Members of the Spartans Derum and Bugle Corps pose after a triumphant performance. The group is now assembling an indoor percussion ensemble to compete in various competitions.

NASHUA – The Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps, based in Nashua, will hold auditions for the inaugural season of its Indoor Percussion ensemble in October.

The ensemble will compete in the Independent A Class in the New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA) and Winter Guard International (WGI) circuit.

That will include attendance at all NESBA events and two WGI regional events in 2022, along with competing in WGI virtual preliminary and finals events.

The Spartans, a nationally ranked drum and bugle corps, placed first in Open Class in 2019, the most recent full Drum Corps International (DCI) season due to COVID-19. It was the Spartans’ sixth World Championship.

The Spartans Indoor Percussion ensemble will be the only independent percussion ensemble in New England. Auditions will be held at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Nashua, 1 Positive Place, Nashua, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first three Sundays: Oct. 3, 10 and 17.

The ensemble is open to anyone who does not attend a school with a competitive winter percussion ensemble, including recent high school graduates, who will be no older than 24 on April 1, 2022.

“Many of our members are involved in their high school marching band, but we wanted to expand our programs to provide new opportunities for those students whose schools don’t offer a competitive winter percussion ensemble and for recent high school graduates who want to continue performing,” said Paul G. LaFlamme Jr., president of the Spartans.

“We’re looking forward to this new program, and giving our members even more opportunities to practice and compete with other musicians in the region.”

The Spartans are one of 46 DCI members that compete throughout the country each summer, culminating in the finals performed at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, home of the Indianapolis Colts.

The Spartans have won six world championships, including in 2019 with its groundbreaking performance, Experiment X.

They also were the 2015 Bronze Medal winners in Open Class, and placed fifth in Open Class in 2016 and 2017.

For more information about the Spartans, or to register for an Indoor Percussion ensemble audition, please visit www.spartansdbc.org/indoor-percussion or call 883-0523 Ext. 224.

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