Band Camp

In spite of my distaste (MOUNTAIN MAMA- I WAS NEVER A BAND GEEK IN A FORMER LIFE!) for marching band, my career as an elementary music teacher would not have existed without moments of band camp geekery. This post is about observations made and lessons learned.

High School- band camp lessons learned-

Your legs do not look better if you leave the Nair on longer. In fact the opposite is true. Happily it was my best friend you can ask about this and not me. I've been a stubbly legged doofus all of my hair growing life.

Maybe steer clear of the girl who likes to give massages all the time. (not that there's anything wrong with that)

The instructors had WAY MORE FUN than we did.

It's easier to direct the band than it is to carry an instrument- you don't have to carry all that crap around and remember what notes to play- you also get to hear a little more of what the instructors are laughing at.




College- band camp lessons learned-

As a music education major (in college), one semester of marching band was mandatory. I did it in my sophomore year and realized through observation that there was a level of band geekery that I would NEVER go to.

Click here for an article on Dawn "Grandma" West who has been a member of the Mountaineer Marching band for 26 years. (not that there's anything wrong with that.)

After college I got a job as a junior high band director and had band geekery on two levels. One as the band director and the other as a lowly camp instructor. Most of the lessons learned were as the instructor rather than the person in charge.

Band directors that behave as though they are martyrs (weeping and saying "can't you guys do this for me") should be reported to Child Protective Services.

There was (and probably still is) a good reason for WV to establish anit-hazing rules in the public schools.

If you don't drink enough water, you will get a UTI and end up in the emergency room.

There are still creepy camp instructors who hit on young girls and believe that proper punishment for disrespect is cleaning toilets with a toxic combination of chemicals. (as an aside- Parents, trust your instincts. If the sleazy looking trumpet instructor looks like he might be a child predator, keep your kid away from him no matter what his references are or how well his students play.)

I have never laughed harder in my life than in the after hours with other band camp instructors. Never. Take a good knit night laugh and times it by 100. (But NEVER with the creepy camp instructors)

At one point I found myself with a group of band people that were way too intense. I mean seriously- We were standing on a hill about 50 feet above the field and the director was screaming at a kid to move 2 inches to the left in a 100 yard field. This nonsense was not for me. I was always the funny one walking on the field keeping kids morale up and the drama down. More than one kid got in trouble for laughing with me but no one ever cared.

High school kids will gladly march perfectly if you carry around music note stickers. They will be sad and jealous of their friends if they don't get one.

For the seven years I was the person in charge of 40 junior high band kids, I learned that junior high kids CRACK ME UP and that I was not perhaps the greatest music educator with them because I enjoyed their company too much.




When you are no longer a band director leading junior high kids in parades, it takes about 5 years of going to the occasional parade before you can stop laughing at the insanity of the job you used to have.

These days my only connection with band geekery comes in the form of teaching kids to play their instruments in the first year. This is magical. It's their step out of childhood and into something a little bigger. I do cringe though when, once they are able to play a note or two, I see them trying to march and play at the same time. One time at band camp....

Hey- here's an idea- I know that at least one or two of you have a favorite band camp story. Don't be shy- you can even post as anonymous- don't worry about the comment length- just share a story- then come back and see if anyone else did.