MVAA Fife and Drum Unit steps back in time
Courtesy of Joy Tillman-DeFerrari
The MVAA Regimental Fife and Drum Unit had its first performance May 7 at Crall Mounds Park in Monongahela.
Courtesy of Joy Tiilman-DeFerrari
Drummers in the MVAA Regimental Fife and Drum Unit march in a performance May 7 at Crall Mounds Park in Monongahela.
Courtesy of Joy Tillman-DeFerrari
Drums used by the MVAA Regimental Fife and Drum Unit
A group of youngsters are having a dandy of a time taking part in a newly formed musical unit.
The Regimental Fife and Drum Unit of the Mon Valley Academy for the Arts (MVAA) is made up of 13 Mon Valley school students in grades six to 12. They perform in the fashion of a Civil War fife and drum unit with an 1860s musical style, while attired in period uniforms and playing instruments of that era.
MVAA Regimental Fife and Drum held its first shows May 7 at the Mounds Fest Event at Crall Mounds Park in Monongahela.
“It was a minimal crowd, but an enthusiastic crowd, because of the rain,” said Mark Smith, MVAA president. “We put rain coats on them and the kids did really well. They were very excited.”
Members of the unit are: quartermaster, Peyton Deferrari; fifes, Will Simms, Sarah Fox, Jenna Fox, Levi Barkley, Eli Criswell and Korben Andrews; and drums, Danika Hampton, Mason Quarture, Liam Welsh, Spencer Anderson, Jacob Coffee and Isaac Rivera.
The roots of the unit sprouted from a drum line and drill team that began in 2017 called “The Core.”
“This year, the interest for ancient drumming came up,” Smith said.
Smith said a seminar with Jim Smith, known professionally as the “Yankee Drummer” and considered an expert in the ancient drumming style, helped spur interest in starting the unit.
“Jim Smith is a huge name in the ancient drumming,” Mark Smith said. “We did a seminar with him and the thought was, let’s get a group together, let’s get an actual performing Civil War-style fife and drum unit together.”
That unit includes students from school districts including Charleroi, Belle Vernon, Ringgold, Bentworth and Beth-Center.
DeFerrari, an eighth-grader at Bentworth Middle School, is the quartermaster.
He joined because of his keen interest in history and the Civil War, plus he has aspirations of one day joining the Marine Corps. Plus, his mother, Joy, is the MVAA photographer.
“I really like the music part of it,” he said. “When I heard that Mark was doing a Civil War program, it seemed like a fun opportunity to try.”
DeFerrari, 14, is the flag bearer, but eventually he will be giving commands.
Welsh, 12, has been playing the drum for about 5 1/2 years.
“I just enjoy drumming and I like stuff from the past,” he said.
The sixth-grader at Rostraver Elementary School has enjoyed his time with the unit.
“It’s fun to go and practice and learn a lot about it,” Welsh said. “It’s been very good. We all get to work together and make good music.”
Simms, a sophomore at Charleroi High School, is the lead fifer. He took up the the fife about a year ago, but said he had a pretty good handle on it in two or three weeks.
“When (Smith) formed the group, I said I’d try to learn it,” Simms said. “I’ve played saxophone since fourth grade. It has similar finger positions to that, but you play it like a flute.”
Simms, 16, said he sees the group becoming more and more of a cohesive unit with each practice.
“We’re getting a lot better now,” he said. “We’re starting to sound very, very good.”
Hampton, a fellow Charleroi sophomore, plays the bass drum. She has been a percussionist since fourth grade.
“It just seemed like a really fun thing to do, something different, something interesting,” she said. “It’s been good. It’s really interesting to me with all of the history. It’s nice to get to know more people that are interested in this.”
The unit’s next performance will be at 1 p.m. May 22 during the National Road Festival at Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville. There’s also a performance at the Gettysburg Battlefield scheduled this year.
There is room for the 13-piece ensemble to increase. Those interested may call 724-565-1687 or email info@monvalleyacademyforthearts.org.
“We’re always recruiting,” Smith said.