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Percussion Staff
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Taha Ahmed
Taha Ahmed received his Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, he resides in the Houston area where he works with Cy-Fair High School and Clear Brook High School. He is also an active instructor, consultant, arranger, designer, and rudimental private lesson teacher at numerous other high schools in the area.
When Taha is not teaching, he works as an Licensed Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and applies to further programs in the medical field. Taha has multiple years of experience beyond the scholastic level. His drum corps experience includes being a snare drummer at Bluecoats 2012, Academy 2011, Santa Clara Vanguard 2010, and the Troopers in 2009 and 2008. Taha was a snare tech at The Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps from 2016 through 2019. Prior to that, he was the snare tech at The Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps for their 2015 season.
During his drum corps career, Taha was privileged to learn from instructors such as Mike Jackson, Murray Gusseck, Ralph Hardimon, Glen Crosby, Roger Carter, Eric Shriver, Matt Ramey, Jim Ragsdale, Brian Stevens, Rick Barclay, Derrick Fields, and Kevin Welborn. In the indoor scene, Taha has also experienced multiple seasons of success as an instructor. He was the Battery Coordinator and Movement Specialist for the 2014 WGI Independent A Gold Medalist, Lone Star Independent. Taha has been working with Monarch Independent since its inaugural season in 2015. Monarch Independent was the Texas Color Guard Circuit Independent Open Gold Medalist and WGI Independent Open Finalist in both 2015 and 2016. In 2017, Monarch made its World Class debut and since then has been the Texas Color Guard Circuit Independent World Champion, as well as WGI Championships PIW Finalist. Taha was also the battery specialist for the 2016 PSO Bronze Medalist, Cy-Fair High school and 2019 PSO Silver Medalist, Clear Brook High School.
Taha proudly endorses Pearl / Adams, Vic Firth, and Zildjian.
TAHA AHMED
Percussion Caption Head
Emily Magee
Emily Magee is a current resident of Forth Worth, Texas where she is currently working towards her Master’s Degree from Texas Christian University in Percussion Performance. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Instrumental Music Education.
Emily has proudly studied under Lalo Davila, Dr. Brian Mueller, Julie Davila, Matt Jordan, Dr. Brian A West, andJ oey Carter. Emily has taught several high school percussion programs throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, and Fort Worth, Texas. Currently, she works as a private lesson instructor for Brewer Schools, and a front ensemble and audio technician for Lone Star High School. She also co-owns and operates a marching percussion arrangement/composition company, EMDS Percussion.
Emily marched four seasons of DCI and two seasons in WGI: Colts (2015), Blue Knights (2016/2017 – center marimba/section leader in ’17), and Colts (2019 – center marimba/co-section leader), Atlanta Quest (2016), and Music City Mystique (2017).
Emily is involved with the Percussive Arts Society and has been a member since 2015. She won the 2016 Chamber Percussion Competition and currently serves as the committee chair for the University Student Committee.
EMILY MAGEE
Front Ensemble Coordinator
Ben Pyles
Benjamin Pyles is currently the Director of Athletic Percussion at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Previously, Ben majored in music education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Lamar University, with a primary focus in Percussion. His most intensive studies came under the direction of Chris Hestin, Mike Macintosh, Travis Fife, and Michael Kingan.
Ben has several years of World Class performing, design, and instructional experience, including the Glassmen from Toledo, OH; Bluecoats from Canton, OH; The Crossmen from San Antonio, TX; Spirit of Atlanta from Atlanta, GA; Colts from Dubuque, IA; and Monarch Independent from Houston, TX.
Ben is endorsed by Sabian Cymbals, Innovative Percussion Inc. and Pearl and Adams Percussion.
BEN PYLES
Battery Arranger
Andy Filipiak
Andy Filipiak is an active percussion educator, arranger, clinician, and adjudicator.
He has had the opportunities to perform, teach, and give clinics in both Europe
and Asia. He is currently the front ensemble arranger for multiple high schools in
the U.S. as well as Monarch Independent; a PIW group based out of Houston, TX.
Andy has had the privilege of teaching at the Boston Crusaders (2012-2019) as
well as Monarch Independent (2016 – Present) as the Front Ensemble Coordinator
for both groups.
