Greenfield-Central High School’s percussion ensemble performed at the Winter Guard International’s World Championships last month in Dayton, Ohio, where it was was the smallest of the 15 schools to advance to the percussion finals. The ensemble placed 12th, marking only the second time Greenfield-Central advanced to the world finals in school history.
Photo provided
GREENFIELD — The percussion ensemble at Greenfield-Central High School is drumming to a happy beat after placing 12th in the finals at the Winter Guard International’s World Championships last month.
The ensemble advanced to the Percussion Scholastic Open Finals for only the second time in school history, competing against 40 schools from 15 states.
The competition took place April 21-23 in Dayton, Ohio, where more than 33,000 students competed at the regional level and 16,000 advanced to the finals.
Greenfield-Central was the smallest of the 15 schools to advance to the percussion finals, by a margin of 300 students.
“I’m very proud of that group,” said Jeremy Turner, one of the school’s head marching band directors.
Two other Greenfield-Central groups also scored big at last month’s contest. The color guard finished 32nd in its class and the winds section finished 6th in its class.
“We are incredibly proud of all of our students who have been working since December on what they have been able to accomplish,” said Turner.
Michelle Willits, whose son Peyton Willits, 16, plays xylophone in the percussion ensemble, said the world finals competition was as exciting for the parents as it was for the students performing.
“All these kids put so much into each show. It’s just really cool to watch,” said the proud parent, who tears up when she thinks about the level of dedication it takes to put together such a top-notch performance.
“I’m so proud of these kids because they work so hard all throughout the year,” she said. “They put in so many hours to put these shows together, and they love performing so much. Making it to the world finals is just the icing on the cake.”
Willits, whose older son played in the school band before graduating last year, recalls how hard it was on band members when they couldn’t compete for a year or two due to COVID.
“When they got started up again, my son (Peyton) said, ‘Now I remember why I love this so much,” she said.
Willits said her son’s time in the band has instilled in him such a passion for performing that the high school junior plans to major in music performance in college.
“This program has really taught him and many other band members that their passion for music can go well beyond high school,” she said.
