It all happened in eighth grade. Hearing the music and seeing the instruments, senior Rex Sturdevant knew that he wanted to play for the Woodland Regional High School Band. But what he didn’t know was how much of an impact the music would have his entire life.

“Hearing In Flight by Samuel Lazo was an experience that was completely different from the 2.5 octave bell set I was used to,” said Sturdevant, “After I joined the band at Woodland, I immersed myself in the world of percussion.”

In fifth grade, Sturdevant started on the bells and the snare drum and continued to play these instruments until the start of his high school career. When high school began, Sturdevant had even more choices. At the high school, bells and snare drums are not the only options. The band has a variety of percussion and mallet instruments including the marimba, xylophone, chimes, vibraphone, bass drums, and the timpani.

And although Sturdevant excels in playing all of the percussion and mallet instruments, he wanted to take advantage of the musical opportunities in front of him. Over the 2011 summer, Sturdevant taught himself the euphonium and then last summer teamed up with his friend, Anthony Milano, to learn the clarinet.

With his extensive ability to play different instruments, Sturdevant was fully capable of instructing others. And he began to do just that.

“I joined percussion ensemble as a part of Pat Skehan’s senior project my sophomore year,” stated Studevant, “and after he graduated, I took it over.”

Percussion ensemble is a group that performs with only percussion instruments, whether they are legitimate instruments or improvised such as tin cans and pans. Anything that can make noise can be used.

Since the group has begun, the percussion ensemble has grown. Because of the different music that this group performs, many people take interest and then decide to join. With the growing number, Sturdevant decided that he would create yet another ensemble for his senior project.

“My senior project will be an offshoot of percussion ensemble—a John Cage percussion quartet,” said Sturdevant.

When Sturdevant first heard about the legendary conductor, he fell love. Known for his eclectic style of music, John Cage’s quartets can be quite different and can involve many different types of “instruments” including tin cans, gongs, a piano, and even a radio. Despite the strangeness, Sturdevant still pursued his dream to bring a John Cage percussion quartet to Woodland.

Starting in January, the John Cage Percussion quartet will be held every Wednesday.

“My only requirements for new members is that they know how to read music, have willingness to try something new, and will work hard,” said Sturdevant.

Proving just how open Sturdevant is to new and inexperienced members, Sturdevant also started a group in the fall called the Brass ensemble. For this group, that consisted of a tuba, a French horn, two trumpets, and a euphonium requirement for these players.

Each player needed to learn a different brass instrument in order to perform in this group.

“This group was all about facing something scary, and doing it anyway, and I am immensely proud of all of them for participating,” stated the euphonium player himself.

Sturdevant was motivated to take risks this year when the Board of Education reduced one of Woodland’s music teachers, Mr. St Georges, to half time. Because his position was cut to halftime at Woodland, St. Georges spends the other half of his day at Algonquin School. And with his time spent at the other school in another town, St. Georges is not at Woodland at the end of the day to rehearse with the different musical groups.

“When St. Georges was cut to half time I was really frustrated because there was so much I wanted to musically,” said Sturdevant. “But when faced with adversity, you can complain about it or power through it.”

In the future, Sturdevant hopes that the Woodland musicians will continue his legacy. He hopes that his he has inspired others the same way he was inspired in eighth grade.