March 2013 Volume 11 Issue 11

Words of Warmth

and Wisdom Tips and Past Experiences on the

marching band’s Florida Tour

As it gets closer and closer to Spring Break, marching band practices start to pick up, and the marching band is off to

Florida once again. As everyone knows, Florida’s weather can be quite dynamic. In the morning, the sun can be high in the sky, and it can be a warm and pleasant day, but then by the afternoon, it could be a complete and total down pour with a heavy gray forecast. In any case, make sure to pack the appropriate clothing so you don’t get stuck soaked. If that is the case, make sure you bring along a bag you can put your wet clothes and any wet swimsuits in so your dry clothes don’t also get wet. Make sure to bring a waterproof case for any electronics such as your phone and camera. You never want to get halfway through the trip and be unable to take pictures and unable to keep in touch with parents. The amusement parks always have stands filled with goodies and little trinkets. Be sure to bring a nice sturdy bag that can carry around all of your purchases. But keep in mind you might have to carry that bag for several hours, so it might be a good idea to bring a drawstring or messenger bag.

Since there is still a little while until the trip, you’ll need to start thinking about the group you want to walk around with. The groups don’t have to be any larger than four people, but it is always nice to have more people around for more fun. This way you won’t have to go running around the hotel trying to make plans the day before. Once you get to the parks, make sure you have some sort of plan on where everyone wants to go. You never want to leave one person out of the group’s decision. The whole point of this trip is to relax and have some fun with your friends. Always keep that in mind.

“My favorite part of the Florida trip my sophomore year was just the memories made while we were there. It's so amazing to be able, even years later, to look back and reminisce about the performances we had and the people we met while being there.” ~Marley W.

“My favorite part about Florida was being able to do a big trip like that knowing that every member was accountable for each other, which makes it practically seamless.” ~Michaela G.

Featured Musician of March 2013:

Kali M. Kali is a French horn player in Varsity Band

who loves marching band. Naturally, she belongs in the marching band, but also

participates in winter guard. Her first real influence in music was actually a

performance by the marching band. Her

favorite experience was when she had a rehearsal in sleet. It wasn’t a good rehearsal,

but she played awesome and had a great experience. Her music teachers throughout

her life have influenced her musically and

have helped her have fun when playing her instrument. She picked the French horn after

hearing a piece written from Mozart. She likes pretty much any kind of music, and an

interesting fact about her is when she hears

a note, she always sees a color in her mind. Kali loves to play music and doesn’t know how

she could live without it.

Point Sheets Point sheets are everyone’s favorite part of

band—right? Okay, well, maybe not, but they

are an important aspect of your musical

education, and at the very least your musical

grade. Since band class has no tests or projects

to grade and evaluate personal progress

(something no one is complaining about) point

sheets fill that role. Mr. McCullough uses them to

ensure that students are completing their

musical homework; there are so many

opportunities in Beavercreek to grow as a

musician each quarter, and he wants you to

take advantage of them! The point sheets are

set up so that the most beneficial items are

towards the top and are worth the most points.

Private lessons, for example, are worth 25 points,

and each performance within the band

program you participate in is worth 10. 50 total

points are needed each nine weeks in order to

get full credit, and it is impossible to get an A in

band without them! A copy of the form is

available on the website, and printed versions

will be set up in the band room leading up to

the end of the quarter.

The broken drumhead 2

All About Weekend of Jazz 2013 Part One Thursday Night “I walked into the auditorium, not really sure what to expect. My little bro and I got a

seat right up in the front as we prepared for a potentially very long concert. Not every seat was filled, but there was a good crowd, but boy, it was a very good concert.

The Ankeney Jazz Band, conducted by Mr. Bisig, with rockout tunes like “Soulin’,” “Deacon Jack’s Gospel Shack,” and “Brass Attack.” All of the sounds were loud and fast. “Soulin’” was the first song, and the band just started playing it as soon as they got on stage. It did its work as a loud, catchy tune. “Deacon Jack’s Gospel Shack” had a bit of a different feel to it. It was still loud, but much more controlled and sleek. “Brass Attack” was exactly that: loud, fast, and in my opinion, almost sounded like a marching band tune.

The Ferguson Jazz Band, led by Mr. Frost, played songs similar to Ankeney’s “Deacon Jack’s Gospel Shack” song, with a more classical style. Some of these songs were “Jive Cat Jump” and “Tres Picos.” Their last song, “Bad Attitude,” had more of a “downtown” feel.

