About

The Trash Talkers are a unique percussion group comprised entirely of students from St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio). Part drumline, part Stomp, we perform all of our musical pieces on recycled “instruments” like metal trash cans and and plastic buckets.

Our participation has increased considerably since our inaugural season during the 2002-2003 school year. With just eight students, the group was assembled by our Faculty Coordinator John Goers (Class of ’78) and his son and then-student, Brendan (Class of ’06). We have since grown to two teams and well over 30 members.

Trash Talkers is officially a student-run school club. Student members vote on just about everything, including the music we play, the uniforms we wear and the performances we choose. Students must pass a basic audition, attend rehearsals and performances and memorize all of our music to participate.

We rehearse weekly throughout the school year, and are led by our fearless percussion instructor Dominic Tancredi (class of ’99). “Mr. T” has composed many of our pieces and has been with the group since our 2009-10 season.

We have performed at countless events around the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area, including major Cleveland sporting events, community festivals and parades, charity events and various corporate functions. Each Winter, we “reluctantly” take an entire day off of school to perform at several elementary schools as part of Catholic Schools Week for “Trash Talkers on Tour”.

So far, we’ve been featured live on WKYC Channel 3, FOX-8 and 19-Action News. We’ve also performed on street corners, at center court (and center ice), on an island, on a moving flatbed trailer, on the steps of Cleveland City Hall and at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. But the gig we’re most excited about is yours.