Leadership, Drum Major, and Color Guard Camps: Drum Major
Immerse yourself in conducting, leadership and teaching techniques to prepare for your upcoming seasons.
The Drum Major Camp staff, led by Willie Veenstra (Visual Caption Coordinator and three-time Drum Major for the Blue Coats Drum and Bugle Corps) offer a varied curriculum including beginning and advanced conducting gestures, score study, marching pedagogy, practical teaching labs, dealing with the listening environment and technologies for the drum major and the marching rehearsal. Additional breakout sessions are offered, including women in leadership, vocals and whistles, salutes and retreat, etc. All drum major campers will enjoy sessions with the Leadership Camp staff.
Camp Schedule
Camp will run from June 14-17, 2026.
Sunday, June 14
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. | Counselor/staff check-in | Pride Rock |
| 12–3 p.m. | Camper check-in | Rayburn Student Center (RSC) |
| 3–5:30 p.m. | Dinner / Time on your own | Commerce restaurants |
| 5:30–6:30 p.m. | Camp meeting | Concert Hall |
| 6:30–7:15 p.m. | Opening session | Concert Hall |
| 7:15–9 p.m. | Drum major session #1 Mechanics + basics | Music Building |
| 9–9:15 p.m. | Dismissal & walk to student housing | — |
| 9:45–10:15 p.m. | Housing floor meeting | Phase II Dorm |
| 10:30 p.m. | Students in assigned rooms | — |
| 11 p.m. | Lights out | — |
Note: During check-in and dinner on Sunday afternoon, you will be unsupervised. Supervision begins during the camp meeting at 5:45 p.m.
Monday, June 15
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | Wake up | — |
| 6:40 a.m. | Floor meeting | Phase II Dorm |
| 6:45–7 a.m. | Walk to breakfast | — |
| 7–8 a.m. | Breakfast | RSC Cafeteria |
| 8–8:15 a.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 8:15–8:45 a.m. | Performance session #1 Getting the band warmed up | Stadium |
| 8:45–9 a.m. | Walk to RSC conference rooms | — |
| 9–10 a.m. | Leadership session #1 w/ Jeff Jones — Being an effective leader | RSC conference rooms |
| 10–10:15 a.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 10:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Drum major session #2 Refining basics / Master class #1 — Sebastian Gonzalez | Music Building |
| 12:15–12:30 p.m. | Walk to lunch | — |
| 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Lunch | RSC Cafeteria |
| 1:30–1:45 p.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 1:45–3:45 p.m. | Drum major session #3 Breakdown exercise / Master class #2 — Mykal McGrew | Concert Hall |
| 3:45–4:45 p.m. | Breakout session #1 | Music Building |
| 4:45–5 p.m. | Walk to Field House | — |
| 5–6:15 p.m. | Performance session #2 | Field House |
| 6:15–6:30 p.m. | Walk to dinner | — |
| 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Dinner | RSC Cafeteria |
| 7:30–7:45 p.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 7:45–8:45 p.m. | Score study Master class #3 — Peyton Grunzke | Concert Hall |
| 8:45–9 p.m. | Transition to RSC | — |
| 9–10 p.m. | DJ dance / Karaoke | RSC conference rooms |
| 10–10:15 p.m. | Walk to Phase II | — |
| 10:45–11 p.m. | Floor meeting | Phase II Dorm |
| 11 p.m. | Students in rooms | — |
| 11:15 p.m. | Lights out | — |
Tuesday, June 16
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | Wake up | — |
| 6:40 a.m. | Floor meeting | Phase II Dorm |
| 6:45–7 a.m. | Walk to breakfast | — |
| 7–8 a.m. | Breakfast | RSC Cafeteria |
| 8–8:15 a.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 8:15–9 a.m. | Teaching session #1 Leading stretch | Stadium |
| 9–9:15 a.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 9:15–10:15 a.m. | Leadership session #2 w/ Willie Veenstra | Concert Hall |
| 10:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Drum major session #4 Different styles + patterns / Master class #4 — Brandon Morrison | Concert Hall |
| 12:15–12:30 p.m. | Walk to lunch | — |
| 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Lunch | RSC Cafeteria |
| 1:30–1:45 p.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 1:45–2:45 p.m. | Breakout session #2 | Music Building |
| 2:45–3 p.m. | Walk to Field House | — |
| 3–4 p.m. | Performance session #3 | Field House |
| 4–4:30 p.m. | Breakout session #3 | Field House |
| 4:30–4:45 p.m. | Walk to stadium | — |
| 4:45–6:15 p.m. | Teaching session #2 | Stadium |
| 6:15–6:30 p.m. | Walk to dinner | — |
| 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Dinner | RSC Cafeteria |
| 7:30–7:45 p.m. | Walk to the stadium | — |
| 7:45–8:30 p.m. | Observe leadership rehearsal | Memorial Stadium |
| 8:30–8:45 p.m. | Transition / Grab swimsuit | — |
| 8:45–9 p.m. | Walk to MRC | — |
| 9–10 p.m. | Pool party! | Morris Recreation Center (MRC) |
| 10–10:15 p.m. | Walk to Phase II | — |
| 10:45 p.m. | Floor meeting | Phase II Dorm |
| 11 p.m. | Lights out | — |
Wednesday, June 17
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | Wake up | — |
| 6:40 a.m. | Floor meeting | Phase II Dorm |
| 6:45–7 a.m. | Walk to breakfast | — |
| 7–8 a.m. | Breakfast | RSC Cafeteria |
| 8–8:15 a.m. | Walk to stadium | — |
| 8:30–9:30 a.m. | Performance session #4 | Stadium |
| 9:30–9:45 a.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 9:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Drum major session #5 Cutoffs and cues | Concert Hall |
| 12:15–12:30 p.m. | Walk to lunch | — |
| 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Lunch | RSC Cafeteria |
| 1:30–1:45 p.m. | Walk to Music Building | — |
| 1:45–3:45 p.m. | Master class rotations | Music Building |
| 3:45–4:15 p.m. | Breakout session #3 | Concert Hall |
| 4:15–5 p.m. | Full camp review | Concert Hall |
| 5–5:30 p.m. | Pictures and goodbyes | Music Building |
| 5:30–5:45 p.m. | Walk to dinner | — |
| 5:45–6:45 p.m. | Dinner | — |
| 6:45–7:15 p.m. | Transition to student housing | — |
| 7:15–7:45 p.m. | Checkout of Phase II | — |
| 7:45 p.m. | All clear from Phase II | — |
Important notes
- Be prepared for hot weather — hydrate!
- You need your camp t-shirts in your bag for the final performance. Keep them in your bags during the day, and change during dinner.
- There will not be time to shower before checkout.
- Please be sure to remove everything from your room that you brought with you. Failing to clear trash from your room will incur a $25 supplemental charge.
- Lost or damaged room keys are $50.
Thursday, June 18 (Late checkout only)
Note: This schedule is only for those who have selected and paid for the late checkout option.
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | Wake up | Phase II Dorm |
| 7:30 a.m. | Floor meeting | — |
| 8 a.m. | Checkout from Phase II | — |
| 9 a.m. | All clear from Phase II | — |
| 10 a.m. | Camp staff room check complete | — |
Note: No breakfast is provided on Thursday.
Thanks for sharing your summer with us at East Texas A&M University!
Admissions and Scholarships
Scholarships are available both for music majors, non-majors, and color guard members. Admissions and Scholarship Auditions will take place on the dates below:
- Saturday, January 30
- Saturday, February 20
- Saturday, March 6
We hope you'll consider spending part of your musical journey with us in the future.