After the middle school bands finished their numbers, the high school bands started to perform starting with Jazz II, which was directed by Mr. Bisig again. The members of the band had frequent times when they would stand up, emphasizing a part, and they all looked like they were enjoying themselves. “Libertango” had a compelling tempo & melody, with intricate and interwoven parts. “Bad Ol’ Blues” was much more controlled, but ended with an explosive ending, and “Spud” was a very fast, loud, tango-feel song.

Finally, Jazz I arrived to perform, conducted by Mr. McCullough himself. Their first song, “The Heat’s On,” has a call and response feature, lots of brass, and an explosive ending. “Critical Mass” had a catchy, tap your foot beat, and is loud and crazy. “Backburner” was much more of a down-town feel sort of song and, like everything else, explosive. Finally, “Cherokee” had a prominent sax feature and background and a fitting ending.

In between each of the jazz bands, Jeff Coffin and his band came up and gave an actual clinic in front of everyone. They worked a lot on dynamic contrast and articulations, and a lot of bands improved instantly. In fact, the audience even started clapping to the improved beat, and it was so much fun.

Thursday night was excellent! It was a sorely missed opportunity for anyone who didn’t go and listen to the Beavercreek jazz bands. Be sure to come next year!” From Evan H., freshman trumpet player

The Beavercreek High School Jazz bands would like to congratulate both

the Ferguson and Ankeney jazz bands for their astounding solos, tunes, and

overall performance at Weekend of Jazz 2013. Keep up the great work and

never stop improving an already amazing musical talent. Jazz One and Two

look forward to seeing your ensemble again at Weekend of Jazz 2014.

Ramsey Lewis and His Electric Band

After a full day of listening to high school jazz bands, the concert for Ramsey Lewis and

His Electric Band was inching closer, and the excitement was slowly rising. Then, when

the clock struck eight, Mr. McCullough introduced Ramsey Lewis and His Electric Band

to the stage. The crowd went wild when they first saw Ramsey Lewis and four others

who walked on stage and took their positions for a well-anticipated performance. And

they did not disappoint! Ramsey Lewis and His electric band introduced their jazzy style

with a fun chart featuring a guitar and electric keyboard solo that really showed those

musician's talents. They went on to show some ballads with songs like “Close Your Eyes

and Remember,” which also presented Ramsey Lewis's talent for the piano, along with

the religious jazz song “Blessings.” The band also showed their funky side when they

performed “Brazilica,” which consisted of vocals unlike other tunes. At one point during

the song, all members of the band left except for the drummer, who gave an

outstanding drum solo for nearly five minutes! After they returned to the stage, they

finished their show with a tune, according to Ramsey Lewis, called “Ramsey Lewis' Sing-

Along,” where the audience sang along to one word: “Weo.” Ramsey Lewis and His

Electric Band performed many other tunes all with memorization and pure talent! At

the end of the concert, Ramsey Lewis received several standing ovations, and even

gave two encores at the end. The night was truly remarkable for the students and all

who attended. Please come back to see the Count Basie Orchestra and Spyro Gyra

next year for Weekend of Jazz XIV!

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All About Weekend of Jazz 2013 Part Two

Ever since December, musicians have jumped right in

to join Beavercreek's Percussion Ensemble. However,

there were so many students that signed up that the

director, Mr. Letzye, had to split the group in two with

each group performing a song of their own. This past

month, the Percussion Ensemble made their first

performance at a concert in over a year, performing a

Percussion Ensemble

Japanese song “Taiko,” a song full of syncing eighth notes from bongos and tom

solos. The second piece, “Novia Bonita,” or “pretty girlfriend,” was a piece filled

with mallets and accompanied by a trumpet solo. Both songs performed were

stupendous, and the ensemble is now beginning to work on their next pieces.

“I'd say my favorite part of Percussion Ensemble is the variety of percussion

instruments. There are so many out there that it allows us to pick up different

instruments and get an entirely new sound as a group. Many drums use similar if

not the same techniques, and accessories can be playable in a very short

amount of time. You can see the contrast between ‘Taiko’ and ‘Novia Bonita.’