Andyʼs performing career includes The Glassmen (2008-2009), Matrix
(2009-2011), The Cavaliers (2010-2011), and Rhythm X (2012). Andy helped the
Cavaliers win the Fred Sanford High Percussion Award in 2011 and also performed
at PASIC with Rhythm X in 2011.
Andy currently resides in Tomball, TX where he is a percussion specialist in the
Tomball ISD. He has a private lesson studio of over 30 students and serves as a
percussion specialist with the Marching Band as well as the Scholastic Concert
World Indoor Percussion Ensemble (2019 PSCW 4th Place).
Andy is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion and Zildjian Cymbals.
ANDY FILIPIAK
Front Ensemble Arranger
Zack Watson
Zackary R. Watson, is a Percussion Arranger/Caption Manager for marching band programs around the United States. He currently serves as the Battery Arranger/Coordinator for the Milton High School drumline – a PSW WGI organization, as well as a member of the instructional team at Atlanta Quest.
After gathering performance experience from many competitive ensembles around the country, Zackary has settled home in Atlanta, GA with a goal to represent clear progress and modernization in the south-eastern region of the Marching Arts.
Zack Watson
Snare Technician
Brandon Hussey
Brandon comes from a world of percussion in the Sacramento, San Jose California area. From a student of Vanden HS and the CSU Sacramento percussion studio, toa performer with the Sacramento Freelancers indoor percussion, Mandarins and Santa Clara Vanguard, and Blue Devils Entertainment groups.
His teaching career has evolved since then with influential directors and staff from Del Oro HS, Saratoga HS, Live Oak HS, Amador Valley HS, Team Percussion USA and many others from the Bay Area. Most recently, learning from his third season on percussion staff with the Blue Knights. Currently residing in San Leandro, he works with local middle and high school band programs as well as independent groups for indoor and outdoor percussion.
Brandon Hussey
Snare Technician
Dan Allen
Dan Allen is a professional musician from Dallas, Texas. Within the world of the marching arts, he is widely sought after for his expertise in battery percussion, and specializes in advanced snare drum methods and practices.
Currently, he performs full time with grammy-nominated electronic duo, Odesza, as a member of the Odesza Drumline. The group recently headlined Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Electric Forest music festivals, as part of “The Last Goodbye” tour.
As an educator, Dan has been teaching at the World Class level for over 10 years as a battery percussion specialist with numerous groups including the Blue Knights Drum Corps, the Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble, Vigilantes Indoor Percussion, and most recently with the Mandarins Drum Corps. He also teaches many of the top competitive high school marching bands in Texas.
Dan is a proud endorser of Vic Firth Drumsticks, Zildjian Cymbals, Dynasty Drums, and DropSpin Metronome.
Dan’s own creative work as a rudimental drummer merges electronic music, video effects, and collaborations with other musicians on his drum channel, @SnareFlow. He can be contacted for lessons, clinics, judging, and more through SnareFlow@gmail.com
Dan Allen
Snare Technician
Sebastian Martinez
Sebastian Martinez is an active performer, educator, and arranger for programs around the United States. He has taught many high school and independent programs in Mississippi and Southern California, as well as battery arranging for world class ensembles. Sebastian is also completing his studies for a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University.
Primarily a snare drummer, Sebastian began his marching career with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019, where he was a 5-year member through the 2023 season, serving as the battery section leader for his final 2 seasons. Sebastian also was a member of Monarch Independent in 2020, and Pulse Percussion for the 2022 and 2024 seasons. During his career as a performer, Sebastian had the privilege of being instructed by many notable educators in the activity, including John Mapes, Tom Rarick, Roger Carter, Joe Hobbs, Taha Ahmed, Ryan Kilgore, Tony Lymon, and Ryan Saul.
Sebastian is a proud endorser of Vic Firth and Zildjian.
Sebastian Martinez
Snare Technician
Sean Kuth
Sean Knuth is an active performer and educator in the greater Los Angeles area. Along with an extensive list of high school programs, he has also taught at the Blue Stars, Phantom Regiment, Blue Knights, and Academy Drum and Bugle Corps. He is currently teaching at Pulse Percussion based in Westminster, CA.
Sean started his drum corps career in 2008 marching tenors with the Vanguard Cadets. After a successful season, he marched tenors with the Santa Clara Vanguard A Corps in 2009 and aged out with them in 2010. Sean graduated California State University, Northridge with a degree in Music Industry Studies. He is currently working as a music rights Production Analyst in Woodland Hills, CA.
