The Blackman Middle School Percussion Ensemble has been named a winner in the Percussive Arts Society’s International Percussion Ensemble Competition.
Under the joint direction of David England and Thomas Chestnut, the BMS ensemble is the first Tennessee middle school group to perform at the event. The group was selected to perform based on recorded audition materials submitted from the past two school years.
Submissions come from all around the nation and only one middle school percussion ensemble is selected as a winner. The group will perform a 50-minute showcase alongside three collegiate ensembles and three high school groups at the competition, scheduled for Nov. 13-16 in Indianapolis, Ind.
The percussion ensemble is hoping to raise $4,500 to help transport students and equipment to Indianapolis, England said.
Collegiate ensemble winners are the University of Alabama, University of South Carolina and University of Texas at Arlington. Three Texas schools – Aledo, South Grand Prairie and Birdville – won the high school division.
At its showcase on Nov. 16, the group will perform a wide variety of music, including pieces with Latin and African origins. Highlights include a piece dedicated to Blackman percussion students by John Hearnes (a band director at Oakland Middle), a piece by MTSU instructor Lalo Davila and a newly written piece by instructor David England.
The Blackman Middle Percussion Ensemble has performed and presented at numerous clinics, including the Tennessee Music Educators Conference and the MTSU Percussion Ensemble Showcase. Individually, students are members of the All-County and Midstate bands and other performance groups.
Those wishing to help can contact David England at [email protected].
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