The best aspect of this is that an experienced percussionist can play from a huge

selection of instruments.” said Dylan, a sophomore drummer in this year’s Wind

Symphony band. Now, with even more members than before, Mr. Letzye has

informed that there will now be three pieces for the percussion ensemble. One

song will feature a musician that will clap a specific rhythm and others will add

their unique rhythm to it. Another piece added to the play list is called “Swedish

Folk Song,” a marimba quartet with two musicians on each marimba. The third

and final song is called “Thunder at the Bay,” a tune featuring toms and auxiliary

percussion. Come check this awesome ensemble at their next performance at

the Spring Concert on May 13th!

Kicking it with the Mu’tet The band's big extravaganza, called the Weekend of Jazz, has just passed as everyone gets prepped up again for their concert music. Students and staff alike will have memories about Friday and Saturday night that they will hold forever. To accurately cover the wide variety of memories and emotions involved, we will take a look through Friday night with Jeff Coffin and the Mu'tet so we can all bring our nostalgia back, either of last Weekend of Jazz or any past weekends. Jeff Coffin, the main leader and the dual saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist (also known as the saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band), reflects on how he started the band and The Mu'tet. "The band kind of started out as a jam session that I had. The 'Mu'tet' came out of the band's constant mutating between members." As their second performance for Weekend of Jazz, Jeff and the drummer Roy "Futureman" Wooten return to amaze Beavercreek students again. Some other newcomers, such as Felix Pastorius on bass, pianist Chris Waters, and the "space trumpet" player Bill Fanning also came to educate and perform for the young students. The band, starting their set with an opening by their road manager Nate Dickinson (also known as "Pittsburgh") playing classical guitar, and then they hit off their original opener "Peace Now" with deep rolling floor toms and a flowing melody. Afterwards, they continued with the song "Tag" which seamlessly flowed into "Al's Greens,” both made by Jeff Coffin. Afterwards, they hit off with a worldly and African groove known as "Loueke,” inspired by West African guitarist Lionel Loueke. They ended their first set with "The Mad Hatter Rises Again,” a classic Jeff Coffin piece and his first double sax bit. On their second set they opened with Chris Waters playing a graceful solo piece "Adensaru" from his solo album, and then moved on with Jeff Coffin's famous "required" ballad "Magnolia.” Afterwards, they performed the tune "Lucky 13" from their latest album, Into The Air, and then rocked it with an eclectic and unique "Low Spark" which featured an Arabian melody played on an accordion, a Cuban beat, and a crazy time signature. They wrapped up their final set with an exhilarating New Orleans beat titled "Move Your Rug,” with another great moment of Jeff Coffin's double saxophone, another of Bill's amazing trumpet solos, and a loud and crazy drum solo by "Futureman.” As an encore performance, they played a short tune titled "Albert's Blue Sky,” inspired by another great musician Albert Awler. They brought the night to a close with an autograph session. It doesn't take someone long to ask a student how stunning the night was. In fact, students spill out their excitement without you even having to ask. But rarely do we get to hear similar reactions from the guest musicians themselves. Therefore, we got some sound quotes from the artists themselves for how it feels to be on the stage for this one-of-a-kind event. Jeff said, "The Weekend of Jazz is an awesome and truly unique program, and it's so great to see that it engages the community and the students so well and becomes just a memorable moment." Bill said, "I loved to play with these guys, they were great. I loved working with such eager students, which was another wonderful experience here." Chris reflected, "It's so exciting to play this music, especially with Jeff's and the others’ unique visions that are unlike any other people in the world. When you work with players just like these guys, you can really feel and gel with it." "Futureman" remarks, "This night was great, especially with a ton of great, young musicians in the audience." Felix said, "First set was great, wish there wasn't breaks so we could keep the energy. I've been kind of tired because I've been traveling so much, and it doesn't get much easier,

especially with tours in Europe. Nevertheless, it was a great gig and amazing musically, especially playing off with Jeff, definitely fun." Finally, we also attained some last blurbs of advice from these great artists. "Futureman" advises to young musicians, "You need to truly stay inspired to what you're doing, and practice with that inspiration as well." Felix's advice, "You got to keep practicing, because the more you do it, it is inevitable that you will get better at it," holds true through all aspects of life. Bill's lesson, "Play as much as you can, and put yourself into a position to play as much as you can." Chris gives us a brief yet powerful one word response; "Listening." Jeff Coffin's last advice to young jazz players out there is, "Follow your bliss and practice hard, especially with those fundamentals." Jeff Coffin also would like to say "There are currently no Ohio dates, but visit jeffcoffin.com for future tour dates and information!"

