1st time going to band camp - suggestions?

[Shelby]

Hello everyone! Sunday I am leaving for a 2-week band camp and I was hoping that some of you could share your experiences/advice so that I can get the most out of it.

I've heard lots of rave reviews about this camp, my flute teacher is teaching one of the master classes there, and she thinks that if I keep focused I'll land a spot in the top ten flute players so I'm very excited!

My audition piece is the Suite No. 1 Ouverture in A Minor (Lento and Allegro) by Telemann. The audition scales are A major and D flat major and I'm confident about them and have been playing them a lot. I'm going to make sure I have my folding wire stand, some snacks (because the cafeteria is only open for meals and lots of kids complain that they're *starving* between meals) and a notebook to write down good tips I get from the master classes.

Can you think of anything else I should bring or any tips? Thanks!

[James_Alto]

Lol. Sounds like you might end up as a kindergarten cop on your band trip

Don't forget to bring sunblock and a hat - the sun can be really penetrating. Lip balm is essential - and a bottle for water so that you can refill and carry with you all the time. The hat doubles up for you to receive tips when you do impromptu auditions for free

A recorder cleaning rod, and disposable alcohol wipes to wipe down your flute after it gets greasy would be cool. Ultrasonic insect repellent if you plan on playing outdoors too.

Last but not least - bring a really shrill little garklein, or a clarinet reed top, so that you can just pip and screech through it to really drive away those lovely younger people with hypersensitive hearing and overloud mouths

[Shelby]

Haha James! I highly doubt I'll end up as a kindergarten-cop, because all the students that audition get sorted into 4 different ensembles based on ability. Also, I'm not the cop-type. When I babysit the kids always like to boss me around and see how much hide-and-seek they can get out of me!

Good call on the sunblock/bug spray and hat. I'm not sure if we'll be doing any playing outside so it would be good to be prepared! And lip balm... I'm such an addict! haha. I wonder if that's a flutist thing or just me? I'm the only one in my current band that likes to use it much, but I've heard other flutists mention that it's something they *must* have handy all the time.

[James_Alto]

Hope the band camp is a good experience for you. Just make sure you strap your flute onto you so that it doesn't get lifted. That's the thing about these group events.....someone always wants the flute you have, rather than their own oer.

Lip balm is really important for me! My embouchure goes pear shaped after about 30 minutes of playing without it. Vaseline just doesn't cut it - it smears everywhere and just makes it harder to find. You'll find many flutists have their favourite lip balms. Those who don't use any are lying through their lips

[fluteguy18]

I only used lip balm sparingly and that was when I was playing 6-8 hours a day. My favorite was Burt's Bees. Not the flavored/scented/whatever. Just the original blend.

[StephenC]

Hello everyone! Sunday I am leaving for a 2-week band camp and I was hoping that some of you could share your experiences/advice so that I can get the most out of it.

I've heard lots of rave reviews about this camp, my flute lessons teacher is teaching one of the master classes there, and she thinks that if I keep focused I'll land a spot in the top ten flute players so I'm very excited!

My audition piece is the Suite No. 1 Ouverture in A Minor (Lento and Allegro) by Telemann. The audition scales are A major and D flat major and I'm confident about them and have been playing them a lot. I'm going to make sure I have my folding wire stand, some snacks (because the cafeteria is only open for meals and lots of kids complain that they're *starving* between meals) and a notebook to write down good tips I get from the master classes.

Can you think of anything else I should bring or any tips? Thanks!

So how was the band camp? Were you part of the top 10 flute players? I envy you since I have never been to a band camp before.