Air Grams – personalized PA announcements/fundraisers that parents and friends may purchase at competitions to support band members- these are read over the PA just before the band performs
Band camp – a week + of intense daily Marching Band practice; the first portion is completed at Shawnee, the second portion is overnight in PA
Band Cards – Discount cards sold by band members as a fundraiser
Battery – Marching Band percussion section that carries drums and marches; is comprised of snare drums, bass drums, and tenors.
Bibbers – Marching Band pants; part of the standard uniform; provided by the band
Candy Grams – candy and accompanying personalized notes that can be purchased at competitions to send to band members for after their performance (fundraiser for host band)
Caption awards – various awards a marching band can win at competitions, such as “Best Visual” and “Best Music.”
Class–Open schools tend to be the more competitive schools within the group. A are less experienced
Color guard – see Guard.
Competitions – held on Saturdays or Sundays, band will compete against multiple other schools
Craft Show – Along with the Home Show, the December and March Craft Shows are our biggest fundraisers. Parents and students are expected to volunteer
Dinkle – brand of marching band shoe- students may receive a used pair with uniform or may need to purchase a new pair through the band
Dot Sheets – printed sheets that show students where to march during each song
Drill – the steps and positions that make up the Marching Band show.
Drum major(s) – student leaders of the band who conduct, help run practices, and represent the band at school and competitons. The guard is led by the guard captain and assistant.
Drumline – see Battery
Flags – flags used by the Guard during a Marching Band show, designed each year to fit theme.
Front – see Pit
Group– Bands are placed in competition groups according to the size of the band.
Guard – a group of students who add color and style to marching-band performances through dance, flags, weapons and other props
Guard Costume– outfit designed each year to reflect band theme, and sewn to fit individual color guard members
Home Show – The competition hosted by Shawnee each year- parents are expected to volunteer
Instructor – personnel hired to help out with various sections of the band, as in clarinet instructor or drumline instructor.
Leadership – all captains, section leaders, drum majors, etc
Low Brass – trombones, euphoniums, sousaphones, tubas, bari saxes, and baritones
Lyre – the clip on music holder used for stands’ tunes and parades
Pep Band – band that plays for the basketball games; members vary- may or may not exist for 2015-2016).
Percussion – Pit and battery/drumline taken together
Pit – Marching Band percussion section that does not march (plays on the sidelines), comprised of instruments such as tympani, xylophones, gongs, etc.
Pizza – As students typically stay afterschool on Friday until practice and the football game, students have the option to prepurchase pizza and water for dinner.
Plumes – the feathered portion of the Marching Band hats (very fragile); provided by band- handed to each student just before each performance.
Podium – raised platform upon which conductors stand
Prop Parents – parent volunteers are needed to design and build props, as well as move them on and off the field each week
Prop Bus – A retrofitted school bus that transports the props to each competition
Rifles – fake rifles the Guard using in a Marching Band show. (They’re heavy!)
Run-through – practicing the Marching Band show.
Sabers – fake swords the Guard using in a Marching Band show.
Section leader – band student who is in charge of a Marching Band instrument section; such as “woodwinds section leader.”
Shako – official name of band hats
Soli- When a section has a feature in the show and plays together
Stands’ Tunes/Music – the music played in the bleachers at football games
States – competition for state championship
Student account – financial account that holds funds designated for the student; source of funds can be from fundraising or parent/student payments.
Tenor (drums) – set of 4 connected drums carried by member of the battery.
Tour Shirt– t-shirt designed specifically with the theme of the year’s show and the competition dates
Towers – parents who volunteer to tow the Ranger (golf cart used for towing pit instruments) or the instrument trailer with the instruments
Trailer (AKA Big Blue, even though it is black)– carries the instruments for each away game and competition
Uniforms– assigned jacket, bibbers, shako, and dinkles. Black socks and tour shirt should be worn underneath. Bibbers may be washed, jackets should be dry-cleaned.
Woodwinds – clarinets, saxophones, flutes, piccolos
Yamaha Cup – a National Competition the band will compete in
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