Using basketballs, coffee cups and brooms as instruments, Texas A&M’s Percussion Studio is no average band.
The Percussion Studio’s Big Show, Carol of the Cowbells, will be in Rudder Theatre on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., featuring around 14 ensembles with about half using unconventional instruments. Each ensemble ranges from three to five minutes and the show will last about an hour and 30 minutes with a short intermission in the middle. Tickets to the show can be purchased at the door or at tx.ag/pstix.
Cody Shoop, chemical engineering senior and president of Percussion Studio, said the group is popular because of its student-led mentality.
“I really liked drumline in high school, but at A&M to be in the drumline you have to be in the Corps,” Shoop said. “I was introduced to this organization at the MSC open house and found a lot of people that were in the same boat: wanting to join the drumline but not be a part of the Corps. The members create their own music or perform covers for the show. We really do anything that sounds fun.”
Shoop said he is excited to show the audience the studio’s creativity. The group plays a lot of Stomp-style music, while using unconventional items.
“This year I’m most excited for our ensemble with balloons, where we release pressure at different tempos,” Shoop said.
“We also make use of brooms and basketballs this year. The show alternates between conventional and unconventional ensembles.”
According to Colleen Averill, biomedical science junior and social officer, members of the group have been playing the same instruments for years. Trying unconventional ensembles makes the show a bit more interesting for the performers and the audience.
“Right before the semester, we make a group chat where we just throw out ideas,” Averill said. “Sometimes people find music online or write their own music. We have conventional ensembles, but I like to lead the more ‘out there’ ones. Last year we got a bunch of newspapers and did a comedy piece. This year there’s a stage fight in our broom ensemble. Our bits are full of dramatic faces and movements.”
Computer engineer junior Zac Hein said the show is a bit more theatrical than others. For example, the performers will wear a different costume for each piece.
“One of them this year we are all dressed up in Santa gear,” Hein said. “For the coffee cup ensemble, we are dressed in business wear as if the company is taking a coffee break. For the basketball one, we are dressed in jerseys.”
Hein said he has received great feedback from prior shows.
“Being a student-led production, it isn’t the most professionally made, but the passion that everyone in this organization has really comes through in the pieces,” Hein said. “It really shows the emotion and everything we worked for all throughout the semester.”