Sean Knuth
Tenor Technician
Shane Roderick
Shane Roderick (b. 1998) is a multi-faceted, up-and-coming percussionist based in Coral Gables, Florida, pursuing his DMA in Classical Percussion Performance at the Frost School of Music under the direction of Svet Stoyanov. He also holds a graduate teaching assistantship within the Frost Percussion Studio.
As a performer, Shane has traveled throughout the entire country performing through several mediums of percussion. Some more notable performances include participating in the 2022 Great Plains International Marimba Competition receiving a 2nd place finish in the duo category and 4th place finish in the solo category, performing in the 2019 PASIC All-Star Ensemble under the direction of James Campbell, earning a performer position in the 2021 PMA honors recital at Lamar University, as well as performing in DCI/WGI groups such as the Bluecoats, Blue Knights, Monarch Independent, and the Colts.
Shane continues to be an active composer within the field of percussion. He is currently expanding his compositional portfolio and has been commissioned by various schools and individuals throughout the United States. People have purchased his works from various countries in the world including Italy, Ireland, and Chile. Shane’s works have been performed by notable groups such as the JMU Percussion Ensemble, and has various marching percussion arrangements for the JMU Marching Royal Dukes. Shane is currently self-publishing his works and is also published through Cangelosi Publications.
As an educator, Shane regularly teaches private lessons and most recently held an adjunct faculty position at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virgina. Under his assistantship at James Madison University, he taught the JMU Marching Royal Dukes marching percussion section, and did TA work for JMU based on the needs of the music department. Within the marching arts, Shane works with the Mandarins Drum & Bugle Corps during the summer. His teaching in Texas includes various high school marching band programs throughout the Houston area, as well as the Beaumont area. In addition to hands-on education, Shane is also the co-founder of his percussion podcast “The [Under]Graduate”, a podcast centered around sharing current student experiences and their paths to success in the musical world of classical percussion.
Shane received his MM in Music Performance from James Madison University under the direction of Casey Cangelosi, and his BM in Music Education from Lamar University under the direction of Dr. Francisco Perez. Shane has also had the privilege of working with notable percussion figures such as James Campbell, Anders Åstrand, Mike Jackson, Aaron Trumbore, Tom Rarick, Benjamin Pyles, and Taha Ahmed.
Shane Roderick
Tenor Technician
Ryan Zeutzius
Ryan Zeutzius is a percussion educator from Portland, Oregon. He is currently completing his
Bachelor’s degree at the University of Portland, studying biology and psychology with a minor
in neuroscience.
Ryan has several years of marching experience in both the DCI and WGI realms. He started with
the Seattle Cascades Drum & Bugle Corps in 2018, then marched with the Sacramento
Mandarins Drum & Bugle Corps from 2019 – 2022. He also spent his 2020 – 2022 indoor seasons
marching with Impact Percussion, and finally aged out with Broken City Percussion in 2023.
Since aging out, Ryan has returned to both Mandarins and Impact as a tenor drum instructor, and
has also begun working as a battery educator and designer in Portland at the high school level.
During his time as a performer in the marching arts, Ryan was very fortunate to learn from
educators such as Taha Ahmed, Mike Jackson, Veronica Wicks, Jonathan Wicks, Nic Rundell,
Thomas Claesen, and Roger Carter.
Ryan Zeutzius
Tenor Technician
Aundray Edwards
Aundray Edwards received his Bachelors in Music Education from the University of
Houston. Aundray has been a percussion specialist/technician for several high
school marching programs in Houston and the surrounding areas, including
Cypress Creek High School (winning PAS call for tapes) as well as Cy-Fair High
School. Currently, Aundray resides in Lake Jackson, Tx where he is the Assistant
Director of Percussion at Brazoswood High School and all feeder programs
including Brazoswood High School, Clute Intermediate, and Rasco Middle School
in Brazosport ISD.
Aundray has extensive percussion performance experience ranging from DCI to
the Collegiate world. While attending UH he was a part of all the performing
ensembles, including the wind ensemble and symphony orchestra, which both
were invited to perform at the Midwest Band clinic in Chicago, Illinois, as well as
the Texas Music Educator Association clinic. His further percussion performance
experience includes the Moores School Percussion Ensemble winning PAS call for
tapes, and marching snare drum with the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps.
