FUSION’S WORLD CLASS ENERGETIC PERCUSSION TEAM IS RETURNING FOR THE 20

[Fusion Core Administration]

FUSION’S WORLD CLASS ENERGETIC PERCUSSION TEAM IS RETURNING FOR THE 2015 SEASON

The percussion team of Fusion is lead by Caption Head and Battery Co-arranger Omi Batan. With the guidance of Mike Schmitt, Percussion Supervisor, Ensemble/Music Coordinator/Battery Co-Arranger, and the creative mind of Mike Wyatt, Front Ensemble Arranger, the three create a percussion ensemble and percussion book that not only keeps the crowd on their feet but also facilitates growth and development in each individual player. As a member of the Fusion "Core" Percussion section, you learn the value of team work and commitment. The staff not only encourages members to achieve at a high level of excellence but also likes to have fun. Members will take away refined skills that involve playing and moving but also create character building memories that will be carried to other facets their lives.

The 2015 percussion staff has various world class and high achieving backgrounds consisting of DCA, DCI, and WGI experience -- all culminating in one amazing summer of instruction, education and growth as a performer.

Please join us in welcoming returning staff as well as some new music educators to the team!!

Mike Schmitt | Percussion Supervisor, Ensemble/Music Coordinator/Battery Co-Arranger

Mike began his drum corps career serving the roles of marching member, technician, Caption Head, and Arranger at the Hawthorne Caballeros from 1999-2010, earning a world championship in 2003. In 2011, Mike joined the Connecticut Hurricanes as Caption Head and Arranger through 2012.

Mike is heavily involved teaching both marching bands and indoor drum lines. His teaching career began as Caption Head and Arranger for the Parsippany Hills High School (NJ) from 2001-2008. While in this position, his drumline won 4 state drum titles, 4 national drum titles, and 4 overall band championships.

Mike taught for seven years at Westhill High School in Stamford, CT, as Arranger and Ensemble Director. During this time, Westhill's percussion ensemble won state championships three times, became a WGI finalist in 2012, and won the US Bands Indoor Championships in Group AA in 2012.

During the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Mike was Caption Head and Arranger for Pequannock Township High School in Pompton Plains, NJ. This ensemble won the Best Percussion award at both the US Bands States and National Championships in 2011 and were the US Bands Indoor Champions in Group A in 2012.

In addition to Parsippany, Westhill, and Pequannock, Mike has been involved with a large number of high schools, including Stamford High School, Roxbury High School, Ramapo High School, Morristown High School, Pompton Lakes High School, West Essex Regional High School, Wayne Valley High School and Ramsey High School. Fusion’s percussion took huge steps in the last 2 years. I look forward to my 3rd season with the core.

Omi Batan | Percussion Caption Head, Co-Battery Arranger

Omi Batan, Caption Head of the Fusion Percussion Section, is very excited to keep pushing Fusion toward excellence since starting with the corps in 2013. Omi began his marching career with the University of Connecticut's drum line and the Connecticut Hurricanes in 2009. In 2010, Omi marched DCI with Jersey Surf before marching with the Cadets snare line in 2011. In addition he marched WGI with United Percussion in 2012.

Omi has taught the University of Connecticut drum line and was the bass technician for the Connecticut Hurricanes in 2012. He is currently the Snare technician at the World Class Cadets Indoor Percussion Ensemble. He also teaches Norwalk High School’s battery in Norwalk, Connecticut and is the Assistant Band Director/Percussion Caption Head at the University of New Haven Marching Band. Omi looks forward to continue the corps' fast moving progress and is excited to see what each season brings.

Mike Wyatt | Front Ensemble Arranger

Mike has been active in the marching community for over fifteen years. As a performer, he was a member of the WGI World Class finalist United Percussion, and was also the Front Ensemble Captain for the nine-time world champion Hawthorne Caballeros from 2005 through 2009.

As a teacher and arranger, he has worked with the Hawthorne Caballeros, DCI's Raiders, United Percussion, and most recently was Assistant Caption Head and Arranger for the Connecticut Hurricanes. Mike holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies: Percussion Performance from the University of the Arts. Fusion is very excited to have Mike Wyatt return to Fusion for a second season. Drum Corps crowds were often “wowed” by Fusion’s front Ensemble and members excitedly performed Mike’s challenging writing. Mike is also the Band Director at Westhill High School in Stamford, CT.

