Music programs at CGA

[slavatka]

My soon to be swab son has not been able to get through to anyone in the music program. It seems there may be a handover of duties happening now. So I'm turning to the hive mind to ask are there opportunities for strings players or just traditional band instruments? My son has played viola for eight years straight and would love to continue at the academy. Should we just bring the viola to swab summer and a solo piece for a tryout and hope for the best?

 

[Professor T]

There are a number of opportunities for him to be able to play at CGA. The most logical one for a viola player is orchestra. In my opinion, he does not need his viola for the start of swab summer, but he will probably want it by the start of Fall semester. If you will see him before Fall starts, I would bring it then. I am sure others will chime in, but there are these musical groups:

• Orchestra
• Jazz Band
• Regimental Band
• Marching Band
• Glee Club (with Fairwinds and Idlers)

All of the musical groups get amazing opportunities to travel and perform.

 

[slavatka]

There are a number of opportunities for him to be able to play at CGA. The most logical one for a viola player is orchestra. In my opinion, he does not need his viola for the start of swab summer, but he will probably want it by the start of Fall semester. If you will see him before Fall starts, I would bring it then. I am sure others will chime in, but there are these musical groups:

• Orchestra
• Jazz Band
• Regimental Band
• Marching Band
• Glee Club (with Fairwinds and Idlers)

All of the musical groups get amazing opportunities to travel and perform.

Thank you for this! I did not see "orchestra" anywhere on the site, so this is helpful. We won't see him after we leave him for swab summer, so that's disappointing. We haven't gotten any information yet on what he is supposed to bring so hopefully an instrument is an approved item! Still really sketchy on this part of what you bring for swab summer and then what happens after as far as items you need if you aren't able to go back home.

 

[Offshore]

The cadet band director (CWO4 Frenkel) just retired. He was in charge of all instrumental music. They are in the process of getting a new cadet band director. Dr. Danny McDavitt is in charge of all vocal music. His email is daniel.r.mcdavitt@uscga.edu.

I did Windjammers Drum and Bugle Corps, Nitecaps Jazz Band, and Regimental Band all 4 years.

Reach out to me with any questions.

 

[yankeecowboy]

Is there much opportunity for a bass guitarist at the academy?
I saw a jazz band mentioned but can't think of much besides that.

 

[Iwutke]

Is there much opportunity for a bass guitarist at the academy?
I saw a jazz band mentioned but can't think of much besides that.

Many famous bands have started amongst friends made at college. They need a bass player.

 

[yankeecowboy]

Many famous bands have started amongst friends made at college. They need a bass player.

Very true!

 

[slavatka]

The cadet band director (CWO4 Frenkel) just retired. He was in charge of all instrumental music. They are in the process of getting a new cadet band director. Dr. Danny McDavitt is in charge of all vocal music. His email is daniel.r.mcdavitt@uscga.edu.

I did Windjammers Drum and Bugle Corps, Nitecaps Jazz Band, and Regimental Band all 4 years.

Reach out to me with any questions

The cadet band director (CWO4 Frenkel) just retired. He was in charge of all instrumental music. They are in the process of getting a new cadet band director. Dr. Danny McDavitt is in charge of all vocal music. His email is daniel.r.mcdavitt@uscga.edu.

I did Windjammers Drum and Bugle Corps, Nitecaps Jazz Band, and Regimental Band all 4 years.

Reach out to me with any questions.

McDavitt currently has a blank auto reply, but thank you for this information!

 

[27BearDad]

Thank you for this! I did not see "orchestra" anywhere on the site, so this is helpful. We won't see him after we leave him for swab summer, so that's disappointing. We haven't gotten any information yet on what he is supposed to bring so hopefully an instrument is an approved item! Still really sketchy on this part of what you bring for swab summer and then what happens after as far as items you need if you aren't able to go back home.

The checklist on what to bring will be in the cadet handbook on the 2028 web portal. It (nor the parents handbook) is posted at the moment, so they must be making some revisions. It'll spell out exactly what to bring for Swab Summer, and you basically need nothing more or nothing less. I *think* there's a reference to musical instruments. If it's similar to those playing sports, they instruct you to bring your gear reporting weekend and there will be opportunity to drop it off with a coach. I want to say it's a similar process with instruments.

As for things in general, don't stress. Follow the list, and you'll be good. Little items they may need can either be sent in a care package during/after swab summer. They also have limited opportunities to get things from the cadet store during swab summer. After swab summer, making Target runs (if for no other reason, just to get off base) will be one of their favorite things!

