INpact Band entertains, inspires young musicians

An enormous ensemble of middle school band students took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium Aug. 10, as part of the opening ceremony of the Drum Corps International World Championship Finals in Indianapolis. 2013 marked the second year the INpact Indiana's Future Band was organized for performances at the DCI World Championships. Nominated by band directors and music teachers, more than 280 middle school students from across the state of Indiana were selected to participate. The band is presented thanks to a special grant awarded to Drum Corps International by the LDI 100th Anniversary Celebration Cultural Partnership Gift Program with the cooperation of the Indiana State School Music Association and Indiana Bandmasters Association. "INpact gives young musicians an exciting performance opportunity while opening their eyes to a high level of excellence in the performing arts," said head INpact director Kathryn Briel, who is the director of bands at Clark Pleasant Middle School in Greenwood, Ind. INpact students arrived in Indianapolis on Friday, Aug. 9 to begin rehearsals. In between ensemble and smaller sectional practices with Indiana band directors, performers also had the opportunity to observe drum corps getting ready for and competing at the DCI World Championship Semifinals which was running simultaneous to their rehearsal schedule. Rounding out the night, students were treated to a special program at the historic Indiana Repertory Theater. A leadership workshop by motivational speaker Fran Kick, a performance and question and answer session with Sgt. Corrin Campbell who is an active-duty servicewoman and musician with the U.S. Army, a walk-though of a day-in-the-life of a professional musician with trumpeter Al Chez, and other special guests and performers took center stage in a number of interactive sessions with the middle schoolers. While getting back to work on Saturday morning, INpact students had the opportunity to experience Drum Corps International's first-ever DrumLine Battle and SoundSport festival on Georgia Street in downtown Indianapolis, before heading back to Lucas Oil Stadium for a dress rehearsal of their performance later in the evening. Joining the INpact Band for their concert at the start of the DCI World Championship Finals were renowned trumpet soloists Patrick Hession and Al Chez. Hession has made a career of playing and recording for some of the most well known big bands in the world including the Lionel Hampton Big Band, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Maynard Ferguson's Big Bop Noveau. Chez, who is a former drum corps member and still assists in teaching drum corps, spent more than 25 years as a trumpeter with the Late Night and Late Show with David Letterman on NBC and then CBS. Hession and Chez accompanied the band playing an arrangement of Bill Conti's theme to the "Rocky" movies, "Gonna Fly Now." Doug Keiser from the School of Music at Indiana State University served as conductor of the group. More than just a performance opportunity, the INpact Indian's Future Band experience is one designed to encourage students to consider the arts as they make important skills development decisions for their high school years and beyond. "These students take back a unique level of excitement and excellence for music education to their individual schools and communities throughout Indiana," Briel said. "They become ambassadors for keeping music alive and strong in our Indiana schools."

Watch the performance of the 2013 INpact Indiana's Future Band