Dubuque Rehearsal & Audition Weekend
December 6, 2016
The 2017 Colts December Audition and Rehearsal Weekend will be held December 16-18 at Roosevelt Middle School in Dubuque, IA. For first time 2017 season camp attendees, the cost for this rehearsal is $175, ($125 for returning members). If this is your second rehearsal weekend, the cost is $60. This fee is collected at each camp and covers your meals, overnight accommodations, instruction, and materials. This fee does not apply to summer fees. The rehearsal fee is paid when you register at the facility if you did not pay in advance. If this is your first camp, you can pay your camp fees in advance, and save $25, through the Colts Mall. Advance payments will end on Tuesday, December 13 at 11 pm.
Always check www.colts.org within a few hours of leaving for Dubuque for any last-minute updates! Please RSVP now with your plans!
Please arrive at 6:30 pm to check in and help unload equipment. Registration will be held in the cafeteria. Rehearsal begins at 8:00 pm Friday and will conclude at 3:00 pm on Sunday.
RSVP, APPLICATION AND MEDICAL FORM
Please RSVP regardless of your plans for this camp, so we can keep you up to date. Please also submit a
Member Application on the Colts website if you have not already done so. Returning your application in
advance will save you a great deal of time when you check in. Please print, fill out, and have the
Colts Medical History Form signed in advance of your arrival. Note that this form is
two pages long. You will turn this in when you check in for camp. The
Medical Form also provides permission to participate in our activities. Students 18
or older may sign their own Medical Form. Any student 17 or younger will need a
parent or guardian signature to participate. Please email colts@colts.org if you have any questions regarding
any of our forms. The application and medical forms only need to be submitted once per year unless information changes. The RSVP should be
submitted each month by interested students.
WHAT TO BRING
Students stay overnight in the gym on the floor, as you will all summer. Bring changes of clothes, shower supplies, towel, sleeping bag and
pillow, comfortable clothes for rehearsal (no jeans please), and tennis shoes (no high tops, please). Many students will bring an inflatable
mattress with a battery-powered air pump. Please bring a binder with plastic sleeves for your music and any hand-outs. Returning students should
bring their Colts camp t-shirt to wear all weekend! It is an expectation that all students wear their audition t-shirt at all of our weekend
rehearsals. We will have t-shirts available for sale for $8.00 if you do not have your's.
New auditioning students will receive the audition t-shirt at check in. The shirt with your name will be worn for all rehearsal segments of the
weekend. If this is your first camp, please email a picture of yourself to jason@colts.org to speed up the
check in process. Include your name (first and last) and section in the email. This picture is printed on your audition form so our
instructional team can quickly learn your name and face. There will also be a camera at check in if you are unable to submit a picture ahead of
time.
Brass: Please bring your own mouthpiece, marching instrument, music stand, binder for music, and gloves. If you do not have access to an
instrument and will need one provided, please contact colts@colts.org. Be prepared to play the exercises and
excerpts provided in the brass packet that best fits your area of interest: Trumpet, Mellophone, Baritone/Euphonium, or Tuba. You may also
demonstrate your abilities with any piece, etude or excerpt you feel comfortable with. For the Sunday afternoon performance, please wear the
audition t-shirt.
Color Guard: Bring lightweight, workout clothing for rehearsals (no jeans), black pants or shorts and a black shirt for Sunday's performance, your
own rifle and/or sabre (if you can), and knee pads (if you like). There is no need to purchase any special equipment for rehearsals. You will wear
your audition t-shirt for most rehearsal segments through the weekend.
Percussion: Please bring your own sticks or mallets, practice pad, and a binder for music. Prospective members should be familiar with the
exercise packet that best fits your area of interest: Battery, Cymbals, or Front Ensemble. Front ensemble students may, but are not required to,
perform a short segment from a personal selection. Cymbal students should prepare a short musical and visual phrase of your choice. We will
provide all instruments for camps. We will evaluate you individually, and as a part of the group. Please wear the audition t-shirt for the Sunday
afternoon performance.
TRAVEL PLANS
We provide ground transportation anytime to and from the Dubuque Regional Airport (DBQ) for Dubuque camps. We can also accommodate flights into
surrounding airports (Quad Cities MLI, Madison, Rockford, or Cedar Rapids CID ) but you must notify us prior to booking. MLI (Moline) and CID
(Cedar Rapids) are very close to Dubuque and reasonable in fare. ORD (O'Hare) and MDW (Midway) travel MUST land prior to 3:30 p.m. on Friday and
depart no earlier than 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. If you plan on using either of these airports, please let
colts@colts.org know prior to booking flights.
