The FAMU summer band camp would not let a nationwide pandemic stop it, instead of the usual in person camp, quickly shifted to a virtual format for 2020 and had its third highest attendance in 27 years with more than 700 students and more than 100 band directors from around the world.
The virtual camp completed three full days of instruction yesterday, was free for students this year because of the coronavirus. While the camp was free it adopted a "pay what you will/can" for to still raise funds.
The camp had various sessions for elementary, middle, and high school students to improve their music and dance skills.
Dr. Shelby Chipman, the director of marching and pep bands, says because of the pandemic this is the first time in 27 years the camp has not met face to face.
“Just to see their faces and their spaces whether they were in their living room whether they were in their bedrooms some of their parents when we did the early morning exercises and like fitness participated for those 20 minutes and talked to them about health and wellness prior to all of this start of the session it was just…we just never thought it would come together like this,” said Dr. Chipman.
“As an educator these times can be very scary as we navigate how best to continue to render meaningful instruction. They did not miss a beat with this experience. The Directors Symposium covered so many valuable topics,” Tryphena Hughes, Band Director, Akili Academy in New Orleans, wrote on Facebook. “This experience did not miss a beat. I can’t wait to bring more of my students back to campus for the full in person camp next year.”
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