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The Irmo High School Marching Band is a co-curricular offering of the Irmo High School Band program.  Membership, through audition, is open to any member of the Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band or Concert Band.  Students must be registered in a concert band class in order to be eligible to participate in Marching Band.

 AUDITIONS
Prior to the end of the school year (usually May) auditions will be held for the purpose of determining chair placement within the sections of the Irmo Band.  Criteria for placement are technical proficiency, tone, range and instrumentation.  In some cases a student on a brass instrument with a higher score may be placed on a lower part to achieve a balanced section sound or to avoid extreme ranges for a developing player.  If this is the case the student will be informed of the reason for his/her placement.

BAND CAMP
Band Camp is usually held in early August and is required for all Marching Band participants unless there are some extenuating circumstances previously discussed with the director.  It is a time for the students to meet one another and to learn the basic marching skills and the music program.  During this camp, students meet daily at Irmo High School according to a set schedule (you child will have a copy of the schedule).  This is an intense period of instruction and is vital to the production of an outstanding performance.  During this camp, students learn to integrate the music to the marching program.

The drill and music are the focus of Band Camp, but much is also gained in interpersonal relationships and a sense of unity and cooperation.  It is upon this foundation that the polished, finished product is built.

There are also fun times – eating together, a dance night, and a swim party or talent show.  This is a week your child will look forward to next year, and I assure you will never forget. 

PRACTICE
Following Band Camp, the Marching Band will practice on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM while the weather remains hot.  In mid-September and throughout marching band season, practice may be changed to Monday and Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 and on Thursdays (Friday if there is a Thursday football game) from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  Additional practices may be scheduled prior to special performances and competitions.  Please consult the band calendar for the tentative times for these practices.  Students will be advised of these practice dates and times in advance.  Most practices are held in the bus parking lot across St. Andrews Road from the school.

In addition to the full band practices listed above, the drum line and Hi-Steppers have sectionals scheduled at the discretion of the director or staff.  The brass and woodwind sections will have sectional rehearsals on alternating Monday afternoons in August and September,  if necessary.  Sectional rehearsals are generally from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

UNIFORMS
The Irmo High School Marching Band uses two different uniforms during marching band season, a warm-weather uniform and a dress uniform.

SUMMER UNIFORM: The warm weather uniform is utilized due to the extreme temperatures in August and September.  This uniform for 2001/02 will consist of school-code black shorts, a knit shirt, plain white ankle socks, and plain white (non-canvas) low-top tennis shoes.  Only the knit shirts are purchased through Band Boosters and paid for with assessment fees. Students are responsible for purchasing their black shorts, white socks and tennis shoes.  The uniform is worn for all football games throughout September, as well as travel to competitions when requested by the director.

DRESS UNIFORM: Dress uniforms will be issued to band members in September.  A committee of band parents will fit students with dress uniforms.  Please make sure that the bibs are hemmed so that the bottoms of the trouser legs touch the tops of the dress band shoes with a slight break in the crease.  Bibs will be issued with ample hem material for alteration.  Under no circumstances should any material be cut from the uniform for alterations.  In addition to the coat and bibs, each student will be issued gauntlets, a hat and hatbox (except “pit” - no hat worn) and sousaphone players (wear a beret), and a uniform bag with uniform hanger.  Please keep the uniform on the hanger it is issued on.  If a replacement hanger is needed, notify a member of the Uniform Committee.  All band members will need to purchase black marching shoes, black/white glove set, and black socks.  Uniforms will be kept at the school, issued prior to each event and returned after the event.  Uniform dry-cleaning is arranged and paid for by the Booster Club.

BAND SHOES: The band shoes utilized by the Irmo Band are black, Drill Master shoes. As this is a new shoe for the Irmo Band, all students will have to purchase this shoe. As a rule, a traveling salesperson will come to Irmo during band camp week and will fit students with shoes that have been approved as standard uniform shoes. 

CLEAR PLASTIC PONCHO: All band members (including Hi-Steppers) are required to have a clear plastic poncho in case of inclement weather.  The Band Boosters do not provide this. 

BLACK/WHITE COTTON GLOVES: Cotton gloves are a part of the dress uniform, and may be purchased from the shoe salesperson during band camp.  The cost of gloves varies according to the grip needed. 

SHOW T-SHIRT: All band members will be issued a Show T-shirt and will be expected to wear it under their dress uniform for all performances.

INSPECTION
Prior to any uniformed performance of the Irmo Band all band members will stand inspection (6:45 p.m. for home football games, away games and com-petitions/exhibitions TBA).  Band members will be checked for the following:

Þ      Clean, pressed uniforms

Þ      Correct hems on bibs

Þ      Clean shoes

Þ      Hair correctly worn – all hair will be up off the uniform collar at contest performances; girls’ hair ribbons must be black or white

Þ      Jewelry – only watches and own class ring.

Þ      Clean, lubricated instruments – instruments will be periodically inspected for cleanliness, proper lubrication, condition of reeds and pads and operating order.
 

PERFORMANCES  (View Calendar of Events)

FOOTBALL GAMES
The Marching Band generally attends “all” football games at home.  They march into the stadium together, sit together and perform at half time.  Arrival times vary, but your child will be informed at Thursday practice as to the requirements for the Friday game.  Away game locations vary.  Only the Pep Band will attend most “away” games.  When the entire band attends an away game, they will travel as a group by bus to and from the away game site. 

COMPETITIONS
The 2002 Marching Band is scheduled to participate in the following competitions:

          In state competition – October 12, 2002

Bands of America Regionals, Daytona Beach -October 4, 2002

              Palmetto Invitational (Exhibition Only), Irmo HS – September 28, 2002

Bands of America Regionals, Youngstown, Ohio – October 26, 2001

SCBDA State 5A Competition – November 2, 2001

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