Last week, sophomore Music Education students in Percussion Methods experienced firsthand what it's like to march in a drumline. Professor Chris Tanner, instructor for the course, recruited two members of the Percussion studio who have experience marching in either Winter Guard International or Drum Corps International to lead the session: juniors Sam Eifert (ConneXus) and Nate Koenes (Cavaliers; Rhythm X).
Eifert and Koenes discussed and demonstrated how to properly handle the instruments, some marching fundamentals, and a few basic warmup exercises.
Tanner described the time as productive and enlightening. “It’s important for future band and orchestra directors to have a sense of what a drumline does, and to feel for themselves how challenging it can be to wear a marching drum and move with it.”
This is an annual activity for the Percussion Methods class, and students look forward to it each year.
