By Mike Stanford (@MStanford25)
Band Director Chris Barnum couldn’t let hard work go unrewarded.
“Over the last couple of years, the commitment from the percussion students has been raising,” Barnum said. “Each year they have been more and more committed to playing, to their instruments and being part of the other ensembles. It seemed like it was time to give them one more opportunity to do some great playing.”
Their new opportunity comes in the form of the first “(K)night of Percussion” at 7 p.m. May 22 in theater. The inaugural show will be free and include six ensembles and nine solos, with one solo being arranged by senior Jordan Costabile.
In past years, the percussionists would only have one ensemble to themselves. According to junior Alice Kenny, who has a solo in the concert, the increased responsibility has affected the group’s morale.
“It makes us work harder than in past years,” Kenny said. “It’s really motivating to know people are going to come just to see us perform.”
Kenny anticipates the “(K)night of Percussion” to be unique from other concerts by being more laid-back and visually entertaining.
Barnum hopes this atmosphere will create a memorable environment to put an exclamation mark on the Percussion Ensemble’s year.
“One of the reasons we’ve put [the concert] at the end of the year is so we can celebrate the great year that [the percussionists] have had and all the hard work they’ve done,” Barnum said.