Flute Choir The band program offers plenty of groups and

ensembles to accommodate almost any

musician in the band, among them, the Flute

Choir, led by marching band section leader and Wind

Symphony flautist Megan W. The ensemble features over

fifteen current members and will perform on recital night at the

end of the year. Flute Choir will practice on Wednesday

mornings and song selections this year are not currently

available at this time. The Broken Drumhead interviewed

several students in the ensemble, all who concluded the flute

choir is decidedly “totes awesome.”

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C

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Featured Instrument of the Month: Piano

Join the Decade of Success

All are familiar with the sound of a piano. Whether it’s a keyboard or a concert piano, we have all heard the famous tunes like Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven or even one of the hundreds of piano

compositions by Mozart. Some we hear by looking them up on the internet, at school, or in movies; pianos seem to be impossible to get away from. But why would you want to? Pianos are played for various types of gorgeous sounds! Mostly for quiet and sound like lullabies, but with the several techniques that can be applied to a piano you can get the most loud and thunderous of sounds.

Shout out to Bartolomeo Cristofori for inventing the piano in 1655! He created the piano to not only be played by a person’s hands but also with your feet which press a series of three pedals that are used to manipulate the pianos sound. Another thing that some of you might not know about a piano is that, although some consider it to be a percussion instrument since you strike the keys, it is not. It is in fact a string instrument! As you press each key you cause a little hammer inside the back (or action) of the piano which strikes a tightly wound string which creates the sound. And how hard you hit the key is how loud and sudden the sound is and vice versa for how softly you hit it. The piano has been chosen for the instrument of the month because of its beauty in all musical categories. It is safe to say that all musicians can extremely admire pianists for the intricate techniques that take years to learn and master.

Ask a Senior

Where BHS Seniors answer questions submitted by you!

Q). What is it like to be a senior during the announcement

of a show you’re not going to be in?

A). As a senior, I was like any other marching band

member. I was incredibly anxious to know what the next

show was, even if I wasn’t going to be performing it. I

knew I was still able to play the marching band tunes

since Mr. McCullough hands the music out in the spring.

But then again I am a senior. I know I won’t be

performing again, I had my four years. I’ll still keep up with

the marching band though. Just because I’m a senior

doesn’t mean I can’t support a fantastic group I got to

participate in. My time with the band may be ending, but

I’ll never completely let go of my bond I have with that

organization and the people involved.

Q). I don’t really like Talking Heads and I don’t really like

the show arrangement, should I still participate in band?

A). Of course you should still continue on in band. Having

your own opinion on something shouldn’t discourage you

from band; it only means you have a different idea. Just

being in the band program itself is rewarding. You get to

spend an entire period each day learning new styles of

music and different techniques you can apply to your

own instrument. You don’t have to be in marching band

to learn any of that.

Want somewhere to see phenomenal

musical performances with friends and family?

Can you believe that many parents are not

aware that right here in downtown Dayton, there

is a first class theatre that compares to others in

Cincinnati and Columbus? Jersey Boys, Wicked,

and Disney’s Lion King are only some of the

amazing musicals that are performed in this

outstanding facility. As a matter of fact Disney’s

Lion King was the largest attended performance

in 2012, which had a total of 69,739 people in the

four weeks that this Broadway class musical was

touring in Dayton. But let’s say you’re not quite

the musical show type of person. That is not all

they have to offer!

You have about 5,935 different types of

events to choose from. The Victoria Theatre

Association has just announced their new major

2013-2014 shows that will begin this fall, including

Beauty and the Beast, War Horse, Sister Act, and

Mamma Mia. But during the end of this season

you can still catch Mary Poppins and Dream Girls.

There is a star attraction named American Idiot,

which is an alternative musical that features the

music from Green Day. For those of you who

have a bit more of a serious taste, there are

several ballets, operas, and performances by the

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

this year.

There are several

ballets like A Range in Motion,

The Nutcracker, and New

Directions. Some operas that

will be performing are Hansel

and Gretel, Tosca, and Season

Opening Spectacular. And

finally, for all you bandies, the

Dayton Philharmonic

Orchestra will be performing

concerts called Russian

Masters (featuring their

concert master violinist, Jessica

Hung), Orchestra from Planet

X, and Piano Masterpiece,

which features some of

Beethoven’s breathtaking

symphonies, specifically on

piano.

