SPC student musician receives scholarship from international percussive society
South Plains College commercial music student Casin Peek is a recipient of a 2025 scholarship from the Percussive Arts Society, the world’s largest percussion organization that supports percussionists and drummers of all ages.
The Val and Venus Eddy PASIC Scholarship is one of 23 scholarships that support students’ efforts to attend the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Peek and a cohort of SPC students will attend the 50th PASIC from Nov. 12-15 in Indianapolis at the Indiana Convention Center.
PASIC features percussion concerts, clinics, panels and presentations
given by artists from around the world. Attendees can learn about new music, percussion technology and other areas of percussive music.
Peek, a second-year SPC student from Lubbock, started playing drums when he was 13 years old and is focusing on percussion in the college’s commercial music program. He said he had many connections from the School of Rock in Lubbock who spoke highly of SPC.
2025 is the first year an SPC student has received a scholarship from PAS, and it is the first time representatives from SPC will attend the convention.
“The drum community is tight-knit, so PASIC is a pretty cool opportunity for us to have,” Peek said.
When he registered for PASIC on the organization’s website, Peek said he found a tab about scholarship information and decided to take a chance.
“I wasn’t expecting to get the scholarship because I knew that the chances of it were low,” Peek said regarding his shock at receiving the award.
Phil Smith, director of percussion in commercial music at SPC and a PAS member, wrote a recommendation letter for Peek’s scholarship application. Smith has been attending PASIC since he was an undergraduate student.
Considering this year’s event is the convention’s 50th anniversary, which will welcome thousands of attendees, Smith said it is a major accomplishment to receive one of the scholarships.
“When I was in undergraduate school, this type of trip basically changed my life,” Smith said. “I was surrounded by thousands of like-minded students and teachers.”
The educational and networking opportunities are just a few benefits Smith said Peek and the other SPC students will enjoy.
Peek, who is a member of SPC’s percussion ensemble, Warped Tour Ensemble and No Ballads Ensemble, expects to graduate from SPC with his associate degree this spring and wants to return to obtain a certificate in sound reinforcement. He said PASIC will be a chance for him to learn more about concert percussion and improve his craft.
After finishing his education at SPC, Peek said he wants to travel to Los Angeles and be a touring drummer who brings people together through his art.
“I want to put myself in a place where luck can find me,” he said. “I want to surround myself with other people trying to do the same thing and build opportunities off of that.”
