Drum Camp

Staff Information

Brian Tinkel

Percussionist Brian Tinkel enjoys a career that draws on his background both in teaching and in performance as chamber musician, soloist and orchestral player. Currently, he is the Director of Percussion Studies at Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, North Carolina.

Mr. Tinkel was Principal Timpanist with the Enid Symphony, has performed with the Oklahoma Philharmonic, and performs regularly with his wife Cynthia in their flute and percussion duo, Mosaic. Mr. Tinkel has received both a B.M. and M.M. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he studied with Thom Hannum, Eduardo Leandro, and Dr. Peter Tanner. In addition, he has been admitted into candidacy for the Doctoral of Musical Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma.

While being involved in the drum corps activity for nearly two decades, Mr. Tinkel’s performance opportunities led him to being a member of the Boston Crusaders and the Star of Indiana. He went on to perform with the Star of Indiana’s Brass Theater production where he toured with The Canadian Brass and Nexus. Since devoting his time to teaching, Brian has been on faculty with the Crossmen, the Glassmen, and has coordinated percussion activities for the Magic of Orlando and the Madison Scouts. In addition he has served as the Percussion Caption Director and Arranger for Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps. Currently, he is a percussion consultant with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

Mr. Tinkel has been a featured clinician at numerous college and high school workshops and arranges for percussion ensembles across the country. Currently, Brian is a design team member, music composer/arranger and instructor for the Penn State Indoor Drumline, which placed third at the WGI Championships in 2006 and placed second in 2007 and 2008.

Mr. Tinkel is an artist and clinician for the Avedis Zildjian Co., Pearl-Adams Corporation, REMO Inc., and Innovative Percussion, Inc. Brian resides near Asheville, North Carolina.

Jonathan Boisjolie

With over ten years of marching percussion instruction experience, Jonathan has taught students of all ages. He is a University of Massachusetts-Amherst graduate. While attending UMass he was a member of the University Marching Band’s Percussion from 1995-1998.

Boisjolie has been on staff with many Drum Corps International groups. They include the Crossmen, Boston Crusaders, Glassmen, and Magic of Orlando Drum and Bugle Corps. He currently instructs several High Schools in the Atlanta area as well as a Senior Drum and Bugle Corps.

Before teaching Jonathan performed with DCI’s Boston Crusaders, Star of Indiana’s Brass Theater, and the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps. He is a member of the American Federation of Musician and continues to perform at conventions nationally and has performed professional for Walt Disney Company in Orlando.

Grant Braddock

Grant Braddock is a freelance percussionist and educator based in New York City and is currently a substitute percussionist with the Broadway production of The Lion King. Before coming to New York, he performed with 6 to 1, a featured drumming act in the Great Moscow Circus as well as the Tony and Emmy Award winning show, Blast!. Grant is a former member of Exit 9 Percussion Group, winners of the 2004 Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition and was a staff accompanist with the Rutgers School of Dance from 2003 to 2005. He has given clinics and performances throughout the United States, South Africa, Taiwan, Brazil, and Japan. Grant holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Oklahoma and will be awarded a Master of Music degree from Rutgers University in May. Grant endorses Vic Firth sticks.

Jonathan Randall

Jon Randall has over 14 years of teaching experience in marching percussion! Currently he is the Percussion Caption Head with the Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps. Jon is an active clinician with Thom Hannum’s Mobile Percussion Seminar in MA, PA, MD and NY (DCI Hall of Fame and Former Caption Head of the Garfield Cadets, Star of Indiana and Crossmen), Colin McNutt (Percussion Caption Supervisor of The Cadets, formerly Caption Head with Madison Scouts, Orlando Magic and Glassmen) and MulTiPerc (ran by Brian Tinkel, former Percussion Caption Head with Carolina Crown and current Percussion Professor at Mars Hill College).

Jon is a former percussion staff member with the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps. He has also instructed and arranged for numerous High Schools and Colleges across the North East. Jon’s performance background (all snare drum) began with the Star of Indiana’s Brass Theater production where he toured with the Canadian Brass and Nexus in 1995 and 1996. He later became a member of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 1998. Jon also played snare drum at the University of Massachusetts from 1995 to 1998 (along with DCI individual champion Nick Angelis) where he received a B.B.A. in Finance.

Jon is a member of the Vic Firth Education Team and is a judge in band circuits including USSBA.

Andy Smith

Andy Smith is a freelance performer and educator based in Nashville, TN. Andy is Adjunct Percussion Instructor at Middle Tennessee State University and Percussion Coordinator for the MTSU Band of Blue Drumline, the 2001 and 2004 PASIC College Drumline Champions. Andy is also Percussion Instructor for the John Overton High School band program, which has been successful as WGI and SCGC medalists.

