Hey everyone,

This is just a general question to instructors out there.

What responsibilities do you have as a Caption Head in your area? Are you more of a glorified tech or are you the "big name" to bring in people to your group? No offense to anyone, I just couldn't think of a better way to say it.
Obviously budgets and the level of program determines what responsibilities you have but for all intensive purposes let's say this is an average high school competitive program with a budget to hire at least a few percussion techs.

For me, I guess I see the main responsibilities of the caption head to be:

Writing the book/finding someone to write the book
Hiring a tech staff
Instituting a technique
Building/maintaining a program

I would add budgeting each season, including what the specific show demands and purchases that benefit the ensemble long-term.

I would add teaching marching technique, as I have always had to teach drumline-specific technique to my lines, and they usually do marching exercises independently from the band.

Building/maintaining a program is very broad. It could include:

-Recruitment
-Scheduling rehearsals
-Holding auditions
-Preparing exclusive performance opportunities for the drumline, such as playing at athletic events or starting a winter percussion ensemble
-Developing student leadership
-Repairing and maintaining instruments and equipment
-Teaching clinics or bringing in clinicians

As Percussion Caption Head at a high school in Utah with a small band program but strong drumline tradition, I take on a lot of responsibility. My situation may be different, but I do a lot of things that most Band Directors should be.

Percussion wise I am responsible for:
Recruiting for my percussion program as well as the band.
Scheduling rehearsal time outside of the band.
PR with school administration.
Spreading the name of the ensemble and finding PAYING gigs.
Planning and organizing audition.
Training Section Leaders.
Repairing, maintaining and magically holding together old equipment.
Finding a budget for heads and sticks.
Finding educated staff who hold the same fundamental beliefs as I do.
Arranging percussion parts

From the Band side of things:
Organizing rehearsal time and space.
Arranging wind parts when needed.
Recruiting wind players.
Keeping my Band Director rooted and understanding what is achievable for our small group. As I frequently tell him... "we're not a corps." Haha
Trying to find ways to bring a strong percussion program and a struggling band program closer together. Unity can be tough sometimes.

Oh yeah.... I teach too. From playing to basics. You have to know your stuff. The kids will pick up on it if you don't. More than anything, that's the job. If you can't teach, you're just a glorified secretary.

I think the best Caption Heads, in any section, are the ones who find a way to take the band from the level they are, to that next level we're always talking about. I can say from experience that a good line needs a good band to look it's best.

I'm a caption head/director at three different programs all with very different responsibilities.

Program #1. Small inner-city school with small budget. My responsibilities there include:

recruitment from middle school into high school
instituting the technique to the students
scheduling rehearsals
developing practice schedules and routines
fund-raising/budgeting
teaching
hiring a small tech staff
writing


Program #2. A bigger sub-urban school with much bigger budget and more competitive program. My responsibilities include:

teaching the technique
musical development of show/design
writing
recruitment
hiring staff

not nearly as much administrative type responsibilities.

Program #3. An independent WGI group. My responsibilities include:

Hiring staff
Show design
Uniforms
Instruments
Budget
All administrative duties
Website
Rehearsal Space
Scheduling
Competitions
Board Meetings
Logistics
Endorsements/Sponsorships
Recruitment
Auditions/Workshops
and the list keeps going.

It's just interesting to see how much the same "role" varies from place to place depending location, level of program, budget, circumstance.

Overlooking the percussion staff as a whole
Working closest with other captions to pull the show together
Administrative duties
Putting the rehearsals with an agenda and pace
Recruitment
Auditions
Budget
Instruments/design/arranging

I am currently the only percussion staff at the HS I teach at. So for me it's a glorified name because I'm not overseeing other people. We have tried to find some other people but it is typically during camp only that I may have help and usually only for pit. When I do have help I will check on the pit regularly to make sure my techniques and concepts are being taught so that we have consistency and because I will be answering to the band director all season. If I had more staff working with me, I would take the caption head as the "manager", would be overseeing the overall picture and ultimately responsible to answer to the band director.