High School Percussionist, we will meet briefly tomorrow at 3:15 to discuss the 2021 Percussion Ensemble season.
What is concert percussion ensemble?
Concert Percussion ensemble is a group made up of primarily percussion instrument found in an orchestra or concert band. These groups play a wide array of different types of music.
What does the MSHS concert percussion do?
HISTORY: This ensemble was created in 2001 to give percussionist an added ensemble to be a part of. It rehearses mostly after school with some opportunities during 4th block. In 2008, the ensemble began competing in our region’s circuit called the Southeastern Colorguard Circuit, or SCGC. The group also competed on the national level with Winterguard International, or WGI. The MSHS concert percussion ensemble has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success within these competing arenas. Competition is not all they do. They have been asked to perform at several prestigious events like the Alabama Bandmasters Association summer convention, All-State Festival weekend guest performers, and twice for the Alabama Music Educators Conference.
In 2019-2020 school year, the ensemble did not compete instead deciding to be more “Chamber” ensemble focused learning many different selections. They were guest performers at the Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion at the University of Alabama campus. Unfortunately that was our only opportunity to perform in the spring of 2020 before Covid sent all of us home.
In 2020-2021, the MSHS concert percussion ensemble will focus on an artistic “competitive” show with opportunities to perform at sanctioned SCGC events. It is unclear at this time if these events will be competitive in nature, but there is a chance they could be. At the very least, we have performance opportunities in our future.
Our 2021 show will be Angels and Demons, based on the symphonic music Angels in the Architecture. Many current percussionist may remember that tune from our spring concert two years ago. It was a favorite of the band and will lend itself well to a highly programmatic performance for this ensemble. I encourage you to youtube 2011 Cadets drum corps and watch the show.
I am happy to say that Dr. Iain Moyer will be arranging and creating our music for this ensemble again. Dr. Moyer is the front ensemble coordinator for the Boston Crusaders and long time friend of Mr. Waters. In 2011, he was with the Cadets Drum Corps when they won DCI with this very show. He has intimate knowledge of this music and their show was based on the same idea. We will most likely ask for the help of Mr. Michael Zellers who creates all our special sounds and sound scapes to make the show come alive.
This is not all we will do in 2021. We want to revive the tunes from last year that we never got the chance to perform. Most of this will happen AFTER the last competitive show is done with maybe a few sectionals thrown in.
I am glad to have Mr. Hood available to help us with after school rehearsals. Being the head director offers unique challenges running a program and a percussion ensemble at the same time. We couldn’t do this without Mr. Hood.
DUES: There will be dues associated with this ensemble in 2021. With travel, arrangers/writers/designers, instructors and other things that come with having an ensemble of this nature, there will have to be dues. I will let you know how much as soon as we figure out what travel will be. Understand I will keep it as low as I possibly can. The last time we did competitive ensemble it was $650. I can promise it wont be anything close to that. I hope to get it in the $250-ish range.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: Students to start with (now and Christmas) we will rehearse every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30-5:00. After Christmas break we will need to look at adding another rehearsal.
YOU MUST BE IN 2nd SEMESTER BAND TO DO ENSMELBE…………..however, you do not have to be in ensemble to do 2nd semester band.
AUDITION MATERIAL: I will hand out the audition material for new member auditions at the brief meeting tomorrow.
If you were a member last year, you do not audition. Mr. Hood and I will be placing all members on instruments where they are most needed.
*We will have a need for electronics for this show. Two synths and a bass guitar.
SCGC will be releasing dates and venues for their shows in late October. As soon as they are released we will plan our 2021 performance tour. We will also plan a community send off show before championships as well as a concert at the end of the year to showcase our show and all the other selections we have worked on.
Mr. Hood and I are excited to get this thing ensemble going. I hope you are too. See you tomorrow at 3:15. (I will be there this time…….)
