Marching percussion

director at a high school. Not only do I work with many students, but there are a lot of administrative tasks to complete as well. I find that I’m really tired most of the time and like I don’t have enough time in the day to go to school, attend marching band rehearsals, and then go home and prepare fully for the next day’s rehearsals. I also get nervous standing in front of the different ensembles, knowing that everyone (including my co-op) is watching me. It does get a bit easier every day,…

The African Djembe was said to be created in the 12th century; it’s considered one of the most versatile and boundless drumming instruments on the earth (Drum Africa). A Guinean drum that is played throughout Africa that is known to resemble the figure of a woman with it’s round upper half, small waist, and large lower half is called the Djembe drum. This unique drum was created by Blacksmiths from the caste Manlike in Guinea; with its exclusive sound spectrum the djembe produces a strong…

As the school year progresses, Thomas Jefferson's extra curricular programs continue to display their hard work for the students enjoyment. During the boys’ basketball game on January 4th, against Westminster High School, TJ’s drumline did just that, bringing the audience musical enjoyment in an unconventional way: by using buckets. After months of continuous practice, the drumline, led by band teacher Robin Johnson, was ready to perform a few songs as a halftime show. In preparation for events…

The earliest form of music that came into our world was called the Drum-Based Percussion instrument (Hollis). These instruments of rocks and sticks were used in religious ceremonies that were known as representations of animals (Hollis). It is known that by 4000 BCE the Egyptians created the Harps and Flutes, and also by 3500 BCE instruments called Lyres and Doubled-Reeded Clarinets has been founded and created (Hollis). Almost all of the Indians and Africans had been using some of these…

These past three years I've been involved with the Point Pleasant Black Knight Marching Band continue to be the most incredible three years of my life. I've met many of my close friends through band and I would consider many of them my family. We will always be so much more than just a band and every tear, drop of sweat and bruise quickly becomes worth it. I learned many life lessons from my family. They stick by my side through the worst and best times of my life and I'm so exceptionally lucky…

and many other aspects. Most of them start out the same way and go in a similar order every time, but there are always surprises that come along the way during these days. As the day starts on a competition Saturday, the Worthington Kilbourne Marching Band arrives normally in the late morning or early afternoon. The band room opens an hour before report time so that all the instruments can be shined and polished to look impressive on the field. The color guard, my section, is normally found in…

Steel drum music has the ability to move an audience like no other type of music. From the first note, the songs exude a happiness from within each pannist. Even with the slower pieces, you can close your eyes and imagine yourself in a tropical surrounding. The AISD concert, conducted by CJ Menge, which took place April 14, 2012 certainly did not disappoint. The concert was performed in Austin, Texas and featured steel drum bands from seven middle and high schools in the area. The first piece,…

Memory loss is a very stressful thing to face. While the brain in struggling to remember lost memories of family and friends, a person with dementia can become angry, sad, or even depressed. This is why music therapy is so helpful to them. Music is known to calm the brain from stresses. According to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, the best music to play for a person with dementia is music from they listened to from the ages eighteen to twenty-five. In-addition to familiar music, music…

The music of the caribbean counterpoints revolves around folk, ritual, and dance hall music in a new mode. Out of the chapter the “most important aspects of Candomble and Macumba as the main links to samba, the national dance of Brazil”. Africanisms show their emotion in brazil by a traditional dance and this takes place in Rio de Janeiro in the south where there’s colorful carnivals. The taditional music and dance of the Orixas, which consist of three drums which have three elements of music…

In comparison to how early percussion was performed and how musicians of the percussive arts are viewed upon today is almost an opposite perspective. In the medieval era of music, percussionists and parts were most definitely not used as much as which the other instruments were written for. The use of percussion back in this era were only written if the composer felt the percussion parts were a necessity for a piece, and if they were included in a piece, the parts were normally improvised. With…