BY JENNIFER WEINGART
Most students try to avoid school on the weekends. But some young percussionists from Big Rapids are spending their weekend at school anyway as they try to break the world record for longest group drum roll.
The current world record stands at 27 hours, set by Rock Hill High School in South Carolina in 2009.
Big Rapids students are attempting to break that record and set a new one at 30 hours. 20 students have been taking 15 minute shifts since 8 a.m. Saturday morning to keeping a continuous roll going.
A lot of preparation goes into breaking a world record, the school had to register their attempt with the Guinness Book of World Records. Then the rollers had to start practicing.
Kramer Milan is a Big Rapids band Alumnus, and came up with the idea to attempt to break the record.
"We've had a couple drumline training sessions actually in the last couple weeks where I put on some Beatles or Led Zepplin and we've just rolled," Milan said.
It takes a whole community to break a world record. In order for their attempt to be considered the record must be recorded and streamed live on the internet and both a prominent community figure and a music expert must witness all 30 hours.
Brian Balch is the Director of Bands at Big Rapids High School and has been organizing the event.
"We have many witnesses that are both prominent figures in the neighborhood and also professional musicians, we have a number of MSBOA judges and college professors coming in to assist," Balch said.
The band is using the "Drum-a-thon" to raise money to buy new drumline equipment.