Our Staff

Scott Idle is rejoining NorthCoast Academy in 2012 as snare tech after a 4 year break.  Scott enjoyed teching the NCA snarelines from 2004-2007 and is very excited to be back on board.  He 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 snare line at the D.C.I. World Champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2001, where he stood one off center.  During the last 6 years, Scott has been performing with and/or directing professional sports teams Drumlines for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, LA Clippers, and LA Lakers. 

Colin Davis graduated in 2011 from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in human physiology. His experience in marching percussion began in 2002 with the Scholastic A line, Waterford Mott. From 2007 to 2009 he marched with NorthCoast Academy on cymbals and aged out with them in 2011. He spent two years as a cymbal player in the Michigan State Drumline (2008-2009) while performing in numerous clinics, competition exhibitions, and two bowl games. In 2010 Colin aged out with Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps as a part of the cymbal line in the corps world class debut season.

This past summer Colin was the cymbal tech with Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps and led them to a 3rd place finish at the Individual and Ensembles competition.

This will be Colin's first year on staff with NorthCoast and 5th year with the group. Colin is extremely excited to be working with NorthCoast as a cymbal tech.

This is Ross' sixth year with NorthCoast Academy. He was a performing member of the ensemble for two years prior to joining the staff as Communications Director.

Ross has been active in the marching arts community since 1999. He is an alumni of the Clinton Drumline and NorthCoast Academy, and is a current performer for the Detroit Pistons Drumline.

Ross was previously employed for four years as a percussion tech for Bandettes Drum & Bugle Corps and served as the Battery Caption Head for their daughter organization, Steel Town Brass. He currently works and resides in the metro Detroit area as a multimedia professional whose work has appeared in 60+ motion pictures filmed in the region. Ross also provides web services to multiple organizations in the marching arts community.

Paul Loos is a full time percussion educator, arranger, and designer and has been involved with many different high schools, drum corps, and independent ensembles since 2001.  His marching experience includes the Glassmen Drum and Bugles Corps, NorthCoast Academy, and the Michigan State Marching Band. 

Paul started at Walled Lake Central High School and Walled Lake Percussion in 2005 and is currently the battery caption head, battery arranger, and co-designer.  He has helped WLP receive a medal every year in the MCGC circuit and 2 medals in the WGI circuit (Gold in PIA in 2006, Bronze in PIO in 2007).  WLP has also been a PSW finalist since 2009.  Because of the growth of the group, WLP split into 2 groups in 2009 and now has a PSA and a PSW ensemble.  In 2010, Paul became the percussion director and battery arranger at Lake Orion High School.  In just his first year at Lake Orion, Paul helped the organization win its first State Championship.  During the season Paul worked as program coordinator, designer, battery arranger, and drill writer.

Paul started his DCI teaching career with the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps in 2006.  He joined the Carolina Crown percussion staff in 2009 and is still currently a member of that staff.  He helped bring the highest score in Carolina Crown history and the highest percussion ranking in the corps history as well.

Paul’s PIW teaching career began with Eastside Fury in 2006 and 2007.  In 2008, Paul joined the NCA staff and was a Quest judge for the Indoor European Championships.  In 2009, Paul joined the staff of Redline and helped them to their highest score in the history of the organization in the WGI circuit and their first MCGC State Championship.  Paul is glad to be back with NCA for the 2011 season and will be the battery caption head and the battery arranger.

Along with his extensive indoor and outdoor percussion experience, Paul has worked with many drum lines, drum corps, and high school programs as a teacher, consultant, program coordinator, battery arranger, and visual designer. Some of these over 20 organizations and schools include: the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps, the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle corps, the Detroit Pistons Drumline, the Detroit Lions drumline, the Michigan State Marching Band, and the Lakeland Marching Band.

Dan Schmatz has been an active member in the WGI community since 2000.  Starting his marching career with SPYE (01-02) based out of Kitchener, ON, and ending with NorthCoast Academy (03-05), serving as ensemble leader in 04 and 05.  He has been an active instructor since then, working with and writing for numerous high schools and independent groups.  Although a snare drummer, he still finds himself at the creative end of NorthCoast Academy's cymbal lines.  He will continue to help set the bar higher with NCA's cymbals this season.

Aside from teaching, Dan is an active percussionist in Detroit and quickly getting a name for himself in the local World music scene.  You can catch him playing every Tuesday night at the Black Lotus in Clawson, MI.  Aside from that, you can catch him at most of the home games with the Pistons Drumline.  "Joining the Pistons Drumline is the best thing you can do with your old man hands."

Aaron Barrientos is a part-time percussion instructor, music arranger, and a freelance private lesson teacher.  He has been teaching and writing for high school percussion programs since he was a senior in high school.

After he graduated high school, he continued his performance career with Matrix in 2007 and 2008, placing at WGI World Finals in Independent World Class both years.  In the winter of 2009, Aaron furthered his performance career with Rhythm X and captured the PIW gold medal, setting the highest score in the history of WGI percussion.  In the summer of 2009, Aaron aged out with the Bluecoats drumline, placing 4th in the percussion caption and 6th overall.  In 2010, Aaron aged out of WGI with Rhythm X, placing 2nd. 

While living in Indiana, Aaron taught and wrote for many high schools.  His first year teaching Norwell High School in 2006, they won the gold in C Class at ISSMA State Finals.  From 2007-2009 Norwell went on to win two more state championships while Aaron taught and wrote for the battery percussion.  In 2007, Aaron taught the Center Grove High School drumline for the summer season.  Aaron arranged for and instructed the Centerville High School show band in 2007 and 2008, earning them a record number of drum trophies and helped them place 2nd at state finals.  He also wrote and designed Centerville's first ever indoor percussion show.  Aaron went on to arrange battery music for Lakeland High School in 2009 and 2010, helping them field their first competitive battery in 2009. 

Aaron resides in Kettering, OH where he is currently the battery caption head for Northmont High school.  Aaron is extremely excited to begin his PIW teaching career with NorthCoast Academy as a snare tech.

Vincent Libiran began marching WGI with Great Lakes Percussion from 2003-2004. He then marched at Northcoast Academy until he aged out in 2007. He also marched tenor drums at Michigan State University from 2003-07, including four years in the marching band and two PASIC lines. In the summer of 2006, he marched with the Madison Scouts. Performing with the Pistons Drumline, he played tenors in 2005 and 2006.

He has taught at the private and high school level since 2003 and after his age-out, taught tenors on the staff at NCA in 2007-08. His playing and instruction has been influenced by his mentors including Colin McNutt, Lee Beddis, Jon Weber, Martin Hotte, Tony Shuker and many others.