The football team scores. The crowd goes wild. The snap of a snare drum echoes through the night.
This sound came from William Yonts, a senior and the leader of Carlmont Drumline. The other members of the team respond with sounds from their own instruments to create a unified series of cadences.
Carlmont Drumline, led by Yonts, is comprised of eight Carlmont music students, ranging from sophomores to seniors. Featuring instruments such as the snare drum, the bass drum, and cymbals, Carlmont Drumline creates a series of rhythms and beats that are showcased at various Carlmont events such as football games and assemblies.
The members of Drumline strive to encourage other students to enjoy spirit events and raise school spirit.
“To be on the Drumline means to be the embodiment of school spirit,” Yonts said. “The Drumline is relied upon to energize the students and make them love being at Carlmont.”
Carlmont students often appreciate Drumline’s role in school events and enjoy the effects that the Drumline has on the crowd.
“Drumline is a huge part of our school’s spirit because of the energy it brings,” said Zach Burgos, a senior. “They bring the [tempo of the] atmosphere up and make Carlmont way more spirited.”
Many Carlmont students enjoy watching Drumline due to its exciting choreography and creative arrangements. One of Drumline’s more popular arrangements is done by laying the bass drums on the ground and playing them while other students pour water on the drums; this creates an effect in which the water splashes up as the drums are hit.
“They have a bunch of really cool alternatives to the way they play, like when they put water on the drums and when they make up storylines for their performance,” Burgos said.
In addition to the rush of being in the crowd, the members of Drumline also have the opportunity to meet people from all aspects of student life.
“People in the Drumline meet a lot of people, whether it be ASB members or just simple passersby,” Yonts said. “It’s really cool how being in the Drumline gives you the opportunity to meet people you would’ve never met otherwise.”
Being in Drumline also provides the members a chance to experience new music styles.
“I like that we play music that is different than what we would typically do elsewhere. We really only do music that can be used in Drumline, and we’re all just really there for the music,” said Isabel Coughlan, a junior
Drumline is considered a co-curricular activity, meaning that it is supervised by the Carlmont music teachers, Mr. Dabaldo and Mr. Switzer. Even though the supervisors have the final say in overarching decisions regarding Drumline, the students in Drumline organize and lead themselves.
“We aren’t heavily supervised as one would expect with a co-curricular. We’re mostly self-run and pretty independent,” Yonts said.
The members of drumline are recruited through an auditioning process, during which they play a series of drum rudiments and cadences selected by the existing team. Once on the team, they work together to come up with new arrangements and ideas to perform.
“We all have to pull our own weight,” Coughlan said.
Whether they’re playing, laughing, or entertaining, Drumline provides the chance for students to bond and learn to love the Carlmont atmosphere.
Yonts said, “My favorite part of the Drumline is the many connections you make with other students, not just between the members themselves.”
