Mandarins To Host Marching Band Clinic July 12th

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Mr Pageantry
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Mandarins To Host Marching Band Clinic July 12th

Post by Mr Pageantry » Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:19 am

The Sacramento Mandarins will host a marching band clinic on Saturday
July 12th in Sacramento. If you'd like to announce this on the World
Of Pageantry website, you can find more info at the following URL:
http://www.mandarins.org/dci/clinic.html


Sent to Pageantry by Scott Jow
If It is a Mandarin event it will be classy and useful


Reposted by Harvey@worldofpageantry.com

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Post by Hostrauser » Wed Jul 02, 2003 7:06 pm

The Mandarins are absolutely smokin' this year. I highly recommend anyone in Northern California to attend. I would, if I wasn't working that day. :x

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Post by mrankimonki » Mon Jul 07, 2003 4:28 pm

i agree bout the DM smokin:-D either way - I'm gonna try and learn baritone and see my luck in makin mandarins this comin year;-D

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mandarins clinic - a review

Post by mrankimonki » Sat Jul 12, 2003 6:22 pm

I thought that since there were only a handful of people who attended this clinic (and I was one of them), it would be beneficial to explain what a great group the Mandarins truly are.

The come from Sacramento, they were a division ii/iii corps until last season and now they are a division i corps that is doing incredibly well for their first year considering they are marching only 90 people (including guard). Yet, this group of musicians work very hard in the heat of sacramento and are working to expand their organization in order to be a power in the future.
I got up at 630 this morning to attend this workshop at 10 am and I had to pick up a friend and some breakfast. OH! and since I have played saxophone for 6 years, I needed a brass instrument to take with me so I called a friend and borrowed his baritone for the day. By 730 I was on my way to Sacramento
280->880->680->580->205->5->Florin->getting lost->John F. Kennedy High School (9.47 AM).

I got out of my car and felt VERY uncomfortable. I saw the parking lot full with people who all seemed to be part of the corps with shiny silver horns. I timidly took out my friends gold Bb Marching Baritone and walked and was greeted by a 6'5'' Contra player. I was scared at first but then soon started feeling very comfortable around him. Like him, I was approached by different people and soon I knew many of the corps members. The one thing that I noticed about them was their playful immaturity. This is NOT meant to be negative - I thought it was one of the best things about the corps. Off the field, every member knew every other member and joked with each other lovingly. This playfulness really grew on me and I soon found myself joking around with the members.

At around 10:15, Ron ( one of the marching techs ) called the corps and clinic participants(about 5-6) into a clump and introduced us to some of the staff and gave us an overview of the corps and what the day would be like - this included the post lunch session for the rest of the corps. We got in a circle and stretched for 10-15 minutes. Then we all grabbed our instruments (I never put mine down :0( ) and got into a block and did some basic marching drills starting with basic commands. Ron was very clear and explained what he wanted very well and the corps responded very seriously. During the breaks, the jokes continued but during the commands, every person was VERY serious. I loved the way the attitude changed the second the corps was called to attention - its what I always envisioned my perfect band to be like.

After about 30 minutes of basic drills we formed an arc on one side of the football field and did playing warmups. Although this was my first time playing a baritone, the baritone section leader made me feel as if I was progressing very quickly and even gave me his SILVER, SHINY and G horn to play on:-D As the music tech explained each warm up exercise, John (the baritone Section leader) explained to me the fingerings, and sang it for me. The personal attention I got was what I was planning on asking for while driving there because I felt I would be out of place due to my inability to play the horn. The mandarins staff did a great job telling the Section Heads how to deal with people like me. Since I was the only baritone player being clinic'ed (i made this word up), I think it was very helpful to me. After an hour or so of playing the closer (we got to play their closer with them - me squacking through), we went up on the stands and were able to watch them do a runthroiugh.

Ron then called us back into a clump and thanked us for coming and Jill (the DM) dismissed us.

I really appreciate the care with which the Mandarins treated me and fellow clinicians and look forward to being a part of the corps in the 2004 season. Once again, I strongly encourage those of you who are interested in marching a Division I corps which is hardworking and will accept anyone with a good attitude to look into the Mandarins of Sacramento.

For more information on the Mandarins visit http://www.mandarins.org

Ankit

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Post by lhtrumpetrox » Sat Jul 12, 2003 6:49 pm

i also went to the clinic with the mandarins. i enjoyed it so much, that i'm willing to drive two hours once a month, increasing to probably once a week, even through school, just to march in their corps. you should really check these guys out. the charisma of this corps makes u feel like one of them the second you get out there. they're excited to meet you, and they want u to have as much fun as they are.

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