DRUMLINE: Linda Murillo (11) and her college-aged teammates win a high title at an international music competition.
By Kira Roybal, Staff writer
Many Poly students go to school for about 35 hours a week. In addition to spending this time at school, Linda Murillo adheres to an Olympic schedule of training for an additional 40 hours a week – on the synthesizer, cello and other instruments, that is.
Murillo’s interest in music began in the fourth grade at an orchestra assembly. It inspired her to take up the violin after making a deal with her mother to keep it up throughout elementary school. Then in middle school Murillo added the cello to her instrument family. At Poly, she is involved in orchestra and marching band, but even this cannot satisfy her musical ear.
This school year Murillo, with the support of her family, auditioned for Drums Corps International (DCI), a drumline or marching band consisting of percussion instruments accompanied by other instruments such as the electric guitar and synthesizer. However, that audition came with an unexpected surprise. A director for another drumline, Winter Guard International (WGI), was there, and he needed members for his ensemble called Dark Sky Percussion. In a twist of fate, Murillo decided to take the opportunity from WGI and was chosen to play the synthesizer for Dark Sky Percussion. She was one of the few 16 and 17 year olds in a drumline dominated by 20 and 21 year olds.
Murillo delved into musical ensembles outside of school not only to bring more music into her life but also to find a more professional group of people to share her passion with. “There are a lot of people (at school) who horse around and don’t take music as seriously. It can get frustrating trying to continue. That’s why I branched out and decided to do WGI,” Murillo said.
However, the true test of her dedication came on April 20. Murillo and her teammates had spent four months perfecting their musical piece, “The Sound of My Voice,” and it was time to face the moment of truth at the WGI World Championships. Not only did drumlines from the States participate in the competition, but also international groups from countries such as Canada, Thailand and Japan were present. After securing seventh place in the preliminary round on April 19, Dark Sky Percussion moved onto the finals at the University of Dayton arena.
A large black curtain separated the performing drumlines from those that were nervously awaiting their turn backstage. “When we were coming around the black curtain, we were all in shock because the majority of us had never done this before,” Murillo said. Dark Sky Percussion, clad in their blue and gold uniforms, stepped out to the front and center of the arena and performed with a beat that they felt so naturally in their hearts but had practiced and perfected with blood, sweat and tears. For all of their determination and sacrifice, Murillo and her teammates earned fourth place.
“We were really united when we were performing,” Murillo said.
As if winning fourth place at her first international competition wasn’t enough, Murillo also got a pleasant surprise at the airport on her way back to California. She and a few other members of Dark Sky ran into Pulse Percussion, a well-known drumline in the music world. “I asked them to sign my Pillow Pet,” Murillo said. Competitions like the WGI World Championships can open doors for young musicians because they are populated by influential directors and famous drumlines.
Participating in drumline has its rewards, but it also has numerous sacrifices and challenges. Murillo explained that she is not able to see her family often; during the week she has late night practices and on the weekends she attends competitions that tend to be located far from home.
Also, Murillo commented that interest in and support for drumline competitions is low. In fact, DCI was forced to cancel broadcasts of its championships on ESPN in 2008 due to the expense of keeping up the program. “Society accepts you more if you’re athletic than if you’re musical. They see music as a waste of time,” Murillo said.
However, her love of music and the prospect of constantly improving keep Murillo hooked on her instruments. “The people in my (drumline) group are really serious about what they’re doing. It is inspiring to see how much effort they put in. I want to get to their level,” she said. Although she cannot foresee where her music will lead her, Murillo plans to continue participating in WGI and would love to join a swing band.