ROCHELLE — Ride, crash and splash. Sounds like the latest advertisement for a new water park adventure, but these were some of the words Druw Reish used when describing his drum set — along with tom, snare and bass.

The Rochelle Township High School senior knows drumming well, having recently been awarded first place at the Rock Falls Percussion-Palooza for the second straight year. Reish and nearly a dozen RTHS band students competed in the annual festival last week. Along with the competition, Reish and the RTHS students participated in percussion clinics and heard college drumlines play.

“It is all of the percussion area such as snare drum, bass drum, tenor, bells, marimba,” Reish said, describing the competition. “It’s basically an all-out percussion competition. What these guys do now still amazes me.”

Reish currently plays in the RTHS Concert and Jazz Bands and has performed with the pep band as well.

Although many might think percussion is just drums, by definition it is any musical instrument played by striking with the hand or a handheld or pedal-operated stick or beater, such as the cymbals, xylophones, gongs, bells, and rattles.

Listening to Reish describe his musical beginnings, he recalled the time his father began showing him the basic steps to drumming. Reish, as a 10 year-old, began by learning the counts and when to hit the snare and kick with his foot.

“He taught me that,” Reish said with a smile. “I remember going from an acoustic kit to an electronic kit. He taught me, but he tells me I learned it myself.”

Although Reish admits he has had many role models, his father is tops on the list.

“Without my dad I wouldn’t be doing all this stuff I do now,” Reish said. “He says I’m better than him. I’m not, I know that.”

It’s not hard to see that Reish credits his father as a good role model. His father plays the piano, sings, and is also a pastor at a local church, which is also where Reish practices the drums every day.

Reish also talks about how much of a positive influence his middle school and high school band teachers have been throughout the years. Reish played the saxophone at Rochelle Middle School under the direction of Paul Madere. Currently he is under the direction of RTHS Band Director Ron Duval.

“Without Mr. Madere I wouldn’t be where I’m at now. And without Mr. Duval allowing me to go into the drum section, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now. I will miss Mr. Madere and Mr. Duval. I will miss a bunch of other teachers…they’ve shaped me into who I am.”

The future

Reish plans to pursue music in college. Although he hasn’t made a final decision where, he plans to submit auditions for Northern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Champaign, Illinois State University, and Western Illinois University.

“I just want to expand my knowledge beyond what I know now,” Reish said. “I wouldn’t mind teaching, but I just want to be a musician. I like the idea of playing in front of people, not really showing off but playing in front of people…showing them what I’ve learned, what I know.”

Reish said he sees himself with a family and helping out with a church, music-wise. He also said he wants to have his own band, setting sights on being the opening act for a well-known one. Either way, he won’t quit music.

“No matter what, I want to do music and I just want to do it in any means possible,” Reish said. “My dream job, if not playing or being a musician, would definitely be a music teacher for kids. If kids want to learn something, I will help them to the best of my abilities.”