FEBRUARY 2008 CAMP REPORT: 7TH REGIMENT PREPARES FOR ARENA PEFORMANCES IN THE SPRING (Continued from Main Page)
The 7th Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps has a lot on their plate coming out of their third camp of the 2008 season.
In addition to the music, choreography, and drill for their '08 production, "Mexican Landscapes", the corps has begun to delve into their indoor show which involves the entire corps, including all members of the percussion section. The corps will perform halftime shows for the WNBA Connecticut Sun at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, in May and June. Another appearance is slated for early April at the MAC Winter Guard Championships in Trumbull, CT. The music is Steve Wolf, Bob Burt, and Bob Rush's arrangement of Mark Taylor's "Brass Machine", a staple in drum corps literature made famous by Future Corps of the Epcot Center.
Brass Arranger and Caption Head Steve Wolf summed up the weekend by saying, "I'm excited that the brass had several people missing for part of the weekend. Normally that would be bad, but they were missing because they had qualified to audition for the All-State Festival! I think it says a lot about the direction we're moving that we have kids that miss rehearsals for awesome reasons like that. I'm also really excited about the show. The opener already sounds pretty solid, and it's only February. If we keep up this momentum we'll be in good shape."
Despite the dreaded Northeastern February flu and a few conflicts due to Connecticut All-State auditions, the members of 7th accomplished an impressive feat over the weekend of February 1-3. On Saturday, they marched, played, and spun through the opening statement of "Canyons", the driving, rhythmic, and intense first movement of "Mexican Landscapes". On Sunday, the full corps completed a run of "Brass Machine" with the major staging of the five minute indoor show set in place.
The color guard filled in an impressive amount of work to both shows that the corps worked on over the course of the weekend. Caption Head Dana Saccomano reported, "The color guard did a terrific job this past weekend. The guard learned a section of the opener. They also made progress on the indoor show they're putting together. There are varying degrees of experience in the guard and the kids are learning how to work together and grow as a team. All signs point toward this year being the best 7th has had since its inception."
Program Coordinator Steve Lyons said, "This weekend, each section impressed their staff and fellow members by showing the maturity and ability to learn two shows simultaneously. A few of us on staff were initially concerned during the planning stages in early winter that the corps would lose vital preparation time for the outdoor show with this new venture, but the members have really stepped up to the plate, done their homework, and shown that because of these early chances to get in front of a crowd, they will be seasoned, polished, and hungry for opening night on June 28th!"
The corps still has limited openings available in the horn line. For more information please visit www.7thregiment.org and fill out an application form! Don't miss out on the excitement of the biggest and best season yet for Southern New England's premier DCI experience!
7TH REGIMENT DECEMBER 2007 OPEN HOUSE/AUDITION CAMP REPORT
The 7th Regiment is pleased to announce a strong start to their fifth competitive season following their December 8-9 Open House / Audition Camp. A great mix of returning and new performers provided an exciting atmosphere for all sections as they worked to familiarize themselves with 7th's principles of movement and technique. The weekend culminated with a run of the corps cadence and Morton Gould's "American Salute."
7th's design team announced the 2008 program to weary but enthusiastic auditionees on Saturday evening. Featuring the music of Ginastera, Copland, and H. Owen Reed, "Mexican Landscapes" will reflect the rugged beauty of Mexico, from the canyons of the Sierra Madre to the rapids of the Rio Grande. The corps is looking forward to warmer weather to take the field and paint a portrait of Nature's beauty and might.
As a corps that takes pride in performing both in and out of the competitive spectrum, the 7th Regiment is also excited to begin a relationship with their neighbors in entertainment, the Mohegan Sun Arena. They are looking forward to preparing a halftime show for the Connecticut Sun during the 2008 WNBA season.
Please stay tuned for more information on the 2008 production and the corps' scheduled performances.
7th Regiment 2008 Press Release (Continued from front page)
Steve Wolf: Brass Arranger / Caption Head
Bob Burt: Battery Percussion Arranger / Caption Head
Bob Rush: Front Ensemble Arranger / Instructor
Steve Lyons: Drill Designer / Program Coordinator
Dana Saccomano: Color Guard Designer / Caption Head
7th's design team brings together a wealth of experience from many fine marching and concert programs throughout the state of Connecticut. "I am glad we can take this opportunity to build on the successes of last year and challenge the membership to a new level of entertainment and excellence. Retaining our local group of such creative and effective writers gives us a lot to look forward to in the 2008 and beyond," says program coordinator Steve Lyons.
All designers will return to lead instructional roles in their respective captions. 7th Regiment is also pleased to announce the appointment of returning staff member Dan Wyman as Visual Caption Head for the 2008 season.
The designers and staff are hard at work creating another exciting program for Connecticut's DCI team. The 2008 show will be announced at the Open House / Audition Camp on December 8-9 at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School, 36 Waller St., New London, CT.