PORTSMOUTH — A musical instrument, no matter what its cost, is only as good as the hands wielding it.

The Portsmouth High School percussion ensemble drives that point home with the precision it displays and the quality of the sound it produces. It is that talent that led it last weekend to take first place in the New England Scholastic Band Association for the fourth year in a row.

Now the ensemble will go to Dayton, Ohio, on April 18 to compete in the Winter Guard International. It came in second last year and in 2004. In 2003, it won the competition, and members hope this year will be a repeat of that performance.

The students will perform "Festive Overture" by Shostakovich, in an arrangement created by their conductor, Steve Cirillo.

A percussion instrument is defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary as a "musical instrument (as a drum, xylophone, or maraca) sounded by striking, shaking, or scraping."

In music, the term describes a family of instruments including drums, rattles, metal plates or wooden blocks that musicians strike to produce sound.

The 27 members of the PHS ensemble seem to move with one mind, perhaps Cirillo's.

"I couldn't think of a better bunch of kids I'd travel to Ohio with," said Cirillo. "This ensemble is designed for students who want to go that extra mile in music, who want to acquire advanced musical skills."

In fact, Cirillo said, most of the students are not percussionists. He said they all play another instrument, and all but three are in the high school band.

"They play trumpets, saxophones, flutes as their primary instrument," he said.

Nicole Mannes, a junior, said she has always played the xylophone for the ensemble, but her primary instrument is the flute.

"Here, every part is important," said Mannes. "I feel like I have accomplished a lot here in my three years."

"Absolutely," said Seth Reynolds, a junior who plays the snare drum. "Without one section, the result would not be the same."

Sophomore Jennie Stillman said she wanted to get involved after seeing the ensemble perform at a concert.

"They were so impressive," she said.

Wendall Purrington, performing arts chairman at PHS, said Cirillo brings out the best in his students.

"But he does stress that there are no stars, that the ensemble is a team," said Purrington.

It seems like setting up 27 pieces of musical equipment would be an engineering feat. However, the kids are so used to it, they moved seamlessly about each other, accomplishing their setup in a matter of minutes.

What do they get if they win?

"They get a big trophy and the satisfaction of knowing they are the best," said Purrington.