Press Release
Featuring five world-class clinicians including Danny Seraphine, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member and original drummer for CHICAGO.
Join Spirit Winter Percussion for the 9th Annual Day of Percussion, November 19 at Somerset Berkley Regional High School! Admission is FREE and open to all ages and skill levels.
The Day will feature five world-class clinicians, including these:
- Scott Johnson, the Percussion Caption Head of the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps—Sea Ranch, CA
- Heidi Joubert, a cajón player, singer, teacher, and composer—the face of the Roland Elcájon—Cornwall, UK
- Danny Seraphine, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member, and original drummer for the band Chicago—Los Angeles, CA
- Keith Aleo, Director of Percussion at the Interlochen Center for the Arts—Interlochen, MI
- J. Andrew Porter, from the West Point Band and the Hellcats—West Point, NY.
Performances and hands-on clinics will be offered in marching percussion, world percussion, drum set, classical percussion and rudimental percussion. All ages are welcome to attend. This event is an incredible opportunity, particularly for young people, to experience quality music, be inspired by world-class musicians, and to gain hands-on experience with other young people from New England.
The 9th Annual Day of Percussion will take place November 19, 9:00am–5:00pm at Somerset Berkley Regional High School, Somerset, MA. Free Admission! Registration opens at 8:30am. Free lunch, snacks, and sponsor giveaways are also provided.
The 9th Annual Day of Percussion is sponsored by Remo, Zildjian, Vic Firth, Evans, Pearl, Innovative Percussion, Roland, Drum Dots, Aquarian Drumheads, ProMark, System Blue, and DW Drums. For more information, call 508-255-4044 or visit spiritwp.org.
ABOUT THE CLINICIANS
Scott Johnson
Percussion Caption Head, Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps Sea Wall, California
• Director of Percussion and Percussion Arranger for the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps since 1994; member of the percussion staff 1978–1989
• Former Percussion arranger for numerous ensembles including Riverside Community College, Santa Clara Vanguard, Beatrix Drum Corps from Holland, and San Francisco Renegades Drum & Bugle Corps
• Recipient of many awards including eighteen D.C.I. gold medals, fourteen Drum Corps International (D.C.I.) High Percussion titles, ten Drum Corps Europe (D.C.E) championships, ten High Percussion titles in Japan, and 1977 D.C.I. & P.A.S. Individual Snare champion
• Member of the DCI Hall of Fame, the WGI Hall of Fame, and the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame
• Extensive competitive judging career including championship assignments at the Percussive Arts Society, Winter Guard International, Bands of America Grand Nationals, and in South Africa and Indonesia
• Has held percussion clinics in over 15 countries • Current endorsements include System Blue, Pro Mark, Zildjian, Evans, Meinl, and Offworld.
Heidi Joubert Cajón
player, singer, composer Cornwall, United Kingdom
• A Roland international Elcajón and percussion artist; the face of the world’s first hybrid cajón
• The Elcajón launched on the NAMM show in California, where Heidi was the demo artist • Self-taught cajón player originally from Pretoria, South Africa
• Heidi won the “Show in NAMM” award, gave a private demo to Sheila E. and even had Stevie Wonder join her onstage for a jam during one of her demos
• She has over 85,000 followers on her Cajón lessons Youtube channel
• She has her own brand of cajóns—the Cajón Box
• Heidi started and currently runs the only cajón school in the UK that is based in London
• Heidi tours, performs, and demos with her band, Fernardo’s Kitchen
Danny Seraphine
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Member and original drummer for the band CHICAGO, Los Angeles, CA
• One of the architects of the band Chicago Transit Authority, now known as Chicago—one of the longest-running and most successful US pop/rock and roll groups, second only to the Beach Boys in terms of singles and albums
• Performed with Chicago and contributed his songwriting talents for over 22 years
• During his tenure, Chicago was the leading singles-charting group of the 1970s, collectively generating sales of over 130 million units in the US with 22 gold, 18 platinum, and eight multiplatinum albums
• Recognized as one of the world’s most highly respected and influential jazzrock/rock drummers of all time
• Made the Rolling Stone’s list of All-time Top 100 Drummers
• One of Buddy Rich’s favorite young drummers
• Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards at both the Cape Breton and Montreal Drum Festivals
