Spark Indoor Percussion is a new program that was created to help students develop their skills as musicians and to light up the idea of bringing indoor percussion back into Omaha.
The Director and Music designer, Alex Albertson, created the performance to have four movements: Sunset, Shining on the Dance Floor, Moonlight, and a Sunrise.
“I wrote it to be challenging for our members, but enjoyable to play,” Albertson said. “It is meant to truly see how much we can accomplish with the rehearsal structure we have available”
Spark is different from other programs as it has no designated rehearsal space. The group rehearses at Oak View Mall after it closes on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. This structure makes the setting uncommon for Indoor groups to practice in.
“We use some of the larger spaces to accommodate drill learning, including an old Eddie Bauer, Buckle, and the cafeteria space in front of JCPenney,” Albertson said. “It is unorthodox but I’m confident that it will work pretty well in the end”
The group is made up of marching Snare drums, Bass drums and Tenor drums as battery percussion as well as auxiliary and mallet instruments as Pit percussion. They also include marching cymbals in this program. The rehearsals get split into different sections also. Some days the group splits off into sectionals with drum technicians for musical practice. While in others, battery members go with Danny Belt, Visual Director for Spark, to learn drill and visuals for the show. While the battery members are doing this the pit percussionists are rehearsing music and visual aspects.
“From a performance perspective, it tends to be a little bit more demanding just because you’re a lot closer to the audience,” Belt said. “This means we also get to push the limits as far as music”
The music written is meant to be very demanding and will take a lot of attention to detail. All of the parts exceed the high school standards and feature more advanced rhythms and speeds. Those involved are expected to practice and retain as much as possible during rehearsals. The music combined with learning the visuals make indoor percussion more intense for the performers.
“We want to reignite the area as far as getting people to do the sport of the art, this is an activity that pushes people,” Belt said. “It is not only a test of character, but it also creates a hard working and fun environment for people to stay active in music” Belt said.
Belt is also a drum technician for Westside and Millard North. For Westside, Belt works with both the drumline and front ensemble with music and visual expertise. While at Millard North, he supervises Snare and Tenor musicians on the drumline. Belt also worked with Railmen Percussion with fellow technicians and staff members at Spark.
“We had all worked together at Railmen Percussion and were committed to making it a successful experience for everyone. We earned high placements at WGI events and helped inspire a number of our performers to continue earning spots with elite level ensembles across the nation” Albertson said.
Railmen Percussion was the first Indoor group organized in Omaha. The group practiced rigorously and had regular rehearsals. This group included advanced high school students as well as college musicians. Like this group, Spark is meant to reinstate the idea of indoor percussion.
“We want to reignite the area as far as getting people to do the sport of the art, this is an activity that pushes people. It is not only a test of character, but it also creates a hard working and fun environment for people to stay active in music” Belt said.
Spark, like Railmen, will end up performing at competitions in the future. Since this is the first year of the program, the group is planning to do a couple performances around Omaha.
“We will aim to perform at two Omaha events hosted by the Heartland Winter Arts Association. Additionally, we plan to have our own performance at Maple Music Studios in Oak View Mall on March 15th, 22nd, and tentatively 29th” Albertson said.
The program also wants to take it to a competitive level. More than 100 ensembles perform at these competitions which make for an incredible atmosphere. Possible trips to performances will be planned in future years ahead.
“The plan for next season is to travel to a WGI regional, usually held in Omaha, Denver, KY, or St. Louis and compete there. We will also aim to compete at the annual WGI World Championships held in Dayton, OH” Albertson said.
As Spark gears up for its first performance, excitement has built within the community. With a unique rehearsal setting and a challenging set of pieces, the program is set to elevate the skills of its members as well as reignite the passion for Indoor percussion within Omaha. The hard work and dedication of these talented individuals promise an unforgettable experience.
