A Day in the Life of a Concert Band Camp Clarinetist

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Since I didn't have much planned for my summer, when my clarinet teacher told me about this week-long university music camp for high school students and older people at UBC (University of British Columbia), I thought, why not? We play our instruments (concert band) for an average of 6 hours each day with some breaks in between. Here's how a typical day goes:
6:30 a.m.: My dad yells at me to wake up, and I slowly walk to the dining table to eat breakfast, still half-asleep.

7:30 a.m.: My dad drives me to the university campus, which takes almost an hour. Poor dad, he has to drive back and forth for four hours total!

8:45 a.m: I arrive at the Chan Centre (a performing hall) and set up my clarinet while talking to my new friends. Then the counselor does role call and tells us our recreation time, which is from 3 to 5 p.m., has been canceled for a faculty concert. Since we're taught by some of the best musicians in the area, this should be good.

9 a.m.: The conductor walks in, and we start rehearsing. The morning rehearsals are three hours long, which would be painful if it wasn't for the awesome conductor guy with a very high voice. Our songs are based on folk songs from around the world. Our repertoire includes a Greek song called "Epinicion" (Sparklers, is it pronounced "epinishun" or "epinikion"?), a Korean song, a Scottish song, and a Cajun-southern song.

Noon: Lunch time! Everyone goes outside and lines up for sandwiches, salad, and chips. We have to make sure seagulls don't steal the sandwiches.

1 p.m.: Another rehearsal again—this time only two hours long. Oh no, the conductor's telling us to whistle! I can't whistle!

3 p.m.: Faculty rehearsal. My friends and I sit through two hours of clarinet, opera singing, trombone, comedy, and my favorite part, Bolero songs played with vuvuzuelas!

5 p.m.: My dad bought me two McDonalds breakfast burritos for dinner, which I'm slowly eating now. Uh, what are in these things?

6 p.m.: Lottery time! People sign up to do whatever, from playing instruments to singing to comedy. Their names get drawn into a lottery, and prizes can be won, from metronomes to $100 hard cash! Lots of fun stuff happens.

7 p.m.: OMG rehearsal again, for two hours. My mouth is starting to go numb. Seriously.

9 p.m.: Yes! The day is finally over! Now for an hour drive home, and waking up at 6:30 again...for four more days.

Basically my day consists of 40% work, 25% laughing, 25% having fun, and 10% walking around like a zombie because I'm exhausted!

Have you ever gone to a specialty camp like this?

Related Post: Blogging Band Camp

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