Featured Story
Sisters in Competition
Apr 9, 2009
Sisters and former Avon High School teammates, Jessica and Emily Jones are about to experience WGI from a new standpoint. They will for the first time compete against each other in two of the most competitive Independent World Class percussion ensembles. Each started out their percussion careers in Riverside, California at Jurupa Middle School. Jessica had made the switch to percussion in 7th grade after experimenting with trumpet and saxophone. Her sister Emily followed in her footsteps a year later and auditioned for the cymbal line.
The Jones family was offered the opportunity to move when Jessica and Emily’s father took a new job. Emily explained, “My dad is big into Sprint Car racing and he had a job opportunity with some popular drivers just about anywhere in the Midwest. Our parents actually let us decide where in Indiana or Ohio to move to. Jessica liked Avon's show from 2004 and we ended up moving there after fall marching season had already started. Jay Webb found us spots and made us feel very welcome.”
After marching together in Avon’s drumline, Jessica graduated and started to work and save money to move back to Riverside. Emily graduated the following year, and went to the Herron School of Art and Design at IUPUI for a year and has taught the cymbal line at Avon ever since.
Jessica made her dream to move back to California a reality, and is spending her first year marching with Riverside Community College. “I decided to try out for RCC because I’ve been watching them since I was in high school, and I had a bunch of friends that were already in the ensemble from years past. It was kind of my last effort to get back into the activity after being out for two years.”
Emily wanted to perform again after taking a year off from marching to go to school and teach. She said, “My friend Josh Brickey, who is also the snare tech at Rhythm X, told me that I needed to try out and that I would have a great time. I'm glad he convinced me to come out and be with such a great group of people.”
Having gone the entire season without a match up, the 2009 World Championships will certainly be an event for the Jones family. Jessica says, “I’m super excited to compete against Emily! It most likely won’t hit me until I see her in Dayton, but it’ll be very memorable no matter the outcome.”
Emily admits, “I guess it is a little strange but I don't think it will really hit until WGI finals week. It will be pretty weird passing my sister on the floor as one of us just got done performing and the other is about to go on. My mom and sister will be attending finals and I'm sure they will be cheering for both of us. RCC might be the favorite because we grew up there and have watched them since we were in middle school, but I'm sure it will be like we were in high school with my mom yelling out our names at the quietest moment possible right before the show starts.”
Many people find the thought of dueling sister quite funny when they find out, but Jessica and Emily support each other one hundred percent. Jessica goes on to say, “This situation has taught me to be happy for Emily or anyone else, no matter where they are marching. It’s fun to be in competition with each other, but at the end of the day we are all drumming and running around in gyms. We’re all a little crazy.”
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