Adjudicators & Artists

ARTISTS

Marimba - Yun Ju Pan

Yun Ju (Alice) Pan is currently the Adjunct Instructor of Percussion at the University of North Alabama, teaching alongside Dr. Tracy Wiggins. She is an acclaimed educator, soloist, and chamber musician in the United States, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Australia. Alice holds a Doctoral of Music Arts degree from Michigan State University, a Master of Percussion Performance degree from Ithaca College, and a Bachelor of Performance Music Art degree from SooChow University (Taiwan.) Her teachers include Keiko Abe, Gordon Stout, Gwendolyn Dease, Jon Weber, Randy Gelispie, Pei-Ching Wu, Kuang-Yuan Kuo, and Susan Wu. As an active performer and educator, Alice has performed across the world in competitions and concerts in Australia, Taiwan, Japan, China, and the United States, including performing at PASIC as a competing soloist and with the Michigan State University Percussion Ensembles. She also often works with percussion ensembles and chamber groups, and performs alongside acclaimed musicians such as Gordon Stout, Gwen Dease, arx duo, The Without Borders Percussion Quartet, Andrew Thomson, The New Morse Code Duo, Naoko Takada, Tomoko Taki, and Dr. Ming-Hui Kuo. Alice has also held masterclasses and clinics at various universities across the world, focusing on topics ranging from percussion ensemble and solo marimba to elementary music. In the composition realm, Alice has worked to expand the scope of possibility for percussion and marimba music, commissioning works from Andrea Clearfield, Josh Oxford, Gordon Stout, Alice has also worked to compose and arrange her own music that combine different art forms and styles from across the world, including writing for P PLAY Percussion Group, composing a traditional Beijing Opera, and arranging a transcription of Bela Bartok’s String Quartet No.5 for marimba quartet. Alice is currently the Director of Administration and International Arts at the Taiwan Percussion Arts Alliance, and the Founder and Director of P Play Percussion Group in Taiwan. Alice is proudly sponsored by YAMAHA, REMO Drumheads, and Innovative Percussion.

Ewe Drumming - Agbeko Desouza

A native of Keta in the Volta region, Agbeko or 'Agbe' Desouza is a founding member and the director of the Africana Fefeworwor Dance Ensemble, a professional group that has performed Ewe music from Ghana around the world. His dedication and passion for traditional music and dance began back in Junior High School. Agbe works for Kadodo Music with Koffie Fugah in New Zealand, an organization that teaches and performs Ewe music throughout the country. Agbe is also an experienced tailor.

Ewe Drumming - Koffie Fugah

Koffie Fugah is a master drummer, dancer, and storyteller from Ghana, he has been performing and teaching traditional African songs, dance and drumming for over 20 years. In 2013 he migrated to New Zealand. After arriving in New Zealand, he founded the Kadodo West African Drum and Dance School. For the past 5 years, as Kadodo’s Artistic Director, he has been facilitating drum and dance workshops for school, community, and corporate clients all over New Zealand. In Ghana and abroad, Koffie has worked and performed with various dance ensembles and universities, including Adia Whitaker of Ase Dance Theatre Collective (USA), Africana Fefeworwor Dance Ensemble (GHANA), Tete Adehyeman Dance Theatre (GHANA), Victoria University (NEW ZEALAND) Music Department, University of Otago (NEW ZEALAND) His life-long passion is sharing the love of his culture with people and encouraging them to use music to express themselves joyfully. He loves working with everyone, from children to adult and thoroughly enjoy finding opportunities to share his love of African drumming and dance with everyone.

Instr. Maintenance - Ben Gervais

Ben Gervais is a percussion educator, arranger, and performer dedicated to the art of enhancing the percussion experience for students and teachers. He holds a Bachelor and Masters degree in music education from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. Additionally, he has a percussion performance degree and a certificate in higher education administration from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He studied with Dr. Julia Gaines, Dr. Megan Arns, John Kizilarmut, and Doug Auwarter. Since 2004, Ben has taught band, percussion, and jazz in the public and private schools, as well as at the College and University level. He has performed with jazz icons John Clayton, Byron Stripling, Mike Mainieri, and percussionist Casey Cangelosi. He is currently a member of the Percussive Arts Society. He proudly endorses Sabian cymbals and Gon Bops Percussion.

