1.  All students, new AND returning, need to fill out the Marching Band Commitment/Registration form:  MARCHING BAND REGISTRATION 

2.  Make the first payment toward 2025-2026:   $125 DUE MAY 1, 2025!
    Any balance from previous years of Davidson Band must be paid before fees will be applied to the current upcoming year.

3.  Join the Remind101 messaging service to receive texts and/or emails from the band directors. Students and parents need to join; this is our real-time mode of communication.

Send a text message to 81010.  
The message should be:
@ybdhs26   Seniors
@ybdhs27   Juniors
@ybdhs28   Sophomores
@ybdhs29   Freshmen

(The two digit number is the student's expected graduation year.)

4.  Get a high school sports physical.
   There is a no-cost physical session for any Davidson High School student at the USA Mitchell Center on Friday, June 6 at 7:55 AM. Download and print the Physical Form and take it to the session or to your doctor:  PHYSICAL FORM 

5.  Upload your completed physical to DragonflyMax.com.
   Watch this tutorial on how to use Dragonfly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX5OFsK6AUc
   Davidson's school code is:  TSWE3S    or you can search for Davidson High School.
   Choose 24-25 Band Varsity.

Band students can sell ads for placement in the football program, on stadium banners, or new video ads that will play on the jumbo tron! Students will earn 50% profit which will be applied toward their band fees. This helps promote local businesses and raise funds for the band.

To sell an advertisement, complete the ADVERTISEMENT FORM.
Payments (cash or check) can be put in the lock-box on Dr. Beattie's office door or be mailed to the school. 

More info on video ads for our end zone jumbo tron coming soon!

ATTENDANCE IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED FOR SHOW PARTICIPATION!!! 

Week 1
July 21 – 25
Monday – Friday 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM  (Dinner: 5 PM – 6 PM) 

Week 2
July 28 – 31
Monday – Thursday 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM

July 29
6:30 PM  Parent Show in the stadium

July 31
2 PM  Make-up auditions for anyone who missed Symphonic Band auditions
4 PM  Practice starts
6 PM  Band pictures         

Aug. 5
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

After-school practice begins Aug. 11 from 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM. These practices continue until our last contest at end of October.

DHS Football Schedule 

25-26 Audition Material
25%  Scales

25%  Sight reading

40%  Excerpt 

5%  Essential element difficulty

5%  Essential element execution

PROCESS

1.  Students will perform the above excerpt at 112 bpm.

2.  Major scales are concert pitch F, Ab, and Db.

3.  For sight reading - Tell us a range of sight reading ability from the essential elements book 1 or 2 of 20 booklines. Then the director will choose one for you to perform in the room.
   For example, student A comes in and says, "I can play booklines 80-100 of essential elements book 2." Director says, "Play line 86." Then student A will play that bookline. All things being equal, student A would have a higher score than student B who came in and only gave a range of 70-90 from book 1.

4. The student will then receive a sight reading excerpt to study for 30 seconds and then perform. Percussion will sight read snare.

ANYONE who has not auditioned needs to schedule a time with Dr. Beattie.

Marching Assessment Overview & Rubric

This section explains the process and expectations for your upcoming marching assessment. You will be evaluated on your ability to perform core marching fundamentals — both with and without playing your instrument — using consistent commands and proper visual technique.

Assessment Categories & Weights

• Stationary Positions – 20%

• Marching Without Playing – 35%

• Marching While Playing (Exercise 3A) – 45%

1. Stationary Positions

You will begin at Parade Rest. On command, you will move to Attention, followed by Horns Up. These will be evaluated for posture, uniformity, and responsiveness.

Scoring Criteria (1–5):

• Parade Rest
Feet shoulder-width apart
Chest high, shoulders down and relaxed

• Attention
Instrument position
Body
Feet Together
Shoulders down and relaxed
Head up

• Horns Up / Horns Down
Horn angle

2. Marching Without Playing

On command, you will complete the following sequence:

1. Forward March – 8 counts (8-to-5 step)

2. Mark Time – 8 counts

3. Backwards March – 8 counts (8-to-5 step)

4. Mark Time – 8 counts

5. Halt

You will be evaluated using the BIFS rubric, which focuses on key elements of marching technique:

🔹 BIFS Definitions

• B – Body Carriage: Stand tall with upright posture and strong core support. The upper body should remain stable and balanced throughout all movement.

• I – Instrument Position: Keep the horn angle high, steady, and consistent. Avoid sagging or bouncing as you move.

• F – Foot Technique: 

Forward March: Use a proper roll step (heel-to-toe) for smooth, quiet steps.

Backward March: Keep your heels elevated — steps should roll from toe to ball of the foot without the heel touching.

