The drumline is the percussion section of the extracurricular Pride of the West Marching Band.

As a part of the Pride of the West they perform at various school and community functions, varsity football games on Friday nights, marching band competitions, and they go on marching band trips.

It is made up of students in the 9-12 grades in the battery and the front ensemble. 

 

 

The Battery

The battery performers are integrated into the staging on the football field and play snare drums, toms, and bass drums that are carried on harnesses. The battery provides the rhythmic drive and powerful impacts from the field.

The Front Ensemble

The front ensemble members perform on instruments that are too large to be carried, so they are positioned front and center. The instruments in the front ensemble include marimbas, vibraphones, xylophone, glockenspiel, various drums, cymbals, synthesizer, and other electronics. (This is also where the drumset and guitar call home when they are included in the show.) The front ensemble displays everything from impressive keyboard runs and 4-mallet technique to soaring and intriguing electronic textures and everything in between. They are by far the most musically diverse section of the ensemble and absolutely critical to the effect of modern marching band.

Anyone who wants to be a part of the drumline can be!

There are a series of required camp days to attend in April and May after which everyone is assigned their instrument for the marching band season. 

Percussion Ensemble

The percussion ensembles are comprised of students enrolled in the 9th Grade Percussion Class, Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony, and Wind Ensemble.

They perform music composed entirely for percussion instruments at independent concerts in the fall and spring semesters. These pieces range in content from transcriptions of classics to innovative original works. 

The percussion ensemble at West strives to play an active part in the development of new percussion ensemble repertoire by hosting composers in residence, commissioning new works, and connecting with the percussion ensemble at large around Atlanta by participating in events like the Lassiter Percussion Symposium.

If you would like to join the percussion ensemble, please email Mr. Herndon.

JHerndon@forsyth.k12.ga.us