Join Mountain Fifes & Drums
New Recruit night is held annually, so make sure to check our calendar around September, or fill out our new recruit form below to have a director contact you about joining.
Becoming a Recruit
Auditions are not required! In fact, most new members have no musical experience at all. We teach how to play fifes and drums, as well as how to read music notation and basic music theory. Most new recruits who join are between 10 and 12 years old, and have completed the fourth grade.
Cost
We believe that musicianship, leadership, and discipline are essential for every young person, so membership in Mountain Fifes & Drums is free for all youth ages 10-18. Additionally, we provide assistance for families to travel with us for special performances across the country.
If you would like to help us provide this service free of charge, find out how you can donate to support Mountain Fifes & Drums.
Requirements for Membership
Rehearsals
Rehearsals are held on Monday nights from 5:30 to 8pm at Church Of The Woods in Lake Arrowhead. Corps members learn and practice marching, join music classes and sectional rehearsals learning to play their instruments, perform historic musical pieces, and learn music history.
Attendance
All members are required to attend rehearsals, be on time, practice daily, come prepared, be respectful of each other and their instructors, and follow the Mountain Fifes & Drums code of conduct. If your child will miss a rehearsal, we ask that your child call Mrs. Hatch or Mr. Wilhite by 4pm Monday before rehearsal. We follow the Rim Unified Schools holiday and snow-day schedules.
Music and Uniform
Our repertoire is composed of 18th and 19th century martial music. Our goal is to perform this music on authentic reproductions of the instruments of that period. We wear colonial style uniforms from George Washington’s continental line.