Percussion Arranger - Omar Carmenates
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Omar is currently the Assistant Professor of Percussion at Furman University in Greenville, SC where he oversees all aspects of the percussion program including classical, jazz, and world percussion studies. In addition to his duties at Furman, Dr. Carmenates was also the Percussion Caption Head and Arranger for the internationally-renowned Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps from 2007-2009. While at the Crusaders, Dr. Carmenates was also a member design team and oversaw all aspects of the percussion program.
Omar’s teaching and writing credits in the marching percussion idiom also include arrangements and original works for groups such as the Beatrix Drum and Bugle Corps from Hilversum, Holland, Infinity Indoor Percussion, Timber Creek Independent, the Florida State University Marching Chiefs, the Furman University Paladin Regiment, and numerous other high school programs across the United States. As an adjudicator, clinician and lecturer, Carmenates has also appeared at various festivals and events throughout the world including the Yogyakarta Marching Band Camp in Indonesia and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Carmenates is a proud endorser/clinician for Vic Firth, Inc. Remo Drumheads, Sabian Cymbals, and Pearl Corporation/Adams Musical Instruments.
As a freelance musician, Dr. Carmenates is a versatile performer, having played in many groups in various genres. His interest in contemporary chamber and solo music has led to commissions and collaborations with such notable composers as John Luther Adams, John Psathas, David Skidmore, Christopher Deane, and Brian Nozny. He has been a percussionist with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, the Greenville Pops Orchestra, the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, and the Las Colinas and Garland Symphony Orchestras. In addition, he has been a featured performer with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, the Carolina Youth Symphony, and the Furman University Wind Ensemble.
For five years, Carmernates was a musician at Walt Disney World holding positions such as a percussionist with the Village Beatniks in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Omar is also an active scholar having published articles in Percussive Notes and Drum Corps International Magazine, among others. He holds a Doctor of Music degree from Florida State University, a Master of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Central Florida. He has studied with Dr. John W. Parks IV, Mark Ford, Christopher Deane, Ed Soph, Ed Smith, Dr. Robert Schietroma, and Jeff Moore. He resides in Greenville, SC with his wife Nicole, their children Maya and Isaac, and their two basset hounds, Ripley and Maggie.
Co-Caption Head - Chris Bershad
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 Chris has been involved in the DCI activity since 2000. His snare drum marching experience includes: Tampa Bay Thunder 2000 (inaugural member) and 2001, Kiwanis Kavaliers 2002-2003, Boston Crusaders 2004 and Heatwave 2005. Additionally, Chris has performed with the Groove Chefs at SeaWorld Orlando since 2006 and with numerous percussive acts playing on trash cans, marching snare drums, pots, pans and barbeque grills across the United States over the past several years. Chris’s teaching experience includes: Citrus High School 2002 (FMBC Class AA Percussion Champions), Heatwave Drum & Bugle Corps 2005 (DCA Class A Percussion Champions) and 2006. He has also been a consultant with various high schools throughout Florida.
Currently, Chris is a Program Analyst for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He received his B.S. in Finance from the University of Central Florida and completed his MBA in the spring of 2011. He currently lives in Oviedo, Florida with his wife, Vanessa and their two dogs.
Co-Caption Head - Charlie George
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Charlie has been involved in the drum corps activity
since 1993. He played tenors for the Suncoast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps in
1993. Charlie also played snare drum with the Southern Pride Indoor Percussion
Ensemble in 1996 and 1997, and the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps in
1996 and 1997, when he served as the section leader. Since 1997, he has
consulted with several high school drumlines in the Bay Area and currently
teaches the Springstead High School drumline. He has worked for the Tampa Police
Department for the last 11 years and is a member of the Tampa Police Bomb
Squad. Charlie is a graduate of the University of South Florida. He is looking
forward to his second season with the Tampa Bay Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps.
Percussion Advisor - Joe Southard
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 Joe is from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida were he attended high school and was a member of the Florida Wave Drum and Bugle Corps. In 1991 Joe was a member of the Concord Blue Devils snare line.
Joe has been involved with many high school band programs, drum corps and indoor ensembles since 1992. His teaching experience includes: Florida Guardsmen Drum and Bugle Corps, Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, Tampa Bay Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps and the Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. In 1999 Joe was part of the University of South Florida Marching Band percussion staff and continues to consult for various programs in the state.
Joe is a performer at Disney and Sea World Orlando and is a Independant performer. His is the father of two, Alex and Andrew and is a huge Dolphin fan. Is his spare time Joe coaches both softball and baseball for his kids.
Bass Tech - Mike Guerrero
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 Mike is a graduate of Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Florida were he excelled in music as a percussionist. He was a member of the Tampa Bay Thunder 2000- 2001, and the University of South Florida Herd of Thunder Marching Band percussion section. He has taught at various high school programs in the Bay area during the past 6 years working with Hudson High School, Gaither High School and Chamberlain High School.
