Harlee Eide
Harlee Eide, 16 Liberty High School Oregon Crusaders Bass Drum, 2009 How did you choose your corps? A lot of my friends were interested in joining a drum corps, and I had done some research on what the experience was like and thought I might give my home state's only corps a whirl. In your experience, what's the best way to prepare for an audition? You have to be confident. Going into the audition process with your head down will not set you up for success. Staying positive and being as prepared as possible is key to making the cut. I didn't know what to expect, so I didn't practice the audition material all that much. I also didn't know much about bass drum technique, so one of the things that helped me make it through the audition was my positive attitude. What can a prospective corps member expect when he/she shows up for an audition weekend? You'll see a lot of people. There's most likely going to be competition for the spot you want, and since not everyone knows each other, the atmosphere can get tense at times. The first time you auditioned, was the process different from what you expected it to be? In some ways, yes, but for the most part the instruction was based on pretty basic concepts, which I was expecting. The only thing that I didn't anticipate was that besides your playing abilities, you will also be evaluated on your attitude and your personality. The staff wants to see how well you will handle the drum corps experience. Were you nervous at your audition? I was a little nervous, because I wanted to audition for the snare line, but didn't think I would make it so I switched to the bass drum. After a bass staff member talked to me and told me more about the section, I realized that the bass drum line is where I belonged. What do you think is most important for someone to take away from the audition experience? It's important to take away insight on what the drum corps experience could bring to your life, and what you can bring to others in the activity. You might discover a few things about yourself that you didn't know before. I see the auditions not only as opportunity to be a part of something exclusive, but also as an educational experience that teaches you new skills while giving you the opportunity to make new friends. Any other advice? Be open to new things. The staff members are there to help teach you and make you a better person and player, so don't have a huge ego and think that you've got everything figured out. Learn more about corps audition dates, locations and additional info.