A Fresh Look at Percussion
Nine students, a new music teacher and a lot more than drums.
This year the music classes have been taught by the new music teacher, Mr. Marshall. One of the classes he teaches is percussion. Mr. Marshall has been playing percussion for a long time and is very passionate about it; he may be new to playing a violin or a cello, but he definitely is not new to percussion.
The percussion class is relatively small compared to some of the other music classes. Percussion is split into two categories, idiophones and membranophones. Idiophones are instruments that vibrate to produce sound. Membranophones are instruments that emit sound by the vibration of a stretched membrane; for example, that could be a drum.
There are many different percussion instruments. Common ones are chimes, cymbals, drums, gong, kettledrum, mallet, xylophone, triangle, and piano. Most of these instruments are not used in everyday music in the way a violin or a trumpet would be. These instruments are used to emphasize rhythm and bring out sound.
Most of the students in percussion are new; however, most of them have played other instruments or are currently playing them. There are 9 students in percussion and they all individually work very hard. Izzie Herzog is new to the class; this is her third week in it, however she has been playing percussion instruments for a long time.
The majority of the students enjoy being in percussion because there are only 9 people. Violet Scott says it’s a lot easier and friendlier being in a smaller class. Students feel more relaxed and have less anxiety being in a small class. It feels like a team and being in a community.
Some people underestimate how much work percussionists put into playing and practicing. People likely just think that drums are the only thing in percussion that’s played when it’s not. In percussion you constantly have to learn and work. Each student practices more than 30 minutes a day.
Music is important to others and is what brings people together. For some people playing instruments or singing is all they do. For these students they are fulfilling what makes them a person and what makes them happy. Many of the students in percussion want to continue playing and want to learn more instruments. For Kiara Rojas it is an amazing experience to create music, and just like Kiara, other students in the class are passionate about making music and will continue to do so.
