Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabrina Peterson.
Sabrina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I first started playing percussion in my middle school band, I thought I was just following in the footsteps of the female percussionists in the high school program who inspired me. What I didn’t know was that music would become something I couldn’t live without. My instructors, particularly my percussion teacher of six years, Bobby Blum, believed in me while pushing me to be my best, and when I decided to major in percussion, they helped me hit every necessary milestone.
I graduated from Florida State University with a BM in Percussion Performance in 2017, then headed to Boston to earn my MM from the New England Conservatory, which I completed in 2019. That same summer, I married my husband Mitchell Gribbroek, a fellow percussionist and my high school sweetheart, now going on 14 years together. Earlier that year, he had won a position in the percussion section of The U.S. Army Field Band, so after graduation we relocated to the Washington, DC area, ready to start the next chapter.
Shortly after the move, I reconnected with Jauvon Gilliam, principal timpanist of the National Symphony Orchestra, who I’d first met when he came to FSU for masterclasses. He told me about his company, Capitol Percussion + Backline Rentals (an instrument rental company that supports GRAMMY-winning artists and producers, legacy arts organizations, and major touring productions across the region and nationwide) and asked if I wanted a job. I didn’t hesitate. When the opportunity to go full-time came around, I had to ask myself if I was ready to step back from the goal of performing full-time to work on the industry side, supporting musicians like me. I had one condition: I needed to be able to keep freelancing. Fortunately, when your boss is also a percussionist, he gets it.
In 2021 I went full-time, and it’s been all gas no brakes (as we lovingly say) ever since. That one conversation at a Starbucks in 2019 evolved into me helping Jauvon build three more companies: The Shed DMV (our rehearsal facility), Forte Events (our events management company), and our newly launched company, The Marcel Group, the umbrella company that now puts all three under one roof.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As I’m sure many can relate, it has not been a smooth road. COVID-19 decimated the entertainment industry and left us wondering how we were going to survive. There was never a doubt that we’d make it to the other side, but the real question was how, and what we’d look like on the other end. We made some tough calls, like relocating our warehouse and building out a rehearsal facility at the height of the pandemic, not knowing whether the industry would ever fully return to what it once was. We made mistakes along the way too, but it’s those mistakes and the lessons that come with them that shape how you move forward. There have been a lot of pivots, a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall, but that’s sometimes exactly how you figure out what works.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Marcel Group?
We’re a DMV-based family of performance-driven companies that has been delivering for our clients for over a decade. Our specialty? Making things happen. We assemble the right teams, stay ahead of the details, and turn complicated requirements into executable plans. No red tape, no runaround, just people who know how to get things done. We were built by performers, run by performers, and exist first and foremost for performers.
What I’m most proud of is that no gig is too big or too small. Whether you need a single pair of timpani for a church service or are putting on a multi-day, multi-venue festival with 20+ bands and completely different needs for each, we have you covered. We’ve hosted rehearsals for local bands and international pop stars alike. Because at the end of the day, everyone is just a person trying to spread joy through their craft. I consider it an honor to play even a small role in that.
I still get a little smile when I see a friend post about a concert they went to that we helped make happen behind the scenes. That feeling matters, and I truly believe that when the people behind a company love what they do, it shows in the work. You’re not just hiring a vendor. You’re hiring a team that’s genuinely invested in making your vision come to life.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
It’s all about the people. The clients and the audience, yes, but most importantly your coworkers and employees. Nothing we do is possible without them, and having people at your side that you genuinely enjoy working with not only makes your job easier, it makes work somewhere you actually want to be every day. Don’t neglect the people who make it all possible. Whether they need a sounding board, someone to vent to, help working through a problem, or just general support, make the time. Show up for the people who show up for you every day, and they’ll in turn want to show up for each other and for your clients, too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://marcelgroupllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_marcel_group_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMarcelGroupllc
