2016-17 Marching Band Interest & Orientation Meetings  

Monday, May 16 and Tuesday, May 17

Band Room from 6:30-8:30 pm

Who should attend? 

·         Current Marching Band Students who will march in the fall:  Meet potential incoming freshmen and rookies to recruit for your section!  Wear tennis shoes, comfortable clothes and a smile!   Bring your marching instrument!

·         Potential Marching Band Students:  Have a friend at Athens or know a rising freshman who may be interested?  Bring them!  Bring a positive attitude, wear your tennis shoes and athletic attire, and bring your instrument, if you have one. 

-  Play an instrument (whether in class band or not)?  Great!  Bring it!  Don’t have an instrument or use a school instrument?  No problem – we’ll hook you up!

-  Interested in dancing?  Twirling flags?  Flipping rifles?  Wonderful!  Come learn about the Color Guard – We train, no experience necessary!

-  Percussion experience or play the piano?  Fantastic!  Come audition for our percussion group!

·         Current Marching Band Parents and Committee Chairs:  Bring your positive and welcoming attitude to mingle with potential incoming freshmen and rookie parents and let them know about our awesome band program! Encourage other parents you know to bring their rising freshmen or current Athens students to learn all about marching band.  It’s always nice to have members of our current band family to welcome and encourage new members!  Committee Chairs - this is a simple and high level overview of the Marching Band Program to encourage people to sign up for Marching Band so just come if you can/would like to spread the band energy and enthusiasm as well as to meet and mingle with potential incoming parents.

·         Potential Marching Band Parents:  Have a student interested in marching in the fall?  Attend this meeting to learn all the important details, understand what to expect, answer all your questions, and meet other new and current band families!

Do I need to attend both nights?  

·         Wind and Brass:  Need only attend one orientation day but are welcome to attend both.

·         Color Guard or Percussion:  Please attend both orientation dates. Additional guard clinics and percussion auditions will be held on Monday May 23 and Tuesday May 24.

What happens at the Interest and Orientation Meeting?

·         Introduction:  Director Dr. Jerry Markoch (Doc) will give an overview of the program to students and parents to help everyone understand his basic philosophies and what marching band is all about.  After Doc’s introduction, students and parents will separate:

·         Students - Marching Basics:  The Student Marching Band Leadership team and current students will work with potential students by instrument section to teach marching basics in a casual, relaxed and most importantly, F-U-N atmosphere!  This hands-on approach will help interested students understand what marching band is all about and let them start forming new friendships with our 160 member marching band!  

·         Parents – Information Session:  This relaxed and informal information session will help new parents understand some of the details about marching band (including how to get information, time commitment, costs, how to get involved, etc.), what to expect, answer questions, and meet other new and current band families!

Spread the word about the Orientation sessions to potential families and we hope to see our warm and welcoming band family there!

Questions:  Contact president@athensdriveband.com