AUBURN, N.S. – Members joke that they can’t decide if they’re “a family or a cult” but, either way, West Kings drumline students are marching to the beat of their own drums.
The program is headed by music teacher Heather Davis, who leads 18 students from Grade 9 to Grade 12 in learning, drumming and moving to different songs.
It’s like something straight out of a movie when you see it in person – rhythmic beats and smooth moves that mesmerize as the routine carries students round the stage – and the performers all know they’re part of something truly special.
“It feels pretty great knowing nobody else does what we do, knowing we’re a unique thing,” says Grade 10 student Nathan Gray.
Learning the rotes
Davis said she first felt inspired by routine-based rhythmic music during her time playing with the army reserve band as a high school student.
After earning her education degree and working as an elementary school music teacher, she discovered a colleague at Cole Harbour’s Auburn Drive High School who’d started a drumline program.
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Davis decided to bring a similar program to West Kings to “re-energize students” and get them engaging with music again. She then received a $10,000 grant – enough money to purchase drums, harnesses, cases and stands for nine students. The program was an immediate hit, and has since doubled in size.
It’s considered a unique program within Nova Scotia.
“Right off the bat, the students were very energized. Then, the following year, we started being invited places to perform,” says Davis.
The group, open to practiced drummers and rookies alike, meets from September to May to learn songs and choreograph routines.
The self-dubbed ‘drumliners’ learn music by rote, copying Davis and the more experienced students, and then get just two days to memorize them together in two sessions.
“We do it this way because we can’t establish the routine until the music is memorized, but the students are always surprised – and me as well – at how quickly they’re able to make that happen when playing together,” says Davis.
Students then work with Davis, often splitting off into groups to brainstorm, and compile ideas to create their performances. This part of the process often starts with an idea from Davis that’s then completely taken over by the students – something she says she’s “totally OK with.”
“We all get to think of these crazy ideas for our routine. It’s not just something Davis pulls up and says, ‘OK guys, we’re doing it like this’ – we all get to contribute all these different ideas, and we throw in the weirdest stuff sometimes,” says Grade 10 student Ryan Bramwell, who is among the group’s most animated performers.
‘You can be really quirky’
Bramwell says her inspiration to perform with such heart is something that happens spontaneously as the group plays and practices together.
“The best thing about drumline is, no matter what you do, you can be really quirky – everybody else is equally as weird as you. You don’t have to worry about standing out as much,” she says.
The group has performed many times locally in Kings County. They’re a regular hit at many schools and in parades, but their highlight, according to Davis, was performing at the 2015 World Men’s Curling Championship in Halifax.
“We performed at the game between Canada and the United States. My kids were right down on the floor, and I think that was the highlight of all our drumline careers,” she says.
The group dresses up their drums with lights, bells and Santa hats during the Christmas season, and are proud to now look the part even when not playing while sporting their brand-new drumline track suits.
As a group, many still do not read sheet music, but Davis says this doesn’t impact the learning curve or later performance, and even sets the program apart from others across Canada.
“Learning by rote, by ear, and feeling the music is, I think, is what really sets us apart from the others. The students all have this energy to do these routines, and I think that’s what the audience is drawn to,” says Davis.
“They sound good, and they look great too.”
The students enjoy performing, but they say it’s not the biggest reason most decide to join. The reason, rather, is that they find fellow creative and authentic individuals in a judgment-free environment.
‘It’s amazing to see’
The group’s leader, or lead sticks, Grade 11 student Fionn Carson jokingly refers to the group as “a hugely dysfunctional family” and elicits laughter from his bandmates.
“All these people are such good people. Everyone’s on the same page and dedicated, and we’ve come really far this year,” he says.
As the students sit in a line on the school’s stage, they all begin answering at once when saying what makes Davis a great teacher and coach. They say she’s “approachable,” “awesome,” “we couldn’t do it without her,” “we love Ms. Davis,” “amazing,” “the best,” “the band Mum,” “she brings out the best.”
As the group’s lone Grade 12 student, Em Lewis sums it up for everyone.
“She has been here supporting all of us through the thick and thin – I think that’s the best part of Davis. She is loyal to us as long as we’re loyal to her, and she helps us,” she says.
Davis says her students get a sense of commitment and work ethic from their drumming but, above all, a huge sense of friendship and togetherness.
“They really get this feeling of family. I keep going back to that, and they really, really are – nobody understands what they’re doing, and they don’t even know how they got there but here they are,” says Davis.
“They can be just the silliest group of kids, right, and then they pull together on a performance – it’s amazing to see.”
