Band Strikes Up Scout Spirit
Youth band sets the jamboree beat
By Daniel M. Reck
Jamboree Today Staff
Cheers rang out from the musicians in the National Scout Jamboree Youth Staff Band as conductor Bill Nelson called up "Land of a Thousand Dances" at Tuesday night's rehearsal. The official band of the 2010 National Scout Jamboree was preparing for Wednesday's opening arena show.
Instantly, the laughter subsided as Nelson, the jamboree band director since 1977, counted off the opening beats. Trumpets flashed, mellophones rocked and sousa- phones danced to the beat. On cue, the band yelled "Uhh!" and the familiar '60s melody filled the tent and flowed into the Mahone youth staff area.
The band played its first note together on July 23. After the rehearsal, baritone saxophonist Greg Shepherd, a 22-year-old assistant Scoutmaster from Troop 139 in Oak Ridge, N.C., said, "To get material together in such a short time frame to performance quality is a challenge."
Shepherd's participation in the youth band was made possible because the age limit for band members was extended to 25 for this year's event to allow more members to return from previous jamborees, said Nelson,of Lubbock, Texas. "There are five returning members."
Conducting his ninth jamboree band, Nelson, a high school band director for 42 years, said jamboree band members "are like regular band kids on steroids. They don't want to quit. They love it."
In addition to performances at Court of Flags ceremonies, the band will be giving its signature performance in the shadow of the Washington Monument in the nation's capital on Friday. They will appear at National Sylvan Theater, the site of many military band performances. However, there is one more treat in store for the Scout musicians.
"This is the first time we get to play in the main part of the arena show since 1977," said Nelson. "We will perform onstage with the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets during the finale." That performance, featuring "You're a Grand Old Flag" and "The 1812 Overture," will come during Saturday night's arena show.
T. Hance, a 16-year-old Life Scout from Naples, Fla., is new to the band. "The hard part is getting on focus and staying on focus, especially in performances," he said. Hance is the trombone section leader of the Barron Collier High School marching band; his director's letter of recommendation landed him a spot in the jamboree band. "There's no audition," Hance said. Shepherd also had to get a letter of recommendation from his high school director. The senior at North Carolina State University is studying mechanical engineering. "I haven't played much since high school," he said. "I needed to practice from the end of last year to this year to be prepared. The jamboree atmosphere really contributes to our attitude and that gets transposed into our performance."
There was a jamboree band in the 1930s, but it disappeared sometime thereafter and was reinstated in 1977 with Nelson carrying the baton.
"It keeps getting better and better," Nelson said. "We used to have to borrow instruments from local schools and now we've been fortunate enough to hook up with Yamaha." The musical instrument manufacturer lent sousaphones and all drum line equipment. "They do it out of the goodness of their hearts, we only pay the freight."
Thirty-three years after he started conducting the jamboree band, Nelson said, "I did everything I could to get here. I was obsessed with getting here."
Shepherd is also enjoying his return to the jamboree. He said even though this is his third time at the event, he is still "trying to finish all the things that there are to do at the jamboree. There is so much cool stuff to do here."