Winter drum line, state solo and ensemble competitions, mandatory concerts and recitals were some of the many distractions to our March camp, but the membership faced these challenges and still achieved the stated goals for the weekend. At the corps' fourth camp, the focus was on solidifying the program and concert music while learning the first several phrases of drill.Scheduling conflicts with members of the battery prompted the corps to require only the snares and tenors which, in turn, created a unique approach to music ensemble. On Saturday night, the horn line and front ensemble met to play through the concert piece Madison Moments before being joined by the snares and tenors to work through the program music. “Coordinating the two sections helped the guys hear how their parts relate in ways that can otherwise be difficult to pick up,” said Front Ensemble Caption Head Andy Bliss. At the April music camp, less than three weeks away, the horn line and front ensemble will spend the entire weekend together as many members of the battery and battery staff will be heavily involved with WGI performances.

The camp saw the first appearance by new drill designer Ken Karlin who worked closely with the visual team during Saturday’s sessions to define some marching and movement styles that will be employed in the 2008 program. Early Sunday morning, the horns and drums shuttled over to Waunakee High School to learn more than twenty pages of drill. “I like to introduce my drill early in the spring so I can determine what can and cannot be effectively presented on the field," said Karlin. "Based on what I saw, these guys can handle whatever I need to throw at them."Once again, volunteer efforts were extremely well-coordinated. Local drivers made themselves available for shuttling members throughout the weekend. The sewing crew, headed by Kelly Neuls, finished up uniform sizing and Volunteer Coordinator Heather Madden began preparing for her new role. In her sixth year as head of the food program, Deb Krebs, also the office manager, now runs a well-oiled machine. This was evidenced by a calm team of kitchen help with ever-present smiles. Everyone deserves a round of applause for their efforts!The weekend also saw another important MDBCA Board or Directors meeting as Yamaha's Director of Marketing Roger Eaton and General Manager Jay Schreiber met with the team to advance the long standing relationship between the Scouts and Yamaha. In addition, a focus on the financial health remained a priority as the board continues to develop and monitor its current fundraising programs, governance and the overall financial stability of the organization. Board President Jeff Manion stated, "We continue to focus and refine the operational aspects of the Scouts. I am very pleased with the progress the MDBCA has made financially and structurally in the past 18 months."March camp was also the last time the corps will rehearse at Madison Country Day School until the summer tour. The corps will move to Wisconsin Heights High School for the remainder of the camps, including the next round of guard auditions on April 18-20. “There are many reasons to be excited about the 2008 guard," said Corps Director Dann Petersen. “We have assembled an amazing design team and staff and have a large number of returning vets. On top of that our recruiting efforts have already generated an impressive list of prospective members. At this point we appear to be well on track to see forty talented young men in the guard this summer.”