Harmony Project Holds Its First Precision Drill Marching Band Camp
This summer, Harmony Project hosted its first HBCU-inspired Precision Drill Band Camp on the campus of Crenshaw High School. The two-week camp was envisioned by our Education and Teaching Manager, Mara Hall, and brought to fruition by our program staff, Malia Pinkard and Jacqueline Brown-Gaines. Our goal in creating this camp was to immerse our students across various Harmony Project sites in a musically challenging experience that would prepare them for their future endeavors as artists and leaders in their communities. Students from our Leimert Park, Crenshaw, Hollywood and Pasadena sites participated in the camp.
Loosely mirrored after the rich band tradition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), our band camp was made even more special by the participation of three Jackson State University (JSU) students and band members: Christopher Dixon, Lamont Bell, and Shelbie Newman. These college students joined us as interns for the entire camp, adding an invaluable presence to the two-week camp. Harmony Project students had the awesome opportunity to work with the interns in full band and one-on-one settings, extending the conversation beyond musicianship to conversations about college preparation. For their performance at the conclusion of the camp, the band performed eight songs and a dance routine for their families and the general public in attendance! Throughout the program, our students became familiar with playing music from a variety of cultures and time periods including house music, pop music, and Afro-Cuban music. This helped foster a diverse environment that each student felt represented in.
By the end of the camp, every student learned something new about the universal language of music and left feeling more motivated to continue crafting their musicianship. Exposure to different forms and styles of music creates more empathetic and aware citizens. Research has proven music education provides countless benefits to brain development, memory recollection, and overall wellness in children. Our first Harmony Project Summer HBCU-Inspired Precision Drill Band Camp responded to the need in our community for a stimulating positive environment where young musicians can sharpen their craft and learn to work together. It is our hope that we can continue to have this Band Camp each summer with interns from different HBCUs to help further strengthen our ever-growing community of impactful and world-changing musicians. We graciously thank each donor and supporter who made this program possible, and we look forward to continuing to uplift our community through the gift of music.