So, as you can see,

there are many performances

to choose from. Some being

musicals or plays that have a

story to follow, or the Dayton

Philharmonic Orchestra, which

performs excellent concert

music. Get your fix on the arts

and make arrangements to

see a show at the Schuster

Center today! If price or time is

ever a factor to you not being able to go

down town to see a lovely performance, you can

always go on TicketCenterStage.com to see all

upcoming events and plan ahead! The Victoria

Theatre Association offers student, military and

senior discounts, but you can always offer making a

deal with your parents. If your birthday is coming up

or in the midst of making a great report card, in

return being able to go and see your favorite show!

Keep the arts alive and support the growth of your

musical education.

You can call this number to get more information!

(937) 228-3630

Or make a visit to

1 W 2nd St Dayton, OH 45402

The broken drumhead 5

Jazz One

Words cannot describe how hard Jazz I has been working these past few months on several selections of music. Currently, Jazz I has performed four different tunes at various shows. These tunes include: “The Heat’s On,” “Critical Mass,” Backburner,” and “Cherokee.” During rehearsal, Jazz I puts a large amount of effort and dedication into the pieces they play.

Jazz I starts off their set with an introductional piece, “The Heat’s On.” This loud, jazzy song begins with a suspenseful build that gives the audience a curious feeling as to what they are about to hear. “The Heat’s On” has a mighty solo played by lead tenor sax player Matt B. The tune provides different features for all the sections and ends with the band playing in unison.

The next chart that Jazz I has worked hard on is called “Critical Mass.” This song begins with a funky bari sax melody and is soon joined by the brass and percussion. During the song, the saxophones own the melody and show off their smooth skills. Lead alto sax player, Daniel C., shows off his musical abilities very well during his solo. The tune is fun to listen to and entertains the audience through vivid and rich sounds. Towards the end of the song, guitar player, Mohit, rips it up with a sweet solo that adds the icing on the cake to “Critical Mass.”

The shuffle song “Backburner” is initiated with piano player Jared M., drum set player Mike S., and also bass player Ethan B., working collaboratively on a beautiful piece of music. Saxophones and trumpets later join in on the sound, and it’s not long before the trumpet section chimes in. The trumpets add an extra kick to the tune that helps keep the ball rolling through tricky rhythms. Tenor sax player Emily H. starts off a series of solos with a lovely sound. She is soon followed by lead trumpet player, Morgan. Her solo has a rich sound that leaves the crowd in awe. Trombone player, Matt D., finishes the series of solos with an amazing lick on the trombone. The song ends with the ensemble working together to create a very cool sound.

The last number that Jazz I offers is titled “Cherokee.” This creative song starts off with a quick and speedy melody. The saxophones play confidently in the beginning and show the crowd just how cool their section is. Both Emily and Daniel return on the scene for another dose of solos during this chart. The trumpet section moves the tune along with the rhythm section. Just when you think it cannot get any more awesome, the saxophones finish off the tune with a staccato climb of four sharp notes that are soon followed by the rest of Jazz I in a fantastic ending.

Jazz I has made quite a few appearances in the spotlight so far. Their premier was at the Winter Concert before the concert bands performed. After hearing the first note, the crowd was already amazed! Jazz I has also had the opportunity to appear live on TV channels 22 and 45.

While Jazz I was showing Beavercreek just how spectacular they were, volunteers for Weekend of Jazz busily prepared the stage for a future concert from Ramsey Lewis and His Electric Band and Jeff Coffin and the Mu’tet. The first night of Weekend of Jazz, Beavercreek’s top ensemble finished off the night with their four tunes. The crowd was so excited to hear them, they were actually begging to hear the ensemble again after the performance. Weekend of Jazz was yet another exciting time for musicians everywhere, and on day three, before the Ramsey Lewis concert, Jazz I played once more. The band played with a fun style, and it was very entertaining to listen to!

If you have not done so, be sure to check out Jazz I in their future performances. Some of these shows include: May 13th Spring Concert and also May 17th HS Band Banquet. Don’t miss out on that opportunity to check out this neat band!

Jazz Two has worked their tails off to perform for the

Winter Concert and Weekend of Jazz. For the Winter Concert,

Jazz Two played right after the percussion ensemble. The

band jumped straight in to “Libertango” to get the auditorium

dancing to the rhythm. They slowed down into a classic swing

tune, “Bad Ol’ Blues,” and gave everyone a moment to

breathe before they broke out in to “Spud.” The whole crowd

exploded in applause after the exciting New Orleans tune. It

was a fantastic way to start off the whole concert.

