Green Thunder Percussion

My name is Spencer Gore, and this is my second year playing with Green Thunder Percussion. Last year, I was lucky enough to take up the position of the only “new guy” snare player. Needless to say, I was expected to hit the ground running to catch up with the veterans. The tables have turned this year, and I am now playing center snare for a line with only one returning player – myself.

I feel that participating in Green Thunder not only improved myself as a player, but as a student and team contributor as well. I know that one of the greatest inhibitions I had to joining the group was the time commitment – over my junior year, there seemed to be hundreds of simultaneous demands of my time. I was involved with my school's robotics team every day, had ACT review classes biweekly, and was trying to prepare my own high school drum line for the following season. Participating in Green Thunder seemed exclusive with maintaining straight A's – but I was very, very wrong.

The time that Green Thunder takes out of my week is by far made up by the stronger work ethic that it has left me with. It has highlighted my mental weaknesses and has taught me strategies to overcome them, taught me how to prioritize different demands, and left me with the ability to direct group work in a fashion that creates true progress. It has taught me that stress is a mechanism best left behind, and that achieving success is the result of a combination of analytical self-reflection, a highly-structured work ethic, and leadership by example. These are skills that I will retain for life, and are embedded in a very Cavalier context that can only be learned from this organization. And they more than compensate for the time commitment – the mental workout that Green Thunder has been makes schoolwork come easily.

So yes, I am saying that there's no reason not to become involved with this group in the future. If you're an on-the-fence percussionist, try it for yourself and see!

I think that anyone who has been watching one of our recent rehearsals would no doubt see this work ethic in play. It's unbelievable to me to see the maturity and focus that a group with an average age of between fifteen and sixteen years can demonstrate. It's that work ethic that has led the group to the success it has recently seen – moving up a class and placing extraordinarily well over only two regionals is not a coincidence. It's the actualization of a driven group, a highly trained staff, and a stimulating show concept.

The staff has routinely mentioned that we are not involved in this activity for the placements. We simply perform for the sake of performing. Regardless of how we compete, we strive for our personal best because the road that it takes to get there is one that leaves us with the confidence and brotherhood that we didn't have before.