Show Notes
Show Notes
Peter Vulperhorst SIRD Chapter Netherlands 22.01.2021
Ross Andrews, Former US Army Old Guard Fife and Drums Corps music comitee fonder and leader, 1st cl. Sgt retired
Dominick Cuccia's name has become synonymous with excellence and he is recognized around the globe as the leader in not-so-traditional rudimental drumming.
Following in the footsteps of rudimental legends Nick Attanasio, Gus Moeller, Les Parks, Jack Pratt, Earl Sturtze and so many more, Dominick has built a reputation as one of the "good guys" in the world of drumming. Known by many of his fans as the fife & drum guy, his knowledge as a teacher, musicality as a composer, power as a drummer and entertainment as a clinician, all sit in the shadow of his sincerity and passion about the art of drumming.
He is also considered by many to be a trailblazer for fife & drum performers, opening up doors and creating opportunity for the next generation of rudimental drumming stars. Many are now following in his footsteps taking their drumming to stages never available before. Dreaded Drummer Productions is the outlet where Dominick shares music, legend and all things in the world of drumming!
About Steven Shedden:
Steven is originally from Glasgow, Scotland and started drumming at the age of 9. His first lessons took place in the back room of the famous pipe band supplies shop - The Band Room.
He quickly progressed through the grades becoming one of the youngest drummers to compete at the top level in pipe bands. He won the prestigious ‘Champion of Champions’ drum corps prize at the age of 13 with Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band. Steven has been successful in the solo scene winning two juvenile World Championships in 2008 and 2011.
By 2010 Steven had joined the House of Edgar Shotts & Dykehead Pipe Band under the world-famous and 16 time world solo drumming champion Jim Kilpatrick MBE, winning the World Drumcorps Championship in 2011. Around this time Steven was also the leading drummer with the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland and has performed all over the world.
In 2016 Steven had the honour to join Jim Kilpatrick’s elite drumcorps in the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band who came together for Jim’s final competitive season. The corps won the drumming title at the UK Championships which was the first time a Grade 1 drumcorps had been put together and won a Championship in their first season.
Steven now resides in Melbourne, Australia teaching drums full-time at Scotch College. He is the Leading Drummer of Hawthorn Pipe Band and is the current Australian Drumming Champion, having held this title since 2017.
Steven is the Director of ShedDrum - an online portal for drumming videos and education and is proudly endorsed by the British Drum Company. Steven recently represented Pipe Band Drumming by performing at PASIC - the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in the United States.
About Russel Piner:
Russel Piner is a serving member in the Corps of Drums of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines. His extensive career has afforded him many opportunities to excel as a composer and as a drummer; writing multiple compositions and gaining his diploma in Snare Drum & Natural Trumpet in 2012. In 2017 Piner became Bugle Major Training at the Royal Marines School of Music and is responsible for the development of all Royal Marines’ drummers and buglers.
He has had the privilege of performing alongside some of the world’s best drum
lines, including Top Secret Drum Corps, West Point ‘Hellcats’ Field Music Group and The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. In 2016 Piner became a member of the United States National Association of Rudimental Drummers (NARD), and in 2018 he was appointed to the education committee for the Society of International Rudimental Drummers (SIRD). Russ is also the lead organiser for the 3rd International Rudimental Drummers’ Symposium taking place in Portsmouth, UK between the 16th and 18th September 2022.
Russ is proud to be an endorsed artist for the British Drum Company, promoting their range of traditional marching side drums – the Regimental Series.
About Hazizi Jaafar:
Hazizi is the Percussion Group Leader for the Singapore Armed Forces Band. He had served as Principal Percussionist as well as performed with various other professional groups in Singapore. He is an active clinician, focusing on rudimental drumming and how that affects all aspects of percussion playing.
Hazizi is a member of The Society of International Rudimental Drummers (SIRD) and has represented Singapore in Bern, Switzerland & Paris, France. He is an artist with Prologix Percussion and Agner Drumsticks.
About Brendan Mason:
Brendan Mason is an active teacher, performer, composer, and clinician in the New England area. He currently teaches general and instrumental music at East Shoreline Catholic Academy in Branford, CT (previously Saint Mary School) and serves as the Assistant Marching Band Director for Jonathon Law High School in Milford, CT. He provides private lessons to many students of all ages in the New England Area. Brendan also has served as caption head or technician to several area drum lines and percussion sections including the Cheshire High School Marching Band, Col. John Chester Drum Corps, Connecticut Patriots Drum Corps, The Stony Creek Drum Corps and the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He has provided clinics and workshops all over the United States and Europe, including a 2014 presentation for the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, a series of performances throughout China, a week of clinics in Singapore for the Singapore Armed Forces Band and for The Royal Marine School of Music in Portsmouth, UK.
Brendan is a student of Ed Rhodes, Bob Rush, Paul Cormier, Mike Gagnon, Matt Mayotte, Tim Cecil and later studied under Ken Green while attending Northwestern State University of Louisiana where he pursued a degree in music education and percussion performance. Brendan started playing rudimental snare drum at the age of 6 as a member of the Col. John Chester Drum Corps. He soon began competing individually through the Corps, winning honors at the Connecticut, Massachusetts, Hudson Valley, and Northeastern States Championships. At age 9, Brendan became the youngest drummer to hold The Dan English Trophy as the Connecticut State Junior Snare Drum Champion, a distinction he has won more times than any other individual. In addition to teaching, Brendan is a member of the Connecticut Patriots Drum Corps. He has also performed with the Middlesex County Volunteers and The Top Secret Drum Corps of Basel, Switzerland. Through these groups, Brendan has toured both nationally and internationally, performing in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Australia. He has individually performed with notable musicians, such as Shania Twain, and was featured on an ESPN recording. Brendan is a proud member of The Company of Fifers and Drummers, USARD and NARD. He is also an endorsee of The Cooperman Drum Company, Innovative Percussion, ProLogix Percussion, and Loyal Drums.
About Niklas Jensen:
Niklas Jensen is a great marching band enthusiast and a drumline/drum corps teacher in Denmark. He is musically influenced by friends from the Royal Danish Navy Band and Drum Corps International. He is also a successful competitive snare drummer, recently at the Indoor Percussion Europe's snare drum competition. He also does a lot of work for the young kids and students in the local area of Eastern Jutland, Denmark. He especially works with "Hinnerup Marching Band" teaching the drumline to be more accomplished drummers and percussionists.
Niklas Jensen teaches both marching and concert percussionists nationwide in Denmark. He teaches with emphasis on technique and style and his reputation is spreading, and his work, style and teaching is successful.
There was no way Niklas could have known that percussion, especially marching and concert percussion, would rule his life. If you ask his parents, there would definitely have be signs right from the beginning - when using pots and pans as objects for drumming, or even stomp at the age of 1.
He started drumming with Hinnerup Marching Band - a local marching band - in 1997. At that time it wasn't really the drum he was attracted to - it was actually the uniform. But as the years went on, people started to recognize his skills at drumming and gained much respect for his talents - and today he is one of the most skilled snare drummers in Denmark. From 2002 he also became a member of Aarhus Pipes and Drums, where he has played scottish tenor drum as well as side drum. With he has won titles at the scandinavian championships, the copenhagen winter competitions and the danish championships. In 2009 - 2010 he worked as a full time marching military snare drummer with the Royal Danish Navy Band.
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