Arizona 3-day Audition Camp (December)
Join us at the Arizona Audition Camp on December 6-8, 2024.
The Academy will be hosting our primary move-in audition camp on the weekend of December 6-8, 2024, for all sections (Including Drum Majors). This camp is an open call to anyone interested in auditioning for the corps, or who just wants to see what The Academy experience is like, and will serve as an extended clinic and audition as well as the first rehearsals for the corps. Plan on being in attendance for the entire time. Participants must submit the registration and pay the Audition Event fee, which will include your overnight housing, transportation to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (if needed), and all 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 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.
During the session, individuals who are interested in auditioning for the 2024 corps will be evaluated with a staff member and have the prospect of being offered a membership position or being elevated to “Callback” status prior to the callback camp in January. Participants in the audition 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.
December 6-8, 2024
Casa Grande HS
2730 N Trekell Rd.
Casa Grande, AZ 85122
The tentative schedule will be something like this:
Friday
5:00 PM – Registration Opens
7:30 PM – Orientation & Rehearsals begin
11:00 PM – Snack/Showers
12:30 AM – Lights out
Saturday
8:00 AM – Breakfast
9:00 AM – Rehearsals
12:30 PM – Lunch
1:30 PM – Rehearsals
5:00 PM – Dinner
6:00 PM – Rehearsals
9:30 PM – Snack/Showers
11:00 PM – Meeting
12:15 AM – Lights out
Sunday
8:00 AM – Breakfast
9:00 AM – Rehearse
12:00 PM – Lunch
1:00 PM – Rehearse/Showcase performance
3:00 PM – Load up/clean up
4:00 PM – Dismiss
Airport Transportation – Flying to the Audition Camp?
Attendees who are flying to the audition camp should fly into PHX Sky Harbor International Airport. The Academy will guarantee airport shuttle transportation for travelers who have scheduled their flights within the following transportation window:
The Academy will guarantee shuttle service to the camp location to those landing on Friday of camp by 5:00pm, and on Sunday for those departing no earlier than 7:00pm. Uber and Lyft are options for those who must travel outside of those parameters and our contracted bus service is unable to service individuals flying outside of this window. (Note that Uber/Lyft fares can be as high as $50-75 to and from this camp location.)
To request airport shuttle transportation, audition camp attendees should enter their flight information in a form made available to them after registering. This can be found in your UltraCamp profile under “Document Center”. There is an RSVP form under the Travel heading.
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 later and feedback from the performance will be given before returning to the group sessions. Then, the staff will determine what status to assign to the performer. 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 are 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. 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 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. 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 and 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. Dress in something that allows you to have maximum flexibility and allow your feet and ankles to be seen.
Register to Audition – Payment for the Registration Fee ($25) and Audition Camp Fee ($125) can be completed online. Once registered, the participant will be the first to gain access to the audition materials, letters from staff, technique manuals, music, etc.
2025 corps information – get more details and updates about the 2025 corps, audition dates, location, and other info by visiting the corps web page here.