Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wimberly Tells Club About Band Camp

Letting Gurdon band director Alan Wimberly speak is a dangerous thing.

There are times even he isn't sure what he's going to say. But, the Gurdon Rotary Club went out on a limb and allowed him free reign with the program Thursday, June 15.

The one given is he will talk about the Gurdon High School Marching Go-Devil Band.

On this occasion Wimberly told the club about the Henderson State University Band Camp 29 Gurdon students will be attending this summer.

He said none of the Gurdon students will be in the "last" bands, and he should know as he will be working with both groups in the last bands at the camp.

The students, he told the Rotarians, will arrive on Sunday, get checked in and be given a schedule for the first day.

Each of the students will have to try out and then be placed in one of the bands.

According to Wimberly, there will be at least eight bands during the second week of band camp, with him directing the eighth band.

He said the "last" bands aren't the best ones, but he plans to get his charges motivated and make those bands above him nervous. "The eighth band has nothing to lose."

Wimberly will be working with this group of performers for four days before they're required to play in a concert.

To make sure none of his students from Gurdon are in the last bands, Wimberly has been working with them during this brief summer respite.

However, he said, band students from around the area will be coming to HSU for this camp, so it is possible Gurdon students could be in the last bands. Those attending the camp will come from all over Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Missouri because it is so well known.

"It's a well respected camp," he said, "and has been going on more than 30 years."

Along with working with two bands during the three camps, Wimberly will be directing the jazz band once again. This is something he's done for the past 10 years.

His second group for the camp, he said, will be the fifth band for senior high. The senior band, though, will do two concerts  one Thursday and another on Sunday.

The camps, he said, will be fun and educational for those attending.

But, the students won't just be working all the time. They will be given some free time to go dancing or attend movies.

Wimberly encouraged the club members to attend the concerts saying they would hear some quality music.

When asked if the HSU band would be performing at a Go-Devil football game again this season, he said he wasn't sure. Last year HSU's football schedule had the Reddies hosting Arkansas Tech the day after the band performed at the GHS game.

This, he said, allowed their band to get in some extra work before their halftime performance.

It seems the ATU band director was a student under Dave Rollins, the HSU director, so there's a friendly rivalry between the two on who has the better band.

HSU will be traveling to ATU this year for the game.

However, Wimberly said, if the HSU band is unable to perform, he may try and get the Ouachita Baptist University Tiger Band to play at a GHS halftime.

Last year, he said, the GHS band was undefeated in competition. This year Wimberly is looking to have 45 members in the band, with only one senior. The band will also include students in grades 9-12, which should make it even more competitive, something other high school bands really want to hear.

Wimberly was vague when questioned about the type of halftime show fans could expect this football season. All he would say is it's going to be a Latin show and he's excited about it.