For students still on campus at 6 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, a certain sound can always be counted on to fill the air: the Blue Steel Drumline’s 43-member-strong, percussion-only marching band practicing.
Comprised of college and New Haven high school and middle school students, the drumline represents the Southern Owls at various events on and off campus. The group’s first performances were held in 2009.
“We participate in the majority of all Southern activities: football games, halftime shows at basketball games, all major parades, other events [and] outside community events that happen in New Haven,” says Eric Green, band director.
Isaac Perry, a sophomore physics major, started playing under Green’s direction at Hillhouse High School. He says joining the Blue Steel Drumline has been a positive experience and a way to show school spirit.
“It’s really fun, especially the way we perform with our dancing and our chants, with our shouting, jumping around, hearing and seeing the crowd reaction,” says Perry.
Leroy DeBerry, a sophomore sport management major, also began his drumming career in high school. He first became involved with Blue Steel as a student at Wilbur Cross High School, and later decided to continue his participation while at the university.
“I feel it’s very impactful for me, Southern students and young kids on the drumline. It’s a way for us to get ourselves out there, getting involved with Southern activities and different communities, getting involved with different community events and just bringing the new insight,” says DeBerry.
For both Perry and DeBerry, the halftime performances at the annual Homecoming football games have been the highlights of their drumming careers. They spend months preparing to show the university community their talents. Seeing the enthusiastic reactions from the crowd of students and New Haven community members they say makes the hard work worth it.
“We put a lot of time and a lot of effort, into putting together a show for that. So, for it to finally come together, and for us to put on as much of the show as we did, it felt really rewarding,” Perry says.
Not all of those in the drumline have been involved as long as DeBerry and Perry. Green says they are actually in the minority in regard to experience level. Many other students are just beginning their careers with the drums or music. Others are picking up the sticks for the first time as middle schoolers. All new drummers attend an additional weekly practice, where Green and senior drumline members teach essential skills to new players. They work on the basic skills needed to perform.
“Thirty percent of them are basically vets, meaning they’re older, they’ve been drumming. Then about 70% are brand new. They’re new to our music,” Green says. “We have what we call Saturday Academy. Saturday Academy is something that they come to and work on their basics, the fundamentals, the grips, the hits, the rhythm that they need to go over.”
With so many of the drumline members being new, older members like DeBerry and Perry are able to mentor them and guide them in learning the music. They aim to provide the mentorship and guidance they once received to the next generation of drummers and pass on their skills and tips.
“We try to give them insight into what we know. We try to take them under our wing and pretty much just teach what we know,” says DeBerry.
Tyrell Reid was a high schooler when he began playing with Blue Steel during its first year in 2009. Now he is an assistant director.
Transitioning from playing as a student of Green’s to now working alongside him has been an adjustment, Reid says. However, he enjoys the task of writing new music for students to try.
“It’s a lot of responsibility, but I do like the responsibility. I like to push myself as far as learning new stuff and teaching new stuff. I’m learning new stuff at home and bringing it to them. And seeing them actually play it—that’s probably the best part to me,” says Reid.
Performing both well-known and original pieces, the drumline consists of a variety of drums and percussion instruments. The equipment is provided by grants. Practice is held twice weekly at Earl Hall. The sounds of outdoor marching and indoor warmups can be heard across campus.
While Blue Steel represents the university, it does not receive official funding from the university. The drumline works closely with the music department to coordinate shows, music selection, performance aesthetics and more.
Green says he often consults with various music professors at the university to find the best way to bring new sounds and ideas to the drumline.
“We represent Southern Connecticut State University, so it’s very important to get their information or the instructions on how they want us to move, and what they are looking for in there,” says Green.
Percussion items are currently the only instruments offered from Blue Steel. But in the future that could expand to include more, as have other local universities.
The future of Blue Steel, Green says, includes not only instruments, but other performance aspects to enhance the shows. While his own expertise lies in percussion, he wants to see a full marching band representing the Owls. He also hopes to see Blue Steel members show their talents on a bigger stage.
“In a few years, I want to transition to it not being just a drumline. What I want is a full-blown marching band at Southern Connecticut State University. That’s what I see in the future,” says Green. “Have a majorette team, group of girls that come and dance with us [and] instruments. Hopefully, we’ll start including that in the next two years. And then go on from there to where we’re going to competitions.”
