Spencer Middle SchoolB次元官网网址檚 percussion ensemble recently returned with some impressive new hardware.
Some 44 students in Grade 6, 7 and 8, teachers and parents made the trip to Seattle to compete in the WorldStrides dance and music festival earlier this month.
As part of the international festival, more than 2,000 students from high schools across the U.S. competed in various categories, including percussion ensembles, choir ensemble, and concert band ensemble. Spencer, who had groups in all categories and three groups in percussion, was the only middle school to compete.
Spencer students brought home a number of trophies, including gold in all three percussion groups, two adjudicators awards (for receiving the highest mark in their category) and the Spirit of Seattle award B次元官网网址� the one students are most proud of B次元官网网址� which is given to schools that exhibit the most spirit, sportsmanship, joy, collegiality and manners. The choir and concert band ensembles also received silver.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a good feeling to know that everything that you put forward really paid off,B次元官网网址� said Grade 8 student Trinity Dentoom, who has been with the percussion group for the past three years. B次元官网网址淲e never go for the trophies, but it makes you feel really good and proud of the people youB次元官网网址檙e working with.B次元官网网址�
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Not only did they compete against older students during the festival, they also did it in a unique way.
Unlike most percussion bands, the group used other items as instruments, including pipes, brooms, bow roarers (which looks similar to a boomerang, but is a communication device used in Australia), garbage cans and lids, Buddha bowls and First Nations drums to make music.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a style of percussion that the schoolB次元官网网址檚 music director Duey Wright came up with after seeing a high number of students joining the program.
With the number of students joining faster than the number of instruments that were available, Wright had to get creative. It was then she realized almost anything can be used to create music.
B次元官网网址淎 bucket made a cool sound and we just kept expanding,B次元官网网址� said Wright, who also received the gold directorB次元官网网址檚 award during the WorldStrides festival. B次元官网网址淚f any student wants to join percussion, the door is always open.B次元官网网址�
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Fast forward a few years and using unusual items as instruments has become the norm in the schoolB次元官网网址檚 music room, which is why the group didnB次元官网网址檛 hesitate to use them at the festival. While students admitted they were nervous hitting the stage with only three weeks of rehearsals instead of the usual three to four months, it was a rush they enjoyed.
B次元官网网址淵ou get a huge rush of adrenaline,B次元官网网址� said Grade 8 percussion ensemble member Anya Ralph.
B次元官网网址淚t can be scary and exciting at the same time. Something that definitely needs some getting used to is working with the sounds around you. You have to be able to listen to the sounds behind you, but not turn around and look at it. I love it. You get to live in the moment.B次元官网网址�
Emily Hanna agreed. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 overwhelming, but when you actually start performing the piece and settle into it, itB次元官网网址檚 a really nice feeling that B次元官网网址榳ow, we made it here and weB次元官网网址檙e actually doing it,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said the Grade 8 student.
The group was also one of three schools that received a National Invitation Festival of Gold, in which the team is invited to perform at some of the most prestigious music halls across North America. Students say they will likely travel to New York next year with the hopes of performing at Carnegie Hall.
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