it'll be something different next year, but at my camp there were about 100 guys who were Cavaliers hopefuls. At the camp we had an entire week with the actual Cavaliers staff, who taught us the techniques and really gave us a taste of what it would really be like to be in the corps. We'd get up at 6:30 for 12-hour days of practicing visually and musically. We memorized a piece and learned drill and horn moves for it, and performed it for the Cavaliers and an audience of parents and whoever at the end of the week. It's a really great thing and I'd highly encourage anybody thinking about trying out to attend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 Now that he has mastered the trumpet, it's time you got him into bass playing where the real prestige is. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Tyrant Posted June 14, 2007 Author Share Posted June 14, 2007 He's already committed to the keyboard. He's also a very talented keyboard player. Probably as good as he is on the trumpet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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