Aundray currently serves as one of the bass drum technicians for Monarch
Independent since 2016. Aundray has also served as the bass drum technician for
the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps as well as the Guardians Drum & Bugle Corps
Aundray Edwards
Bass Technician
Elliott Duran
Elliott is a percussion instructor and graphic designer hailing from Covina, CA. His
marching experience includes two years with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps
in 2011 and 2012, Elan Percussion in 2015, POW Percussion in 2016, and
Pulse Percussion in 2017.
As an instructor, Elliott has been involved with several ensembles throughout the
Southern California area since 2015. He currently teaches at Ayala High School,
Etiwanda High School, and Sunny Hills High School. He’s also spent some time on
staff with Pacific Crest in 2017-2018 and with POW Percussion in 2018. He proudly
uses Innovative Percussion Sticks and Mallets.
Elliott’s design studio, Penrose Creative, has serviced multiple drum corps,
independent indoor percussion ensembles, live bands, and various high school
and collegiate level programs across the nation, providing a wide range of work
including, but not limited to: merchandising, show props and floor design, social
media content, and customized rehearsal and performance apparel.
2023 will mark Elliott’s fifth year on staff with the Mandarins Drum & Bugle
Corps.
Elliott Duran
Bass Technician
Benjy Braude
Benjamin, known by most as “Benjy,” originally hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, and
currently lives in Bloomington, Indiana where he works as a high school biology
and chemistry teacher.
Benjy graduated from Indiana University with a bachelorʼs degree in biology as
well as a masterʼs degree in secondary education. In his time in college, Benjy
performed with the Indiana University Drumline for five years, and proudly works
with the group once again as the IU Drumlineʼs current assistant director.
In his marching career, Benjy is proud to have performed with the Blue Stars Drum
& Bugle Corps, Legacy Indoor, and Rhythm X. Since aging out, Benjy has worked
as a bass technician with high schools across the Cincinnati and Indianapolis
areas, most recently teaching Center Grove High School, Legacy, Legacy Open,
Veritas, and the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps.
Benjy is proud is to be endorsed by Innovative Percussion, and is incredibly
excited to be starting his journey with the Mandarins.
Benjy Braude
Bass Technician
Benjy Braude
Micah will be joining as a bass tech this summer in his 2nd year on staff with Mandarins.
He is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with a degree in Music and Entrepreneurship. While at UNCG, he performed with the Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Steel Pan Ensemble, and many more. He began his competitive marching career in WGI while in high school where he was a member of Wake Forest Independent from 2010-2013. His last year competing in WGI was with Atlanta Quest in 2015. He marched DCA in 2012 with Carolina Gold, who went on to win a World Championship, and also in DCI with the Phantom Regiment in 2013-14. He has taught percussion ensembles all along the east coast including being the Battery Coordinator/Assis. Ensemble Coordinator at Atlanta Quest.
Outside of drums, Micah lives in Atlanta and works for Boston Consulting Group
Micah Hanner
Bass Technician
Dominique Lousteau
Dominique Lousteau is a percussionist, arranger/composer, and educator from Luling, Louisiana, who has been involved in the marching arts since 2014. He began as a front ensemble member for Elite Independent, and also marched with the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. He then went on to perform with Monarch Independent, acting as front ensemble section leader in 2020 and ensemble captain in 2021. He also marched three years with the Boston Crusaders front ensemble, a year with the Virtual Drum and Bugle Corps battery, and has been the tenor drum section leader of the Fat City Drum Corps (New Orleans Saints) for the past two years.
A proficient mallet percussionist, Dominique has studied under Dr. Iain Moyer, Dr. Brett Landry, Andy Filipiak, and Troy Breaux throughout his time in college and drum corps.
Dominique is active as a percussion educator for programs in Louisiana and Mississippi such as Lafayette High School where he was front ensemble caption head, Central Lafourche High School where he is a front ensemble technician, the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps where he was a front ensemble technician, and St. Martin Independent where he is a battery and front technician. He is currently on the front ensemble staff at the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps.
Dominique is well versed in all forms of percussion design, able to create exciting and groovy drumline warmups/cadences, competitive battery and front ensemble literature, and can also assist in the production of sound design.
