 Diane KingDirector Diane has been involved with winter percussion in Michigan since it's inception in 1995. Her group, Central Montcalm High School, was one of four charter members. She has gone on to direct or instruct other lines including CAL Perc, East Grand Rapids High School, Huron Valley Percussion Ensemble, Morrice Winter Drumline, Spirit Performing Youth Ensemble, Reese Winter Drumline, and NorthCoast Academy. Diane spent six summers as a tour manager for The Cavaliers drum and bugle corps. She has also been a member of the board of directors of the Michigan Color Guard Circuit for 8 years - 6 as Secretary and 2 as the Percussion Representative. Diane loves movies, hockey and music and has seen the band Rush EIGHT times! |
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 Martin HotteBattery Arranger/Caption Head Martin's first strives at Indoor were taken with Spirit Performing Youth Ensemble in 1996. He has been active in the WGI circuit since then. Martin also taught and arranged/composed for many groups from Marching Bands (in Michigan) to Senior Corps with The Syracuse Brigadiers 5 times DCA champions, and also with some Junior corps like Les Étoiles, Kavaliers (1996-1997) and more. Martin is now back in school full time finishing his Engineering degree and branching of in Industrial Design. Martin also has only one rule for the members and Staffs at NCA " If you can speak two language then you can make fun of my accent". |
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 Nick PourchoFront Ensemble Arranger/Tech Nick is very excited to be able to work with NorthCoast as the Front Ensemble Coordinator for the 2006 season. This will be his third year working with NCA. Currently, Nick holds a BM in Music Education from Michigan State University and instructs various programs across the state. Some of these programs include Percussion Caption Head for the DeWitt High School Marching Band (3rd place in 2002 MCBA Flight III Competition, 5th place in 2003 MCBA Flight III Competition), the Director of the DeWitt ICE Winter Drumline (2002 MCGC Michigan A Champion, 2003 MCGC Scholastic A 2nd place), and the Director of the Walled Lake Central Percussion Winter Drumline (new this year). Nick was the Front Ensemble Coordinator for Dimensions Drum and Bugle Corps in 2002 and 2003. He wrote the Front Ensemble Book for Dimensions in 2003 and also wrote the drill for Dimensions in 2002 and 2003. Other writing experiences for Nick include the Front Ensemble Book for DeWitt ICE Winter Drumline (2004), the drill for DeWitt ICE (2003 and 2004) and Walled Lake Central Percussion Winter Drumline (2004), and various marching band arrangements for local high schools in the Lansing area. Nick has performed with every major ensemble at MSU including the Spartan Marching Band, MSU Symphony Orchestra, MSU Wind Symphony, MSU Mens Glee Club, MSU Percussion Ensemble, and was a member of the MSU Competitive Drumline that competed at PASIC in 2000 (6th place) and 2002 (3rd place). Nick has also performed in a number of international solo keyboard competitions including PASIC in 2000 (6th place), PASIC in 2001 (3rd place), and DCI in 2001 (5th place). His drum corps experience includes the 2001 Cavaliers Front Ensemble (2001 DCI World Champions), where he was a featured soloist. |
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 Scott AllenVisual Designer Scott lives in Atlanta where he works from home in his design studio. Scott is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a BFA in Art/Design and minor in Music. He marched in the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps and taught the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps from 1993 - 1997. "I was not a drummer" He was also the drill writer for the Vanguard Cadet corps from 94 - 97. Scott had been writing drills for 10 years now for bands and drumlines in California, Kansas and Michigan. Professionally, Scott is the envy of everyone in the line as he is a freelance graphic design working mainly for the video game manufacturers Konami and Sega. Designing the packaging, instruction manuals, posters and anything that they need printed "I have nothing to do with the actual game, so don't complain to me if its lame!" You can see some of his work portfolio at www.scottallendesign.com. Scott also designed our new logo. |
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 Ross J. KuhnTechnical Director Active in the competitive drumming community since 1998, Ross is an alumni of the Clinton Drumline and NorthCoast Academy. Ross is a veteran staff member of the Bandettes Drum & Bugle Corps, and was the Battery Caption Head in their daughter organization, Steel Town Brass. He is also a design consultant to Walled Lake Percussion. Ross is a semi-freelance graphic artist/signmaker, and also has experience in audio/video production. Some of his clients have included the Santa Clara Vanguard Booster Club, the Bandettes Drum & Bugle Corps, Paramount Percussion, and NorthCoast Academy. |
