April 3-day Audition Camp 
All Sections

The Academy’s next weekend Audition Camp to be held on April 26-28, 2024 (Location TBD).

The April training camp will serve as continued training for our membership, final evaluation for our callbacks, and is an open call to brass and color guard performers who are interested in auditioning for the corps for the first time.  (New percussion candidates must have been given “callback” status to attend this camp)

Participants simply register online for the audition, which will include your overnight housing, transportation to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (if needed), instruction, and all of your meals and materials for the camp.  Prior to the camp, you will be contacted to RSVP and confirm your attendance as well as offering the opportunity to enter your airport transportation information.   Also before the camp you will receive detailed information as to the directions, schedule, requirements, packing list, and other essential information for your preparedness. 

Register now

Participants in the March camp will need to officially register and pay for the audition event prior to attending, which will give the student access to the detailed audition materials and exercises to prepare.

April 26-28, 2024
Location TBD

The tentative schedule will be something like this:

Friday
5:00 PM – Registration Opens
7:00 PM – Orientation & Rehearsals begin
11:00 PM – Snack/Showers
12:30 AM – Lights out

Saturday
8:00 AM – Breakfast
9:00 AM – Rehearsals
1:00 PM – Lunch
2:00 PM – Rehearsals
6:00 PM – Dinner
7:00 PM – Rehearsals
10:00 PM – Snack/Showers
11:00 PM – Meeting
12:15 AM – Lights out

Sunday
8:00 AM – Breakfast
9:00 AM – Rehearsals
12:00 PM – Lunch
1:00 PM – Rehearse
3:00 PM – Load up/clean up
4:00 PM – Dismiss

What will the Auditions entail?
Throughout the camp, participants will be working within their sections to learn the techniques of The Academy with the headline of growing the individual performer throughout the weekend.  While most of the camp will be in group settings, typically there will be a short individual audition provided by a staff member.  The staff member will likely ask a few brief questions about each performer’s experience, why they are interested in the drum and bugle corps activity, and why they are interested in The Academy experience. Next, the performer will demonstrate their skills on their equipment with content from the audition materials, and/or material that the performer has prepared. Auditions may be video recorded for other staff and caption heads to review at a later time and feedback from the performance will be given before returning to the group sessions. Later, the staff will determine what status to move the performer to. Notice of this assignment will typically be given by email later that week.

What to Wear and What to Bring
Participants in the performance sessions should be dressed for physical activity including marching, running, stretching, movement, etc. Tennis shoes and loose, comfortable athletic clothing is required for participation. No sandals, jeans, or heavy clothing, please. Bring your own water jug to remain hydrated and arrive having had a substantial meal to last for the duration of the clinic. Also, be prepared for potential cold weather during the evening hours as some segments will likely be held outside.  Bring extra clothes that you can layer on and off as the temperature fluctuates outdoors.  Bring your own water jug to remain hydrated!  A complete packing list will be provided to you prior to the move-in audition camp, for those attending.

Percussion
Be sure to bring your instrument, sticks, and mallets, and any other related performance items.  Instruments will be made available for you at the Arizona Audition Camp.  All of the musical material that will be addressed will be from the audition music made available upon registering online. Realize that your experience will be heightened the more you are able to have some basic understanding of what is in the technique book prior to the audition. So register in advance and come prepared!

Brass
Available to you upon registering online will be technical exercises and other music, which should be prepared by each applicant for the brass auditions. This material, and the other required music will make up most of the content for the brass auditions.  In addition, a good portion of the experience will be physical in nature (exercising, marching, etc.).   To ensure that there are enough instruments to go around, All brass players should bring their own marching instruments to rehearse/audition with.  If attending the Arizona Audition camp, and are unable to bring a marching instrument for auditions, we will be able to have an instrument available for you.

Color Guard
Color guard participants will need to bring a flag & pole, as well as a rifle and/or sabre if you have one. Please wear comfortable, form fitting dance clothing. We will typically begin each session with movement and dance and then break into some form of equipment sessions for flag and weapon, depending on the make-up of the attendees. You will need something that allows you to have maximum flexibility and your feet and ankles must be able to be seen. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Register to Audition – Payment for the Registration Fee and Audition Camp Fee can be completed online here.  Once registered, the participant will have access to the audition materials, letters from staff, technique manuals, music, etc.

2024 corps information – get more details and updates about the 2024 corps, audition dates, location, and other info by visiting the corps web page here.