Dominique Lousteau
Front Ensemble Technician
Chandler Long
Chandler Long is a band director, clinician, and technician in Houston, Texas, and
has had the pleasure of working with a wide variety of programs across the state.
He is currently a member of the front ensemble instructional staff at Monarch
Independent, a world-class indoor percussion ensemble based in Houston.
Chandler has had the privilege of performing with Monarch for two consecutive
seasons (2017-2018) and has performed with various collegiate groups at
conventions all over the country including PASIC, TMEA, TBA and ABA. Chandler is
Sam Houston State Universityʼs 4th annual concerto competition grand champion.
Chandler currently resides in Rosenberg, Texas, where he is an assistant band
director for Lamar Consolidated High School as well as a percussion specialist for the Lamar Consolidated ISD.
Chandler is honored to serve The Mandarins as a member of the instructional staff
for the front ensemble for the 2020 season.
Chandler Long
Front Ensemble Technician
Charlotte Daugherty
Charlie Daugherty is a percussionist and music educator from Ohio where she earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Kent State University. She is currently a second year graduate student at Middle Tennessee State University serving as a graduate teaching assistant to the Band of Blue drumline, percussion ensemble, and private lessons.
As a performer, Charlie has participated in WGI with Matrix Performing Arts (2018-2020) and in DCI with The Phantom Regiment (2018, 2019). Today, her time as a performer has shifted into the concert setting as a soloist and chamber musician. At MTSU she performs with the Wind Ensemble, Salsa Band, Percussion Ensembles, and Steel Bands.
In the 2022 WGI season, Charlie served as the Front Ensemble Coordinator for Audio Theater. She looks forward to working with Audio Theater 2023 in a new role, as the Ensemble Coordinator. During the Summer of 2022 she instructed the front ensemble at Music City Drum Corps. This will be her first season as a staff member with Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps. Today, she is currently on the percussion staff at Franklin High School as well as Oakland High School and serves as a member on the Percussive Arts Society University Committee. She enjoys splitting her time as an educator and as a performer, and aims to continue that career path in her future.
Charlie has had many diverse mentors and educators, including but not limited to: Dr. Matt Holm, Dr. Brian Mueller, Cory Doran, Lalo Davila, Julie Davila, Rob Ferguson, Cameron Leach, and Russell Wharton.
Charlotte Daugherty
Front Ensemble Technician
Mackenzie Steinberg
Mackenzie (Mack) Steinberg resides in Saint Paul, MN. He is the current Front Ensemble Coordinator for Eden Prairie High School and a Front Ensemble Consultant for MBI Indoor Percussion. Mack’s previous teaching experiences include Irondale HS, Los Alamitos HS, and Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps.
Mack has performed with numerous world class organizations since high school, including MBI Indoor Percussion, Boston Crusaders, RCC Indoor Percussion, and the Blue Devils. He also served as the front ensemble section leader for both RCC and the Blue Devils.
Mack graduated from Hamline University in Saint Paul, MN with a degree in Sociology and currently works as a Program Associate for World Savvy, a global competence education nonprofit.
Mackenzie Steinberg
Front Ensemble Technician
Gabe Sanchez
Gabe Sanchez is a percussionist and educator from McAllen, Texas. He currently resides
in Fort Worth where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Texas
Christian University. Upon completion in May of 2024, Gabe plans to pursue a Master’s
degree in Percussion Performance.
During the 2022 and 2023 seasons of DCI, Gabe marched on drum set with the
Sacramento Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps. Throughout high school and college,
Gabe has performed in various ensembles at events such as PASIC and TMEA. As a solo
performer, he has competed in competitions at the state and international level and
received several recognitions for his performances, including 1st Chair at the 2020 Texas
All-State competition and 2nd place at the 2018 PASIC marimba competition.
Gabe is part of the Jazz Band, Wind Symphony, and Percussion Orchestra at TCU. In his
spare time, he teaches private percussion lessons with Birdville ISD.
Gabe Sanchez
Front Ensemble Technician
TJ Choquette
TJ Choquette is a Percussion Instructor from the Atlanta area. Most all of his teaching experience comes from the world of WGI, where’s he spent 10 years with Atlanta Quest as Snare Tech, Battery Coordinator and currently Ensemble & Staff Coordinator. As a performer, he spent two years playing snare drum at the University of Georgia, as well as Georgia-based WGI groups, Pariah and Terminus, before marching with Music City Mystique and the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.