He was the Tour Assistant for the Magic Drum and Bugle Corps 2005-2006 and the Merchandise Manager for the past three summers with Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps. Mike still resides in Tampa and works full-time for Magical Charters as a Dispatcher.
Snare Tech - Justin Lee
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 Justin began his marching experience in 1998 at Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Fl in a competitive percussion section earning numerous percussion titles. He continued on to perform with the University of South Florida (U.S.F.) Heard of Thunder snare line and completed his D.C.I experience marching with the Cadets snare line in 2004, under the direction of caption head/arranger Tom Aungst. After his tour with the Cadets, Justin performed as a member in the Blue Devils Entertainment group snare line under the direction of Scott Johnson.
Since then, Justin has consulted several high schools in the Tampa Bay area in both outdoor and indoor marching seasons and was a battery tech with the U.S.F. Brahma indoor percussion ensemble during the 2009-2010 season(s).
Justin is currently a REALTOR and Police Officer with the Port Richey Police Department. He lives in Tampa with his wife Krystin and their infant son Parker (Future I&E snare champion, D.C.I. 2027 J), who has already begun taking private lessons from daddy.
Tenor Tech - Gabe Flores
Gabe is currently a highly sought after marching percussion consultant in the Tampa Bay Area among high school bands and indoor ensembles. Gabe marched with the University of South Florida's HOT Drumline 2003-2006 and Indoor Percussion Theater 2003-2004.
A student of Mike Woodfin, Ron Lambert and Rich Viano, Gabe has had the wonderful opportunity to audition and attend masterclasses with the Boston Crusaders and Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. His lines have won numerous awards, superior ratings and accepts nothing less from everyone.
Gabe is currently the Director of Attack Percussion Ensemble, a competitive WGI indoor percussion ensemble based out of Riverview, FL. Gabe also spends time teaching private drum lessons at the Florida Academy of Performing Arts and also moonlights as a theater critic.
Percussion Tech - Conrad Perry
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Conrad is originally from the Midwest and has been in Florida for the last nine years. He attended Homestead High School in Mequon, Wisconsin where he was a member of the Highlander Marching Band. While a member he traveled with the band to London, England to participate in the New Years Day Millenium Parade.
He moved down to Florida and attended Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida. He was a member of the Warhawk Marching Band from 2001-2003 and participated in various BOA regionals.
Conrad has instructed various high schools and for the last 3 years has been with the Braden River Marching Band of Pirates in Bradenton, FL and currently serves as the Percussion Coordinator.
He is currently pursuing a degree in music from the University of South Florida.
Front Ensemble Tech - Sarah Bunkley
Sarah graduated from Fort Myers Senior High School in 2002, where she participated in The Greenwave Marching band, Indoor Drum Line, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band. She attended Edison College and The University of South Florida with a focus on Psychology. Sarah was a member of the Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps front ensemble from 2002-2005, and aged out at East Coast Jazz in 2006. She was the Front Ensemble Technician for the Dutch Boy Drum and Bugle Corps in 2009. Sarah has also worked with many scholastic programs around the State of Florida, including North Fort Myers High School, Countryside High School, and Land O' Lakes High School. She is currently the Front Ensemble Coordinator for the Lakewood Ranch High School Marching Mustangs, as well as Front Ensemble Coordinator for Manatee County Independent. This is her second year with Tampa Bay Thunder Percussion.
Cymbal Tech - Marvin Valarezo
 Marvin Valarezo is from Orlando, Fl and attended Cypress Creek High School. Currently, he is a Music Studies and Psychology Major at the University of South Florida (USF).
He is joining the Tampa Bay Thunder Percussion Staff as the Cymbal Technician. His experiences are marching with the USF Heard of Thunder, BRAHMA from USF's indoor percussion program and currently, Infinity indoor percussion.
Cymbal Tech - Anne Marie Carpenter
Anne Marie Carpenter graduated from Apopka High School in 2009 and was a member of the Blue Darter Marching Band. She is currently a junior studying Electrical Engineering at the University of South Florida. Anne is getting ready for her forth and final year with The Herd of Thunder, and second year as cymbal section leader. She was also a member of Brahma from USF indoor percussion in 2011.
Front Ensemble Tech - Jared Allen Jared Allen is the Percussion Director at the John Hopkins Middle School Center for the Arts and the Percussion Coordinator for the Largo High School Band of Gold. He founded the World Drumming Focus at John Hopkins and directs a Percussion program that is twice rated Straight Superior. He also directs the "JHop Steel" Band and the Trojan Pride Drumline. He founded the Annual John Hopkins World Drumming Festival which brings hundreds of Elementary students to St. Petersburg to learn and experience World Drumming.
Jared graduated from Largo High School, Clearwater Christian College and earned his Masters from the University of Tampa. He is a former member of the USF Herd of Thunder Marching Band and the Sun Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He has traveled to Ghana and is an African Ewe trained Master Drummer. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, Florida Music Educators Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He currently resides in St. Petersburg with his wife Ashley.
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