Stephen F. Austin State University

It is hard to say whether their energy level had more to do with the Starbucks beverages they had consumed moments earlier in the Baker Pattillo Student Center — or with the full slate of fun activities in which they’d been participating for band camp.

Whatever the cause, the pre-teen French horn players who gathered Wednesday for Christina Aguirre’s class were “wired for sound.”

Stephen F. Austin State University was host this week to a few hundr d middle-school band campers, and the level of energy and enthusiasm never waned.

Before Aguirre’s group could tackle the sheet music propped on their music stands, the chatty foursome had to discuss several more pressing issues: “Who won American Idol?” And, “How long will Lindsey Lohan stay in rehab this time?”

When the only boy in the group made an off-the-cuff “anti-girl” remark, Aguirre (known to the band camp kids as “Ms. A”), was quick with a comeback: “Just for that, we’re going to play ‘Kiss the Girl,’ from ‘The Little Mermaid,’” she said.

This friendly banter continued as the students pulled the song from their stacks of music and finally settled down for some serious practice.

Although he students will leave campus stronger, better musicians — they probably won’t go home and tell friends and family what they learned. Instead, they’ll talk about the food, or “Mr. Fun” and the crazy things he did at their daily assemblies. They’ll talk about their counselors, or the girl or boy they met. They’ll talk about what it was like to stay in the dorms, or what they bought at the bookstore.

Camp directors know this, because once upon a time they were band campers, too.

In fact, it is at band camp that many directors discovered their passion for music. It is where many of them gained the confidence they needed to carry them through the tumultuous years f junior high and high school. The experiences they had at band camp prepared them for professional careers in music. More than that, the experiences prepared them for life.

Christina Aguirre, a 1998 graduate of SFA, is director of bands at Humble Middle School.

She attended band camp every year at SFA, starting in the seventh grade.

“This is the place where I fell in love with music,” she said. “I was unsure, scared, and I didn’t make friends easily. But when I came to camp, the faculty members were supportive and loving. They really built my confidence.”

One of Aguirre’s favorite band camp memories was listening to faculty concerts at the end of the day.

“I would listen and think to myself, ‘One day I want to sit on that stage,’” she said.

Aguirre also remembers the good times she had with her peers at camp.

“I remember the boys coming to the girls’ dorms every night to sing, ‘Good Night Sweetheart,’” she said.

Aguirre decided in her senior year of high school to attend SFA. From the time she first set foot on campus, she never considered any major other than music.

“I was so in love with music, I just wanted to help kids learn to appreciate it,” she said. “Music is universal. It’s a language we all share.”

Aguirre tries to instill in her students the understanding that it might take some of them longer to learn music, but band members can grow and enjoy it together.

“We don’t ‘bench’ people,” she said. “We don’t have a second string. Last chair is as important as first chair. Band is a place where students can gain confidence.”

Aguirre said 50 middle school students from Humble attended band camp this week, and high school students will attend next week.

Having attended band camp as a middle school and high school student; having attended SFA as a music major; and now, having attended camp as a director for several years, Aguirre experienced a new phenomenon for the first time this summer.

“I saw some of my former middle school students here, attending college at SFA” she said. Aguirre will return to SFA as a student, herself, as she plans to enroll in the master’s program this fall.

Mark Melton, band director for Union Grove, is a 1978 graduate of SFA who directed a musicianship class at camp.

“Students come with prepared music, to audition, and they are placed in bands by ability level,” he said, explaining how camp works. “We have master classes, musicianship classes and rehearsals — the students are busy all day.”

Of course, there’s still time to go to Starbucks in the student center, hang out by the pool and go to dances, Melton said.

“One of their favorite things is the daily assembly,” he said. “Mr. Fun’ leads it, and they all go home with lots of stories.”

Band camp provides a “boost” for the summer, encouraging students to practice while they’re out of school, Melton said. It also teaches them detailed things about their instruments that they might not have known before camp.

“Camp is nice for directors, as well,” he said. “I love coming back and seeing my colleagues and comparing notes. It’s almost like an in-service, because it refreshes us.”

Melton said Union Grove is a small school, but dozens of students attend camp every year.

“It’s great to see them excel,” he said. “The Band Boosters give them $100 toward their fees, and those who attend go home and tell their friends how much fun they had. It’s grown, and grown and gr wn.”

Melton said there’s also value in exposing students to the university experience.

Henderson band director George Little, a 2002 graduate of SFA, said students make friends, learn about music and improve their ability a great deal at band camp.

But he agreed that what will be most memorable to them, are the social activities.

“One night, I went to check on some of the kids, and 10 of them were grouped up in a dorm eating pizza,” he said. “They have a great time at camp, and it’s a big social event for them.”

Kids love going home with SFA T-shirts, shorts and ball caps, Little said. Although this is the first time for many of the younger campers to be away from home for a full week, Little said “it’s easier when you go with 45 of your closest friends.”

