Thursday, February 20, 2003

WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County--With only weeks to go before the April 10-12 Winter Guard International World Championships in Dayton, the pace of rehearsals is picking up for Winter Guard and percussion performers.

With 7,000 performers from throughout the United States and from Canada, England, the Netherlands and Japan bringing their dreams of gold to the WGI finals, the competition is bound to be fierce.

And so both Winter Guard and percussion units have been polishing their competition shows at local and regional contests, two of which are set for March 1 and 2 at Centerville and Bellbrook high schools.

The 38 members of Centerville High School's percussion line are double-timing it this year to the minimalist sounds of Philip Glass and the rock tunes of Radio Head and Incubus.

"It's very fast music, really aggressive," said Tim Fairbanks, director of Centerville's winter percussion unit.

The choreography of Centerville's show is fast paced. The percussionists, dressed in shiny black suits, march among a set of moving glass panels. At the end of the seven minutes, the panels have been assembled into a glass house. This accomplishment is completed to the sounds of glass being broken.

Fairbanks believes Centerville's show is cutting edge stuff for winter percussion groups.

"It's a new look for percussion," Fairbanks said. While the look might be new, the theme is echoed by Bellbrook High School's percussionists. Their 2003 show is called Stained Glass. Bellbrook's drumline will play music composed by David Gillingham.

Hours of practice are required to learn the music and choreography that are the hallmarks of winter percussion. Centerville sophomore Chad Albert, 15, said he spends 10 to 11 hours each week at practices. Centerville's winter percussionists attend three rehearsals a week, as well as three weekend camps during the December through April competition season.

Albert, who plays the snare drum, doesn't mind this commitment because he says he loves playing the drums.

Senior Katherine Dye, 17, devotes a similar amount of time each week to guard rehearsals. Centerville's 28 all-girl Guard is performing to the ragtime sounds of The Entertainer and The Maple Leaf Rag.

Their 2003 show, titled The Silent Era, evokes images of the silent film era and personalities such as Charlie Chaplin and the Keystone Cops.

Not to be outdone, Bellbrook's Winter Guard has chosen an out-of-this-world theme. Their 2003 show, Fifth From the Sun, features the music of Gustav Holst.

The Centerville and Bellbrook competitions will showcase area Winter Guard units March 1 and 2 at two regional events.

Centerville High School, 500 E. Franklin St., will host its competition from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday

Bellbrook High School, 3737 Upper Bellbrook Road, Sugarcreek Twp., will host its competition from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Single-day tickets for each of the regional competitions are priced at $6 for adults, $5 for students ages 7 to 18, $4 for those 64 and older, and free for children 6 and younger when accompanied by an adult.