December 10, 2003

CrownBEAT

The Official Newsletter of Carolina Crown, Inc.

Carolina Crown Begins 15th Season

The 2004 season for Carolina Crown officially began on Saturday, November 15th, when the corps' first-ever remote audition was held in Richardson, Texas.  A week later, the largest turnout in Carolina Crown history was recorded for the corps' first full-weekend camp in Rock Hill, SC.  In addition to the new record for total registered students, individual caption attendance records were set in both the color guard and brass captions as well.  And also, for the first time in corps history the brass caption lead both the percussion and guard captions with a total of over 160 students registered!  

The corps' next audition event is scheduled for December 12-14 at Fort Mill HS, in Ft. Mill, SC.  The corps' annual banquet for alumni and supporters will also be held that same weekend on Saturday evening, December 13th (see announcement and reservation form elsewhere on www.carolinccrown.org).

So, if you have not sent in your registration information yet we recommend you do so immediately!  You can find the Membership Application in the Membership section of the website.  There is also a lot of pertinent information you will need, as well as instructions on how to register.  Once we receive your registration you will be receiving additional information, exercises, etc that are only being given to registered students.  On-site registrations will also be accepted for "walk-ins" at each of the auditions events.

Volunteer Profile  - James Turner

James Turner grew up in Lincolnton, North Carolina where he also now resides.  He is the band director at Lincolnton High School.  As a student, he also marched at Lincolnton High School.  He then attended college at Appalachian State University.  He was the band director at Cherryville High School prior to coming to the Lincolnton Schools.  His main instrument is tuba, and is also now the tuba instructor at Gardner Webb University.  James is also very active at 1st Baptist Church in Lincolnton, where you can often find him directing the choir, or playing handbells or his tuba.

James has been following drum corps for over 15 years.  He started volunteering with Carolina Crown in 1999 as one of our souvenir sales staff and van driver.  He was elected to the Carolina Crown Board of Directors in 2000, and to the Executive Committee in 2002.  He has been a volunteer bus driver for about half of each of the past two summers.

James is a very enthusiastic and vocal supporter of Carolina Crown.  He continuously promotes the corps to students such as Jake Drum, a 2nd year mellophone player, and several other Lincolnton HS students that are auditioning for the 2004 Carolina Crown.  His staff at Lincolnton HS is also 100% made up of Carolina Crown representatives (board member David Whitesides, brass faculty member Ryan Summers, and Director of Operations Brian Turner).  

Some say the biggest donation to Carolina Crown that James has been responsible for thus far is the bell we used on the back sidelines throughout last season's "Bell-issimo" show.  But actually, his greatest effort as a volunteer has been to secure and transport from Lincolnton to Orlando a 2ND BELL to replace our then-ailing original one during Finals week (check out the video/DVD to see both bells)!  What a major loss in General Effect our great 2003 show would have endured during Championship week without the clear ring of that second bell in "The Engulfed Cathedral"!

Thanks James, for not only those TWO bells, but everything else you do for Carolina Crown!

First Camp for Drum Major

Wow! The first camp is over and I can think of only one word to describe it: exciting! When I walked in the door there was already many people waiting in line to register, and registration had not even started. By the end of the week there were over 200 people in attendance at just this camp. Including the remote camps in Texas, and Indiana and the drum pre-registration, over 350 people registered to audition for Carolina Crown 2004. The guard spent the weekend working on technique and learning routines they performed at show and tell. The brass also learned technique but they also learned 2 ½ minutes of show music which they also performed for volunteers and parents at the end of camp.

During the camp I would look around at people that were auditioning and notice so many of them looking nervous and this is where I could relate to them. Last year I went through the same process of going to my first drum corps audition, and I had no clue what to expect. This year I went through a similar process. The audition camp was my first camp as a drum major and while I had been a drum major in high school, I knew this was going to be different. And so I was nervous just like everyone else auditioning for the first time.

At meal times I made it a goal of mine to eat with 4 or 5 new people every meal so I could meet a lot of them and start learning their names. Almost every time I would have a conversation with a person auditioning, they would ask “What do I have to do to get a spot?” The only answer I could give them was “Hard work!” I told them not to be nervous and just work hard because the people who work the hardest will be a part of Carolina Crown 2004.

The winter camps are all about working hard and making as much improvement as we can. I think we finished the first camp at a high level and achieved a lot, but I know everyone would be disappointed if we finished the second camp at the same level. And the only way to improve is by working hard at home, everyone come back to the second camp and bring more people to audition, and then work hard during the camp.

I want to thank everyone who attended the audition camp and made it such a wonderful experience, especially the volunteers who did a great job as usual. I encourage everyone to return to the second camp prepared and ready to make 2004 the best year in the history of Carolina Crown.

Bob Beasley 2004 Drum Major

‘Tis the Season…

The holiday season is always a special (and busy) time for the Carolina Crown family. Audition camps, annual banquet, board meetings, staff meetings, program planning…who has time to shop?! It is a season filled with anticipation—and you can anticipate great things from Crown in the coming year.

I have been around Carolina Crown for 15 years, but I have never seen such excitement about things to come. All the right elements are in place to make 2004 our greatest season yet—the staff, the program, the talent...the dedication and commitment to excellence at every level in our organization has never been stronger.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the help of the many generous supporters who give their time, talents, and treasures to Carolina Crown so unselfishly. You know who you are, and on behalf of the board of directors and every member of Carolina Crown, thank you and best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.

Bill Loelius President

The Mellos Are Here!  The Mellos Are Here!

Carolina Crown Hosts NCMEA and BOA Booth's

Carolina Crown hosted an informational booth at the 2003 North Carolina Music Educator's Association Conference in Winston-Salem, NC on November 9-11, 2003, amd Bands of America Grand National in Indianapolis, IN on November 13-15, 2003.

The booth, featured a section for Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, the Honors Band Program, NightBEAT and TheCrownStore.com marching supply business.

Several thousand music educators, students, fans representing elementary through college level band, choir, and orchestra teachers attended the three-day conference in Winston-Salem and Indianapolis. Vendor's from all over the country set-up booths in the exhibition hall inclding fundraising corporations, travel companies, and music venders. 

Carolina Crown plans to also host an informational booth at the South Carolina Music Educator's Conference in Charleston, SC in February, 2003   

TheCrownStore.com adds Dealers!

Carolina Crown is proud announce the addition for two new product lines to TheCrownStore.com. George Miller Rifles and Berps Buzz Exension and Resistance Piece. So if you need a rifle or sabre for the up coming indoor season or need a berp to practice your buzzing technic on your brass instrument TheCrownStore.com is the place to get them.

TheCrownStore offers a wide range of band, guard, and percussion supplies including (but not limited to) flag pole, fabric, drum heads, heavyhitter pads, mallets, sticks, marching shoes, plumes, podiums, floor mats, color tape for flag poles and drums, etc.