Joining Band FAQ

In short...ABSOLUTELY! This is the number one misconception about band here at South.  We strive to make band as inclusive as possible.  Band members have been (and continue to be) members of sports teams in every season, including football and cheerleading!  We've had four band members that were also school Mascots.  Many band members take part in the musical and theater productions.  Several band members are members and executives in honors societies.  Others still are members of band as well as chorus or orchestra.

We strive to work closely with other coaches and advisors, so our students can take advantage of every opportunity in their high school lives.  There are rare instances where we have to say "no," usually because the coach or advisor will not work with us.

We generally use a "50-50" rule, where you "share" your time between band and the other sports/activities/clubs.  We work closely with each student and family to make things as fair and fun as possible.

Starting in 2025, you do not need to participate in the Marching Indian Band to "do band" in high school.  If you do not become a member of the Marching Indians, but still wish to be in band, you must enroll in Mr. Test's Period 8 Band class.

For students who are only interested in joining Color Guard ("squads" or "auxiliary"), marching band is of course the only way to participate.  Color Guard members are expected to be at all football games, band festivals, band competitions, pep rallies, and parades.

Definitely!  Travelling to perform out-of-state is something we try to do every other year.  We've most recently performed in Norfolk, VA; Nashville, TN; and Walt Disney World in Orlando. Our travel performances are always centered around a marching band parade performance; otherwise, the color guard would not get to to with us.   Whenever we can, we try to have a sit-down performance or clinic as well.

Trips are not free.  We do not have enough money in reserve to get an entire band on a plane!  However, we have a very strong parent organization that is constantly running fundraisers.  In fact, if you do enough fundraising, you can go on trips for free!

There are four basic requirements for going on a band trip:

1. You and your parents/guardians commit to paying or fundraising 100% of the per-student trip costs.

2. Your parents/guardians allow you to miss two or three school days.  (We always overlap a weekend to make our trips work.)

3. Rehearsals for trip performances are mandatory; you cannot miss any!

4. You are a member in good standing with the color guard or parade musicians.

Generally, high school music can seem scary coming from middle school!    However, the directors are with you every step of the way, starting in July.  The best way to jump in to high school music is to join the field show musicians.  We spend many weeks in July and August helping students understand anything they've never seen before.  If you do field show as a freshman, you will be amazed at how much you've learned by November! (If you don't believe us, we can put you in touch with a current band member who can verify this!)

We will NEVER consider dropping any student who is trying their best, regardless of how good or bad you think you do with your instrument!  If you're practicing at home and trying hard, we will help you succeed!

We have placement auditions for Drum Line and Concert Bands, but these are for placement (where you sit/what drum you play) only.  You can never play badly enough to be dropped from any band!

The only mandatory summer mandatory practices are for marching band members.  These are necessary because our first performance (usually a varsity football game) is always on or before the very first week of school!  We need to be prepared with marching and music for that game, so we cannot wait until school "officially" begins!

Summer practices are especially good for our incoming new students, as they can make new friends and feel comfortable at HS South well before the first bell rings in September. Not only do these rehearsals help us prepare, but they allow our band members to become "family" with each other.  We try to have social time and fun activities as well as the "work."  Being in band for the summer makes the first "real" days of school so much less stressful!

The amount of summer rehearsal commitment depends on whether you are in the field show/competition band, or just pep/parade band.  See the next question below for details!

To be in the field show, once-a-week music practices for musicians and routine practices for Color Guard begin the first week of July.  We know that families have vacation and other events planned in the summer, so it is okay to miss one or maybe two of these weekly July rehearsals.

In August, we have "open weeks" where everyone (including the marching staff!) can get a break and have a vacation.  After that comes camp days.  Mini Camp is mandatory for all field show and pep/parade students.  This is when we learn the most basic skills we need to be prepared for our first football games and parades.  

To get a more concrete idea of these summer rehearsals, travel to the Calendar page, scroll down to the monthly calendar, and back the calendar up to this past July and August to see when we practiced.

Your time is valuable, and you do not want to waste a minute on something you might not enjoy.  High school band has rewards and special qualities that you may not experience any time else in your life!  Read this page to find out why band at South (including the Marching Indian Band) is a fantastic way to experience high school.

Yes, there are.  Most of what you need for high school concert or marching band (basic uniforms, T-shirts, larger instruments/drums) is supplied.  However,, there are some things you may need to purchase along the way.  Please note that the Indian Bandwagon has an anonymous hardship fund, which can help with basic expenses for families in need.  Some expenses are:

• Bandwagon support: A fee is set up in the beginning of each year, to support the program in its extra-curricular aspects.  Each student is responsible for paying or fundraising this fee.  Several things are covered by this fee: water at marching events; makeup/accessories for the Halloween Parade; treats during Band Camp; admission to the banquet; and other annual expenses.

• Marching shoes (Dinkles): due to health reasons, we require all members to purchase their own personal marching shoes.  These shoes must match what the rest of the band uses.

• Instrument maintenance: Students need to make minimal purchases for accessories (reeds, valve oil, et cetera) as needed to maintain their instruments.

• Attire: Certain aspects of the program require exact attire.  For example, the informal marching "uniform" is the free T-shirt with non-ripped blue jeans; concert attire has its own category.  Additionally, the Color Guard will often purchase uniforms and/or accessories specific to that season's show.

• "Extras:" While we give out the "first" of many things for free, additional accessories must be purchased.  These include marching gloves and T-shirts.  

The answer is yes!  We have several students who cannot fit the Band class in to their schedules, but they want to be a part of our award-winning band.  These musicians must commit to our Field Show/Competition band, which is extra-curricular.  They attend the July music rehearsals, August Mini-Camp, Band Camp, and all football games, festivals, competitions, and parades.  You must make a minimum of these, or risk being dropped out of the band.

The tradeoff is, musicians not in Band class will not be able to participate in concert bands.  Some exceptions can be made for advanced players, with approval and practice agreements signed between the staff, student, and parents/guardians.

Absolutely!  Students who wish to do both must be enrolled in Band class to "double" as a guard/musician member.  These students are responsible for all Color Guard obligations during marching season; they stay with the Color Guard at games, competitions, parades, and festivals.  During Band class, these students play their instrument when we do concert material, and practice routine and help out when we do marching music.

In short, yes!  We love opening students to experiences, especially if we have needs on certain parts.  Every year, we have several students who play different instruments between marching band and concert band.

Generally, we start students learning new instruments in March.  This is to get ready for July, when the next school year begins with marching band.

You can try the Why HS Band? page for reasons to join us, and the Band Class FAQ or Drum Line FAQ for more information on those aspects of our program.  Please feel free to contact Mr. Test at ctest@trschools.com with any questions or issues you cannot resolve!