The Chadron State College Drumline performed an original composition at Bands on Bordeaux Thursday. The outdoor concert at First and Main Streets at 6 p.m. was organized by the Chadron Area Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by CSC.
Music Professor Dr. Rick Puzzo is excited for the students in the ensemble to perform a collaboration between himself and his colleague, Music Professor Dr. Michael Stephens. Stephens composed the melody and harmony, and Puzzo wrote the drum parts.
“I really appreciate working with Dr. Stephens. He has written a very groovy piece of music that is fun to play and fun to listen to,” Puzzo said.
Students in the drumline have been practicing in a boot camp for more than a week leading up to Thursday’s performance.
Puzzo created the camp four years ago and this year, the drumline is the largest it has been at eight members, including Puzzo. The students are Bradd Collins and Josh Fernau of Chadron, Isabella Middleton of Alliance, Neb., Cayden Carrasco and Austin Glanz of Sidney, Neb., Kylie Coomes of Rushville, Neb., and Natalie Summers of David City, Neb.
“I am hopeful that this trend of attracting students to participate in the drumline continues. It takes dedication, but I think that most of the members have come away with a good feeling of accomplishment and pride in their growth as musicians,” Puzzo said. “I can confidently say it is a joy to watch most of the drumline players improve in their technical and musical skills as well as life skills.”
Puzzo said the spread of skill sets in the drumline ranges from seniors who are more advanced to incoming freshmen.
“Because of this, I try to place each participant on an instrument that is a good fit. Generally, cymbal players and bass drum players don’t need any previous music or band experience. The snare drummers and tenor drummers do need to have some previous music or band experience,” Puzzo said.
Isabella Middleton, captain of the drumline, will complete her third camp this year. She is a Business Administration major from Alliance, Nebraska.
“This is what every collegiate-level drumline is doing right now. It’s really good because we go through all the basics and warm-ups. By the time classes start, we aren’t doing beginning-level stuff. We can be polishing and adding some of those extra steps,” Middleton said. “It does take work but it’s great, and fun for everyone. Any level can join.”
Drumline is a graded, one-credit class that meets during the semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The August Drumline Camp is considered a prerequisite for the course Puzzo created in 2019. Freshmen and sophomores register for MUS 149 and juniors and seniors register for MUS 349.
The drumline plays with the Eagle Band at football games and usually performs two halftime shows each season. The group also performs off campus. Last year, it performed at the Harvest Moon Festival and has been invited back this year. Other community outreach efforts have included multiple performances at the Chadron Chili Cookoff, the Athletic Scholarship Dinner, and Crest View Care Center.
Puzzo has been teaching and writing for drumlines for several decades. He was a front ensemble marimba tech with the Drum Corps International Jersey Surf for four seasons. The last year he was involved, 2007, the drumline won high drums in its division.
“I learned a lot about what it takes to build and maintain a drumline at a high level. Drumlines have a lot of parts and because of the nature of the instruments – they are loud and tend to play very short notes – it is a challenge to produce a musical and clean performance. Since the drumline is also a moving ensemble, students must play and move at the same time,” he said.
Since some new players don’t have much experience with that combination, Puzzo uses a graduated approach to direct the ensemble.
“Often this involves separating playing and moving techniques and when the students are comfortable with each of those aspects, I integrate additional skills slowly so that eventually by the end of camp, they are playing and moving together as an ensemble,” Puzzo said.
He said the drumline curriculum is similar to technique-building programs at other colleges and universities.
“While I write all the technical exercises for the CSC Drumline, they are based on solid educational and technical philosophies,” Puzzo said.
Puzzo encourages students interested in scholarships and tuition waivers to complete the online application, submit an audition video, or attend the drumline audition and skill builder camp in April.
He hopes to eventually take the drumline to regional high schools for performances and clinics.