North Carolina Volunteers Fife & Drum Corps
Music, History, & Marching Precision
If you have a passion for music and/or the history of the American Revolution and you live in central North Carolina then look no further. We are always recruiting people interested in recreating the music of the American Revolution.
Who can join?
Anyone with an interest or who wants to learn and recreate the field music of the Revolution. Membership is is open to anyone 10 years of age and older.
Membership dues are $30 per month for individuals, $25 per month for families with multiple members, or $125.00 for the whole semester Aug- Dec if paid in full.
Commitment
We practice every Saturday 9am-11am at our warehouse located at 1580 King Mill Road Four Oaks. This location is not climate controlled so dress for the temperature. Members are also expected to practice on their own time. We recommend 15 minutes every day even if it is only practicing fingerings.
Uniforms and equipment are mostly provided. The corps has two uniforms: historical and modern.
The historical uniform consists of black oxford shoes, buff (khaki) pants, black gaiters, white colonial shirt, blue hunting shirt, white belt, black cravat, and black cocked hat. All you need to supply are the shoes and pants.
The modern uniform consists of black orthodox shoes, navy blue pants, white belt, white button down dress shirt and 8-point uniform hat. The hat and belt are provided.
Accoutrements are issued on an as need basis. Such equipment includes haversack, fife case, sash, etc.
Schedule
We try to keep busy and keep our members engaged. Most of our events will either be practices or performances, but occasionally we will have social events and fun trips. For example, we might perform at an amusement park in exchange for free entrance, or host a cook out with tomahawk throwing and a movie.
Ideally, we will be practicing every Saturday as stated above. Every other month we will attempt to schedule a performance. Performances may be at historic site events, or we might put on a friends and family show/concert.
Instruments
Instruments are provided. New members are issued a plastic fife. Once you ready to commit funds we recommend purchasing a Model F 6-hole fife.
Rope tension snare drums and pass drums are provided. However, drummer will need to purchase a practice pad and sticks. Bass drummers are provided mallets.
Other equipment that members will want include a collapsible music stand, a 1-2 inch 3-ring binder, sheet protectors, and two 8x10 inch sheets of plexiglass which can be found at Lowes.
Benefits
As a member of the Corps you will receive some of the same benefits as being an employee of Camp Flintlock such as employee discount on camp store purchases and free use of the campsite for private events (pending availability).
Another benefit is small group and private instruction on your instrument.
You will also a unique avenue to express your musical talents that many people do not have access to. Marching bands are at every high school and university, drum and bugle corps are around, but many are very competitive to get in to and are extremely physically taxing. Fife and drum corps are very few in the south and harken back to a musical tradition of our founding.
Non-Musicians
Color Guard
Besides musicians we also have a color guard who carry flags and muskets in parades.
Parents
Parents are welcomed to volunteer and help chaperone events.
The Band of Musik
Do you play an instrument other than the fife or drum? Then you are welcomed to join our Band of Musik. In the 18th century the fife and drum served primarily as a signaling unit and while they did provide music for ceremonial occasions, some units has bands. The instrumentation was a little different from our modern ensemble. The band would have been comprised of oboes, bassoons, flutes, clarinets, sting instruments, and sometimes brass instruments like French horn, trumpet/bugle, and possibly even a trombone.
Our Band consists of:
- 1 Oboe
- 1 Flute
- 2 Clarinets
- 2 French Horns
- 1 Bassoon
- 1 Bass Trombone
That being said we are always looking to expand and if the want arouse, additional ensembles can be formed and other instruments, approximate of the 18th century, can be recruited.
Music Lessons
If you are a homeschooler looking for musical opportunities for your student, we may be able to help. We will be offering music lessons for beginner and intermediate. Those who want to just learn music can choose from fife, tin whistle, or recorder which are fairly inexpensive ($7-$15). However, for those who want to learn a traditional band instrument we can assist with flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone/euphonium, tuba, and snare drum. You will have to source your own instruments.
Lessons are given most Saturdays at our headquarters 1580 King Mill Road Four Oaks from 1pm-3pm. All students are welcomed to participate in our fife and drum corps as well as our band of musik.
The price is $30 per month for a single student, $25 per month each for multiple students, or you can pay for the semester at $125.