Percussionists will soon have a multitude of opportunity, as some music-minded students have initiated a campus drumline.

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At the forefront of this drumline is sophomore biology major Taylor Jamison.  When Jamison came to college, however, she recognized an absence in her life as a result from no longer being able to participate in a drumline alongside her school work. Knowing a few people who were sure participants, Jamison knew that beginning a drumline on Behrend’s campus would have a higher chance of success. Under the guidance of Dr. Gary Viebranz, Associate Teaching Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Ensembles, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts, Jamison began pursuing this goal.

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Through the drumline, called the Behrend Drum Lions, Jamison hopes to add a different facet to the Behrend music scene, as this type of percussive outlet has largely been unavailable to interested players.

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“I’m hoping that it will be something that convinces more people to come here because it’ll be something familiar they can participate in,” said Jamison.

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Though the Drum Lions have only just begun, Jamison is nevertheless hopeful about their future.

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“We’re hoping to have it expand a lot,” Jamison added. “As of right now, we just hope to get people interested and then we want to start an actual club where people can come in and learn how to play if they haven’t before.”

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One member of this organization is senior mechanical engineering major Ethan Buckley.  Coming from an extensive drumline background himself, Buckley found his stride playing both bass and tenor drums in his high school drumline.

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Through this experience, Buckley noted, he was able to open up socially, meeting long term friends, and, as he puts it, “finding” himself.

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“Drumline helped me to express who I really was and to be comfortable with that,” stated Buckley. “It really helped me grow as a person.”

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Because drumline--and music in general--was such a comfort for Buckley, he faced college with some dread, knowing he could not continue pursuing this interest as heavily as he had previously.

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“The hardest part of going to Behrend for me was knowing I couldn’t participate in as much music as I was used to,” Buckley noted. “So, it’s nice to have something that breaks up the norm of engineering, something other than school work to relieve stress.”

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Alex Burnett is a junior mechanical engineering major who has also been involved in percussion since he was young.  Having been an active participant in every musical group his high school offered, Burnett continued to pursue his interest in jazz once he became a student at Behrend.  However, due to Behrend’s lack of extensive percussive opportunities, Burnett found his creative outlet by participating in the local drum and bugle corps, the Erie Thunderbirds.

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These experiences allowed Burnett to not only grow as percussionist, but to gain personal skills applicable to his life outside of music.  

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“Drumline teaches people teamwork and enforces consistency.  Every member is essential and must do his or her part to create the final product,” said Burnett. “Also, you must be able to consistently play everything correctly so the final product sounds good. These qualities transfer over to personal life and help people achieve greatness in the workforce.”

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Though he is not currently participating in Behrend’s drumline, Burnett recognizes the potential the group has to benefit the Behrend population.

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“Adding a drumline to Behrend would definitely benefit the musical and overall social culture.  It would add another opportunity for student who might not have joined another musical group,” he added. “It also allows students to make new friends across majors who otherwise might not have met each other.”

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Any interested percussionists can contact Taylor Jamison at txj5143@psu.edu.