Students sustain drum roll for 27 hours

Published: May 11, 2009 at 4:31 PM

ROCK HILL, S.C., May 11 (UPI) -- A group of percussionists from a South Carolina high school set a world record by sustaining a drum roll for 27 hours and 23 seconds.

The Rock Hill High School musicians beat a Michigan school's previous Guinness world record of 24 hours, 23 seconds by sustaining a single drum roll from 5 p.m. Friday until about 8 p.m. Saturday, The (Rock Hill, S.C.) Herald reported Monday.

The 28 students who took turns on the snare drum raised $3,600 to buy new equipment for the school band.

"It's been a huge success," percussion director Michael Skellett said of the fundraiser. "Plus, we got to break a world record in the process, which is cool."

Skellett said junior Jason Piers rolled solo for four hours and 10 minutes, beating the individual drum roll record by two minutes.

However, Piers' accomplishment may not be recognized by Guinness because he did not file the necessary paperwork in advance. The student said he has video of his roll and plans to lobby Guinness to accept his record.

"If not," he said, "I'll do it next year."



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