2023 Pre-Season Band INFORMATION
2023 Summer Band dates August 11th - 20th.
All students and staff are encouraged to get vaccinated.
All SOSA members are encouraged to download the “Slack” app and create an account for communication. Slack will be the main source of communication throughout the season. You will be enrolled into SOSA Slack on check-in day by your section leaders (Student Staff). We recommend you use your school email for Slack. Download the app from slack.com. If you are having issues regarding Slack email sosa@utsa.edu
Members joining SOSA and living in a dorm: the deadline to be put on the “early move in” list is August 1st. UTSA Housing needs time to get rooms ready.
**** DORM EARLY CHECK IN/MOVE IN IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO HAVE REGISTERED FOR THE MARCHING BAND COURSE. See course numbers here.
Friday August 11th - SOSA Check-in / Move-in
9:00am - 4:00pm - Check-in - All Members
Students may check in anytime during this time period. The check in process generally
takes about 45 minutes. Students are encouraged to also use this time to move into housing
facilities if need be. You will receive a detailed daily schedule when you check-in
6:30pm - Mandatory meeting with all SOSA members @ Music Department Recital Hall (ART Building)
What do I do when I arrive for Summer Band/Preseason Training?
Report to the second floor lobby of the ART Building on the east side of campus for check-in (Department of Music is located inside the ART building. Campus Map HERE). Please note that the report date may vary depending on your instrument and/or membership status, i.e.(new, returning, or leadership). All members will report on Friday starting at 9am for registration. Parking lot nearest to ART building can be found HERE.
Where will I stay during the Summer Band/Preseason Training session?
If you live in campus housing, you will be able to move into your residence hall starting on SOSA Check-In day on Friday. Please remember that you will move into a residence hall ONLY if you have secured a room for the fall semester and registered for a SOSA class. The UTSA Band Office does not provide housing. You must secure your own contract for housing through the UTSA Housing Office. Membership in The Spirit of San Antonio DOES NOT guarantee you a residence hall room. It is a common misconception that UTSA has special rooms available for marching band members. THIS IS NOT TRUE! If you have not yet applied for housing through the UTSA Housing Office, do so immediately. Do not call the Band Office for this information, we cannot help. You must sign up for summer band through our Jotform above to be put on the early move in list for dorms and University Oaks. No need to contact housing for early move in; we will contact them for you once you have signed up for summer band. For housing contact info visit www.housing.utsa.edu/contact. Deadline to be put on the “early move in” list is August 1st.
****Note: You must be registered for the Marching Band course to be allowed an early dorm move in date by UTSA Student Housing.
If you live in off campus housing, those arrangements are left to you.
Be sure to communicate with your landlord and/or roommates.
UNIVERSITY OAKS APARTMENTS - University Oaks will allow SOSA members to move in on Friday. Each student living in University Oaks must contact University Oaks for an early move in request. Students living in University Oaks are still expect to attend all meetings and rehearsals during summer band camp. Phone number for University Oaks: 210-877-4000
Saturday, August 12th (Attendance taken at all 3 rehearsal blocks)
10a- 12p - All NEW wind players in Recital Hall; ALL Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
12p - 2p - Lunch on your own
2p - 5p - All NEW wind players in music sectionals assigned rooms; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
5p - 7p - Dinner on your own
7p - 10:00p - All NEW wind players on SOSA Field; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
Be sure to communicate with your landlord and/or roommates.
Sunday, August 13th (Attendance taken at all 2 rehearsal blocks)
2p - 5p - All NEW wind players in music sectionals assigned rooms; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
5p - 7p - dinner on your own
7p - 10:00p - FULL WINDS MUSIC REHEARSAL in UTSA Music Recital Hall; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
Be sure to communicate with your landlord and/or roommates.
Monday, August 14th - Thursday, August 17th (Attendance taken at all 3 rehearsal blocks)
10a - 12p - FULL WINDS MUSIC REHEARSAL in UTSA Music Recital Hall; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
12p - 2p - Lunch on own
2p - 5p - Full Winds Music sectionals in assigned rooms; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
5p - 7p - Dinner on your own
7p - 10:00p - FULL BAND (winds, aux, perc) on SOSA Field
Be sure to communicate with your landlord and/or roommates.