• S – Step Size: Maintain a consistent 8-to-5 stride. Avoid short, inconsistent, or lunging steps. 22.5 inch step

3. Marching While Playing Exercise 3A

You will repeat the same marching sequence while performing Exercise 3A on your instrument. This tests your ability to maintain musical and visual control simultaneously.

Scoring Criteria (1–5):

• Tone & Pitch Accuracy

• Marching Consistency While Playing

• Breath Control

• Rhythm Stability

Additional Notes

Rehearse each phase regularly to develop consistency. Focus on posture, step size, timing, and tone quality — these fundamentals will determine your success in both visual performance and musical accuracy.

VOLUNTEER LINK

Let us know how to best utilize your gifts and skill sets. Please indicate how you'd like to volunteer. Thank you!

BENEFITS OF JOINING THE DAVIDSON BAND 

• Marching Band doubles as PE credit

• Great peer group

• Further your child's musicianship

JOIN THE REMIND101 MESSAGING SERVICE

Text @YBDHS29 to 81010 if your child is an incoming freshmen.

(The two digit number should be your child's expected graduation year.)

2025 MARCHING BAND SCHEDULE

• June Sectionals: 6/10 (WW), 6/11 (Brass), 6/12 (Percussion)

• Color Guard Sectionals: 6/3, 10, 17, 24   5:15 PM - 7:30 PM (Rifles until 8:30 PM)

• Band Camp: 7/21–7/25, 7/28–7/31, 8/5

• August: after school Mon., Tues., Thurs.

• September & October: after school Tues. and Thurs.

• Important days are football games and contests

• Tentative contest dates: 9/27 (MGM), 10/11 (We host Yay Band Contest), and either 10/18 or 10/25

CUT TIME WEBSITE - MAKE PAYMENTS ONLINE!

GoCutTime.com

• Used to track fees, inventory, and demographics of our band.

FEES

1. $250 Basic Band Fee – everyone pays this; covers instruction, transportation, traditional uniform rental, sheet music, and choreography

2. $75 Instrument Rental Fee – for anyone using a school instrument (all percussion pay this)

3. $40 Shoe Fee – for marching shoes (all freshmen pay this or if a new pair of shoes is needed)

4. Dry Fit Uniform Top – $25 to rent, $100 to purchase (includes embroidered name on back)

5. Color Guard – $500 total (includes $250 Basic Band Fee and additional equipment/uniform needs); first-year members receive a guard jacket

6. $75 Symphonic/Concert/Yayband ONLY – If a student is not doing marching band but is doing any of the sit-down bands, this is the only band fee they will owe. The instrument rental will still apply for any school-owned instrument being used.

7. $50 Band Manager – These students need to be approved by Mr. Messer and Dr. Beattie. They do not march in the halftime show. They will be responsible for doing logistical things like making copies, organizing instruments, music and other items as needed by the band directors. 

NEW DRY FIT TOPS FOR THIS YEAR

• Worn during the first month(s) of the season

• Buy the top for $100 (includes embroidered name on back) or rent for $25 per season ($100 fee if lost)

• Traditional uniform jackets used for contests and October football games (rental is part of $250 Basic Band Fee)

MARCHING BAND AUDITIONS

• There will be a contest band and a Friday night band.

• Everyone is in the Friday night band.

• Contest band membership is based on your child's marching band audition. See section 6 above for more details.

• Fall re-auditions are possible.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS 2025–2026

• Parent Volunteer Link 

PHYSICALS

• Free physicals on Friday, June 6 at the USA Mitchell Center

• Davidson’s time slot: 7:55–8:40 AM

• A sports physical is required by MCPSS for participation in marching band.

• Physicals can also be completed at urgent care or primary care doctor (must be dated no earlier than June 2025)

THREE SIT-DOWN BANDS AND MARCHING BAND

• Music audition determines placement in both contest band and sit-down band

• Fall: marching band & sit-down bands overlap

• Schedule may say “Marching Band,” but students also prep for Halloween and Christmas concerts

Sit-down Bands:

• Symphonic Band (Top Band)

• Concert Band (Second Band)

• Yay Band (Third Band)

BAND ACCESSORIES NEEDED

• Flipbook – music holder attached to marching instruments

• Should hold 20+ pages

• Lyre – attaches flipbook to instrument (varies by instrument)

• Binder – regular-sized 3-ring binder with student’s name on it and 20 sheet protectors for music

INCENTIVES

We want to grow our band each year! Recruitment incentives are:

1. $100 off band fees – if you or your child recruits someone who took a year off of band

2. $50 off band fees – if you or your child recruits someone with no prior band instruction

Upload your completed physical to DragonflyMax.com.
Watch this tutorial on how to use Dragonfly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX5OFsK6AUc
Davidson's school code is:  TSWE3S    or you can search for Davidson High School.
Choose 25-26 Band Varsity.

Our band fee processing website:  CutTime

Use this link to fill out instrument details
make, model, serial number, locker number.

Instrument Inventory