Talented Valley Forge High School senior marching band drummer finalist for Berklee

PARMA, Ohio — The beat goes on for Valley Forge High School senior Karlie Messer, who three years after joining the marching band has parlayed her percussion skills into a bright future.

These days Berklee College of Music looms large in the Parma resident’s mind having qualified as not only a finalist for the prestigious school’s five-week Aspire Summer program, but also awaiting word regarding a scholarship for the fall semester.

“Berklee College of Music is my dream school, but if it doesn’t work out I have a couple of other colleges in mind to pursue percussion performance,” said Messer, 17. “The reason I decided to stick with percussion is because rhythm is an integral part of the way that we perceive music.

“As a drummer and percussionist, I can shape and mold the entire feeling and perception of a piece of music. Not only that, but rhythm is something that we all have as this universal understanding. It’s like a universal language.”

The senior’s trajectory with percussion has been nothing short of remarkable considering she only started playing seriously three years ago. In fact, her father, Wayne, wasn’t sure what to think when his daughter out of nowhere announced she wanted to join the marching band going into her sophomore year.

“I didn’t realize how much she wanted to do it,” Messer said. “During the summer going into 10th grade, I bought her a practice pad. She went on YouTube and learned all of these snare drum rudiments and techniques.

“The first day of 10th grade, she talked to the band director, who saw how good she was without any snare drum lessons. He marched her over to the counselor’s office to put her into concert band.”

Valley Forge High School Marching Band Director Kristopher Morron, who also teaches band and orchestra, remembers that day vividly.

“What I noticed almost right off the bat is that she picked things up very quickly,” Morron said. “Immediately I thought to myself, she needs private lessons. I’ve been a teacher in Parma (City Schools) for almost 16 years now and there have been few students like her.

“For example, I would have students learn percussion rudiments. For most, it takes a couple of years to work through all of them. Karlie worked through them in a couple of months.”

As for those private lessons, Messer quickly became a star pupil of Cleveland Music Settlement drum instructor Jim Wall, who turned her onto jazz.

“He’s really been kind of overseeing her development on the drum set, which led to the Berklee College of Music interest,” Morron said.

In addition to marching band, Messer over the last two years performed with the Valley Forge High School concert band, pop ensemble and jazz band, as well as the Great Lakes Conference Honors Band.

“I’m so proud of her, I can’t put it into words,” Wayne said.

After college, Messer said she hopes to be a gigging drummer performing in recording studios and touring clubs around the world.

“I just want to take music as far as it’s willing to go,” Messer said.

Considering her journey from introverted student to outgoing musician, the outgoing high school senior has these words of wisdom:

“If you find something you really enjoy, stick with it,” Messer said. “It’s OK if motivation or involvement goes up and down at times as long as you really love what you’re doing. I don’t want to sound cliché but follow your dreams.”

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