NOTE -
Pregame Spots assigned Monday evening based on adequate visual and musical progress as well as attendance at camp
Prelude and Show 1 Spots assigned Tuesday evening based on adequate visual and musical progress as well as attendance at camp
Friday, August 18th SWAG DAY (Attendance taken at all 3 blocks)
10a-12p - FULL WINDS MUSIC REHEARSAL in UTSA Music Recital Hall; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
12p - 2p - Lunch on own
2p - 3p - Full Winds Music sectionals in assigned rooms; Auxiliaries report to instructors; Percussion sectionals report to instructor
3p - 4p - Winds and percussion rehearsal in recital Hall
4p - 4:30p - Distribute New Member Swag
4:30p - 6p - Dinner on your own
6:30p - FULL BAND in UTSA Music Recital Hall- Distribute/Dress in SWAG, warm-up for debut performance
7:15p - Set up in tunnel
7:30p - 8:30p - Debut Performance at UTSA Paseo Steps; dismiss approximately 8:30
Saturday, August 19th (Attendance Taken)
Pregame Dress Run
10a-12p - Full Band on SOSA Field (All in SWAG)
12p - Dismissed - Band B-B-Q at Fieldhouse
Be sure to communicate with your landlord and/or roommates.
Sunday, August 20st (Attendance Taken)
MIDNIGHT LIGHT EVENT
10:30p - field house opens
11p - field house closes
11:30p - band ready to perform in front of school next to University school sign
UTSA Summer Band FAQ’s
Do I need to audition for the Marching Band?
The “Spirit of San Antonio” currently serves as a non-audition marching ensemble as we continue in our growth over the next few years. However, we strongly encourage students to look over and be comfortable with the materials in the assessment packet. The assessment packets include materials used during the season and will be used to asses individuals when placing parts amongst the ensemble.
UTSA Athletic Band Assessment Packets are available for download - HERE
UTSA Athletic Band Percussion Packet is available for download - HERE
Why do you have a Summer Band/Preseason Training session?
College Bands are noted for excellence in performance. Texas College Bands are noted as being models for College Bands all across the country. To achieve this excellence, we must be able to execute the fundamentals of marching and playing at a very high level. Because we learn and perform different halftime shows throughout the season, everyone must be able to learn and polish a new show quickly and efficiently.Preseason Training provides all Marching Band members, new and returning, the opportunity to get into shape physically, mentally, and musically so that we can work together to produce exciting performances.The emphasis is on fundamentals, but we will also be learning music and drill maneuvers for the season ahead. The quality of our Summer Session has a lot to do with the success of our season.
Pregame/Half Time Marching Positions
Members who display proper visual and musical skills during band camp will be assigned marching positions. This is to ensure the safety of our performers.
Pregame positions are assigned on Tuesday of summer band camp.
Half Time show positions are assigned on Thursday of summer band camp.
Members who do not attend summer band camp or who do not display proper visual and musical skills will be assigned as alternates until skills are improved or a spot becomes available.
I heard that the Summer Band/Preseason Training session is pretty tough.
We will approach this important training period very seriously. It is intense and we work under strict time limits. Summer Band is designed to train our members for the season ahead. We work hard during rehearsals, but you will enjoy the camaraderie and satisfaction that comes from working hard to accomplish something worthwhile.Thousands of college band performers go through this same training period all across the nation each August. We believe that you will find the training session to be carefully planned and extremely efficient. We promise to do everything possible to make your experience informative and rewarding.
What will the schedule for Summer Band be like?
The normal daily schedule for Preseason Training is as follows:
Keep in mind that this is only a sample schedule. You will be given a detailed daily schedule when you register for training. We make every effort to use this time in a productive and efficient manner.
10:00 am - 12:00 pm Drill (Rehearsal Field)
12:00 pm - 01:30 pm Lunch
01:30 pm - 04:30 pm Music Rehearsals
04:30 pm - 06:30 pm Dinner
06:30 pm - 09:30 pm Drill (Rehearsal Field)
What if I have to attend Orientation and Registration during the Training Session?
We will excuse you from rehearsal when you have something important to do regarding orientation and/or registration. All you need to do is advise the staff that you must leave and when you will be back. We do not want to keep you from conducting important business.Please remember that it is your responsibility to catch-up and practice anything that you miss while away from rehearsal.
What about medical appointments?
You will be excused from rehearsal for important medical appointments, but please make every effort to schedule these so as not to interfere with Preseason Training.
What about meals during Preseason Training?
You must provide your own meals during Preseason Training. There are many fast food and family-style restaurants to be found in the area around campus. Many students also bring breakfast items to be eaten in their residence hall or apartments.
Due to the extremely rigorous physical activity involved in our training sessions, all students are CAUTIONED against missing regular nutritious meals. It is IMPERATIVE that you eat well balanced meals three times a day.
What about going through sorority/fraternity rush?
If you wish to go through sorority/fraternity rush, you may certainly do so. However, if you are a first-semester freshman, it is not recommended that you try to do too much your first term in college.
Being in The UTSA SOSA and a sorority or fraternity will place a lot of demands on your time; some of that time should be devoted to studying! Some students are able to do both, but you should weigh the pros and cons carefully.If you decide to go through rush during our Preseason Training Session, you will be responsible for keeping up with everything that is taught in rehearsals that you miss, and you will be evaluated on the same standards as those who attended all rehearsals.