He lives in Smyrna, GA, graduated from UGA’s Terry College of Business and works professionally as an Executive Senior Partner with Korn Ferry. In his free time, he watches sports, plays golf, fantasy football and spends time with his wife, Chelsea, and #1 dog, Donut.
TJ Choquette
Percussion Consultant
Glen Crosby
Glen Crosby has been in the marching arts since 1980. Over that time, he has held various roles from a tenor instructor to program coordinator with numerous DCI, WGI and BOA groups. He has been extremely fortunate to work with some of the most influential cast of characters involved in the activity, (time to name drop) including Ralph Hardimon, Thom Hannum, Murray Gusseck, Jim Casella, Tom Aungst, Scott Johnson, and Tom Float to name a few. He spent 4 years (1981-84) as a member of the Blue Devils, then moved on to instructing The Cadets in 1985. Next stop was the Santa Clara Vanguard, where his largest growth as a teacher occurred under the tutelage of Ralph Hardimon. In addition to his work in drum corps, Glen has also been involved with the indoor percussion activity, having spent 10 years with Pulse Percussion from 2009 to 2019; working with Ian Grom and John Mapes.
Currently Glen’s schedule includes teaching at Elan Percussion, Cerritos High School, and the UCLA Marching Band, as well as maintaining a private lesson studio. After decades in the activity he still finds great joy in teaching students of all ages and experience levels.
Glen’s teaching philosophy is guided by his belief that music offers the opportunity to impart life lessons through ignition, deep practice, and master coaching. Whether it is students with special needs, professional musicians, or any student, Glen’s approach to teaching is based on process, patience, and persistence. Glen endorses Mapex drums, Remo drum heads, Zildjian cymbals, and Vic Firth sticks.
Glen Crosby
Percussion Consultant
Jim Casella
Jim Casella is well known for the music he’s created for percussion ensembles and the world-class drum corps Santa Clara Vanguard (1996-2004), and The Cavaliers (2006-09). Together with Murray Gusseck, he co-founded the company Tapspace, one of the world’s leading publishers of percussion music. He also programmed and produced the software sample library, Virtual Drumline.
Jim’s signature series of drumsticks and keyboard mallets are manufactured by Innovative Percussion and are popular worldwide. He has served on the board of advisors for the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and is a member of ASCAP.
In addition to his work in the percussion industry, Jim has composed music for film and commercials. He has been a longtime endorser of Pearl/Adams drums and percussion, Zildjian cymbals, Remo drumheads, and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
Jim Casella
Percussion Consultant
Murray Gusseck
Murray Gusseck is considered an innovator and trend setter in the world of marching percussion. He has been a musician since the age of 7 when he studied piano and violin. At age 15 he took up playing the drums and has been performing in bands ever since. Murray made his mark as a teacher and composer with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps, of which he has been both a performer and instructor for almost 20 years. He became nationally known for a unique compositional style, a signature sound, and a propensity for achieving a smooth drumset-oriented approach to this musical genre.
Murray helped start Tapspace Publications in 1998 with friend and partner Jim Casella. He is the author of Parking Lot Etudes and co-author of Fresh Perspectives For The Modern Drumline, both of which have grown to be mainstream publications in the world of marching percussion.
Murray attended San Jose State University in San Jose, CA as a music major specializing in world music. During this time he studied with Dan Sabanovich, Hafez Modirzadeh, Royal Hartigan, and C.K. Ladzekpo. In 1998 he joined up with schoolmates Nima Rezai and Dan Heflin, and friend Chip Webster, to form “Merge,” an eclectic world fusion quartet consisting of Chapman Stick, saxophone, keyboards, and drums. The group toured and performed in northern and southern California for several years, producing their self-titled CD “Merge.”
He has taught and/or arranged percussion music for many top high schools and winter percussion ensembles throughout the country, including Amador Valley (CA), Richland Hills (TX), Tunstall Concert Ensemble (VA), Fred C. Beyer High School (CA), James Logan High School (CA), Evergreen High School (WA), and Stephen F. Austin High School (TX).
Currently Murray lives in the Portland, OR area where he helps manage Tapspace and plays drums locally. He is sponsored by Pearl Drums, Remo drumheads, Zildjian cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks.
