Marching band drumline clinic will be held Monday night at Decorah HS

It's hard not to notice the Decorah HIgh School drumline.  Up to 20 musicians have been performing at football games, school assemblies and, soon, at a drumline clinic.

Drumline instructor Jerry Dean is in his sixth year of coaching the musicians.  He has noticed how younger students now say "I want to be a part of that some day." 

The musicians--all drummers--concentrate on playing together and playing cleanly.  Dean says there's a lot of teaching involved--including some visual effects that make it fun for the kids.

The drumline season begins in June with twice a week practices leading up to marching in the Nordic Fest parade.  When school starts the drummers meet twice a week at 7:30 a.m. for rehearsals and daily during the Channel One time at the high school.  Kids also come in during study hall.  "We find time for rehearsals," says Dean, who notes that many of the drummers take part in other school activities--so after-school rehearsals aren't possible, for the most part.

Still, the drumline is now considered cool by students, and Dean says the program should get "bigger and bigger."

The Viking drumline will get a chance to perform for a new audience when Decorah High School hosts the 1st Annual Tri-State Marching Percussion Clinic next Monday, October 8th.  Drumlines from other surrounding high schools will perform for the audience and then receive instruction from two clinicians: University of Northern Iowa drumline director Barry Dvorak, a Crestwood HS graduate, and Waldorf College Assistant Professor of Percussion Chris Ward, a Decorah HS grad.  The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the DHS auditorium.  It is open to the public and there is no admission.

Jerry Dean coaches members of the Decorah HS drumline