The Journey To Membership.

You have a home in the Colt Cadets! We work hard to make the process of becoming a member accessible and rewarding. Membership in the Colt Cadets is an amazing experience for you and your entire family, and one that takes tremendous dedication, hard work and personal responsibility.

THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO BECOME A MEMBER BY ATTENDING REHEARSAL. Find out what we are all about. Even if you don’t become a Colt Cadet, you will learn a great deal. You will participate in the ensemble and perform as a member of the Colt Cadets. In the process, we will assess your skills, answer your questions, and you will be more comfortable with our program and our family.

Here's all you need to do to get started...

  • Request Information. This is your initial entry to our student database and lets us know which section and/or instrument you're interested in. Our 2024 Membership Brochure is available online here.
  • Make plans to attend an event with an REGISTER in advance.
    • We provide transportation to and from the Cedar Rapids (CID) and Moline (MLI) airports on Friday and Sunday afternoons. Please note these airports close over night, so do not plan on spending the night before or after the camp at these airports.
    • If you need help finding a ride to camp, please notify us ASAP by email at harlan@colts.org. You can also help fellow members by offering a ride in your vehicle.
Snare drummers at a Colt Cadets camp

Prepare

  1. If you can, take some time to work through your warmup packet before rehearsal. Packets will be sent via email after you fill out an Information Request
  2. Attend an event! Always check the home page at colts.org within a few hours of leaving for an event! Any updates or changes will always be posted here first. Specific rehearsal information for each event is released a week or so prior to each rehearsal.
  3. Become familiar with our preseason calendar. Our preseason schedule is limited, so attendance at our one-day open rehearsals is strongly encouraged, and attendance at our three-day camps is expected of all members. Attending part of the camp is better than not at all. If you have conflicts, talk to us, we will work with you! COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL!

NOTE: One-day open rehearsals are free to attend. The cost for our three-day weekend camps is $50 to help cover the meals and instruction. Pay the fees online to save time at check-in. This fee does not apply toward your summer tuition.

Join

We will begin handing member agreements out to students after they attend their second rehearsal (including one-day open rehearsals). In some situations, we may ask you to attend an additional rehearsal to be sure of your success during the summer season. Attendance at an event is generally recommended prior to receiving a membership agreement — we want to meet you and make sure you find Colt Cadets is the right fit for you. After participating in a live or online event, a membership agreement may be offered. Membership agreements guarantee you a spot in the corps, but not necessarily on the instrument of your choice. Final positions will be determined following our May camp.

A life-changing summer of travel, achievement, and success awaits you. Being here will make that happen. You’ll only know if you give it a try!