Drummer. Percussionist. Educator.
UNT trained, PAS Gold Medalist, DCI veteran. Thirty years of performance and instruction, now teaching private percussion lessons in Fort Wayne, IN.
From marching fields to master classes
Trained at the University of North Texas Percussion program (1993 to 96). He won the PAS Solo Tenor Drum Competition in 1995, performed with the award-winning UNT A-Line Drumline, the Brazilian Percussion Ensemble, and the UNT Steel Band, and appeared at the PAS annual convention. A UNT Percussion Scholarship for the Arts supported his studies.
On the drum corps field, he marched with Sky Ryders (1993) and Velvet Knights of Anaheim (1994 to 95) under Paul Rennick and Tom Float. Those years brought a DCI Percussion Ensemble title in 1994 and a 3rd place finish as an individual soloist in 1995.
He then moved into teaching, directing the Air Academy High School Percussion Program to state titles and percussion caption awards (1998 to 99).
In 2002 he performed with StickWorx Percussion Group at Conrad Jupiter's Gold Coast Resort, Australia. Today he keeps an active schedule on drumset and percussion, teaching private students, clinics, and masterclasses in drumset, rudimental, and world percussion from Fort Wayne, IN.
Three decades on, the work is the same: precise timing, layered textures, and ensemble discipline, passed on one student at a time. That same discipline runs the marketing side of the desk too. Conducting a percussion line and orchestrating a campaign calendar are the same job, played on a different instrument.
Five methods, one teaching practice
Teaching styles span classical, jazz, funk, African, Brazilian, and Caribbean music, with emphasis on technique mastery, musical expression, cultural context, and student-centered instruction.
- Drumset: jazz, funk, contemporary, and world music application
- Rudimental percussion: marching fundamentals, technique, and performance
- Conga: Afro-Cuban and Brazilian applications
- Djembe: West African hand drum technique
- Tabla: Indian classical and contemporary cross-cultural approaches
Technical proficiency spans marching band and drumline (rudimental percussion, keyboard, timpani), concert ensemble (mallet percussion, timpani, world percussion), and recording across multiple genres and contexts. The pedagogical approach combines UNT-trained, PAS Gold Medal standard technical rigor with inclusive instruction across age ranges, ability levels, and cultural contexts.
From practice lessons to studio sessions
- 2004 – Now
Private Percussion Lessons & Mentorship
Fort Wayne, INTeaching drumset, rudimental percussion, world percussion, and pedagogical mentorship to students from beginner through advanced.
- 1998 – 2004
Percussion Director & Educator
Air Academy High School · Colorado Springs, COLed a competitive percussion program to state titles and percussion caption awards (1998 to 1999). Curriculum development, ensemble direction, student progression, and competitive season preparation. Also taught at Plano Senior HS and consulted for band programs across Colorado, California, and Texas.
- 2002
StickWorx Percussion Group
Conrad Jupiter's Gold Coast Resort, AustraliaInternational performance under direction of Paul Rennick (UNT).
- 1999
Battery / Quad Line Technician
Blue Knights Drum and Bugle CorpsInstructional leadership and technical direction under Mike Stevens.
- 1994 – 1995
Assistant Instructor, B-Line
Velvet Knights of Anaheim, CAMarched under Paul Rennick and Tom Float, then progressed from performer to assistant instructor: the start of the shift into instructional leadership.
- 1993 – 1996
PAS Gold Medalist, Solo Tenor
University of North TexasSelected for the award-winning UNT A-Line Drumline (1994 to 96), the Brazilian Percussion Ensemble, and SteelBand Ensemble. UNT Percussion Scholarship recipient. Performed at PAS national conventions, 1993 to 96. Concurrently a percussion assistant at The Colony HS, Flower Mound, TX, in 1995.
- 1993
Sky Ryders Drum Corps
TexasMarched under Paul Rennick, Brian West (TCU), Quiyan Murphy, and Pat Fitzgerald: the entry point into elite drum corps performance.
Performance, pedagogy, and artistry
- Dr. Robert Shietroma (UNT): Director, UNT Percussion
- Paul Rennick (UNT): DCI legend, Velvet Knights and Sky Ryders director
- Tom Float (TAMA): Velvet Knights director, equipment specialist
- Shawn Shietroma (UNT): Percussion pedagogy
- Pat Fitzgerald (UNT): DCI and UNT percussion direction
- Quiyan Murphy (UNT): DCI percussion specialist
- Michael Duffy (UNT): Percussion performance
- Brian West (UNT, TCU): DCI and university percussion
- Ralph Hardimon (Vic Firth): Rudimental and performance technique
- Doug Rossner (CU): University percussion direction
The system that matters most runs at home
Husband and father of three. The same discipline that earned a PAS Gold Medal, directed a state title percussion program, and orchestrates 175+ campaigns a year gets applied to weekend lessons, homework, and keeping a household of five running on beat.