This summer, Prosper High School percussion students and alumni participated in national tours, events, and contests throughout the United States. Maddie Wallace, Ethan Swiderski, Noah Gordon, Brayden Haslem, Natalie Garms, and Dane Castelberry were among the students who performed at the Great Plains International Marimba Competition and the Drum Corps International U.S. Tour.
Natalie Garms, a senior this year at Prosper High School, competed in the Great Plains International Marimba Contest. The GPIMC has three rounds of competition with a preliminary round conducted virtually, followed by a semi-final & final contest taking place in-person at Oklahoma City University. Natalie performed the marimba solo Malice by Caleb Pickering in the prelims and qualified to travel to OCU for the semis & finals contest. While at OCU, she performed the solo Chain by Kazunori Mikaye. She also participated in master classes and clinics given by Kevin Bobo from Indiana University, Dr. She-e-wu from Northwestern University, and Ji Hye Jung from Vanderbilt University.
Ethan Swiderski, who graduated from Prosper High School in 2018, toured the U.S. and served as the Battery Percussion Section Leader for the Boston Crusaders from Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Crusaders’ show, “Paradise Lost”, toured 17 states over the course of the summer and won the Bronze Medal at the Drum Corps International World Championships held in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Boston Crusaders drumline was far and away the crowd favorite this season and social media videos went viral all season long.
Maddie Wallace, another graduate from Prosper High School in 2018, performed more than 22 shows with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps from Santa Clara, California. Maddie served as the section leader of the front ensemble and help the Vanguard Percussion Section earn second place in the Percussion Caption at the Drum Corps International World Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Noah Gordon, who recently graduated from Prosper High School in May 2022, toured with the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps from Casper, Wyoming. Noah earned a spot in the tenor section of the drumline his rookie year with the corps. The Troopers were a huge fan favorite this season and their show, “Voracious”, earned the Corps a Finalist placement for the first time in over a decade at the Drum Corps International World Championships this season.
Brayden Haslem, another recent PHS graduate in May 2022, along with Dane Castleberry, a sophomore at Prosper High School, both toured with the Guardians Drum & Bugle Corps from Houston, Texas. The Guardians toured 7 states and competed in the DCI Open Class Championships, placing 5th, which earned the Corps the opportunity to participate in the World Class Prelims, where they ended up placing in the Top 25.
