World Champion Drummer Teaches UM RamCorps, High School Percussionists

The University of Mobile is bringing world champion snare drummer Jeff Queen to campus Aug. 15-16 to design the percussion portion of the 2005-06 show for the school’s RamCorps drum and bugle corps. Queen will work with students in the RamCorps drum line during the two-day session. In addition, drummers from area high schools in Mobile and Baldwin counties are invited to attend a UM-sponsored clinic on Tuesday evening where Queen will give a solo demonstration, teach stick techniques, and answer questions.

“Jeff Queen is an exciting clinic artist and personality with the experience and performance credentials to motivate students to a new level of drum-line execution. We like having world champions in a place of influence with our talented students,” said Donald Wolf, assistant professor of music and director of UM’s 18-member RamCorps.

While in Mobile, Queen will work one-on-one with RamCorps’ five percussionists to develop a special section of the RamCorps show featuring solo performances and the percussion ensemble. The percussionists are part of RamCorps’ 18-member drum and bugle corps which also features four trumpets, three mellophones, three trombones, one baritone and two contrabass.

On Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Queen will conduct a clinic for percussionists from area high schools band programs. High school band directors may register their percussion students for the clinic by calling Donald Wolf at 442-2321 or emailing donaldwolf@mail.umobile.edu by noon on Tuesday. Admission for students is $5.

Queen is an original cast member of the Tony and Emmy award-winning Broadway show “BLAST,” where he was a solo performer and battery instructor from 1999-2003. He has appeared on numerous television shows including The Late Show with David Letterman, The Kennedy Center Honors 2000, NBA All-Star Game 2001, BLAST and The Making of Blast on PBS dvd and video. He has performed on stages across the country and in Europe.

He was the Drum Corps International individual and ensemble snare drum champion in 1994 and 1995, as well as the Percussive Arts Society individual snare drum champion in 1994 and 1995. He has marched in the snare lines of the Canton Bluecoats, Velvet Knights, Santa Clara Vanguard, Blue Knights, and the University of North Texas and served as section leader for the Velvet Knights, Blue Knights and UNT.

RamCorps, now in its second year, represents the University of Mobile at performances throughout the Southeast. Locally, RamCorps has performed at Mobile BayBears games, Alabama Policy Institute dinner with Oliver North, the UM Christmas Spectacular, StarLight at the University of Mobile, and at area churches and schools. Upcoming events include a Sept. 11 performance at the Semmes Community Ball Park and Oct. 13 at the UM Scholarship Banquet featuring guest speaker Newt Gingrich at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center.

For more information about Jeff Queen, visit www.jeffqueen.com. For more information about RamCorps, visit the University of Mobile website at www.umobile.edu and look under “academics” for Center for Performing Arts or call (251) 442-2215.