Zoey Opsahl, 10, learned a lot in her first week playing the trumpet at beginner’s band camp.

“This actually was the first week I’ve started playing it,” Zoey said.

Incoming fifth-graders enrolled in band for the new school year learned over two months worth of work this week during the first beginner’s band camp at I.J. Holton Intermediate School. Zoey was one of about 135 students at the band camp.

“This is the first time we’ve been able to do a summer band camp,” I.J. Holton band director Tim Davis said.

Davis was one of four directors who taught students over the past week, which was broken up into four sections with five basic instruments. Davis taught the trumpet section, while private music teacher Holly Dalager taught the flute section, Ellis Middle School Band Director Nino Tarara taught the clarinet section, and Austin High School band director Brad Mariska taught the low brass section with trombones and baritones. About 150 students are enrolled in band at I.J. Holton this year.

Zoey learned a lot from Monday through Thursday, where students practiced from 12:30 to 3 p.m. each day with a small concert for family and friends closing the week on Thursday.

“I’ve learned all five of the notes and I can already do two to three songs,” Zoey said.

She chose the trumpet because organizers said she had a good buzz for it, and she didn’t want to play the trombone.

“It’s fun playing an instrument,” she said. “In the grade school you got to play xylophones and stuff but you didn’t get to play the brass instruments.”

Zoey recommended anyone who wants to should join band, because while practice is necessary, it’s still fun.

Students learned rhythms skills, counting and clapping rhythms, and the note names on the staff, as well as dealt with the treble and bass clef. They also learned to put the notes together with their instruments.

“What we’re hoping is that by doing this camp the kids will be two months ahead of where they normally would be on the first day of school,” Davis said.

For Kylea Rupe, 10, the flute was her first choice.

“It’s really fun and the melody’s awesome,” she said.

She was excited to learn different songs as well, such as “Hot Cross Buns” and others. She wanted to join band to learn another instrument.

“I really wanted to play another instrument because I already play a couple of others,” she said.

Kylea also plays the piano and the recorder. She urged others to try out for band.

“Because it’s really fun to play,” she said.

Davis said a big reason the camp came together this year was a cooperation with MacPhail Center for Music and the Music Boosters of Austin.

“A collaboration of those three groups are what made it possible to have band camp,” Davis said.

The camp was offered at no charge to students, with a small fee for busing if students needed transportation. Davis hopes with the good results this year the camp will continue in the future.

“It’s been a success and we hope to continue doing this each year from now on,” he said. “It’s been real successful.”