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 Josh PeeplesVisual Tech Started drumming at age 12. Started off as a tenor drummer all through high school (95-99). My high school marching bands include Morristown West (Knoxville TN) 95', Seminole High School, Pine Ridge High School (Central FL) 96-97', and Walled Lake Central High School 98'. Started playing snare in 00 at Michigan State Univ. where I marched from 00-02 with Scott Idle and Nick Pourcho. I performed with the Spartan Drumline 00-01 and the MSU Compline 00 and 02 which competes at PASIC. I have marched with the world famous Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 99 and 02 where Tony Shuker was on staff. I have performed with Shock Percussion 99-01 where Martin Hotte was caption head and arranger. I was also a member of SPYE in 02 with Dan Schmatz and Greg Young...Martin Hotte, Joe Shuker, and Tony Shuker all taught there. I aged out at Northcoast Academy in 2004. I have taught with West Bloomfield, Davidson, Walled lake Central and Chesaning High School (taught with Martin Hotte and Scott Allen 00-01 when Chesaning won back to back MCGC State Championships). I currently work with Walled Lake Central High School as a battery tech and Walled Lake Percussion (PSO) as the bass tech. For fun, I perform as a snare drummer with the Detroit Pistons Drumline with Dan Schmatz and Vince Libiran and I play latin percussion in my band "The Allies". This Is my first time working with NorthCoast Academy as a visual tech, and I look forward to a monumental season with great success. |
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 Bill BoswellFront Ensemble Tech This is Bill's second year as pit instructor for NorthCoast Academy. He was a member of the NCA pit in '05 and '06. In addition to his experience with NCA, he was a member of the Bluecoats pit in 2004, the 2002 and 2004 Michigan State University Compline front ensembles which competed at PASIC, the MSU drumline (as a tenor drummer) and Morrice Percussion as a snare drummer (the year with the little pigs). In addition to teaching at NCA, Bill is in his second year as Director of Music for Dryden Community Schools, where he has also started an early childhood music program. He arranges pit parts for some indoor drumlines and marching bands. He has worked with a number of percussion programs including Walled Lake Percussion, DeWitt HS Marching Band (and DeWitt ICE), Mt. Pleasant HS, Rockford High School, and others. Bill currently supervises the front ensemble at Legends Drum & Bugle Corps. In his spare time, he enjoys watching obscure movies and TV shows from Blockbuster, and he truly enjoys his hair... all of it. |
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 John McFarlandSnare Tech John McFarland began his marching career with Farmington High School playing Snare for the Falcon Marching Band. He then marched Snare with The Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 1999-2001 and finished with the Santa Clara Vanguard from 2002-2004. John was also a member of the Bronco Marching Band from 2001-2002. John is the current Percussion Caption-head for Fruitport High School out of Muskegon Michigan . He has also instructed Farmington, Portage Northern, Kenowa Hills, Vicksburg, and Mona Shores High Schools. John has also performed various snare drum clinics for high schools in the Michigan and Ohio areas. He is currently the arranger for Northview High School and Fruitport High School’s Winter Drumline. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Percussion Performance at WMU where he serves as the Graduate Assistant for Percussion Professor Judy Moonert. John also received his Bachelor’s degrees in Percussion Performance and Music Composition from WMU. His band piece “From Chaos…” received the only honorable mention in the Metropolitan Wind Symphony North American Student Composer Competition. John has also been a substitute percussionist for the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras. |
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 Landon EwersSnare Tech Landon's marching experience inlcudes Northern Aurora '95-'96, and Santa Clara Vanguard '98. His teachers have included Jon Weber, Murray Gusseck, Glen Crosby, Chip Webster, and Ralph Hardimon. Landon holds a degree in Percussion Performance from Western Michigan University where he studied with Judy Moonert. His other non-rudimental instructors have included Billy Hart, Leigh Stevens, She-e Wu, and Guruvayur Dorai. Landon has performed with numerous area symphonies and theaters. He is an active freelance performer in the West Michigan area and currently supervises the percussion program for the Parchment school district where he teaches percussion to grades 6-12. He is the Caption Head and batterie arranger for the Reeths-Puffer HS Marching Band and serves as the Percussion Superviser and arranger for Legends Drum and Bugle Corps based in Portage, MI. Landon's other musical interests include drumset, mrudangam, and Arabic percussion. His most recent endeavors include performing on the Arabic "Tabla" ("Dumbek" or "Darbuka") with the At-Neemrah Belly Dance Company from Grand Rapids, MI. He is currently studying the Egyption "riq" (fish skin tamborine). Landon will be traveling to Hong Kong in November to vacation and explore Asian music. He hopes to spend a month in Ghana, West Africa sometime in 2008 to study kpalango. |