If you need help finding a ride to camp, or to arrange rides from an airport or bus station, please notify us ASAP by email at
colts@colts.org or call 563-582-4872. You can also help fellow members by offering a ride in your vehicle.
You can let us know if you have extra room or if need a ride on your RSVP. All flight details should also be listed on your
RSVP.
MEMBERSHIP PROCESS & CONTRACTS
There are positions available in every section of the corps. Individuals attending our first events are given priority over those who do not
attend these rehearsals. Following the weekend, you will receive 1) an offer of membership, 2) a recall for a second and final audition, or 3) a
suggestion that you come back again next year. Most will receive a recall to a second rehearsal, so plan accordingly so we can be sure of our
commitment to each other.
If this is your second rehearsal, we are specifically looking for the growth you have made in the past month. Your audition will be very similar
to the prior month, and please be prepared in the same manner as which was asked for your first audition. A decision will be made regarding your
membership after this camp. If you cannot attend this camp, please make sure you are communicating with the office and your caption head about
when you will be here.
Individuals offered a contract should begin making payments on your fees immediately when you submit your contract. If you cannot attend this
rehearsal, you must be in touch in advance to preserve your position in the corps. Initial contract offerings are valid until noon on Saturday of
this rehearsal. We must have a signed contract with initial payment by that time, or the spot will be released to someone else.
SCHEDULE CONFLICTS
Camp attendance is critical to our and your success. If you cannot attend this rehearsal but are planning to attend an upcoming audition, you must
be in touch in advance with the office through the RSVP form. It is important to communicate with your caption head as
well. Too much communication is better than not enough.
If you have schedule conflicts with our preseason rehearsals, talk with us. We can usually work it out with you. Attending part of the weekend is
better than not attending at all. Do not lose your opportunity to perform with the Colts over a lack of communication.
PARENTS
An informational meeting for parents will be held Friday evening at 8:45 pm in a classroom at the middle school. Bring all of your questions! A
similar meeting will also take place at the January rehearsal weekend if you are unable to attend this month.
Parents are strongly encouraged to attend the weekend. Parental support is what makes the Colts successful, and you are needed to give the kids
the incredible Colts experience we are known for. Also, this is the best way for you to find out about our program, meet the other parents and get
comfortable with what this is all about. You will find a very welcoming and exciting opportunity here.
Parents will cook and serve the meals throughout the weekend, coordinate sewing projects, and assist with some repair work. We always have things
to do for anyone willing to lend a hand.
Parents are welcome to bring a sleeping bag and sleep in a classroom at the school, or you can find a discounted rate at the
Hampton Inn here in Dubuque. Please call the
hotel directly at (563)-690-2005 and ask for the Colts Drum Corps rate.
Parents are encouraged to sign onto the email mailing list to receive Colts information via email.
All parents and volunteers are Colts Boosters! Plan on gathering Saturday morning at the end of breakfast (approximately 9 am) to divide for
Saturday projects. If you arrive at a random time, the kitchen and check in tables are good places to start with questions about where you can
help.
SOUVENIR SALES
Throughout the weekend, all items in the Colts Mall will be available for sale! The holidays
are coming up soon, and the audition weekend will be a great time to purchase a present for your special someone! Anyone is able to purchase
souvenirs - students, parents, friends, family, etc. The souvenir racks will be set up by the check-in table, and you can purchase your items
there. There will even be a few new items available for purchase!
REMAINING REHEARSALS
January 13-15, 2017 Brass & Percussion Five Flags Center, Dubuque, Iowa
February 17-19, 2017 Brass Only Five Flags Center, Dubuque, Iowa
March 17-19, 2017 Brass Only Maquoketa High School, Maquoketa, Iowa
April 28-30, 2017 Hempstead High School, Dubuque, Iowa
May 21, 2017: Pre-season Move In for Guard and Battery, Dubuque Armory
May 26, 2017: Move In For Summer, Roosevelt Middle School, Dubuque
May 29, 2017: Parade and Summer debut concert in Dubuque, Iowa
You can view a detailed schedule of our entire summer HERE.
EMAIL AND WEBSITE
Please make sure you have received audition information in your area of interest! These materials are emailed to you after requesting information
for the current season.
Join our facebook groups for your area of interest! These pages will help you meet other members prior to auditions and clarify questions you may
have.
General Interest Group
Brass Interest Group
Percussion Interest Group
Guard Interest Group
SUNDAY AFTERNOON PERFORMANCE
A performance including all participants of the weekend is held Sunday afternoon in the gym at 2:30 pm. You will be amazed at the progress we make
in just one short weekend.
Welcome! We would love to have you as part of the Red Team family!
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