• Honored as the Songwriter of the Year by the American Society of Composers Artists and Publishers (ASCAP) as a co-writer for Pitbull’s Know You Want Me during the 27th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards
• Formed his new band in 2006, CTA (California Transit Authority), which he continues to tour and record with today, while carrying on the jazz/rock legacy Chicago Transit Authority started in 1969 • Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Keith Aleo
Director of Percussion, Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen, MI
• Educational/Orchestral Consultant for the Avedis Zildjian Company
• Has been on the percussion faculty at the Boston Conservatory, University of Connecticut, and the University of Rhode Island
• Accomplished educator, presenting clinics at major universities throughout the US and Europe, and workshops at all the major percussion conventions worldwide
• Has presented at both local and international PAS conventions as well as the Paris Conservatory, and Italian PAS Days of Percussion in Fermo, Italy
• Author/composer of several books and pieces for percussion • Previously a percussionist for the Florida Philharmonic for 20 years, and performed with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Member of the Percussive Arts Society’s Board of Directors and the New England Conservatory of Music Board of Overseers
Sgt. 1st Class J. Andrew Porter
Member of the West Point Band and The Hellcats West Point, NY
• Rudimental drummer for The Hellcats
• Has performed and presented for Drum Corps International World Championships, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the KoSA percussion workshops, and the Texas Music Educators Association
• Served as the battery percussion arranger and instructor for the US Army All-American Marching Band from 2015–2017
• Has performed as a concert percussionist with orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, and the Dallas Wind Symphony
• Freelance artist and clinician in the lower Hudson Valley and New York City area
ABOUT SPIRIT WINTER PERCUSSION
Spirit Winter Percussion, a Cape Cod-based ensemble, is open to young people ranging in age from
10–22. Each year the group immerses itself in a richly educational process of developing a dynamic
indoor show combining music, marching, dance, and drama in an explosively energetic art form. The season culminates at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, where they earned the Gold medal in 2012, the Bronze in 2013, jumped up to open class in 2014, won the Gold medal in the Open class in 2015, and the Silver medal in 2016. In addition to teaching young people the rudiments of music and marching, the experience of Winter Percussion offers them an education in life itself—including teamwork, discipline, empathy, and respect. Spirit Winter Percussion provides members with an experienced and dedicated staff of instructors, life coaches, mentors, and alumni, dedicated to Giving Back and helping the impossible become possible. Learn more at www.spiritwp.org.
ABOUT THE DIRECTORS
Richard Pugsley, Director
Richard Pugsley began working with Spirit of America in 1993. Spirit Winter Percussion ensemble was instituted under his tenure, and he led the group to their gold medal win at the Winter Guard International World Championships in 2012, the bronze in 2013, their advancement into Open Class in 2014, their gold medal in 2015, and most recently the silver in 2016. He has led Spirit of America on tours and conducted workshops in schools around the world, including cultural and musical exchanges in South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and the United States. He founded the annual Day of Percussion on Cape Cod, a music education event that draws students from across New England for a free day of percussion clinics and performances by world-class artists. He received his Bachelor of Music degree, with a minor in Community Music, from Oberlin Conservatory.
Ian Hale, Percussion Director
Ian Hale studied with Dr. Glenn Price at the University of Calgary, where he received his BA in percussion performance, and received his MA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he studied with Eduardo Leandro and Thom Hannum. He has studied marimba with Leigh Howard Stevens, Gordon Stout, and She-e-Wu. He has taught percussion for the Glassmen, the Magic of Orlando, the Madison Scouts, Carolina Crown, the Cadets, and is presently on staff with the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps. Ian was also a music faculty member at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Assistant Director of Bands for the Calgary Stampede Showband. He currently teaches and arranges for numerous bands and percussion ensembles across the United
States and Canada. Ian is endorsed by Vic Firth, Remo, and Zildjian
For more information, visit https://spiritwp.org/day-of-percussion-2/.