The first day of Weekend of Jazz was a night for all

four jazz bands including Ferguson, Ankeny, and our own high

school jazz bands. Jazz Two was the third to walk on to the

stage and dazzle the crowd that sat before them. Once Mr.

Bisig saw every jazz kid smiling, he had the whole trumpet

section kick off the set. In their own arch, the trumpets

bellowed out sweet Latin licks and bent back as the lead

player screeched a high note out on top. Soon the whole

band was tapping their feet to the tempo of “Libertango.” The

song ended and the crowd cheered in excitement before

sitting back and relaxing to “Bad Ol’ Blues.” The last tune had

the audience on the edge of their seats.Once Jazz Two hit

their last note, they sat there with beaming smiles staring out

into the roaring crowd.

In each issue, we allow fellow musicians to share their favorite memories. This month, a sophomore bari sax player, Maxwell, shares his one of his favorite experiences. “My favorite band experience would have to be from my freshman year. In fall 2011, during the MUSE season, we went to Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia to perform. I was so excited to perform in an out-of-state college stadium. When we passed the stadium in the buses, the excitement really hit. I was so pumped and was ready to burn the house down! That first step out on that field was like stepping onto a giant stage with a stadium full of screaming fans. It was exhilarating! As part of our show, we sang in segment three, and the next thing I knew, half the crowd was standing and singing with us! ‘No one's gonna take me alive! The time has come to make things right! You and I must fight for our rights! You and I must fight to survive!’ Right after the show, the crowd went wild. They were insane! The crowd was cheering all the way off the field. After we got out of our uniform and were waiting to go see the Marshall's fountain memorial on the college campus, I was approached by a kid who was saying “Hey, I want high-fives from Beavercreek, the greatest band in the world!” Before we got back on the buses to go home, we visited the memorial to the football team who was killed in a plane crash. It was a very moving experience for me standing in the silence, intertwined in my thoughts. Finally we got back on the buses to head home. As we celebrated our great performance (even though we got third place) the stadium slowly faded into the background.” Want to share your experience? Guest write for The Broken Drumhead in our next April edition! Look on the Beavercreek website for details!

You Had to Be There!

The broken drumhead 6

The Writer’s

Block

The Broken Drumhead is the official student-run, written, and designed newsletter featuring all Beavercreek ensembles, musical opportunities and events, and many first-hand accounts of participation in Beavercreek’s musically performing groups. This newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views of various staff members involved with mentioned ensembles and is entirely written as an educational and entertaining monthly newsletter for the student body as well as those affiliated with Beavercreek’s Instrumental Department. Any questions or concerns can be addressed at thebrokendrumhead@gmail.com Thanks for Reading!

This edition was written by the 2013 Spring Writing Team including Caitlyn, Alex, Jonah, Steven, Autumn, Alyssa, Evan, and Stephanie. The writers would like to thank Mrs. Nartker for her editing that goes to make The Broken Drumhead stupendous each month. Special thanks to Beavercreek’s color guard and jazz band instructors, and Beavercreek’s website manager, Jeff Coffin and the Mu’tet, Mr. Wegley, and Beavercreek’s percussion instructor, for their help this month. We would also like to extend our thanks to guest-writer Savannah for her help this month. Images are courtesy of Google.com, Microsoft Office, the official Weekend of Jazz website, the BHS band alumni website, from the writers of The Broken Drumhead as well as the hand-drawn images by its writers. Check out our next edition in April 2013 featuring the Florida Tour, how to survive AP tests, and much more!

Ready For Some Drumline? WGI Indoor Percussion It would seem amazing to us if people would clamor to go to Beavercreek. It seems like just some small suburb next to Dayton, a city with little recognition compared to Cincinnati or Cleveland. Just don't say that to anyone in a drumline. People all over the country and the

