Ensemble brings home fourth gold

Members of the G-A Blue Percussion Ensemble with the trophy they won at the K.I.D.A. Championship last weekend. They are also acknowledging the four wins the group has accumulated through the years. Pictured from left, front row: Brendan Carter, Isaac Seidel, Randall Gates, Glenn Russman, Meredith Runshaw, Juliet Seidel. Middle row: Ryan Carty, Emily Zook, Katie Benedict. Back row: Rebecca Florentine, Katie Benachowski, Amanda Toms, Brittany Spangler and Tyler Pine.

HANOVER - Greencastle Antrim Winter Percussion Ensemble won the Keystone Indoor Drill Association Blue Percussion Ensemble Championship for the fourth straight competitive season. They performed April 5 at Southwestern High School in Hanover. The judges awarded a score of 98.5, which was also the highest tally of any division that day, including all percussion lines, majorette groups and indoor guards.

The percussion ensembles are classified in three divisions, based on playing ability. Gold is the lowest or novice, White is intermediate and Blue is advanced.

The ensemble has a winning tradition, also claiming the championship in 2004, 2005 and 2007. It did not compete in 2006.

The 98.5 rating is a new record for K.I.D.A. The 2004 G-A ensemble held the former record of 96.5.

The Greencastle-Antrim Indoor Guard, competing in the white division, earned Most Improved Guard, with a score of 82.0. They took seventh place.

The Greencastle-Antrim Winter Percussion Ensemble 2008 production is "Symphonic Silhouette," a fresh take on "New World Symphony" composed by Antonín Dvorák.

This unique arrangement, created by Christopher Arnold and Alex Randall, explores a new approach to the symphonic classic through tastefully blending concert, world, contemporary marching, and experimental percussion instruments. The careful combination opens new avenues of percussion ensemble that Greencastle- Antrim is known for: concert-style musicality, sensitivity, variety of styles, sounds, textures, feels, and emotions, as well as some unexpected twists and turns.

Greencastle-Antrim Winter Percussion Ensemble directors are Christopher Arnold and Alex Randall, headed by band director Sam Forney. Technicians are John Mercer, Ryan Herrmann, Matt Wolfe and Josh DeFrank.