The LOHS Drumline brings more to the table than just spirit-filled cadences at rallies and football games. They also work tirelessly from December to March to be able to produce and perform a musically complex and visually stunning indoor show.
Indoor Drumline has been a recent development at Los Osos, as the 2026 season was only the third year of competing for the group. This involves Drumline (otherwise known as Battery Percussion), Front ensemble, and, the most recent addition, Visual Ensemble, coming together to learn music and expressive visuals that tell a story and outline their show concept.
Countless hours were spent rehearsing, running sets, and perfecting their musical precision all to prepare them to present their show in competitions at various high schools within the SCPA circuit, and they were scored on every aspect, from their performance and technique to their behavior and demeanor off the floor.
Their 2026 show had been different from past years, as they incorporated a Visual Ensemble to add to the production level of the show. The Visual Ensemble is a part of the dancing aspect of the performance and scoring, as they dance across the floor with the drumline, move props, and perform characteristic aspects of the show to help convey the meaning and complexity of the show. This inaugural year for Visual Ensemble proves to be an uplifting and exciting experience for all involved, as Senior Amelia Protacio said, “I feel very accomplished about the season we had. I’m so proud that I got to be a part of the first visual ensemble at Los Osos.”
This year’s show, entitled “Shadow,” explored the mystery and intrigue within darkness or the unknown. The Visual Ensemble personified the shadow and this unknown idea, haunting and tempting the drumline until the final moments – the Drumline reached out for them, but they slipped away into the darkness.
After all of their hard work developing this theme and putting in countless hours at rehearsal, the Indoor Drumline group saw beneficial results, as they were able to increase their score over 11 points from the beginning of the season to their preliminary finals, and competed at a higher level than Los Osos Drumline had been able to in the past.
Seeing improvement in every aspect of the show, many members felt immense pride in their peers and themselves as they had been able to prove that every ounce of work they put in had finally paid off.
Coaches, staff, and mentors all commented on how drastically the group had shown improvement due to their increased level of commitment throughout the season. The group overcame setbacks and blocks that they faced with utmost efficiency, and many people were able to grow from these challenges. Sophomore Reagan Lane said, “The overall experience is really impactful, and I was very proud of the entire group for being able to accomplish everything even with certain bumps in our road.”
Going up against other schools and connecting with the community of like-minded musicians is notably one of the most enjoyable parts about Indoor Drumline, as Freshman Chloe Soliz said, “I really enjoyed the interactions between different schools at competitions this season. I noticed that all the groups were very supportive of each other despite being competitors, and it was a very nice environment to be in.”
This family found within the environment acted as a support for every member, lifting them through their highs and lows regardless of the outcome, allowing them to work together and have a season unlike any other at Los Osos as they took on new challenges and saw immense results.
The growth of both scoring and community shows immeasurable promise for the future of Indoor Drumline, as they were able to see that amount of growth in one season. It is exciting to see what they will be able to accomplish in the years to come as they continue with their hard work and dedication.