Young American Patriots Fife & Drum Corps

I have had the pleasure of working with and performing alongside the YAPs kids for a few years now. As members of this truly unique group (at least for California), the kids get to learn about music and history. They have amazing opportunities to perform in the community, both locally (Pleasanton/​Alameda County) and beyond (San Francisco, San Jose, etc.).
Students choose to play one of 2 cool (and historical!) instruments: a rope-​tension snare drum (slug across the shoulder) or a fife (basically a simple flute). Usually each member will be performance-​ready in only a few weeks or months. There are somewhat casual weekly rehearsals for working on the fundamentals of playing instruments and marching. The kids also get to do a variety of games and activities at rehearsal that introduce fun concepts of history, and other important lessons that relate to the group.
I highly recommend that anyone looking for a fun, valuable, affordable, and unique musical activity for children considers joining the YAPs Fife and Drum Corps!