A brief silence scatters throughout the Coppell High School Auditorium as the evening commences and percussionist’s show Purely Rhythmic begins.
On Saturday, family and friends came out to support Coppell percussionists during their annual concert.
“The best part about all of this is showing my family where all my hours go,” senior percussionist Rhea Rajan said.
Alongside performances of famous musical pieces such as “Monolith” by Francisco Perezan, CHS percussionists played student-composed pieces, including “Infatuation” by senior Sophie Depew, and “Fides Tua” by junior Sanchi Srivastava, highlighting the creativity of the band.
A memorable performance by eight percussionists “Stool Pigeon” livened up the crowd with its sophisticated simplicity. The performance showcased the camaraderie between the band members through their enthusiasm and precise choreography throughout their piece.
“The hardest part of organizing all of the kid’s performances isn’t playing the instruments, but handling the logistics, making sure everything works smoothly on the night of,” percussion director Randall Nguyen said. “It’s so rewarding to see the kid’s smile after playing their final note.”
CHS percussion invited renowned classical Indian percussionist and professor at the University of North Texas, Sriji Poovalur and his student, Doug Bush, also from UNT, for the final performance of the night. Allowing the audience to a truly unique musical experience combining traditional Indian percussion with the CHS percussion’s talents.
The show’s opening highlighted sixth-grade musicians who were specifically selected to play percussion instruments for their respective school’s band. This was followed by a performance from each Coppell ISD middle school percussion ensemble.
“I just know those middle schoolers we’ve seen tonight are so talented,” Coppell mother Boo Messahel said. “If we’ve got anything to be excited about, it’s got to be those middle schoolers and their energy.”
Messahel supported her son and also won the raffle held by CHS percussion by taking home a cash prize of $500.
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