Tom Aungst | Percussion Consultant

Tom returns for his second season as a percussion consultant with Fusion. Tom is also the new percussion arranger for Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps. Tom is currently the Director of Percussion at Dartmouth Public Schools in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, where he has been teaching for over 22 years. His position includes teaching percussion students at all levels of the program, from 5th through 12th grade. Under his direction, Dartmouth has participated in the WGI indoor percussion activity since 1998, capturing five World Class Percussion Championships (‘98,’99,’08,’09,’14) and consistently placing in the top three. In 2014 Aungst was inducted into WGI Hall of Fame.

Involved in the Drum Corps activity for over 35 years, Aungst got his start in the late 70s as a snare drummer with the Reading Buccaneers, winning two DCA World Championships in 1979 and 1980. He has also been affiliated with the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, first as a member from 1981 through 1984, and then as the Percussion Arranger and Caption Head through 2008. He later returned as a consultant in 2013.

While with The Cadets, Aungst was instrumental in capturing nine world championships and seven best percussion awards. He has remained involved in the Drum Corps activity, writing and working with various groups including Cadets², Blue Stars, Pacific Crest, Hawthorne Caballeros, Fusion Core and the Connecticut Hurricanes. In 2004, he was inducted into the Cadets Hall of Fame and then in 2006 into the DCI Hall of Fame.

Tom Aungst is a Graduate of West Chester University, where he received his Bachelors in Music Education and has a Masters in Jazz Performance from Rutgers University. Aungst is a Vic Firth, Yamaha, Zildjian, and Remo artist. He is also the proud father of two sons, Alan and Noah.

Mike Degothseir | Snare Instructor

Michael began his band career as a member of the percussion program at Upper Darby High School in Drexel Hill, PA from 2005 to 2009. He has performed as a snare drummer with The Jersey Surf Drum & Bugle Corps (2008), United Percussion (2010), The Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps (2012), and The Pennsylvania State University Marching Blue Band (2010-2012).

Through his various experiences within the marching arts activity, Michael has been fortunate enough to study under the likes of Darick Kelly, Bob Cizmarik, Jason Majerczak, Johnny Trujillo, Rich Hammond, and Frank McGuigan, amongst others.

The 2015 season will be Michael's first year with Fusion. In addition to FCP, he currently arranges and teaches the battery at Ridley High School (PA), and his past teaching experience includes Upper Darby High School (PA) and Timber Creek High School (NJ).

Michael holds a Bachelor's degree in Advertising and Public Relations from The Pennsylvania State University. He currently works in the web/marketing department at a logistics & fulfilment company in Wilmington, DE.

Bryan Crawford | Bass Drum Instructor

Bryan has spent the last 10 years of his percussive career marching and teaching several successful Drum Corps, Marching Band and Winter Ensembles. Bryan was a member of the World Champion Hawthorne Caballeros in 2003 in the front ensemble and then marched Bass Drum from 2005-2007. He has also worked with a multitude of fall programs including Parsippany Hills from 2004-2008 winning Best Percussion in 2004, 2006, 2007 & 2008, West Essex from 2005-2007, Pequannock Township from 2007-2011 with Best Percussion in 2008 State Finals and Best Percussion for State and National Championships in 2011.

Bryan got involved with Indoor Percussion in 2005 with Stamford HS in CT and then progressed to work with Westhill HS in 2006, 2009, 2010 and WGI Marching A Class Finalists in 2012. He also worked with Trumbull High School’s Indoor program from 2007-2009 with the accolades of WGI Open Class Finalist in 2007 and WGI Open Class Silver Medalists in 2008 & 2009. He took his knowledge of the strong Connecticut Indoor Ensembles and with the assistance of Band Director James Riley, began an Indoor Program with Pequannock Township in 2010 in the USBands circuit and then placed first in the Marching AA Class in 2012.

Bryan has gotten back into the drum corps scene as he worked as the Bass Drum Tech for Fusion Core for the summer of 2014 and returning in 2015.

Bryan has recently focused on the adjudication aspect of the marching arts and judges percussion for the Musical Arts Conference in Connecticut, Cavalcade of Bands in Pennsylvania and USBands across the Northeast.

Dennis Siller | Tenor Instructor

After performing with United Percussion in 2012 as a WGI finalist, Dennis concluded his marching career with the Reading Buccaneers in 2013 marking his 5th season with the corps. Previously, Dennis also performed with Aftermath Percussion and Penn State Indoor Drumline.