world travel to Beavercreek in one weekend to see the WGI(Winter Guard Invitational) "Sport of the Arts" Percussion World Championships. There, they see Beavercreek as wondrous, especially to some people whose first visit to America is Beavercreek. Happening this year on April 18th-20th, the World Championships bring drumlines, clinicians, and drum enthusiasts around to showcase the best of the best. For those of you who are curious about why there is drumline in the middle of winter, it is because these drumlines are called Winter Percussion. After DCI and college/high school bands end, the Winter Percussion season starts. These groups feature solely percussionists, such as a drumline filled with bass drums, cymbals, snare drums, and tenors/quads. They are accompanied by the front ensemble(with mallets and bass guitar), who provide the melodic movement. They also march drill like a marching band, but in a much more condensed area. Some world class bands, including Rhythm X, Music City Mystique, and Pulse Percussion, as well as high school bands such as Dartmouth High School and Ayala High School, duke it out for the gold medal. Playing complex rhythms with clarity, intense drilling, and stick tricks abound, the groups excite the crowd with uproarious applause. Everyone in the audience truly will remember it as an unforgettable experience. Judging, in many respects, is similar yet unique compared to marching band. The judging is divided into three categories: “General Effect,” “Performance Analysis,” and “Visual.” The “General Effect” focuses on themes like connection to the audience, creativity of the program, and overall entertainment for 40% of the final score. “Performance Analysis” goes over criteria such as musicality and unity of the ensemble for another 40%. Worth 20% of the score, “Visual” critiques an ensemble's commitment to the composition and the visual message being clear as well as individual's remaining a great stance. The judging is split into two sub-categories to cover all of the topics with each category having one judge for it all. Judges cannot be affiliated in any way with competing bands, meaning either formally aiding the band as an instructor or having some relation to one who does. Judges can discuss only their rating and judge's sheets with an optional critique session to just the instructor if they are confused about the scores. Other rules included are the condensed 60'x90' performance area that must hold all of the instruments, and penalties for having wind/orchestral instruments, delays, etc. The Nutter Center and the surrounding parking lots are full of eager people. Some well-known participants to arrive include popular clinicians Jeff Queen and Mike McIntosh as well as the internet famous Banished Beyond. Volunteering in the competition, which requires that you must be 18 years old and available for all dates, gives you hotel accommodations, free parking, and discounts on WGI merchandise. If you are interested in the event, there are tickets and more information about the event at www.wgi.org. Thursday night is $22, Friday night is $32 (with a Thursday/Friday combo at $42), along with Saturday Open Class prices for $27. Saturday World Class tickets are priced at three different levels: $42, $52, and $62. Each ticket includes a processing fee of $2. If you want to see some intense drumming and an entertaining group after entertaining group, then come by on April 18th-20th for some wicked percussion. Everyone who goes truly loves the experience and wishes to come back every year. And you can never go wrong with drums, can you?

Rock Those Rifles WGI Winter Color Guard

Winter Guard International, or WGI

for short, is one of the most

spectacular events that combines

the best color guards from around

the globe to compete in a

championship for the 2013 number one guard. For clarity, WGI is a division that holds both color guard and indoor percussion. Their color

guard event is held in Dayton every year at a combination of finals locations from the Dayton Convention Center to the Nutter Center

and sells tickets to spectators. In 2013, Beavercreek’s winter guard will not be performing in WGI, however, in the past the guard has been

quite successful at Winter Guard International including a high placing title in Scholastic A when Beavercreek first founded their winter flag

chor. Recently, Mr. McCullough and Rachelle Navarro have taken the guard to WGI featuring their shows “Ramalama Bang Bang” and

“King of Anything.” WGI was founded as “the sport of the arts” in 1977 as a way to draw the rising interest in winter color guard into a

national competition setting and to standardize the rules of guard. Today, they offer clinics around the United States, and to encourage a

higher standard or excellence for its leaders and participants. It was created to provide a great setting to perform in and provide events

where performers can learn and perfect their color guard skills. To students here at Beavercreek, WGI is one of the best places to go and

see amazing color guard members perform. From the “Scholastic” division to the “Independent” division, shows off the champions in the

color guard world with spectacular performances all over Europe, Asia, and North America. In the winter, color guard spins to its maximum

potiential with ensembles tossing sixes and sevens on rifles while twirling flags and sabres faster than ever thought possible. With an

astounding variety of shows and performances, it is one of the most educational and fantastic musical events in the Dayton area. Tickets

to WGI are not cheap, but it is well worth the fee to see the competition and finals. This year, the BHS winter guard and percussion

ensemble have tentative plans to attend shows down at one of the finals locations, depending on student interest and funds. WGI also

showcases several different equipment producers, including Fred J. Miller’s elite rifles and beautiful flags, making it a great place for color

guard to perform and to obtain new equipment. Start saving today and get ready for WGI, starting in mid-April 2013.