Drums in a Gym: Jeffrey T Gentry

Published Reviews

http://www.wgi.org/news/03092010-Indianapolis-Percussion-Regional-Review.html

Percussion Scholastic World

Defending PSW Silver Medalist Center Grove HS (IN) (1st- 87.70) opened their WGI season in strong fashion with “Don’t Give Up.” The line did a fantastic job of getting all the parts to be clearly heard throughout the arena while executing one of the most complex music books in the class. A female dressed in white, who was a sort of guardian angel, sang soothing words of encouragement to a world beaten down by the tribulations of life.

Fishers HS (IN) (3rd- 84.80), who is attending World Championships for the first time this year, had the honor of being promoted to PSW after prelims. A solid third place showing in a field with four 2009 PSW finalists proved they belong in World Class. “Element” musically and visually depicts the four classical elements of air, earth, fire, and water, and how their unique qualities shape our world.

Percussion Scholastic Open

Who says bright neon colors are necessary to succeed? Pike HS (IN) (2nd- 80.25) needed only one color with “Symphony in Black”. Promoted from PSA after a strong prelim showing, the line presented a high-octane barrage of music and motion while wearing only black, marched on a black tarp, and with tall movable black fabric backdrops.

Percussion Scholastic A

Plainfield HS (IN) (1st- 86.70) took top honors and swept all captions with “These Dreams.” The line created an aura of childlike innocence in examining the playful fantasies of youth, before moving on to explore the more “grown-up” themes of finding love, starting a family (performed to Gary Wright’s “Dream Weaver”), and making the world a more peaceful place to live.

WGI World Championships

Percussion Scholastic World

With “Element,” Fishers (IN) (14th- 86.588) combined what the ancients considered to be the four classical building blocks of matter into one spectacular package. During the performance, the line characterized in music and movement the properties of water, air, earth, and fire, and how they work together in shaping the universe in which we live. The group recognized that one essential component was missing from this mixture, reminding us at the ending of perhaps the most important element of all: Love.

Center Grove (IN) (15th- 86.125) brought their own guardian angel for “Don’t Give Up”. As the line faced times of strife, the music grew into frenzied dissonance. The soothing soprano voice of a female dressed in pure white sung encouraging words to not lose heart. As the show progressed, the line seemed drawn to her with body work which pointed in her direction, and in the motion of the drill. As the program concluded, the battery lay on the ground, reaching out to her for hope.

Percussion Scholastic A

Plainfield (IN) (4th- 94.575) performed a show anyone who has ever imagined their future hopes and goals could appreciate. The optimistic program was designed in an easy-to-follow manner with melodies like “Dream Weaver” and “These Dreams” woven into the musical fabric. The group began with the fantasies of children about what they will become when they grow up. Visions of earning a college diploma and starting a family were explored, before the group expressed their desire for one of mankind’s most elusive goals- achieving lasting world peace.

Accomplishments:

• Visual Designer for Scholastic World Center Grove High School 2009 WGI Silver Medalist, 2008 WGI 8th place finalist, 2007 WGI 5th place Finalist, 2006 & 2005 WGI World Champions and 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004 Indiana Percussion Association “World Class” State Champions
• Visual Designer for Hilliard Darby High School 2007 WGI Scholastic World Finalist
• Visual Designer for Franklin Central High School 2008 & 2007 WGI Scholastic Open Class Finalist, 2006 WGI Scholastic Open Class Silver Medalist & 2005 WGI Scholastic Open Class Bronze Medalist and 2005 Indiana Percussion Association Open Class State Champions High School
• Visual Designer for New Palestine High School 2007 WGI Scholastic Open Class Finalist
• Visual Designer for Plainfield High School 2006 WGI Scholastic Open Visual Caption winner & 2005 WGI Scholastic Class A Visual Caption winner Plainfield High and 2006 Indiana Percussion Association Open Class State Champions.
• Visual Designer for Indianapolis Independent (I2) 2007 WGI Independent World Finalist
• Guest Clinician for Central States Adjudicators - August 2006.
• Drill Designer for Indiana Marching Band State finalist:
• Class B - Champion Runner-Up Decatur Central High School, 5th Place New Castle Chrysler High School and 8th Place Plainfield High School.
• Class C – Champion Runner-up New Palestine High School.
• Class D – 3rd Place Tri West High School. 
• 2006 Florida State Marching Band Finalist: Tate High School, 5th Place
• 2006 South Carolina Marching Band State Finalist: James Island Charter High School

Center Grove (IN) (Silver Medal- 95.638) built “Say” around common adages that convey time-tested truths.  Brief phrases such as “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” were stated throughout the program, with the music and visual design dramatizing the statement.  One striking example was when the phrase “sometimes it’s better to say nothing at all” was spoken, followed by a sequence of silent drill.  The tone turned more personal near the end, as the unit prompted us to express ourselves and “Say what you need to say”.

“A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step”.  Center Grove HS (1st- 88.65) continued their journey to the 2009 World Championships as they captured the top spot with “Say”.  The line earned top marks in both Performance and Visual captions with a program that took sayings we’ve heard before, such as “it’s easy to be brave from a safe distance”, and portrayed them with music and visual design in ways that were at time obvious, and at times very subtle.

Percussion Scholastic Open

Fishers HS (2nd- 85.00), in their WGI debut, made a strong showing with “Elevate”.  The crowd gave hearty approval when 5 drummers emerged from behind panels midway through the show wearing stilts, exclaiming “We are giants”!  At the show’s ending, the entire line brought out toms of varying heights, creating a vertical panorama from front to back.

Percussion Scholastic A

Not content with being a run-of-the-mill drumline, Plainfield HS (3rd- 83.75) celebrated uniqueness and individuality with “Something Different”.  Ordinary percussion instruments were played in unordinary ways.  One of the show’s highlights occurred when the entire mallet section played a feature from the back of the instruments.

Pike HS (4th- 83.00) came very close to breaking into the top three with “Mind, Body, Soul”.  The opening movement utilized a triplet ostinato figure which appeared throughout the program in different variations.  The ending “Soul” section opened with a bluesy feel, and then ended with a big flourish of energy to strongly conclude the show.

Percussion Independent World

With “Stick Figures”, Evolution (6th- 79.85) took drawings a child would make and imagined what it would be like if they could move.  A black tarp became a chalkboard, where stick men were drawn as the program developed.  The costumes gave the program a 3-D effect, as the uniform backs made it appear as though stick figures were coming to life before our eyes.