With marching band season over, the Pride of Paoli is gearing up for various winter activities, including indoor percussion. In indoor percussion, students perform a show much like marching band, but exclusively with percussion instruments. 

This year, the show’s theme is Astra, meaning “The Stars”. 

“This year’s show is a bit more challenging while being entertaining and fun to perform. This year’s show includes Gusta Holst’s ‘The Planets’, an old lullaby classic ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little  Star’. This season will be great because it’s providing our students a challenge while yet giving them an opportunity to hone in on their own skills and improve themselves as musicians and performers,” said Percussion Instructor Brandon Nunez.

The group will perform in at least two Indiana Percussion Association (IPA) competitions at Pendleton Heights High School on March 2 and Brownsburg High School on March 16. These events are similar to marching band competitions and showcase a variety of percussion shows from other groups in Indiana.

This season, one of the group’s leaders is junior Lainee Cox, who plays vibraphone.

“I look forward to playing with my section and others joining and making music. When we started, there were only a few of us who weren’t very experienced. Seeing how the section and the level we can play have grown makes me very hopeful for the future of the percussion section as a whole. The show is challenging compared to what we’ve done in the past, but I have no doubt that with a little practice, we will be able to play incredibly well,”  said Cox.

The group will likely perform locally at the Orleans Winter Showcase on March 8 and at the Paoli Winter Concert, with more details coming later in the semester.