Many of you have questions about Open House and Membership. Here are some commonly asked questions and answers.
FUSION CORE 2020 OPEN HOUSE
When is Open House for the 2020 season?
November 30th at Eisenhower Middle School, 47 Eyland Avenue, Succasunna NJ 07876.
Color Guard applicants will have a second audition in April. If you were not able to attend the November Auditions a full fee will apply. If you attended and paid at the November audition, you will not have to pay for the April audition camp.
How much is the Open House fee?
$50.00. If you register and prepay by November 15th, you will receive a $5.00 discount.
What if I am unable to attend Open House?
Every effort should be made to attend the Open House. If this is not possible, you can attend the first camp in December to meet the staff and experience what Fusion Core is all about. An Open House fee will apply.
What do I bring to open house and what should I prepare?
Specifics on what to bring to camps will be sent to you via email by your caption head or section representative, so be sure to sign up on corpsdata so we can keep you up to date.
Specifics on what to prepare will be included in the email.
Do I have to bring my own instrument/equipment to the Audition Weekend?
If you have an instrument and mouthpiece, please bring it. However, if you do not have one, it’s all good. We will supply.
Battery applicants should bring a drum, harness, stand, sticks, and drum pad. Cymbals, bring an 18" pair. We typically have more drummers attend open house than we have drums.
Auxiliary, drum set, and synth applicants should bring sticks, and drum pad.
Color Guard applicants should bring weapons if auditioning on a weapon.
What is the schedule for open house?
9:00 a.m. – Registration
10:00 a.m. – Greetings in the auditorium
A DAY FULL OF MEETING, GREETING, AND LEARNING. ENDING WITH A SHOW & TELL PERFORMANCE
6:30 p.m. – OUT
What positions are available?
All positions are open except for Head Drum Major. Returning members that are eligible to march (all fees from previous years paid up to date, no disciplinary actions, positive contributor in the years he/she marched) will be eligible to return but may be interviewed by Caption Heads/Admin before receiving a contract.
BEING A MEMBER OF FUSION CORE
Are auditions only held at the Open House?
No. As a matter of fact, our open house is not an an audition per say. It is a day to experience what Fusion Core is all about. Auditions are covered over a period of time for brass, percussion, and front ensemble. Colorguard has a ONE DAY audition opportunity at the conclusion of the indoor season, later in April.
Can I submit a Video Audition?
Video auditions would only be accepted if you are 100% committed to being part of Fusion Core and are away at college and can’t make the open house or the winter camps. The December camp is usually held when most schools are out which would be a better opportunity for an “audition”.
How much does being a member cost?
Tuition for the 2020 season will be $1250.00. Tuition is inclusive of the following fees: Instruction, rehearsal camps, equipment/uniform, meals and transportation when provided, Championship weekend lodging, ONE pair of gloves for brass members. Please note that there are other fees that are associated with membership that are not included such as: Marching shoes, socks, guard foot wear/warm up shirts, aussie (if applicable), additional pairs of gloves, rehearsal weekend meals, sectional gear, white shirt for ensemble. Open House Fee does not apply to your tuition. Veteran members receive a $50.00 discount and all members will receive an early pay off discount if the full tuition is paid by the early pay off date.
All members are expected to meet the financial commitment as described in the membership contract. Payments must be made in a timely manner. Financial aid is not available, however, fundraisers and sponsorship forms will be provided.
Are Scholarships available?
Fusion Core does not have any scholarships or financial aid available at this time. In the event that scholarship monies do become available to award, you will be informed of these opportunities. All members should plan accordingly and not wait for scholarship availability in the event it does not happen for the 2020 season.
What is the sponsorship program?
The sponsorship program is a great way for members to raise money towards their tuition. 100% of monies generated from this program will be applied to their account. Fusion Core provides members with a sponsorship letter that can be shared with family, friends, and community members about their upcoming drum corps experience.
More information about the sponsorship program will be provided to members along with their membership contract paperwork.
What should I expect during the auditions and how is a position offered?
