The AHS marching band kicked off its season this summer with its annual two-week band camp, where more than 180 students trained in music fundamentals, learned this year’s field show Resurrection, and built connections before the start of school.
For section leaders like Sohum Bujone (11), the camp was a chance to take on new responsibilities. “Band camp is a period of time for marching band members to collaborate and learn their new show and get a head start in the season,” said Bujone.
Leading a section, however, came with challenges. Bujone said, “Motivating my group during long hours under the sun was the hardest part. There are barely any breaks.”
Percussionist Rishventh Ramoshan (11) agreed that the heat was the toughest obstacle. “I carry heavier drums,” Ramoshan said. “Carrying all these big drums for three, four hours out in the heat can feel very tiring.”
Despite the physical demands, students said band camp helped form bonds within their sections. Ramoshan described how the percussion section created its own traditions. “For one of our team bondings, we’d go into Jack in the Box, get a milkshake, and see who can get it the fastest,” he said. “That experience as a group doing these weird, silly things definitely brought us closer together.”
Members of the AHS Marching Band rehearsed in the summer heat at band camp (Photo Credit: Keithav Sivashanker (11)).
Larger band traditions also added to the sense of community. Ramoshan highlighted the “circle talk” at the end of camp. “The whole 180-member band would sit outside in a really big circle. Whoever is comfortable, they would just go up in the middle and speak about their experiences in band camp or just anything in general,” he said.
Assistant Drum Major Maurya Mopuri (11) explained that months of planning went into organizing the camp. “We started planning in June,” he said. “We practiced conducting, finalized visuals, and prepared lesson plans with the leadership team in the weeks before band camp.”
The leadership also made adjustments when needed, such as swapping large-group rehearsals for sectionals to give students more targeted practice, but the heat remained a constant challenge. “We took precautions like sunscreen, water, and breaks,” Mopuri said. “We wanted everyone to stay cool and actually enjoy camp instead of just surviving the sun.”
Preparation was also key for student leaders. According to Bujone, section leaders attend an additional two-day training camp before the full band arrives. “All the leaders are together in the band room, and they take turns conducting and leading rehearsal for other leaders,” he said.
Bujone said, “I saw clear growth in my section. They were definitely mentally and physically much stronger by the end of band camp, and they built a really tight-knit community,” he said.
Ramoshan said, “If I could change one thing, it would be adding more indoor time. That’s the one drawback… it’s super hot outside,” he said. “So I would try to include more indoorsy stuff, like practicing our music indoors where it’s colder.”
Still, for both leaders and members, band camp marked a strong start to the season. “Most importantly, it helps create a community that makes people want to be there and not give up,” Bujone said.
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