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Groove All Star Band Event Recap

What a GREAT day in West Grove! First we have to thank our new friends at Stubborn Goat Brewing. Also, many thanks to Erik and Mark Hetzel and Joey Lopes for working with our students so well. A more in depth post will follow later this week. Stay tuned.

Also, thank you to the students parents, families and everyone who came out to the performance this weekend to support our members.

For those of you who were unable to join us, below are some photos and video of some of our student performances with the GASB. Enjoy!

Audition Season, Part II

As our high school percussion students move on to their college and university ensembles, we continue to add new instructional staff to prepare those students. Yesterday we welcomed a new guest teacher, Samantha Short, to come in and work with some of our students on marching cymbal technique.

Those students are going to join their new marching drumlines at University of Delaware and Syracuse University.

Samantha marched cymbals in DCA with the Bushwackers (2022-24) and also marched in WGI with United Percussion in 2023 & 2024.  She will be teaching United Percussion 2 in the 2026 season. 

Stay tuned for new program offerings!

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Student Performance News - Carolina S.

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This year on 3rd Thursdays in Kennett, the studio is producing a series of performances which we are calling Rock the Ramp! While there is a community building aspect to this, the Ramp Concerts are also a vehicle to provide our students with a performance opportunities.

This month, our guest performers were The Sin Brothers, our friends Erik and Mark Hetzel. They perform extensively throughout the region - the definition of what I would call local professionals. Where grooveKSq differs from other studios is that grooveKSq pairs students up with working professionals in front of a live audience. This is what musicians do, they play live. It is the best way to hone your skills.

Below is an excerpt from Carolina’s performance. She totally poised and under control, and the moment is absolutely not too big for her. Awesome performance by Carolina here.

The remaining schedule for Rock the Ramp! 2025:

August 21st: Resting Funk Face - BT, James McLaughlin (organ), Robert Mastroppolitto (guitar) play some 1960s and 1970s soul and jazz.

September 18: The Dukes of Bavaria: BT leads a German-style brass band which meets British and American hard rock and metal.

October 16: the grooveKSq All Stars - a showcase for some of our intermediate and advanced students

grooveFEST Spring 2025 Recap

There is no better test for a musician than performance in front of a live audience. The stars of yesterday’s performance were the students. They all prepared thoroughly, and let their playing do the talking! Thank you to all of the parents and families who provide a support system for these young performers.

Thank you to Jim Coarse at Moonloop Photography for some outstanding work capturing the event and the performers yesterday. Also special thanks to Guenevere and Calabrese Arts, it was a perfect venue for us.