How do I sign up?
This depends on whether you will be marching with us or not.
If you're going to be marching, then we'll just need you to
e-mail confirming
that you will in fact be joining so that we can get you permission to move in early.
In order to secure a spot, you must let us know that you will be marching by July 20th,
2013 (That's a Saturday). If you're not going to be marching, then you don't need to come to
Band Camp, and you don't need to move in early, so all you have to do is show up to the
first (non-marching) rehearsal. You can either e-mail us and tell us to put you on the
mailing list so you'll get a reminder, or you can just check the web page as fall approaches
to find the date of the first rehearsal.
What is Band Camp?
Contrary to what you may have learned from the incredibly educational American Pie
movies, Band Camp does not occur in the back woods and there are no counselors. Band Camp is simply
four days of intense rehearsals interspersed with intense fun. We will teach marching basics and begin
to learn our field show, and schedule various fun and exciting activities as well. You will be required
to attend Band Camp if you plan on marching with the WPI Pep Band.
When is Band Camp?
Band Camp typically occurs during the four days preceding New Student Orientation.
Members living in on-campus housing will move in on the morning of the first day, and Band Camp will
begin in the afternoon. All members who are marching are required to attend. Those that are only playing
in the stands do not need to attend. A detailed schedule will be posted as the date approaches.
Will food be provided during band camp?
The Pep Band will provide no-cost meals during band camp. In addition to being cheap,
these meals are also a great time to get acquainted with your fellow band members!
What are the costs associated with joining Pep Band?
That would depend on what part of the band you're in. All instrumentalists will need a
Pep Band polo shirt which costs $15. All marchers will need appropriate shoes and gloves (black shoes and
gloves for instrumentalists, black shoes and black fingerless gloves for the color guard members). The cost
for these two things is roughly $30.
How much of a time commitment is joining Pep Band?
That depends on whether you're marching or just playing in the stands. If you're just playing
in the stands with us, then we'll have stands music rehearsal for an hour about once a week. If you're marching,
then you should plan on an average of 6-8 hours a week of rehearsal. There are generally five home football games
per year, all on Saturday. You can check the schedule out
here.
During basketball season, practices are less frequent and games are much more frequent. We
generally play at two to three games per week (each one lasting about 2 hours).
Can I play a sport and still be in Pep Band?
This largely depends on the sport, but in the vast majority of cases, the answer will be yes.
If you're marching, you will most likely have to miss some Pep Band practices and work with us to plan your schedule,
but it's usually nothing we can't work around. If you're just playing in the stands with us, however, this is a much
smaller time commitment, and you should be able to work us into just about any schedule.
Do you have a(n) [insert instrument here] for me to borrow?
The Pep Band has a limited number of instruments available for members to borrow. If we do not
have one for you to borrow, we will work with you to find you an instrument. In some cases this means borrowing
an instrument from the Music Association, and in some cases it may mean hunting for a cheap one on eBay, but we
will do our best to get everybody an appropriate instrument. For specific information on which instruments are
available, please e-mail .
I don't know how to march. Is that a problem?
Absolutely not. A large part of band camp will be dedicated to teaching marching basics. As
long as you're willing to cooperate and work at it, it shouldn't be a problem.
I already know how to march. Do I need to attend Band Camp?
Yes. While you may be an incredibly competent marcher, there are many different styles of
marching taught by different high schools, and it will be necessary to 'unlearn' your style and learn the style
that we use. Plus, a little practice never hurt anybody.
I was in a marching band in high school, but we just kind of stood there and only marched
around a little bit. Is that what this is like?
No. We do march for real, meaning marching and playing *at the same time*, pretty much all
the time. This is tough stuff and, believe it or not, requires some hard work. Please look at the time commitment
question above to make sure you know what you're in for. That being said, we try not to take ourselves too seriously.
We're going to work hard so that we can put on an awesome show, but we also try to inject some fun into every
rehearsal.
I'm from a crazily competitive marching band, SIR! We won the national championship 4,000
years in a row and I was the drum major of it, so I'm awesome, SIR!
First of all, that's not a question. Second of all, we're very proud that you're awesome,
but the culture here may be a little different than you're used to. There will not be any yelling, screaming,
self-esteem busting, push-ups, running laps, or other uber-marching-band-esque things. Sure, we work hard and
we want to put on a great show, but let's be honest with ourselves: the WPI Pep Band is not going to be
winning any national championships anytime soon, and nor do we want to. We're here first and foremost to have
a good time, get the crowd excited, and spread around some pep.
Did we miss anything? If you've still got questions, e-mail to ask the officers. If it's a more general question that you think everyone would benefit from, then post it on our 'Prospective Pep' forum on our message board.
