Sign up now to take part in MPA’s 2011 Solo & Ensemble Competition, March 18 for a fun and valuable performance opportunity. Register online by March 11.

Performing a solo or ensemble piece is a great chance to improve your skills and grow as a musician. This year’s competition will be at Rosemount High School on March 18. The cost is only $5 per solo or member of an ensemble. Pay online with a credit card, or make checks payable to Minnesota Percussion Association and send to P.O. Box 21825, Eagan, MN 55123. Click here to access the forms for paying by check or paying online. Just pick the right form for your payment method and enter.

Applications and payment are due March 11. A performance schedule will be posted once times are finalized.

And as a special treat this year, we’re inviting MPA instructors to perform solos or ensembles in exhibition. So start gently coercing your instructors now and you might seem them on stage!

The highlight of the 3 Events was the Becker High School performance: Impact claimed 1st in their class and 5th overall. Pursuit also claimed 1st in their class and 1st OVERALL! It was a long travel weekend for students and parents alike, but all is well that ends well!

Once again, congratulations! This is an honor not only for the Impact and pursuit, but all member of Groove! If you are interested in the competitions and scores of our travels, please check the website of www.mnperc.org. The scores usually take about a week to post.

Thanks to the staff, parents, and students for making another successful weekend of travel.

Sincerely,
Tom Stritecky
Impact/Pursuit Travel Coordinator

EAGAN PRELIMINARIES:

Impact placed 5th out of 6 units in  their class with a score of 68.80. Scores in their class ranged from a high of 79.00 to a low of 63.80. 

Pursuit placed 2nd out of 2 units in their class with a score of 74.15. First place was a score of 84.10. Second place allowed Pursuit to advance to finals.

Overall in the prelims, Impact placed 14th (68.80) and Pursuit tied for 9th place (74.15) out of 17 units. Overall prelim scores ranged from a high of 84.65 to a low of 63.80
 
EAGAN FINALS:
 
Pursuit again placed second out of the two units in their class with a score of 73.90. First place score was 83.90.
 
Overall, Pursuit placed 8th (73.90) out of 11 units. High score was 84.45; low score was 71.15.
 
Not bad considering this was our first competition and many of the other units have been competing for a couple of months!

The reason for so few units in our class is that most competition drumlines are school affiliated.

Posted on the WGI website were reviews of the units that participated in the Eagan finals. The following is the review for Pursuit:

Groove Pursuit (Sioux Falls, SD) (2nd: 73.900)  With performers ranging between 13 and 22 years of age, Groove Pursuit made the long trek from Sioux Falls to spend the weekend in the Twin Cities Area.  This was their first competition weekend of the year.  They had beautiful uniforms, a complete show, and none of the “first show jitters” were to be seen. 

 
BUFFALO:
 
Impact placed 1st of the two units in their class with a score of 71.1. Second place received a score of 63.9.

Pursuit placed 1st in their class with a score of 76.15. They were the only unit in their class.
 
Overall, Pursuit placed 2nd (76.15) and Impact placed 5th (71.1) out of 11 units. High score was 80.2; low score was 59.34.
  
The kids’ performances notably improved with each show being better than the one before.

Impact did a fantastic job considering they are middle school kids competing against high school drum lines!

Pursuit did an awesome job coming in second only to Eagan High School with a 44 member Drumline!

Our drum lines were also playing music that was more technically challenging than many of the other drum lines, which is considered by the judges when scoring.

Paul Dyke
V.P.

Click the link below to download a copy of the itinerary for the weekend if you need it. We look forward to some great stories and lots of photos when they return!

Groove Itinerary 2010 Eagan Buffalo

Exhibition

1. 00.00 Anoka Chamber Percussion 0.00

Scholastic A Marching

1. 84.50 Kenosha Beats
2. 83.00 Blaine High School
3. 82.90 Burnsville High School
4. 71.90 Rochester Lourdes High School
5. 69.80 Henry Sibley High School
6. 69.70 South St. Paul High School

Independent A Marching

1. 71.50 Groove Impact

Scholastic Open Concert

1. 64.60 Anoka High School

Scholastic Open Marching

1. 85.10 Eagan High School Percussion Ensemble
2. 84.40 Irondale HS 3 81.60 Coon Rapids Winter Drumline

Independent Open Marching

1. 89.50 MBI
2. 84.20 Groove Pursuit