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Community Corner

Whiz Kids: Parkland Indoor Percussion Ensemble

They placed second in tournament in a field of 73.

  • Name: Parkland Indoor Percussion Ensemble
  • School: Parkland High School, ninth through 12th grades     
  • Greatest Accomplishment: Taking silver-medal honors in the of Bands Indoor Competition in Wildwood, N.J. earlier this month. The 28-member group made up of musicians from ninth through 12th grades began practicing immediately after football season ended (they are all required to be members of the PHS Marching Band), turning their attention to competitions that began in late January. In addition to the tournament, they also participated in Winter Guard International and Mid-Atlantic Percussion Society contests. Considered “elite” levels by the Tournament Indoor Association, the three performances have been described as “indoor theater” for the choreography, costuming and themes they utilize. Every weekend through the end of April saw the team traveling or , and many weekends, they entered two competitions, making trips to Coatesville, Reading and beyond. The “season” culminated in Wildwood on May 1, where they placed second in a field of 73, bringing the silver medal home to Parkland.  Compared to the marching and concert bands, the group is relatively new, begun in 2003. They are led by Parkland High School English teacher Chris Johnson, who is also a percussion adjudicator and teacher, and each section has instructional techs that have extensive experience with Drum Corps International (DCI). Johnson, himself a DCI alumnus, graduated from Penn State University, where he was a member of the Penn State Marching Blue Band. He took over the reins as leader of the Parkland High School ensemble after graduating from the university in 2004, an opportunity he’s says he’s thankful for. 
  • “I graduated and then was welcomed by the Parkland community, “ Johnson says, but Monica Hodges, a member of the music department’s executive committee, sees it differently. “Indoor percussion wasn’t something that put Parkland on the map until Chris took over. He graduated from Penn State and then came to Parkland, fortunately for us,” she says. Since 2004, the group has medaled four times. 
  • One of the things Johnson says he’s most proud of is that two of his percussionists, senior Dan Rahusen and sophomore Tom Czajkowski, will tour this summer with the Jersey Surf, competing against other DCI East drum corps in Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Indiana. “It’s wonderful,” says Johnson. “It’s a great learning experience.”
  • Key to Awesomeness: The percussion ensemble's dedication. Collectively, they spend hour after hour practicing and perfecting their music and routines. Each ensemble must select a theme for their performance, and all music must be live, although they are allowed to use sound effects. This year, they chose “In Pursuit of the Skies” as their theme, reflected by the blue, white and silver costumes, cloud-shaped backdrops and ethereal movements used in their performances. 
  • Adding to the theatrical effect was a small child running through the drummers to emulate flying, and papier mache eagles made to soar overhead. To capture that silver medal, the group practiced every Friday night, then again Saturday morning prior to leaving for a competition. “They’re totally dedicated to the performance,” says Hodges. “They know if you want to be good, there’s a huge time commitment, and they accept that fact. They’re focused and they work hard.”
  • Hear the Parkland High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble perform Saturday during the 8th Annual at Parkland High School.
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