James Clemens Band Director Keith Anderson instructs band members during band camp
(Record Photo/Lindsay Vaught)

MADISON-  By all accounts, band camp at James Clemens was a success. The band wrapped up two weeks of playing and marching on Friday, July 25^th.

Sand was trucked in to compensate for the lack of grass on the practice field. The band dodged rain showers the first week and enjoyed some cloudy breezy days the second week.

This year’s show title is E = JC squared which means high energy from the first number on. The first song which the band has on the field now is Energy, an original composition by James Clemens Band Director Keith Anderson. That is followed by arrangements All Night Long, Fire of Eternal Glory, and Tapestry.

“Our show is all about performing with energy,” Anderson said. “I decided to write what I thought fit our theme of being energetic. Our show is in four movements: Energy, Excitement, and Emotion and Evolution. The audience will see fast notes, fast moves and we will try to create velocity with movements,” Anderson said.

James Clemens will march 160 members in the band this year. The first year the band marched 87 and last year 129.

“This senior class has been strong ever since they were sophomores,” Anderson said. “They are very talented, very motivated, and very driven. One of our strengths is our student leaders. They are great role models and they embody the bands motto.

Their leadership on the band has been evident during the rehearsals we have had.”

Katie Miller is the drum major and Meg O’bryant is dance team captain.

While a few band students will go on and major in music, James Clemens is known for its engineering and science advanced programs.

Anderson encourages students to pursue music even after their band days are over. He sees many career opportunities in the growing music industry.

“People tend to think a student majoring music is going to be a musician or band director. The field is so varied with music production, the business side of it, and colleges now offer music administration degrees.

The training and practical skills they get from being in the band program help to suit them for whatever course of study they choose,” Anderson said.

Band students learn very quickly to take responsibility. During one morning session of band camp, students who forgot their marching show dot books ran laps as a reminder not to forget it again.

“I have noticed the overall maturity of our program is evident and is on a higher level than we have had before,” Anderson said.  “And the commitment is evident. You can see the growth coming in this first full complement of ninth through twelfth graders that are all James Clemens students. We had great leadership from the students that came from Bob Jones and now it is being handed off to the younger students coming up.”

Anderson has been assisted during band camp by JCHS assistant band director Stuart Tankesley, student teacher Matt Hendricks plus six graduate assistants working with dance line and color guard.

The hard work paid off as the band got their halftime show on the field by the end of camp. Their first performance will be August 28 at James Clemens’ first regular season football game at home against Athens.

Anderson knows how important the band is to the community.

“We’re fortunate here that the arts are appreciated and supported as a worthy endeavor,” Anderson said.  .