For a detailed resume, please contact me here.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

July 2008 – Present: Frontline Percussion Instructor, The Woodlands HS.

August 2006 – June 2008: Instrumental Music Director, Royal High School, Simi Valley, CA.

August 2005 – June 2006: Percussion and Jazz Band Director, Lake Highlands High School, Dallas, TX.

August 2003 – June 2005: Percussion Area Coordinator, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX.

August 2004-June 2005: Affiliate Artist, University of Houston, Houston, TX.

July 2004 – June 2005: Frontline Percussion Instructor, The Woodlands HS.

January  – December 2003: Adjunct Professor, Tomball College., Tomball , TX

Aug 2002 – June 2005: Private Lessons Instructor in Spring, Cypress Fairbanks, and Conroe Independent School Districts.

Fall 1999-Spring 2000: Teaching Assistant, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.

 

October 1993-Present: Percussion Instruction at various schools in Texas, Michigan, Arizona, Kentucky, and Sweden.

 

 

FEATURED CLINICS AND PERFORMANCES

 

Dec. 2004     Da Camera Society’s “A Little Day Music”: Wortham Center,             Houston, TX

Performer, Lecturer

Nov. 2001      Percussive Arts Society Int’l Convention Nashville, TN

Clinician, Electronic Percussion Workshop

Oct. 2001      Melbourne International Percussion Festival               Melbourne, Australia

Soloist, Clinician, Judge

June 2001      Summer Mallet and Recording Workshop      Piteå, Sweden

Soloist, Clinician, Assistant Director

August 2000               World Expo 2000         Hannover, Germany

Guest Soloist, Performer (with Percussion One Ensemble, Houston, TX)

May 2000     Michigan PAS Chapter Day of Percussion         Plymouth, MI

Guest Soloist, Performer

 

Performances at High Schools

  • Mar 2006, Director and Featured Artist, Lake Highlands High School “Evening of Jazz”, Dallas, TX
  • Mar 2005, Featured Guest Artist, Lake Highlands High School “Evening of Jazz”, Dallas, TX
  • Mar 2005, Guest Soloist and Clinician, Westlake HS Percussion Ensemble, Austin, TX
  • May 2004, Guest Soloist and Clinician, Temple HS Percussion Ensemble, Temple, TX

 

 

DISCOGRAPHY

 

Clouseaux: title to be announced  (will be released in 2006), Dionysus

 

Clouseaux: “Lagoon” (2004), Dionysus

 

Clouseaux: “Destination: Oasis” (2003)

 

Mikael Svarar: “Blue” (2001), fg-Naxos

 

The Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble: “Across the Bridge of Hope” (2000), Opus 3

 

University of Kentucky Jazz Ensemble: “Dialogues” (1998), Sea Breeze

 

 

TELEVISION APPEARANCES

May 2003     PBS TV Houston Channel 8: “The Connection”

Performer, appeared with music group “Clouseaux”, aired May 6 and May 11, 2003

 

 

ARTICLES

 

 

Best, John F. Music Technology ‘Hands On’ Day.

Percussive Notes. Vol 43 (No.5): pgs 78-79. 2005 Oct

 

Best, John. Sonic Foundry’s Acid Pro 2.0.

Percussive Notes. Vol 38 (No.6): pgs 56-58. 2000 Dec

 

 

PERFORMING ENSEMBLES

 

Clouseaux (2003-Present), Houston, TX – Vibist, Exotica / Tiki Band

Gerald Blakeman Quartet (2003), Woodlands, TX – Vibist, Jazz quartet

Global Percussion Network (Aug 2000 – Aug 2002), Stockholm, Sweden, Improvisation ensemble, performances throughout Sweden

AIMS Festival Orchestra (July-Aug 2002), Graz, Austria, Percussionist, Opera Festival

Arizona Opera (Oct 1999 – May 2000), Tucson/Phoenix, AZ, Percussionist, substitute performer

Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra (Feb 1997-Aug 1999), Lexington, KY, Percussionist, substitute performer

Saxton’s Civil War Band (1998-99), Lexington, KY, Drummer

 

 

PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS AND CAMP COORDINATION

Nov. 2005     Percussive Arts Society Int’l Convention Columbus, OH

Coordinator: Coordinated 4 sessions for the Music Technology Committee’s “Hands On Day”

June 2005                   Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX

On-site Coordinator, Yamaha “Sounds of Summer” Drumline Camp

Nov. 2004      Percussive Arts Society Int’l Convention Nashville, TN

Coordinator, Moderator, Presenter

 

June 2004                   Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX

On-site Coordinator, Yamaha “Sounds of Summer” Drumline Camp

June 2001      Summer Mallet and Recording Workshop      Piteå, Sweden

Soloist, Clinician, Assistant Director (see listing under”Featured Performances”)

 

 

AFFILIATIONS

 

Vic Firth, Inc: Artist – Educational Team

Percussive Arts Society: Music Technology Committee, Subcommittee Chair

Texas Music Educator’s Association: Member

 

 

COMPETITIONS

October 1999     Percussive Arts Society Int’l Convention         Orlando, FL

Winner,  Percussive Arts Society International Timpani Contest

 

September 1996   University of Kentucky                                  Lexington, KY

Winner,  Concerto Competition, performing “Concerto for Marimba” by Ney Rosauro

 

March 1994          University of Kentucky                                  Lexington, KY

Winner,  Lewis Award Competition

 

 

EDUCATION

 

Aug 2005-Apr 2006              Region 10 Teacher Certification Program  Dallas, TX

Texas Teacher’s Certification: Music EC-12

 

Fall 2000- June 2002          Musikhögskolan i Piteå           Piteå, Sweden

Masters in Percussion

Studio Musician’s Program

·         Instruction: Anders Åstrand (percussion), Mikael Långs (Studio Music)

·         Emphasis: Mallet percussion (vibraphone, marimba), improvisation (all genres), Studio recording techniques (as a performer, producer, and engineer)

 

Fall 1999-Spring 2000      University of Arizona           Tucson, AZ

Graduate Studies in Percussion Performance

·         Teaching Assistantship. Teaching Responsibilities: The Percussion Methods class, the Steel Drum Ensemble, and Private Students

·         Instruction: Gary Cook, Jeff Haskell, Robin Horn, Norman Weinberg

·         Emphasis: Orchestral and Solo Percussion, Drumset, Recording Studio Jazz Combo, Crosstalk MIDI Percussion Ensemble, Commercial Music Composition

 

Fall 1994-Summer 1999    University of Kentucky   Lexington, KY

Bachelor’s in Music Performance: Percussion

·         Instruction: James Campbell, Daniel Moore

·         Ensembles: Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Combos (vibist, pianist, drumset), Big-bands (percussion, piano), Steel Drum Band, Marching Band

 

Fall 1990-Spring 1994       Spring High School       Spring, TX

·         Music Instruction: Bill Watson, Diane Burton, Don Meyers, Gregg Rinehart

·         3-Time All-State Orchestra Member

 

 

ADDITIONAL SKILLS / INFO

 

Music Software: Finale, Sibelius, Pro Tools, Cubase, Acid Pro, Sound Forge, Cakewalk, Logic, Rebirth, Soundfont Studio, Kontakt, Absynth, Flash

Languages: Swedish (Fluent, Advanced), German (Intermediate), Spanish (Basic)

 

REFERENCES

*** Available upon request ***