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 Scott D. IdleSnare Consultant Scott Idle is completing his fourth year as the Snare Tech at NorthCoast Academy. Scott played snare with the Michigan State Drumline for five years, acting as the Section Leader for three years and Vice President of the Spartan Marching Band for one year. He also competed in the P.A.S. Collegiate Drumline Competition in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Scott aged out of the snareline at the D.C.I. World Champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2001, where he stood one off center. He was also the 2001 TSI Champion at The Cavaliers. Scott has been involved with numerous high school drumlines throughout Michigan and served as a battery instructor for the MSU Drumline. Scott is a graduate of Michigan State University. He resides in downtown Chicago and is the leader of the Chicago Bears' Drumline, presented by The Cavaliers, and is the Director of the new Chicago Bulls' Drumline. In his professional life, Scott is an Account Manager for SPSS, Inc., the leader in predictive analytics. He also holds a real estate license in Michigan. Scott is currently endorsed by Vic Firth drum sticks. |
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 Joe ShukerSnare Consultant Joe has not yet entered his bio. |
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 Tony ShukerTenor Tech Tony has been involved in marching drum corps and marching percussion since 1987 and has been a member of both the Kiwanis Kavaliers (1990-1994) and The Cavaliers. (1995-1997) During his marching career he has won several solo and ensemble awards including 1st place in the Ontario Drum Corps Association from 1990-1994 in various categories and 1st in the mutli-tenor category at the DCM I&E in 1995 and 2nd place at the DCI I & E during the same year. He has been on the percussion staff for Phantom Regiment 2000-2002 as well as the Kiwanis Kavaliers from 1998-1999 and S.P.Y.E winter percussion 1998,1999 and 2001. Tony has his Honours B.A. in music from McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario and his teaching certificate from The University of Windsor. Currently he is a music teacher at Frontenac Public School in Burlington Ontario. This is Tony’s 6th year as a percussion instructor at NorthCoast Academy and has been extremely pleased with his experience with this group and is eagerly anticipating the upcoming season. He as also has his black belt in Okinawan Go-Ju Ryu Karate and has been studying Gracie Ju-Jistsu as well. Tony is a proud husband of the best wife ever (Megan) and owner of a beautiful yellow lab puppy named "Cadence". Oh yeah, he is also Canadian, loves hockey and is a huge Maple Leafs fan. (Go Leafs Go!!!) |
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 Vincent LibiranTenor Tech I am a member of the tenor line at NCA. I am from Okemos and I attend MSU where I am majoring in star wars technology. I seriously enjoy drums, mums and bums. I can't get enough of any of them! I don't believe Diane has seen Rush 8 times. |
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 Greg YoungBass Drum Tech Started out in marchin' band playing baritone for 9th and 10th grades. That got a little dull, so I decided to join the drumline. Played bass my 11th grade year, then tenors my senior year. After that I marched bass 2 at Kiwanis for 2000 and 2001. Shortly after that I marched bass 2 at SPYE in 2002. My life story, summarized: I grew up in Michigan, went to Farmington High School, graduated in 2000. Moved to Buffalo in 2001, to be closer to my girlfriend, now wife. Got married in May of 2005, moved back to Michigan in June. Fast forward and here I am, happy to be aboard. |
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 Dan SchmatzCymbal Tech Dan Schmatz began his indoor percussion career marching with Spirit Performing Youth Ensemble from Kitchener, ON from 2001-2002. He grew tired of Canada and joined NCA in 2003. Playing snare from 03 to 05, serving as ensemble leader from 04-05. Dan also is the battery caption head/arranger for the 2006 PIA Gold Medalists, Walled Lake Percussion, based out of Walled Lake Central HS, in Walled Lake, MI. Walled Lake. He also enjoys White Castle, Florida, and Unicorns. "I just think they are magical..." |
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