by Caleb Kim ’26
Here at Bellarmine, students have the opportunity to choose their favorite elective for their visual arts requirement, whether it be photography, acting, or graphic design. But amongst the options to choose from, percussion stands out. Although it is a class where students play music at its core, percussion is so much more. Percussion is an interactive, unique experience that is gratifying for all who decide to take it. Not only is it a class to experience and learn to create music, but also one about gaining memorable, fun experiences that help one bond with their peers. So, here are some students’ individual opinions on the percussion elective and their experience in it.
Ellek Garcia ’25 is currently in Intermediate Percussion. He’s taken percussion as a freshman and sophomore for his elective, and he describes it as a class where, “you get to be active and play really cool pieces that just always… make everyone have a great time.” Right now, he says, his period is “working on a piece called Creepy Wiggly Things which personally is… one of my favorite[s] now because… the marimba is in the background and then you got… the different pieces, the different musical elements that are for the students to enjoy.” When asked about a memorable moment, he talked about performing in the Sobrato theater: “I’d say performing… because it’s like you build up. And then the night of the performance is always like the best and then you realize, wow, all our hard work actually paid off.” All in all, Ellek says Percussion is, “a fun class. You know, if you’re looking for a class [where] you want to [be with a] community, definitely join because it’s not big. It’s just like a classroom, but everybody knows each other, and it’s just a fun way to make friends.”
Su Jacob ’26 shares similar thoughts on percussion. As a freshman, he expresses that sometimes, school can be stressful, so percussion is “a class that I look forward to, to get away from stress off all the heavy academics.” Also, he describes it as a fun class in general because of the comradery and playfulness of everyone in the class. For example, he explains, “if you drop your drumsticks, you have to do ten push-ups. So, every time someone drops one, we say ‘get down.’” Moreover, he says that the enjoyment for the class comes from the freedom: “Also, [it’s fun] whenever we play random songs. People just sound out music and start playing a tune, like a new song.” So, when asked about whether he would take Intermediate Percussion, he simply replied, “I will.”
Percussion is a wholesome and enriching experience, which many fellow Bells decide to take in their years hear. While gaining important musical skills, the students also have the opportunity to grow as individuals. So consider the pragmatics of percussion and you might end up enjoying it!