Concert Customs

Percussion students start preparing for annual Night of Percussion concert

Kaichen Chou, Staff • January 22, 2025

Percussion students listen to feedback on their playing of the piece “The Lost” from Percussion teacher Elstner. Concert and symphonic percussion classes have different pieces to play for Night of Percussion. “We start practicing this early because we have limited amounts of rehearsals. Time runs out very quickly for us especially since this year we have four long pieces to play that require lots of practice and coordination between all players,” Hiken said.

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In preparation for the Night of Percussion concert, percussion students are rehearsing their pieces each class. A typical day currently involves warm up drills, sight-reading and practice.

“Night of Percussion is a concert solely for Ladue’s percussion program where grades 6-12 perform with their class’s percussion ensemble,” percussion student Hannah Hiken (12) said.

The concert is a special event hosted by Percussion teacher Erin Elstner and looked forward to by many. Despite the concert being held in April, students have already begun using class time to practice, and for senior Hannah Hiken, she is both excited and sad to perform for the last time.

“As a senior, I’m very bittersweet about this being my last Night of Percussion concert,” Hiken said. “I’m excited to showcase my skills as I’ve grown and to perform my senior piece with the other seniors in percussion, but I will miss it a lot.”