Fusion Core gives you the opportunity to experience and learn the skills necessary to perform at one of the highest levels in the drum corps activity. During the audition phase, you will learn about what it takes to be a part of Fusion Core: time commitment, costs, season schedule, and our expectations for preparation will be discussed. You will also have time to ask any questions that you might have. We suggest that you take everything into consideration prior to making any kind of commitment whether it be drum corps or anything in life.
Time will be spent with the instructional staff of your respective section (brass, percussion, guard). Staff members will discuss and work with you on what is expected for you to continue with the Core. You will spend time in ensemble, sub section settings and one on one time with staff as needed to help you develop the skills necessary for your success.
Positions will be awarded to the people whose strong desire is to be successful. Your commitment level, communication, your personal and financial responsibility, and your attitude are given primary consideration in the selection process. Your talent, skills, growth, and your improvement will also play a key factor in placement; however, if you are willing to learn, we are willing to teach and our staff will place members accordingly.
It is our goal to help you have an incredible drum “Core” experience.
At the conclusion of our audition process, you will be informed of one of these results from your audition:
A. You will be offered a contract for a position with the corps.
B. You will be given a call back to see your improvement in certain areas.
C. You will be given information on how you may improve for an audition next year.
Is there housing for the season?
Yes, there is housing available at a local church near our home base in Jefferson NJ.
What is the schedule for the 2020 season?
The schedule will be available on the Schedule page once finalized. The 2020 summer competition schedule is tentative until confirmed early spring.
What do I do if I have conflicts?
We understand that there may be conflicts and we will work with you. Conflicts that we deem acceptable are academic and performance related. Once school is over and indoor is complete, 100% attendance is expected. All conflicts should be indicated on your questionnaire. Your best chance of making the corps will depend on your attendance. When you fail to attend a camp and haven't told us why in advance, we assume that you do not wish to be a part of the corps. Communication is key.
What do I do if I have college orientation or an SAT/ACT conflict?
We understand that there may be conflicts with taking the SAT/ACT or attending your college orientation and we will do everything we can to try and work through these scenarios. Typically, testing does not take up a whole day, so we ask that you attend a portion of the days rehearsal either prior to or after your testing (if distance is not an issue).
Planning accordingly and communicating is the key if no options exist. We ask that you do everything possible to avoid scheduling conflicts on show days, which is typically not an issue since most testing is done in the spring.
Can I join Fusion Core if I am in a Winter Guard, Winter Percussion Ensemble or if I am involved in Area, Region, County or All State ensembles?
Yes. We support the winter activity and school programs and understand the commitments of those schedules. We do expect your attendance during weekends you do not have an indoor commitment or audition/performance with your school.
We are fortunate to have talented students as part of our organization and congratulate you in advance if you make any of these ensembles. As a matter of fact, let us know when your performing and perhaps you'll hear some of us cheering you on in the audience!
What is the age requirement?
Our age range starts at 16. Ninth grade students/younger than age 15 will be considered, however approval from the Core Director and respective caption head is required. The average age range of Fusion Core is 17 – 20.
What is the main source of communication?
Fusion Core uses “Band” as our main source of communication. Just like Facebook, we are able to have sectional pages, share pictures and videos. Unlike Facebook, members are able to sign up on a shared forum without having personal information accessible by other members within the group
Can my parents get involved? Are there volunteer opportunities?
Absolutely! Volunteers are needed during the camp weekends to help with miscellaneous projects. Volunteers are essential towards the success of the core. Volunteers help with cooking, sewing, uniforms, transportation, and general needs. We typically need 8 - 10 volunteers per show day.
For those that are interested in volunteering at the open house, please contact Holly Marino at
. Our primary need of support at open house is food prep and serving.
Season volunteers can sign up for our BAND volunteer page. There they will find more details on how they can support the drum corps. Different needs typically arise each weekend. More information about volunteer opportunities for family members will be discussed at our parent meeting during open house.
Who do I contact with questions?
For registration related questions, please contact:
Shea Costello:
For organizational questions such as tuition, expectations, Fusion Core history, scheduling and any other non sectional focused questions:
Holly Marino:
For section related questions, please contact:
Percussion: Julia Wehrer
Brass: Chris Rusca
Crusca@passaicschools.org
Guard:
Thank you for your interest in Fusion Core. We hope to meet you at our 2020 Open House.