The Saints Guest – Vessel

Vessel is an independent drum corp that competes in the WGI Competition every year. Groups such as Vessel usually perform a 6-8 minute production that is judged on many things, from musical performance to the time it takes to set up and perform. Vessel has been a great guest to the San Dimas High School. After getting kicked out of their previous school, they came to San Dimas to create a partnership with the high school and the district. To help better explain the details of this activity Eduardo Torrez shares some of his insights.

After competing in the 2010 WGI Championships with the Orange County Independent Percussion Ensemble and getting 12th Place, Torrez marched for 1 year with an indoor percussion group and 1 year with a bugle corp. 

“The level of playing is also vastly different in the fact that only the best make it on drums in independent groups. The pressure is more [sic], the demand is more [sic], and the overall experience is based around performance. So all these factors lead to a level of commitment that every player has,” Torrez says. He then goes on to say that even though high school wasn’t as competitive as WGI. He made the most memories in high school and had the most friends doing something he loves with his friends.

To get a better understanding after the information, Torrez gave us Nathaniel Lewis’, the Executive Director of Vessel, insight. “ Vessel is an independent group that consists of 17-24-year-olds that are dedicated to putting time and effort into something they love to do that’s necessary to be a part of something like Vessel you have to be dedicated, drumming is a big part of most of these peoples lives it’s more than just a sport to them for most of them drumming has been a part of their life since middle school,” Lewis says. The point he said he was trying to make is to be a part of something as such as Vessel you have to be dedicated. He also says that something that separates an independent group like Vessel from a high school is the high school isn’t as dedicated as the members of Vessel. 

Something Torrez and Lewis came to an agreeance on is to be able to perform at that level drumming has to be something that is loved by every member, and every member should share the same mentality of trying until failure. If anyone is interested in seeing what it is Vessel does., a performance on Sunday, February 26 will take place in the school gym with artistry by San Dimas Drumline, San Dimas Colorguard, and Vesel will be performing their show.