Indoor Percussion Ensemble - History

History

Indoor percussion (Drumline) began in 1976 at the Rocori High School in Cold Spring Minnesota, pioneered by Dick Rausch. Over the past 30 years, marching percussion has advanced and moved into auditoriums and gymnasiums as percussion ensembles looked for ways to maintain their skills during the winter months when performing outdoors on football fields was not practical. Following in the footsteps of indoor guard ensembles, indoor percussion ensembles arrange music and motion appropriate for a more intimate setting. The activity is enjoyed throughout the United States and Japan, as Winter Guard International (WGI) provides many regional and national opportunities to compete. Percussion ensembles first appeared in WGI shows in 1992, and the theatrics, sets, and music selection has advanced throughout the activity's history. There are many organizations unaffiliated with WGI that hold smaller regional shows.

Competitive groups are held to specific times and judged on criteria that change every season as technology and creativity blossom. These ensembles compete, but traditionally, the musical sport is treated as a place to grow together as a community, learn new techniques, and enjoy the work done by peers from across the country and locally.

Competition became international when Color Guard Netherlands (CGN) introduced Indoor Percussion in Europe. In 2008 CGN hosted the very first WGI Regional for Percussion outside of North-America.

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