Rhythm X

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Rhythm X performing their 1st place 2013 show, The Man in the Arena inspired by a speech by Theodore Roosevelt. Rhythm X.jpg
Rhythm X performing their 1st place 2013 show, The Man in the Arena inspired by a speech by Theodore Roosevelt.
Rhythm X, Inc.
Formation2001
FounderCraig Dunn
TypeNon-Profit Organization
Location
President & Chairman
Devon Bergman
Executive Director
Abby Hermesch
Program Director
Tim Jackson
Affiliations Winter Guard International Indiana Percussion Association
Staff30
Volunteers30-50
Website rhythmx.org
Formerly called
Rhythm X Performance Ensemble

Rhythm X, Inc. is a non-profit music education organization that operates a competitive indoor percussion ensemble, as well as an online school for marching music called The X Academy. The company was founded in 2002 by Craig Dunn as the Rhythm X Performance Ensemble. The ensembles compete in both the Winter Guard International (WGI) and Indiana Percussion Association (IPA) circuits in the World Class, [1] which is the classification given to the ensembles that execute musical and visual programs of the highest difficulty. [2] In 2013, Rhythm X announced the launch of The X Academy, an online and in-person educational program suited for high school and college-age musicians interested in competitive percussion and wind ensembles. [3] Later that year the organization announced the addition of its newest ensemble that would compete in the new WGI Winds Division in 2015. [4] Rhythm X Winds was operational until their last season in 2020, when they were forced to disband due to financial struggles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. [5]

Contents

Rhythm X was the 2008, 2009, and 2013 WGI World Champion in Percussion Independent World (PIW) Class [6] and is well-known to indoor marching percussion fans and participants around the world as consistently one of the most highly skilled competitors. The percussion ensemble has also gained a reputation for presenting some of the most innovative content at each WGI Percussion World Championship and is a crowd favorite virtually every year. [7]

History

Rhythm X was founded in 2001 by Craig Dunn and was initially intended to provide a competitive percussion performance experience for young musicians in Ohio. The unit was immediately successful, as it captured the gold medal in its inaugural season in Percussion Independent Open class at the 2002 WGI World Championships. Rhythm X has been classified as Percussion Independent World every season since then. [8]

As Rhythm X's successes have continued, the membership has expanded beyond local Ohio students. Several hours of transportation is typical, but members have commuted as far as twelve hours one way every weekend to participate. Others move to Ohio for the season's duration. In its early years, the ensemble had a mixture of high school and college students, but the current membership contains almost exclusively college students. Most of the members also have experience in World Class Drum Corps International drum and bugle corps. [9]

In 2007, Rhythm X became the first independent Winter Guard International percussion ensemble to conduct a tour of Europe. The members and staff performed and offered clinics in England, France, and Belgium using their 2007 show "Behind the Velvet Rope" as a demonstration. [7]

In 2008, Craig Dunn announced that Andrew Markworth would be overtaking the role of Ensemble Director for Rhythm X, while Dunn would continue with some duties as executive director. [10]

In 2009, Rhythm X announced its sponsorship of a newly formed percussion ensemble in the Netherlands called European X. Head staff members Craig Dunn, Tim Fairbanks, Andrew Markworth, and Tim Jackson periodically visit them to assist with their shows' designs and their members' educations. [11]

In 2010, Rhythm X announced that Tim Jackson would be assuming the role of Ensemble Director for the group. [12]

In 2012, in preparation for the coming 2013 season the Rhythm X staff was slightly restructured. Tim Fairbanks assumed the role of Ensemble Director and a new position was added. Mike Scott joined the administrative team as Operations Director. In 2013 Rhythm X also launched a new website, e-commerce store, and a staff blog.

WGI World Championship Results

Rhythm X has maintained consistent competitive success at WGI World Championships and has been a finalist every year since its inception. The unit has been awarded 3 PIW gold medals, 7 PIW silver medals, 3 PIW bronze medals, and 1 PIO gold medal. [6]

Gold background indicates WGI Championship; Silver background indicates WGI silver medal, Bronze background indicates WGI Bronze medal pale blue background indicates WGI Class Finalist; pale green background indicates WGI semifinalist

YearProgram TitlePlacementScoreClass
2002Our World1st96.150PIO
2003Picture This7th88.200PIW
2004AudioVisual3rd93.250PIW
2005Wired2nd96.700PIW
2006Lunaria2nd95.750PIW
2007Behind the Velvet Rope6th92.200PIW
2008Gone1st96.900PIW
2009Touch1st97.263PIW
2010Inspired2nd96.250PIW
2011St& By Me4th94.225PIW
2012enLIGHTened4th94.125PIW
2013The Man in the Arena1st98.263*PIW
2014The Razor's Edge3rd96.113PIW
2015When One Door Closes2nd96.950PIW
2016The Alpha4th95.963PIW
2017Looking Back6th94.225PIW
2018All The World's A Stage2nd97.513PIW
2019Alinea4th97.225PIW
2020Parabellum1st*85.850*PIW
2022Art Shaped Box2nd98.075PIW
2023The Unspoken3rd97.088PIW
2024Blackbird2nd98.400PIW

WGI World Winds Division

Rhythm X has maintained consistent competitive success at WGI World Championships and has been a finalist every year since its inception. The unit has been awarded 4 WIW gold medals, and 1 WIW silver medal.

Gold background indicates WGI Championship; Silver background indicates WGI silver medal, Bronze background indicates WGI Bronze medal pale blue background indicates WGI Class Finalist

YearProgram TitlePlacementScoreClass
2015Uncharted Territory1st94.125WIW
2016Aurora2nd96.375WIW
2017Jumping Through Loops1st96.750WIW
2018With A Twist1st97.475WIW
2019A Day In The Life1st96.600WIW
2020The Devils Breath1st*83.750*WIW

Achievements

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References

  1. ↑ List of registration for WGI Percussion Independent World class units
  2. ↑ What is WGI? (Includes ensemble classifications' descriptions)
  3. ↑ "Rhythm X". rhythmx.org. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "rhythmx.org". Rhythm X Is Coming To WGI Winds. Rhythm x. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  5. ↑ https://rhythmx.org/about
  6. 1 2 Historical WGI PIW World Champions
  7. 1 2 Evans Press Release
  8. 1 2 List of WGI World Class Champions, Finalists, Scores, and Medal Counts
  9. ↑ Rhythm X FAQ Archived 2010-03-28 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ New Vision for Rhythm X
  11. ↑ Rhythm X Announces Sponsorship of European X
  12. ↑ "Rhythmx - Columbus, OH". Archived from the original on 2010-07-07. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  13. ↑ "Scores/Percussion/World/Class/Finals - WGI". www.wgi.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-24.
  14. ↑ Sabian and Rhythm X
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