Smith is also known as a Latin Drum Set Player. He performs with Orkesta Eme Pe (NAMM, BOA and PASIC), Mambo Blue (original Caribbean Jazz music), and Rafael Vasquez, among others. Andy records and performs with various artists in Nashville. He has presented clinics on drum set, Latin, world, orchestral, and marching percussion for audiences of all ages throughout the United States. He is the percussion instructor for the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts Summer Program, and director of Steel de Boro, an elementary steel drum band.

Andy studied at Berklee College of Music, received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and received his Master of Arts degree from Middle Tennessee State University. He has performed with the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps, the Canadian Brass, and was a member of the percussion staff for the 1997 Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps.

Smith is Vice President of the Tennessee Chapter of PAS and proudly endorses Innovative Percussion and Evans drumheads.

Ian Hale

Ian Hale graduated from the University of Calgary in 2001 with his Bachelor’s Degree in percussion performance where he studied with Dr. Glenn Price. He received his Master’s Degree in percussion performance in 2008 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he studied with Eduardo Leandro and DCI Hall of Fame member Thom Hannum. He has studied marimba with Leigh Howard Stevens, Gordon Stout, and She-e Wu and has participated in masterclasses with several artists including Michael Burritt, Steven Schick, Robert van Sice, and composer David Maslanka. He has participated in numerous professional training workshops including the David Robertson Workshop as part of Carnegie Hall’s Weil Music Institute. He is currently Professor of Percussion at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Ian has enjoyed and continues to enjoy an extensive performance career. He has performed with artists including Kenny Aronoff, Jens Lindemann, Susan Hoeppner, Michael Burritt, Eduardo Leandro, Salvatore Macchia and former member of NEXUS the late John Wyre. He has also performed with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, the Berkshire Symphony Orchestra, Land’s End Chamber Ensemble and has recorded for CBC radio and BRAVO! television. He was a finalist in the 2002 PASIC multiple-percussion contest, held in Columbus, Ohio, and also received second place in the 2002 Montreal Symphony Orchestra Young Performer’s Competition. He has performed at numerous Percussive Arts Society International Conventions and has appeared as part of the Vic Firth concert percussion podcast series.

Ian has worked with many fine marching music ensembles including the Calgary Stampede Show Band, the Calgary Stetsons Show Band, the Calgary Round-Up Band, the Central Memorial High School Golden Rams Band, the North Stars Avant-Guard, Spirit of America Band, and the Shepard Hill High School Winter Percussion. Ian continues to be heavily involved in the drum and bugle corps activity. He was the percussion caption head for the Allegiance Elite from 2002-2005 and continues to serve as the percussion arranger. He was a member of the percussion staff for the Glassmen (2002), the Magic of Orlando (2003), and the Madison Scouts (2004). He is currently enjoying his fourth season as a member of the percussion staff for the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps.

He is endorsed by Vic Firth Inc. and PearlAdams musical instruments.

Emory Hensley

Emory Hensley is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Mars Hill College. Emory participates in the college’s marching band, percussion ensemble, marimba band, and wind ensemble. Emory is also a percussion instructor for several high schools in the area, as well as the Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps.

Emory has participated in Drum Corps International as a member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. Emory has also been a member of Odyssey Percussion Theatre, a Percussion Independent World group in WGI.

Justin Mabry

Justin Mabry is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree in Music Education and Percussion Performance from Mars Hill College. Justin participates in the college’s marching band, percussion ensemble, marimba band, jazz band, and wind symphony. Justin teaches private lessons and is a percussion instructor for several schools in the area, as well as the Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps.

Justin has participated in Drum Corps International as a member of the Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps in 2005 and 2006. He has also participated in WGI Indoor Percussion with Odyssey Percussion Theatre in 2008.

Andrew Barlow

Andrew is a recent graduate of Mars Hill College. There he studied with Brian Tinkel and earned a Bachelor of Music in both Music Education and Music Performance. While at Mars Hill he was involved with the Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, and was the Percussion Accompanist for the Musical Theatre Department. Barlow has also studied with Ian Hale, Colin McNutt, Tom Aungst, Michael Moore, and Tony Del Rivero.

Andrew has performed with several Drum and Bugle Corps including The Cadets, Carolina Crown and Magic of Orlando. His most recent marching experience was with Music City Mystique, an indoor percussion ensemble based out of Nashville, TN.

In the fall Barlow will attend the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and will pursue a Master of Music in Percussion Performance.