 

[StPaulDad]

You might want to call before bringing strings to swab summer. I know that they piece together a swab band every summer, but I also recall one parent on the Paul Duddy pages laughing about the years of violin lessons suddenly being made worthwhile by seeing DD playing the bass drum.

Swab summer is not like the following academic years. Stuff happens so laugh and roll with it, and when August rolls around make arrangements to get your axe on campus once the shenanigans are over and real accommodations can be made.

EDIT: All the instruments are provided for the swab band, which sometimes makes the sudden appearance of a saxophone or french horn in your kid's hands all the more hilarious after a multi-year absence. Again, stay loose and enjoy the ride.

 

[Cville24]

You might want to call before bringing strings to swab summer. I know that they piece together a swab band every summer, but I also recall one parent on the Paul Duddy pages laughing about the years of violin lessons suddenly being made worthwhile by seeing DD playing the bass drum.

Swab summer is not like the following academic years. Stuff happens so laugh and roll with it, and when August rolls around make arrangements to get your axe on campus once the shenanigans are over and real accommodations can be made.

EDIT: All the instruments are provided for the swab band, which sometimes makes the sudden appearance of a saxophone or french horn in your kid's hands all the more hilarious after a multi-year absence. Again, stay loose and enjoy the ride.

Not that I'll be a swab this year, but I'm glad to hear that they put together a swab band -- I'm a trumpet player, and I was somewhat concerned about the potential for a summer-long break from the instrument and its impact on my chops! Quite a relief.

 

[Texas_Pirate2024]

You might want to call before bringing strings to swab summer. I know that they piece together a swab band every summer, but I also recall one parent on the Paul Duddy pages laughing about the years of violin lessons suddenly being made worthwhile by seeing DD playing the bass drum.

Swab band sounds awesome. I play snare drum and I like to think I'm alright at it so maybe I'll get a spot in that!

 

[slavatka]

The checklist on what to bring will be in the cadet handbook on the 2028 web portal. It (nor the parents handbook) is posted at the moment, so they must be making some revisions. It'll spell out exactly what to bring for Swab Summer, and you basically need nothing more or nothing less. I *think* there's a reference to musical instruments. If it's similar to those playing sports, they instruct you to bring your gear reporting weekend and there will be opportunity to drop it off with a coach. I want to say it's a similar process with instruments.

As for things in general, don't stress. Follow the list, and you'll be good. Little items they may need can either be sent in a care package during/after swab summer. They also have limited opportunities to get things from the cadet store during swab summer. After swab summer, making Target runs (if for no other reason, just to get off base) will be one of their favorite things!

So they won't need any other clothing for winter like a coat or anything? Sheets, pillow? Is that what they'll need to go to Target for? That's the part that's really confusing me.

 

[slavatka]

You might want to call before bringing strings to swab summer. I know that they piece together a swab band every summer, but I also recall one parent on the Paul Duddy pages laughing about the years of violin lessons suddenly being made worthwhile by seeing DD playing the bass drum.

Swab summer is not like the following academic years. Stuff happens so laugh and roll with it, and when August rolls around make arrangements to get your axe on campus once the shenanigans are over and real accommodations can be made.

EDIT: All the instruments are provided for the swab band, which sometimes makes the sudden appearance of a saxophone or french horn in your kid's hands all the more hilarious after a multi-year absence. Again, stay loose and enjoy the ride.

I guess I'm just concerned that if you don't know what you need until after swab summer is over and your family lives far away, what happens then? Are we going to be shipping a bunch of stuff? Sorry, axe on campus? What does that mean?

 

[StPaulDad]

Two answers:
During the summer swabs are issued a tremendous amount of stuff and limited in what else they are allowed to have. Stick to the list, stick to the list, stick to the list. There are plenty of threads around here, but start with the list and add judiciously.

During the academic year they can get to the post exchange easily, and they can go to Target some weekends, and Amazon can get anywhere, plus you can send things. But know that they still have strict limits on how much stuff they can have in the room, and in fact most want to keep things to a minimum anyway because their civilian clothing options are proscribed and it's important to keep everything neatly organized. Let them drive the purchases since they have to live with the storage problems.

 

[ProudMom7]

So they won't need any other clothing for winter like a coat or anything? Sheets, pillow? Is that what they'll need to go to Target for? That's the part that's really confusing me.

Other than the items on "the list" that they are supposed to bring for swab summer, the cadets are issued everything that they *need*, including winter coats, pillows, etc.. If they *want* anything that is not considered essential, then they can order from Amazon, run to Target, or get something at the cadet store or the exchange. But as @StPaulDad stated, they have limited personal space in their room, and they have limited opportunity to wear civilian clothing during 4/c year.

