Marching Band Camp

Mon. 8/18 – Section Leaders & Drum Majors report to campus (see housing & meal details below)

Tues. 8/19 – FULL BAND REPORTS TO CAMPUS (see housing & meal details below)

2:00p – 4:00p – Band Members w/ Fall Housing Assignments move into Rich Hall

–Be sure to also complete the following before 6:30p:

• 2:00p – 5:00p – All Winds and Percussion should get fitted for a uniform during this time
  • Fittings will happen at 855 Commonwealth Ave (CFA) Rm 165
• 5:00p – Dinner Begins at West Campus Dining Hall (next to Rich Hall!)
  • Feel free to eat at the dining hall (provided by the Band), or if you prefer, a restaurant in the area on your own
• 6:00p – Check in for attendance at the Band Room (300W Babcock St.)

6:30p – Full Band Welcome Meeting – the official start of Band Camp! (Band Room, 300W Babcock St.)
7:00p – Rehearsal Begins
9:00p – Rehearsal Ends

Weds. 8/20 – Full Day Rehearsal

Thurs. 8/21 – Full Day Rehearsal

Fri. 8/22 – Move out of Rich Hall and move into Fall Dorms, for those who have them*

*Rehearsal resumes in afternoon (time TBD)

Sat. 8/23 – Full Day Rehearsal

Sun. 8/24 – Full Day Rehearsal

During Orientation Week, BU Freshmen will attend Orientation with the rest of the Freshmen class. The Band will have some commitments and performances, but BU Freshmen will have an uninterrupted Orientation experience without missing Band rehearsals.

Band Commitments During Orientation Week (updated 8/10):

See “Marching Band Calendar” (linked below) for times & details

Mon. 8/25 – Opening Session Performance, morning – (Does not include BU Freshmen, Battery, Pit, or Guard) **Non-BU Freshmen WINDS need black pants**

Tues 8/26 – Marching Band evening rehearsal 6:30-9:00p – (includes BU Freshmen & All Sections)

Wed. 8/27 – BU Bands Info Session Performances, afternoon – (Does not include BU Freshmen, Battery, Pit, or Guard)

Thurs. 8/28 – BU Bands Experience Day, afternoon – (Does not include BU Freshmen, Battery, Pit, or Guard)

Thurs. 8/28 – Marching Band evening rehearsal 6:30-9:00p – (includes BU Freshmen & All Sections)

Fri. 8/29 – Day off

Sat. 8/30 – Guard & Percussion sectionals 10-11a – (includes BU Freshmen)

Sat. 8/30 – Marching Band rehearsal 11a-2p – (includes BU Freshmen & All Sections)

No events for the rest of the weekend.

Participation in the BU Marching Band, Pep Band, Winter Guard, and Winter Drumline is open to students from area colleges who do not have a similar ensemble available to them at their school. Know anyone?? Help spread the word!

Note to Non-Degree Students (Non-BU Students): Be sure to complete this process as early as possible this summer to get your ID card, etc. – we’ve heard it’s been taking longer with the new registration system.

HOUSING FOR ON-CAMPUS STUDENTS: During Band Camp, BU Fall Housing Assignments will be unavailable. Therefore, students with BU Fall Housing Assignments will be housed in temporary housing (Rich Hall, 277 Babcock St.) during Band Camp until Fri. 8/22. On Fri. 8/22, Band Camp rehearsals will pause and you will be provided ample time to move out of temporary housing and into your Fall Housing. Rehearsal will resume later that day (Fri 8/22).

**You will not need to schedule a day/time to move in to your Fall Dorm – this is taken care of via the Band Office.**

• JULY 31 DEADLINE:
  To ensure you receive band camp housing, complete the join form by July 31; late joiners must email bands@bu.edu.

HOUSING FOR OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS: For Band Camp & Orientation Week Performances, students who will be living off-campus in the fall or who attend other universities must make their own plans for living arrangements since BU Housing only has space for fall semester on-campus students. Since attendance at Band Camp is necessary, please use all of your resources to secure a place to sleep & shower until you can move into your off-campus housing. Contact bands@bu.edu if you have exhausted all of your resources and need ideas. Anyone who must move into off-campus apartments or dorms at other universities will be allowed to do so when needed.

Meals will be provided for all Marching Band members who do not have Unlimited BU Meal plans. Meals will also be provided for off-campus students and non-BU (non-degree) students. Meals are provided in the Dining Halls, where dietary restrictions can be met. The first meal provided for leadership will breakfast on Mon. 8/18. The first meal provided for ALL MEMBERS at Band Camp will be Dinner on Tues. 8/19 and the last meal provided for all members will be Dinner on Sun. 8/24. For students living On-Campus beyond Sun. 8/24, meals will continue to be covered until meal plans start on Fri. 8/29.

BU Students living off-campus and non-degree students will be on own for meals starting Mon. 8/25.

Marching Band fees vary by what you need. Please pay your fee prior to Band Camp. Financial assistance is available for those in need (see fee page for info). The link to pay your Marching Band fee can be found here.

For the end of Band Camp, each section will need the following for a casual stand-still performance on Sunday 8/24. Some items you provide on your own, and others can be purchased through “Marching Band Fees” (above).

WINDS: Red BU Bands polo shirt, casual shorts of any color (no gym shorts for performance), any shoes, and all-black pants of any style with no stripes or logos (black pants are only for non-BU Freshmen, for separate performance on Monday 8/25).

PERCUSSION: Red BU Bands polo shirt, casual shorts of any color (no gym shorts for performance), and any shoes.

GUARD: Black shirts, black shorts. Email Guard Director Casey Saitow with questions (cwsaitow@gmail.com).

Woodwinds & Brass: If you are a brand-new member or a returning member playing a different instrument than last year, please submit your One-Sheet recording by the end of the day on Friday 8/15. Directions for submission are on the One-Sheets themselves. If you’re playing the same instrument in Pep Band, you only need to submit this once and it will count for both groups. Email Aaron Goldberg, director (agold@bu.edu) if you are having difficulty finding an instrument or have any questions.

Click to view the Marching Band Google Calendar. This calendar is currently subject to change, but will be mostly final by Band Camp.

We highly recommend syncing the Marching Band calendar to your personal calendar. This way, you’ll always have the most up-to-date times, locations, and rehearsal content at your fingertips. Our season consists of rehearsals on Tues/Thurs evenings from 6:30-9:00 PM (you can miss rehearsal for mandatory labs or exams by communicating proactively with the Staff), and typically one Marching Band event each weekend – either a rehearsal, or a short rehearsal + show performance. The season ends on November 4, about five weeks prior to final exams.

See Marching Band FAQ’s to have your questions answered.

Feel free to email bands@bu.edu if you have any questions at all!