Little said he tells the fifth graders every year, “If you join the band, you’ll have 350 instant friends.”

“They’re here with friends, so they relax, they have fun, they learn more easily and they focus,” he said. “It’s fun for the directors to hang out, swap stories and learn new techniques.”

Little said he feels privileged to teach band, and his roots at SFA band camp go back to his years in high school and middle school.

“Some of my favorite memories of band camp are meeting girls, going to dances, competing, and getting to know the counselors,” he said.

One counselor in particular, nicknamed “Tank,” became a long-term friend, Little said. When he learned that Tank and his wife welcomed their new baby into the world at Nacogdoches Medical Center during band camp, Little made plans to visit them.

“It’s cool to form those kinds of friendships,” Little said said.

Little, a trombone player, said he knew when he made the all-state band his junior year that he wanted to build his career around music.

“When I heard the sounds those advanced musicians made, I wanted it to be part of my life,” he said. “I’ve never wavered from it. I love it.”

Darwert Johnson, band director at James Coble Middle School in Mansfield, received his bachelor’s degree in 2000 and his master’s degree in 2004 at SFA.

He said he enjoys the camaraderie of meeting other band directors and sharing experiences at camp.

“Every year, there are so many fun things for the students to do,” he said.

Johnson attended camp at SFA as a high school drum major, and he said he loved it.

“My best friend and I were drum majors together one year,” he said. “I remember one morning we were supposed to be at the football stadium at 6 a.m. We woke up at 8, and we sprinted across campus as fast as we could, because we were so late. We must have run a mile.”

Johnson said it’s fun for kids to mingle and meet other students their age, but he said they also learn a great deal at camp.

“When students come to camp, their ability levels expand tremendously,” he said. “In the camp setting, students strive to be their best. They go home eager to practice.”

Coming back to visit his alma mater is a great experience for Johnson, too.

Isaac Salazar, seventh grader from North Richmond Hills Middle School, said this is the longest camp he’s ever attended, but he’s been way too busy to be homesick.

“The trumpet classes have been great,” he said. “When you play the trumpet, it’s fun to get together with other people who play and talk about stuff that has to do with music.”

His favorite song to play at camp was ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’”

“I liked staying in the dorms, and meeting new people,” he said. “It was fun.”

Fred J. Allen, director of bands at SFA, said camp operat s like a school day.

“Monday through Friday, the band rehearses,” he said. “There are classes, including a master’s class with an SFA instructor. There are sectionals with small groups, and there are musicianship classes with sight-reading and rhythm reading.”

In the evenings, students swim, dance or go to the gym to play basketball.

“The camp experience mimics college life,” Allen said. “Students stay in the dorms, eat in the cafeteria, attend classes, and get a dose of what it’s like to go to college.”

Allen said students tell band directors that camp provides a “spark” for them. They are able to practice more efficiently and are better able to hold their mouths properly and count corr ctly as a result of the reinforcement they receive at camp.

“It’s a matter of pride for me that many of my former students come back to serve in the roles that I trained them for,” he said. “These alums are our lifelines to the public schools.”

Of course, the camp experience would not be complete without one very important person — the one who is arguably the most popular of all: “Mr. Fun.”

His name is David Lipe — (Don’t tell the students that “Mr. Fun” isn’t his real name) — and he’s an SFA senior from Wylie.

He was hand picked for his job by Dr. David Campo, associate director of bands and director of the Lumberjack Marching Band at SFA.

“Last year when I was in the wind ensemble, Dr. Campo came up to me and said, ‘You seem like a fun guy. Do you want to be ‘Mr. Fun?’”

The rest is history.

As Mr. Fun, Lipe organizes the dance, pool night, gym night, and entertainment for daily afternoon assemblies.

“One day we had stupid human tricks; one day we had talent shows; one day we taught everyone the Cha-Cha Slide; and one day we sang the ‘cheeseburger song,’” he said. “It helps everyone unwind.”

Lipe remembers the “Mr. Funs” from when he was in camp. At that time, if his memory serves him correctly, “Mr. Fun” was usually one f the band directors. For those guys, Lipe surmises, the job might have been ... well ... maybe a little less than fun.

“I think I’ve got the best job in the world,” he said, looking serious for a moment despite the large, blonde Afro-style wig he was wearing. Then he added with a smile, “I get to plan all the fun stuff, and I get to act goofy all week.”

Lipe attended band camp at SFA from seventh through twelfth grade, and it strongly influenced his decision to attend SFA.

“Sure, it’s fun,” he said. “Not every one of these kids will come back to SFA as a music major, but maybe they’ll come back and major in something else. Or maybe they’ll keep playing their instrument after high school, even if they don’t major in music. Maybe they’ll just grow up and go to concerts and support the arts. That’s what this all about.”

To see a video of band camp, visit www.dailysentinel.com, or search SFA Video on “You Tube.”