Expanding the Samba Knights

Hamlet, Davis work to make Brazilian percussion ensemble a school club

Maya Tackett, people editor • March 31, 2025

NEW YEAR, NEW SAMBAS: The Samba Knights performed at the girls varsity basketball game against Anderson on Friday. This was the group’s first performance of the school year. The club consists of students with ranging musical experience, from marching band members to those having never picked up an instrument. Friday’s halftime show was senior Finley Dixon’s first as a Samba Knight, being a new club member this year. Dixon said the performance was nerve-racking but she ultimately felt a sense of accomplishment. “We only had about three practices before this performance, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect,” Dixon said. “But I was proud of our performance and how I played overall. We spent our first practices basically just diving into playing for this show, so I feel that our work paid off.” Dixon discovered the group after watching them perform at a boys soccer game last year. “I was really amazed by the group and the genre of music they were playing,” she said. “I thought it would be a really fun opportunity and very unique.” Dixon said her intention to join Samba was not only for the musical lessons but also for the community that the group fosters, especially under the leadership of club director Richard Pride. “I think it is a great way to meet new people and bond over a shared experience,” Dixon said. “Mr. Pride also creates a really exciting environment and makes the learning process very fun.” Dixon said she is excited for her next performance with the Samba Knights and encourages those interested in discovering a new hobby to try it out. The Samba Knights will next perform at halftime of the JV boys basketball game on Wednesday in the gym. Caption by Nate Williams.

Dave Winter

The Samba Knights perform at the campus sendoff for the girls varsity soccer team before their 2-0 area playoff victory over Victoria West on March 25.

Samba Knights, a Brazilian percussion group, was founded in 2015 by the former percussion director, Matt Ehlers, and has existed as a volunteer ensemble extending from the percussion program since then. However, this year, junior Sara Hamlet and senior Max Davis decided to turn it into an official club that anybody who wanted to join could.

“I started talking to Mr. Pride about [starting the club] at the beginning of the school year,” Hamlet said. “So I knew that I just needed to go to the office and get a form. I asked some of my friends who I knew were good leaders and good representatives of the band and just like good people, if they could help me out by being my vice president or social media manager. Then, I just signed some documents and turned them in to the office and there you go.”

Ryan Pride, the percussion director, has been working with the group over the past few years since he started at McCallum. This year, he is the director, arranger and sponsor of the club.

Near the end of Percussion Night on March 10, percussion director Ryan Pride uses a whistle to conduct the entire percussion crew. The performance was the longest performance of the night. Pride said he particularly enjoys working with the Samba Knights because they give him a break from the rigors of managing the many moving parts of Mac percussion. “[Being the percussion director is] quite a lot of material and logistics to be juggling, but every day we have Samba Knights, I get to put those things aside and play music with a wonderful group of people who are there for the same reasons I am: Make some noise and have fun doing it.” Photo by River Cantu.

“Sara Hamlet and Max Davis both determined it would be better for the group to have an official capacity on campus and hopefully create more opportunities for students to lead the ensemble,” Pride said. “The move to form it into a club that is, eventually, self-sufficient and student-run was a natural progression and the end goal is that future samba groups will only need a director as guidance.”

Upon hearing that Hamlet and Davis wanted to create an official club for Samba Knights, Pride was very excited and thrilled about it because of his love for it.

“I love Brazilian Samba and have been playing and studying this specific style since 2017,” he said.”

Samba is a type of Brazilian music and dance style that is performed during Carnaval, which is a huge celebration centered in Rio De Janeiro and São Paulo in late February. Performing groups have a core group of musicians called the Batería which consists of instruments similar to those found in American marching bands: surdos as bass drums and caixas and repeniques as snare drums. Tamborims, pandeiro, Agogo bells and Chocalhos are also found in the McCallum Samba band. All these instruments have individualized techniques and patterns that create a groove called a ride. Batería are combined to form an escola de samba, a samba school.

“That, essentially, is what Samba Knights is: our very own ‘escola de samba’ where any student, regardless of musical background, can join and learn about the music and culture of Brazil while fostering relationships, creating positive experiences and performing for others,” Pride said.

One thing that Hamlet wanted to make known when reinstating the Samba Knights was people don’t have to have any musical experience if they want to join. In the past, many of the members have been a part of band, however now, that’s changing.

“It was a majority band majors and specifically like percussion kids and now by opening it up, we now have some theater kids as well as dance kids and people who are just interested in learning more or different instruments,” Hamlet said. “You don’t need to know how to read music. You don’t even need to know how to play an instrument. All you need to do is have a basic sense of rhythm and a willingness to learn.”

Opening up the group to anyone who wants to join has contributed to the group growing to over 40 people, the largest the group has ever been. In addition to all the new members, there are also many returning members.

“The group has a large number of returning members, so learning our first patterns took only one rehearsal, where in the past it usually took several,” Pride said. “We’ve been able to learn more breaks than at this point in previous years, and students generally seem to be looking forward to our practices and performances.”

One challenge that the group has faced with all the new members is a shortage of instruments, a problem made worse because the instruments that they do have are breaking down.

“Since the group’s inception in 2015, the instruments have seen considerable wear and tear through travel and use,” Pride said. “Some are approaching a point that they will not be usable for much longer. I’ve been fortunate to be able to replace a few of the smaller ones in the past few years and have considerable experience in instrument repair, which has extended the life of several; however, at some point, either through the use or expansion of the group, more instruments will be needed, and since the group doesn’t have a dedicated budget it’s up to us to raise money for these needs.”

Hamlet noted that while a lack of instruments is an ongoing issue, the group was able to invest in two new drums as well as a new drum head for each of them, which should last for some time into the future.

Another challenge that has been brought to light by the sheer amount of people in the group has been the different levels of musical ability according to vice president, junior CC Coleman.

“I feel like for performances sometimes some of the people in percussion have sort of an ego,” Coleman said. “Everyone’s learning, and I feel like there could be more understanding in that area.”

Coleman also noticed how the group meshes together really well both while they are playing and when they aren’t.

“I think everyone’s pretty excited,” she said. “Everyone goes and has a good time and enjoys playing their instrument, and we make a lot of jokes and just have a good time.”

One memory that Coleman has was watching her friend, Class of 2024 graduate William Viner, who played third Surdo, just like her, have the biggest smile on his face.

“Every time I would watch him, he would just get really into it and just love it, and you could see the smile on his face,” Coleman said. “I just think of that every time we play.”

Samba Knights has also allowed Pride a space to forget about everything else he has going on and just focus on the kids in front of him,

“As the percussion director at McCallum, I also oversee the steel drum bands, percussion ensembles and help with the concert bands and full orchestras,” Pride said. “It’s quite a lot of material and logistics to be juggling, but every day we have Samba Knights, I get to put those things aside and play music with a wonderful group of people who are there for the same reasons I am: Make some noise and have fun doing it. So, I guess I can say I look forward to every samba event.”

Samba Knights have performed during halftime for the varsity girls basketball game against Anderson on Jan. 23. They also have performed this year at a boys soccer game, the color guard showcase, the night of percussion, (percussion’s big concert of the year) and to send off the girls varsity soccer team prior to two of its playoff games.

“I love Samba Knights because of the community it makes and how it gives me opportunities for new experiences,” Hamlet said.