The Bushwackers kicked off their 2013 season with an Open House this past Sunday.
The day began with lots of enthusiasm as participants began registering for the event at 10am – an hour before the official registration time of 11:00! By noon, over 100 people were cheering in the auditorium as they watched Bushwackers recruitment videos. Needless to say, they were charged and ready to go.
Corps director, Bob Gupta, who began the informational meeting said, “I was amazed at the amount of potential members, parents, and volunteers as I looked out into the audience. We tried some new things this year including making the open house free of charge and we had some expectations of a good turnout, but this ended up twice as large as last year.”
Next up, Minesh Shah, the Bushwackers program coordinator, introduced the staff, as well as explaining the show concept and playing all the music selections that will make up the 2013 program. By the end of Minesh’s presentation, it was clear to everyone that this top-notch staff and passionate show are the perfect combination to drive the corps towards a high level of excellence.
The corps then broke up into sections to begin learning the Bushwackers’ technique, style, and also some show music. Additional meetings were held to answer parents’ questions, signup for volunteers, as well as the initial round of drum major tryouts with 8 highly qualified candidates.
Towards the end of the open house, the corps got together for a show-and-tell to see what each section accomplished. The hornline played 3 selections including the minute and half of the show – all with just 3 hours of rehearsal!
Before leaving, members took advantage of a matching scholarship program to reduce their fees, and were given information on the first two fundraisers they can use to further reduce any out of pocket expense. The Bushwackers are proud to make marching in a world-class drum corps as affordable as possible, and we will continue to provide opportunities for members throughout the season.
The administration and staff would like thank the members, parents, and volunteers in making this open house such a huge success. The professionalism and enthusiasm displayed at all times will be a great springboard for a great 2013 season!
If you missed the open house, it’s not too late to check out the Bushwackers 2013! The next rehearsal weekend is December 8 & 9 at the Princeton Day School (650 Great Rd, Princeton, NJ). Rehearsal starts on Saturday, December 8 at 9am for brass, and on Sunday, December 9 at 9am for brass, guard, and percussion. You can register for the next camp here.
The six-time DCA world champion Bushwackers are a competitive drum and bugle corps based in Princeton, NJ. We rehearse twice a month through the winter and early spring, then perform most weekends throughout the summer. Our members range in age from 15 to 25+, with an average age of about 20. The Bushwackers’ goal is to provide a world class drum corps experience to our members that’s educational, fun, affordable, and competitively successful. To find out more, visit us at www.bushwackers.org.