(Publisher’s note: please enjoy the 20-plus photo gallery at the end of this story.)
Almost 60 middle school musicians filled the band rooms in Chelsea High School this week for the first Middle School Band Camp.
Co-directors Rick Catherman and Gary Klink thought up the idea and approached Chelsea Community Education about starting the camp for students in grades five through seven. The campers played instruments and participated in fun activities from 9 a.m.-noon each day in preparation for today’s (June 25) mini-concert that will take place in the high school auditorium at 11:15 .m. It’s free and everyone is invited.
Assisting them were five high school students: Clara Nelsen, Anna Vanneste, Tyler Martin, Ross Smyth and Oliva Catherman.
“We thought this would be a way to have fun during the summer and not leave their instruments in the case all summer,” Klink said.
Camp was dubbed “Cool music for the Bulldog Days of Summer,” and campers were given T-shirts, participated in theme days with a beach theme and will play three songs today at the concert.
Catherman said that Andrew Thomson of Chelsea Community Education was very helpful with the registrations and helped to coordinate the new camp.
Klink said that he was “pleasantly surprised” with the turnout for the first year camp.
For McKenna Ford, camp served as a chance to play two instruments she loves the bassoon and the drums.
“I’ve always loved the bassoon,” she said adding that her mom found a video of the instrument being played on the Internet, “but I couldn’t play it in band.”
So, she took up the tenor drum as well. In fact, she said she’s played a lot of instruments from the flute to the tuba to the piano.
During the concert, she’ll play both the bassoon, which she says is played sitting down and the drums.
For Abbie Bosc, who is going into 8th grade in the fall, it’s fun to be in camp and play percussion with her friends. She and friends Olivia Prodin and Thea Higgins said they are enjoying helping the younger musicians and just playing music together.
“It’s good to experience a new sound,” Higgins said, after playing with the same middle school musicians during the year.
And, yes, it also gives the musicians motivation to play their instruments in the summer.
Beginning Aug. 3, the high school marching band will begin camp and on Sept. 23 will be the annual marching band exhibition where 10 high school bands and the Eastern Michigan Band will perform on the high school football field. Everyone is invited to fill the stands and listen.
