Charlie Brown Musical Jan-Mar 2012

As part of my creativity for CASL, I decided to take part in the High School Musical, Charlie Brown. I chose to audition for the band, and I knew I would make it as Mr. Ligon had already come and asked me the week before. I was excited as last year’s musical had been a fun experience, and this year’s was about something I knew already, Charlie Brown. However I did not expect to get as much work as I did.

The music for the percussion section was very complex. Many pieces used instruments that I had not played for years, such as the xylophone, timpani and auxiliary percussion. When I first got it, I was confused, as most of the songs did not keep a steady drumbeat. However, as the practices went on I learned to play each song and by the end February, I could play each song perfectly on all the instruments.

One of the new things I learned while playing in the musical was how to play a xylophone with three sticks. Before the musical, I was struggling to play with two sticks, but the music demanded three. I had to learn fast as we didn’t have too many practices until the show itself, but it was simpler than I thought it would be. After a few runs through the song, I was able to play with three sticks, barely. It was still hard, but at least it was a new experience.

A few other obstacles I faced were the cramped space and the actors. In some of the numbers, the actors were slowing down, speeding up, and in general changing the song and making the band’s life more difficult than it was already. However, I was able to cope as I have been playing the drums for nearly eight years. Changing the tempo and skipping the odd beat here or there was not hard for me. The cramped space made moving to the different instruments very hard, as I could knock something down easily or just makes unnecessary noise.

Overall, I enjoyed the musical. The late nights in school were a pain, but the musical practices themselves were never boring. I enjoy playing the drums and I will at any chance I get. This musical was a good way to improve my skills, and I had fun in the process. The musical was also a way of helping the ISK community, and I am proud that I was able to do my part in the musical.