Recently, Dennis worked on staff for United Percussion during their 2014 season. Dennis has worked with Spring-Ford High School over the last few years through their fall and winter programs. Dennis resides in Thorndale, PA working as a UX Designer for The Vanguard Group in Malvern, PA. After joining up with Fusion Core this past summer, Dennis is thrilled to continue on with the rest of the team for the 2015 season.

Kristen Morgan | Front Ensemble Instructor

This is Kristen Morgan's ninth year being a part of the DCA organization. She started in 2007 in the Connecticut Hurricanes where she played baritone for two seasons. She then went on to play in the front ensemble in 2009 and her last year in 2012 she was the section leader. She has marched winter percussion with her high school group and then later marched United Percussion for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. She is also currently an instructor for the University of New Haven Marching Band and Norwalk high school Marching Band, both in Connecticut.

This will be Kristen's third year teaching the front ensemble for Fusion Core. Her first season was in 2013 and in the previous season, she was an in-line tech. She is so thrilled to see how far this group has come and cannot wait to keep growing and to keep pushing the limits to how far this group can go.

Caleb DeGroote | Front Ensemble Instructor & Tour/Equipment Manager

Caleb earned his B.A. in Music and Political Science at Binghamton University in 2010, and his M.A. in Diplomacy from Norwich University in 2014. Currently a resident of Washington, D.C., he grew up in Canandaigua, NY.

His playing experience includes six years of drum corps, playing marimba and timpani with the Rochester Crusaders, marimba with the Empire Statesmen, and Vibraphone with Citations. He has also played with the numerous Binghamton University ensembles, the Southern Tier Concert Band, Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band, and currently plays with the Capitol Pride Symphonic Band.

Educationally, Caleb has taught at 10 different high schools, encompassing 14 different programs over 22 completive seasons. This includes circuits such as the New York State Field Band Circuit, the New York State Percussion Circuit, Tournament of Bands, and WGI. He is currently Lake Forest High School Marching Band's percussion arranger and consultant (Felton, DE), and is consulting for Cab Calloway School of the Arts Marching Band (Wilmington, DE).

Caleb has also been teaching drum corps since 2010, spending four seasons with the Empire Statesmen Drum and Bugle Corps instructing their Front Ensemble. He was also the Percussion Arranger for Kaduodal Drum and Bugle Corps from Paris, France in their 2011 Bronze medal DCE season, and most recently was the Percussion Caption Head and Front Ensemble Arranger for Windsor Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from West Windsor, N.J.

David Pelaggi | Battery Instructor

David Pelaggi is a Music Education student at Western Connecticut State University. He is the Front Ensemble instructor for Norwalk High School. David was a member of the Connecticut Hurricanes from 2009-2012. He then was a battery instructor for the Hurricanes in 2014.

Sarah Warnock | Cymbal Instructor

Sarah is excited to be returning to Fusion for her second season as cymbal tech. Her DCA experience includes two seasons with the Hawthorne Caballeros (2010 and 2011) and a season with the Connecticut Hurricanes (2012). In addition to her time at Fusion, Sarah was a member of the drum staff at Camp Hill High School in Pennsylvania. After last year's impressive run, Sarah is looking forward to what Fusion will do next.

Frank Nash | Percussion Consultant

J. Frank Nash got off to a fast start in the drum corps activity, beginning at age six, his career as a drummer began in 1958 with a small drum corps from Brooklyn, NY sponsored by the Loyal Order of Odd Fellows fraternal organization. Over the next 14 years Frank played in the percussion sections of the PAL Wynn Center Toppers, St. Joseph’s Patron Cadets and the nationally ranked St. Rita’s Brassmen under the tutelage of well know drum instructor Don Quinn and World Drum Corps Hall of Famer Eric Perrilouix.

Franks long term marching career includes the New York Skyliners, Bushwackers, Hawthorne Caballeros and Syracuse Brigadiers where he completed his marching career in 2000 in what was a record breaking season. He has been Percussion Instructor, Caption Head and Arranger for many corps as well as band programs including the Hawthorne Caballeros, The Paramous Mounties, New York Skyliners, Lehigh Valley Knights, Atlanta Corps vets (Now Atlanta CV), Fusion Core and the Long Island Sunrisers .

In his time with DCA Frank has been a part of nine DCA world titles, one American Legion National title, seven percussion titles including a then record six consecutive with the Bushwackers and three DCA I&E snare drumming titles. Frank was inducted into the World Drumcorps Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Bushwacker Hall of Fame in 2012.

Join Us for our 9^th Open House

Saturday, November 22^nd & 23^rd

Franklin Elementary School, Succasunna, NJ

Edited October 24, 2014 by Fusion Core Administration