Sounds of Summer Going Out With A Bang!
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (August 19, 2005) — Yamaha Sounds of Summer marching percussion camps are going out with a bang. Sunday, August 20 marks the end of the 2005 season with a final camp held at Pacifica High School in Oxnard, Calif., and if this event is anything like its predecessors, a large turnout and many smiling faces are to be expected.
Hosted by local high schools, Sounds of Summer marching percussion camps have been occurring all summer long in locations throughout the country. The camps are open to both experienced and inexperienced middle school and high school drummers, and are sponsored by Yamaha Band & Orchestral Division in cooperation with local music dealers.
David Harmes of Nick Rail Music Store in Oxnard, Calif., also known by fellow musicians as “Lucky,” believes that Sounds of Summer gives kids the opportunity to develop musically, while creating a bond that extends beyond all skills and ages.
“Although there are different personalities and levels of experience involved in Sounds of Summer, everyone is united because they are working towards the same goal: to learn, improve, and prepare for the upcoming season,” says Lucky.
Since their inception in 1986, the camps have grown each year, and this year’s clinics have seen an overwhelming increase in registration. For example, Central Washington University’s camp, held in Ellensburg, Wash. and sponsored by Ted Brown Music had 123 participants, an increase of 22 students from last year’s program.
John Oord, Director of Ted Brown Music, believes that the increase in registration is due to the low price, renowned instructors and Yamaha’s reputation.
“Once you start playing a Yamaha drum, you sense the quality, and that gives you a sense of pride and enthusiasm for what you’re playing,” he says. “It’s that sense of pride that keeps you coming back year after year.”
Many schools that hosted camps for the first time had equally impressive results. Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, Colo. had a turnout of 85 kids, and Alma High School in Alma, Ark. had 53 attendees. On average, first-time camps have about 30 participants.
“The reason we work in this business is the same reason people play our instruments: we love percussion,” says John Wittmann, Manager, Education and Artist Relations, Band & Orchestral Division, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Sounds of Summer is a fantastic opportunity for people across America to put that love into action, and I don’t think there’s any limit to its growth.”
The Sounds of Summer program not only gives kids hands-on experience from professional and renowned clinicians such as Dennis DeLucia, Naoko Takada, James Campbell and Matt Savage; it also provides an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience. This year, the participants in the Alma High School camp opened for the Drum Corps International “Battle on the Border” competition.
“We always try to have a camp coincide with a drum corps competition,” Mike Ferguson of Saied Music in Alma, Ark. explains, “It gives kids the chance to gain exposure in front of a live audience, and also learn by watching some of the best drummers around — opportunities that they may not have if they have not been involved in a drumline before.”
With the educational benefits, social opportunities and performance exposure that Sounds of Summer offers, students are getting more than just an ordinary camp. They are getting an experience that they will remember for years to come and lessons that they can use in their upcoming drumline seasons or throughout their musical careers.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/band.
Sounds of Summer connects percussion students with some of Yamaha's finest marching clinicians. |
David Harmes of Nick Rail Music Store in Oxnard, Calif., also known by fellow musicians as “Lucky,” believes that Sounds of Summer gives kids the opportunity to develop musically, while creating a bond that extends beyond all skills and ages.
“Although there are different personalities and levels of experience involved in Sounds of Summer, everyone is united because they are working towards the same goal: to learn, improve, and prepare for the upcoming season,” says Lucky.
Since their inception in 1986, the camps have grown each year, and this year’s clinics have seen an overwhelming increase in registration. For example, Central Washington University’s camp, held in Ellensburg, Wash. and sponsored by Ted Brown Music had 123 participants, an increase of 22 students from last year’s program.
John Oord, Director of Ted Brown Music, believes that the increase in registration is due to the low price, renowned instructors and Yamaha’s reputation.
“Once you start playing a Yamaha drum, you sense the quality, and that gives you a sense of pride and enthusiasm for what you’re playing,” he says. “It’s that sense of pride that keeps you coming back year after year.”
The Sounds of Summer program also provides an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience. |
“The reason we work in this business is the same reason people play our instruments: we love percussion,” says John Wittmann, Manager, Education and Artist Relations, Band & Orchestral Division, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Sounds of Summer is a fantastic opportunity for people across America to put that love into action, and I don’t think there’s any limit to its growth.”
The Sounds of Summer program not only gives kids hands-on experience from professional and renowned clinicians such as Dennis DeLucia, Naoko Takada, James Campbell and Matt Savage; it also provides an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience. This year, the participants in the Alma High School camp opened for the Drum Corps International “Battle on the Border” competition.
“We always try to have a camp coincide with a drum corps competition,” Mike Ferguson of Saied Music in Alma, Ark. explains, “It gives kids the chance to gain exposure in front of a live audience, and also learn by watching some of the best drummers around — opportunities that they may not have if they have not been involved in a drumline before.”
With the educational benefits, social opportunities and performance exposure that Sounds of Summer offers, students are getting more than just an ordinary camp. They are getting an experience that they will remember for years to come and lessons that they can use in their upcoming drumline seasons or throughout their musical careers.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/band.
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