High School Drum Major Leadership Camp
Be the best drum major you can be for your high school marching band this fall.
Designed specifically for drum majors and section leaders, the Drum Major Leadership Camp focuses on the various aspects of field conducting and leadership in both competitive and non-competitive marching bands.
Who is it for?
Our camps are open to rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders in high school.
This camp is intended for students who have been selected to serve as section leaders or drum majors for their high school marching band during the upcoming school year.
What will you learn?
- Camp faculty will work closely with each student to build a solid foundation of conducting, leadership, and teaching methods.
- Video recordings of each attendee’s conducting and teaching will be used for in-depth individual and group analysis.
- Every leadership class is intended to equip students to handle real-life situations and to react effectively and proactively to achieve positive results.
- This camp experience will help develop the skills required to conduct and lead with confidence.
Sample schedule
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30-9 a.m. | Drop off |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Perception of leadership vs. practice of leadership |
| 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1-2 p.m. | What I wish I knew when I started: Rehearsal technique/management, building relationships, etc. |
| 2-4:30 p.m. | Conducting |
| 4:30 p.m. | Pick up |
Location
Campus MapRegistration
Registration is open from January 1 through June 1 or until all spaces are filled. A limited number of spaces are available so please register early.
You will need to create a Brickyard account in our Reporter system in order to register for the camp. Visit the Reporter parent account guide for setup instructions.
Cost
$450 per camper (includes lunch, camp t-shirt, instruction, supplies and activities)
What to Bring
Raleigh is typically hot during the month of June (avg. high 89*F). All NC State buildings will have air conditioning for the duration of camp, but some activities and transitioning between sessions will be outdoors.
- Comfortable clothes (shorts and t-shirts) and closed-toe shoes for walking around campus
- Light jacket/sweatshirt for cool indoor spaces
- Rain gear for inclement weather
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses/hat
- Water bottle
- Spiral notebook and pen/pencil MUST be brought to all sessions
- Backpack
- Instrument and case
- Appropriate conducting baton, if desired
- Whistle with lanyard
- Musical score for current or previous year, if available (mp3 recording)
Please make sure all of your belongings are marked with your name, address, and school.
I learned a lot that I can take back with my band!
2019 camp participant
Faculty & Staff
Camp Director
Camp Clinician
Get to know our guest clinician, Alyssa Colburn!
A native of the Raleigh area, Alyssa Colburn is currently the Director of Bands at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. After beginning her teaching career as an award-winning Middle School Band Director, she is now proud to teach where she once was a student. Since her arrival in 2013 as its Conductor and Director, the Leesville Road High School Band program has grown by 75%! Colburn has led the Bands to consistent Superior ratings at North Carolina’s Music Performance Adjudication. The bands have performed across North Carolina as well as nationwide including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Orlando. The bands have received many invitations to perform with college wind ensembles and other professional groups. Hundreds of students under her direction have made local, district and state honor bands. The LRHS Bands have been featured in the News and Observer, the Instrumentalist, 919 Magazine and on UNCTV. Under her direction, the LRHS Band was invited to perform at the 2017 NCMEA Conference, the 2018 President’s Cup National High School Band Invitational, and the 2019 “Music For All” Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival. The band has received numerous Grand Champion awards at Marching Band competitions and continues to be very active in the Leesville Community.
In 2017, Colburn was named an “Ed Rooker” Encore Award winner by the NC Chapter of the ASBDA – given to top band directors in the field with less than 7 years of experience. She was also selected as the 2018-2019 “Teacher of the Year” for Leesville Road High School. She is a National Board Certified Teacher with degrees in Music Education and Piano Performance from Appalachian State University. She is a frequent adjudicator at the middle and high school level, cooperating teacher for student interns and student teachers, guest speaker, and guest clinician.
Colburn has held many board and leadership roles as a member of the National Association for Music Education, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the North Carolina Bandmasters Association, and the East Central District Bandmasters Association. She has also been inducted into the American School Band Directors Association in 2021.
Camp Instructors
I liked doing the conducting exercises because they really helped me. They were fun and required critical thinking.
2019 camp participant