The Emerald Alliance, as our award-winning marching band is called, is composed of a Wind Section (all brass and woodwind players) and a Percussion Section (drums, melodic percussion instruments, and electric keyboards/synthesizers). The Percussion Section is divided into the Battery (marching drummers) and the Pit (musicians with bigger instruments that remain stationary). The Color Guard provides visual support for the music using dance, flags, rifles, etc. The Drum Major(s) conduct the band and assist the directors.

 

18 Lessons Marching Band Teaches Our Kids: A Parent’s Perspective

 

Signing Up and Fees

Students sign up for Marching Band in the spring when they sign up for other classes they’ll take in the fall.  Anyone who wants to participate is welcome, although Color Guard requires an audition). Marching Band is a co-curricular activity, meaning there are both curricular and extra-curricular components.  Students will receive a Fine Arts credit for participating, and underclassmen may receive a P.E. credit as well.  Details about the upcoming season, including the schedule, will be posted on this website.  Mr. Sutton is always available to answer questions as well.

 

Approximately $17,000 is needed to run the marching band program for a year. Costs include the show design, contest fees, instructional stipends, food and transportation. About one third of this is paid by fees – each student must pay approximately $100, due in the spring before July 1. The remainder is raised by the Band Boosters. (Only the stipends paid to the band directors come from the school. Everything else must come from fees and fundraisers.).  If cost is an issue, please talk to Mr. Sutton. We do not want the cost to stop anyone from participating. Students may also pay extra to go on an officer trip.

 

 

Uniforms

Marching Band uniforms are provided; fittings occur at the beginning of the season. Each student does buy their own shoes and gloves. These are ordered during the uniform fitting procedure. Except for the shoes, everything is kept in the band trailers. Students wear shorts and a T-shirt under the uniforms, so changing is not a big deal. Students also receive a “show shirt” each year.

 

 

Practices

• The practice and competition schedule can be found on the Calendar page of this website. Practice begins twice a week in June to prepare for our parade performances, breaks in early July, then begins about two weeks before school starts. Band Camp consists 6 to 12 hour days during which the main parts of the year’s program are learned. Then, from the time school begins through early November, students are busy Tuesday and Thursday evenings, most of the day every Saturday, and a few Friday evenings to perform at home football games. It is a lot of work, but the kids enjoy being busy and a part of the “band family.” With some time management, it IS possible to also get good grades and participate in sports! Attendance is mandatory and essential. Sickness, injury, or a death in the family may be excused with a message before rehearsal and a note upon return.

 

• Students should arrive 15 minutes early so they are totally ready to begin at the scheduled start time. Especially during the hot weather, wear suitable clothing and shoes (no sandals) and bring plenty of water (eg., a gallon container to leave on the sidelines for breaks).

 

• Marching band practices rarely run late, but your student sometimes won’t be ready to leave until a few minutes after practice. Perfection takes time. Parents are welcome to come early and watch the last few minutes. It’s a good time to see what they are working on and to meet other parents.

 

 

Contests

• Contests normally occur every Saturday beginning in September. The early ones (invitationals) provide competition experience. Later contests determine which bands go on to higher level competitions.

 

• We participate in ISSMA Open (as opposed to Scholastic or Festival) Class D. Classes A, B, C, and D are determined solely by school size. 

 

• The ISSMA marching band competition begins with Regionals. (Prior to 2013, there was a district competition first.) At Regionals, the top 10 scoring bands in each region qualify for the Semi-State contest. Thus, there are twenty bands at the Semi-State contest – 10 from the northern Region and 10 from the southern Region. The 10 highest-scoring bands at Semi-State qualify for the State Finals which are held at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

 

• Family and friends should come to as many Marching Band contests as they can. It’s fascinating to see the band and the show evolve. As time goes on, parts are added to the program and the formations become more clear. Look for the Bremen cheering section in the stands near the center of the field at the left 40 yard line.

 

• Family members do have to drive themselves and pay admission to attend competitions. It’s fun to watch the other bands, but it is common for spectators to come and go, rather than sit through the whole thing.  Schedules are very strict and things run on time; allow time to park and walk to the bleachers. There is normally some kind of food for sale.

 

• Watching from a high or low vantage point brings a whole new perspective.

 

• Detailed itineraries for each competition are emailed to the band listserv a few days beforehand — usually by Thursday. Sometimes the buses leave Bremen very early in the morning.  At other times later, depending on when Bremen performs. Return times can also vary widely.

 

• Meals are provided for the students before or after the performance, served by some very generous volunteers. Check back here about how to become a volunteer yourself!

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• Don’t worry if the bus is late returning from a band contest—arrival times are always estimates.  Join our Remind group to get updates for when exactly we will get home.

 

• When waiting for the Marching Band to get back, don’t park in front of the auditorium.  The buses and trailers have to pull in there.

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Food

Some very hard-working volunteers plan, prepare, and serve snacks and meals to band members, staff, and volunteers at competitions.

 

Donations such as snacks, water, and desserts are requested. Any leftover snack or drink items will be saved (if possible) for the next week. Homemade items are welcome! Items can be dropped off in the morning of the competition.

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If your student would rather bring his or her own food, they are happy to stash it in their coolers for the ride there. 

 

Interested in helping? The biggest need is for people to help set up and clean up at the competition site.  

 

Parent Volunteers

It takes family involvement to make the Emerald Alliance season run smoothly.

 

• Parents coordinate, contribute to, and help serve meals during band camp and on competition days.

 

• The Pit Crew includes many parents who help get the stationary instruments, props, and equipment onto the field at competitions.

 

• Chaperones are needed to ride the bus to competitions and check to be sure everyone is aboard before leaving.

 

Parents are urgently needed in many other capacities as well. When forms are turned in, be sure to indicate how you would like to help!  A background check is required for all parents who help.

 

 

Football Games

The Emerald Alliance performs at all home football games during the season.  Generally, the band begins to play in the stands about 20 minutes before the game begins.  The band plays the National Anthem and the school song at the beginning of the game then plays between plays and during timeouts throughout the game.

 

Approximately 15 minutes before halftime the students leave the stands to prepare for the halftime performance. Students line up, pit crew gets everything ready to roll, and percussion prepares instruments for transport. Once halftime starts, the band marches onto the field and begins their show, which is the same show they present at contests. After half time, the band members usually shed their uniforms, take the 3rd quarter off, then return to the stands for the fourth-quarter. Band parents traditionally sit together, wear green shirts, and cheer and clap and make lots of noise when the students come on and off the field and at certain points during the show.

 

Parades

Four or five times per year the Emerald Alliance also marches in community parades.  Students will generally march throughout the parade while performing pieces.  Parents will be needed to pass out water and chaperone.

 

Currently, the band marches in the following parades:

 

1. The Firemen's Festival parade in Bremen, usually held in the last week in June or first week in July.

2. The Mermaid Festival parade in North Webster, IN.  This occurs a week or two before the Firemen's Festival parade.

3. The Blueberry Festival parade in Plymouth, IN.  This is always on Labor Day weekend (first weekend in September) on Monday morning.

4. Memorial Day parade.  The location varies, but we usually march in a Memorial Day parade on the 4th week in May.