Homecoming couldn’t steal much – if any – thunder from Eastern’s Percussion Ensemble during its performance Friday night.

The stands were nearly filled with parents and students alike as heads and feet moved to the beat of the instruments.

“It is usually this packed, but this was a bad weekend,” said ensemble director Terence Mayhue. “I thanked the young crowd for showing up when they had plenty else to do.”

Mayhue addressed the crowd before the last piece of the show, a rendition of Santana.

He wanted to publicly thank and say goodbye to seniors Elizabeth Kelling and Trent Mason.

“These two are the real-deal students and they are what we consider cornerstones in our program,” Mayhue said. “While I’m glad that they will now be full-time contributors to our communities, their departure will be a big loss for us.”

Mason performed in the ensemble during his entire four years at Eastern. He will begin student teaching in Robinson.

Kelling will move to Ireland and attend a small school to study music history and music therapy. She has also performed in the percussion ensemble for four years.

“(The ensemble) definitely made me a better student,” Kelling said. “Practice teaches you how to work hard, and the habit carried over.”

A strong work ethic was a reoccurring idea conveyed by performers, even with newer students.

“The thing I would want people to take out of this performance is that excellence comes out of practicing excellence,” said freshman Matt Black. “You don’t go through the motions (during preparation); you play the music how it should be played every time.”

Each performer was responsible for two or three instruments during any given piece; with such high-intensity literature to perform, mistakes were bound to happen, Black said.

“The best musicians are the ones who are the best correctors,” Black said. “Mature musicians are good at knowing when and how to come in after making mistakes, and that’s something I’m still working on.”

Friday’s performance didn’t have many mistakes, Mayhue said.

Once the concert was over, the 13 students huddled together, arms over arms, and swayed back and forth, yelling loudly in celebration of what they say was a successful performance.

The group will now start practice for a holiday concert that will involve more than just percussion instruments.

The Eastern Illinois Unitversitiy percussion ensemble performs “Concerto for Percussion Ensemble” by David R. Gillingham in the South McAfee Gymnasium Friday Evening. Robbie Wroblewski

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