 

[slavatka]

Two answers:
During the summer swabs are issued a tremendous amount of stuff and limited in what else they are allowed to have. Stick to the list, stick to the list, stick to the list. There are plenty of threads around here, but start with the list and add judiciously.

During the academic year they can get to the post exchange easily, and they can go to Target some weekends, and Amazon can get anywhere, plus you can send things. But know that they still have strict limits on how much stuff they can have in the room, and in fact most want to keep things to a minimum anyway because their civilian clothing options are proscribed and it's important to keep everything neatly organized. Let them drive the purchases since they have to live with the storage problems.

I'm thinking, do they need a winter coat? Do they need sheets and a pillow? Do they need a laptop? What if they are playing a sport, do they bring stuff for that? Maybe I'm just unclear on what daily life there is really like. We've never been to see it and cannot go to any in person events prior to the weekend at the end of June. I assume they wear a uniform every day and most of the time? Do they need to buy special shoes or boots? Things like that. I understand they probably can't have much but it seems like they'll arrive with shorts and running shoes and that's it, lol!

 

[ProudMom7]

I'm thinking, do they need a winter coat? Do they need sheets and a pillow? Do they need a laptop? What if they are playing a sport, do they bring stuff for that? Maybe I'm just unclear on what daily life there is really like. We've never been to see it and cannot go to any in person events prior to the weekend at the end of June. I assume they wear a uniform every day and most of the time? Do they need to buy special shoes or boots? Things like that. I understand they probably can't have much but it seems like they'll arrive with shorts and running shoes and that's it, lol!

They will be issued a laptop, sheets, pillows, uniforms, boots, etc... All of the costs for these items over swab summer and the first semester of 4/c year are wrapped up into the cadet ICA loan, and the cadets will automatically pay this loan back out of the monthly pay that the cadets receive while at CGA. These pictures are from 4 years ago (class of 2024) so it might have changed slightly, but it gives you an idea of everything they are issued just at the beginning of swab summer. This doesn't include the uniforms that they will be issued as the summer goes on. Plus, I believe they are all issued monitors now as well.


All they need to bring for swab summer are the items on the list.
Exceptions include:
- Sports equipment if your swab has discussed with the coach and can drop things off
- Possibly instruments if it will be difficult to get them there after swab summer
- Health/medical items if approved - for example, my daughter brought her custom insoles (she had a pair in both pair of running shoes she brought and had an extra pair to put in her boots when they were issued), her shin sleeves, and her supplements (calcium, vitamin D). All of these were approved ahead of time.

 

[CGAGOBEARS]

They will be issued a laptop, sheets, pillows, uniforms, boots, etc... All of the costs for these items over swab summer and the first semester of 4/c year are wrapped up into the cadet ICA loan, and the cadets will automatically pay this loan back out of the monthly pay that the cadets receive while at CGA. These pictures are from 4 years ago (class of 2024) so it might have changed slightly, but it gives you an idea of everything they are issued just at the beginning of swab summer. This doesn't include the uniforms that they will be issued as the summer goes on. Plus, I believe they are all issued monitors now as well.


All they need to bring for swab summer are the items on the list.
Exceptions include:
- Sports equipment if your swab has discussed with the coach and can drop things off
- Possibly instruments if it will be difficult to get them there after swab summer
- Health/medical items if approved - for example, my daughter brought her custom insoles (she had a pair in both pair of running shoes she brought and had an extra pair to put in her boots when they were issued), her shin sleeves, and her supplements (calcium, vitamin D). All of these were approved ahead of time.

Everything Here. Also search this forum. there are many threads discussing this topic. MANY. Good Luck and remember to Roll with it!

 

[slavatka]

They will be issued a laptop, sheets, pillows, uniforms, boots, etc... All of the costs for these items over swab summer and the first semester of 4/c year are wrapped up into the cadet ICA loan, and the cadets will automatically pay this loan back out of the monthly pay that the cadets receive while at CGA. These pictures are from 4 years ago (class of 2024) so it might have changed slightly, but it gives you an idea of everything they are issued just at the beginning of swab summer. This doesn't include the uniforms that they will be issued as the summer goes on. Plus, I believe they are all issued monitors now as well.


All they need to bring for swab summer are the items on the list.
Exceptions include:
- Sports equipment if your swab has discussed with the coach and can drop things off
- Possibly instruments if it will be difficult to get them there after swab summer
- Health/medical items if approved - for example, my daughter brought her custom insoles (she had a pair in both pair of running shoes she brought and had an extra pair to put in her boots when they were issued), her shin sleeves, and her supplements (calcium, vitamin D). All of these were approved ahead of time.

omg, thank you so much for this!! I really needed to see this. I appreciate you!