For the first time in its school’s history, Osbourn High School has created an indoor drumline. A group of 16 students in the Manassas high school, from grades 7 to 12, all bonded this year through a passion for percussion.
Drumline students have been spending most weekday evenings practicing, spending hours rehearsing to perfect a performance that will last just five minutes. Some of their weekends have been sacrificed to fundraise to cover the cost of purchasing equipment, drum sticks, mallets, props, and purchase uniforms, said band mom and spokeswoman Erica Washington.
They are being led by Victor Souza who works as the Band Director for the Mayfield Intermediate School within Manassas City Public Schools. He’s an accomplished percussionist as well performing in various Drum Corps groups, most recently with the Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps in Reading, Penn.
The students will participate in their first competition will be on February 15, 2020, at Mount Vernon High School, in Alexandria. They’re looking for community support to help fund the cost of equipment and uniforms.
“We’re also looking for folks to cheer the group at their upcoming competitions,” Washington told Potomac Local News. They include the first competition February 15 at Mount Vernon High School, and then other competitions on March 21 at South County High School in Fairfax County and March 29 at Hampton Roads Coliseum in Hampton.
While there aren’t any open spots in the drumline left this year, Washington says that next year, they hope to expand the program. Osbourn High School is located at 1977 Eagle Way in Manassas.