Drumset - John Kizilarmut

John Kizilarmut is a percussion teacher at the Kansas City School of Music. He has performed with a wide range of artists and groups including Aretha Franklin, Doc Severinsen, Matt Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Logan Richardson, Clark Terry, New York Voices, Ana Gasteyer, Conspirare, Shirley Jones, DJ Starscream, and the Des Moines Symphony. He is also a frequent guest performer and clinician at percussion and jazz festivals throughout the midwest. Additionally, he was a featured artist at the PASIC convention in 2013. Mr. Kizilarmut is also an active composer and arranger. His works have been featured by many award winning music programs, including the 2013 State Jazz champion Waukee High School Jazz Ensemble, Lake Central High School Band, several DCI Drum Corps, and the University of Texas percussion ensemble. John has served as a percussion teacher on the faculties of Drake University, Grinnell College, University of Missouri Kansas City, and Northwest Missouri State University. He currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri with his son, Evan.

Music Tech - Ryan Robinson

Ryan Robinson is a Kansas City, MO native teaching in the Grandview C-4 school. Mr. Robinson is the head band Director at Grandview Middle School and the assistant director of bands at Grandview High School. He is a graduate from Oklahoma City University receiving a masters in percussion performance and composition. Notable instructors at Oklahoma City University are Dr. David Steffens, Dr. Ed Knight, and Dr. Jamie Whitmarsh. Mr. Robinson received his bachelor’s degree in music education at Pittsburg State University, studying with Dr. Jim Clanton. In the Midwest, Mr. Robinson has had notable successes working closely with Oklahoma Baptist University, Casady Private School, and Yukon High School as a percussion instructor and private lesson teacher. He has premiered his own compositions and arrangements as well as conducting several percussion ensemble concerts. Other performances of note include Percussion Arts Society events, Oklahoma Music Educators Association conferences, Chosen Vale Center of The Arts in Enfield, New Hampshire, and the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy. Robinson is also an experienced conductor of existing works and new works from his catalogue and from contemporaries. He still avidly performs around the Oklahoma City metro and the Midwest with music organizations such as Great Plains Percussion Group, the Bethany Stage, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra and Painted Sky Opera. Mr. Robinson plans to continue travelling the nation working and learning the music industry. He hopes to build relationships with artists and ensembles performing, teaching, and writing music.

ADJUDICATORS

MS-HS Keyboard - Sebastian Buhts

Sebastian Buhts is a solo, chamber, and orchestral percussionist based in St. Louis, MO. He is on faculty at Lindenwood University and St. Charles Community College (SCC). At Lindenwood, Sebastian teaches Applied Percussion, Percussion Ensemble, Percussion Techniques, and the Lion Pride Marching Band Drumline. At SCC, Sebastian teaches Aural Skills, Applied Percussion, and has guest-conducted their Symphony Orchestra. In addition to teaching, Sebastian maintains an active and diverse performance schedule. Recent highlights include performing solo marimba for the Orchestra of Northern New York, performing timpani with jazz artist Ronnie Burrage and the Holographic Principle, and performing North Indian tabla for the prestigious St. Louis Literary Award ceremony honoring Booker Prize winner and New York Times best-selling author Arundhati Roy. Sebastian is also an avid proponent of new music. He has performed world premieres at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Cortona New Music Sessions in Cortona, Italy, and with chamber music ensembles throughout the U.S. and Germany. As a specialist in North Indian tabla drumming, Sebastian has lectured at the Percussive Arts Society Michigan Day of Percussion, and regularly appears as a guest-artist at universities across North America. Sebastian’s doctoral dissertation analyzes the form and structure of a traditional tabla solo in the North Indian musical lineage known as the Benares gharana. Sebastian has studied tabla intensively in Canada and India. His primary tabla teachers include Shawn Mativetsky and Pandit Kishor Kumar Mishra. Sebastian received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University, where he studied with Gwendolyn Dease and Jon Weber. His Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees are from Belmont University, where he studied with Christopher Norton. Additionally, Sebastian studied orchestral percussion and timpani at the Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Germany, and at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Sebastian is a proud artist endorser for Marimba One and Black Swamp Percussion. To learn more about Sebastian and his upcoming performances, please visit www.sebastianbuhts.com.

Small Ensemble - Kevin Clarke

A native of Kansas City, Kevin attended Lee's Summit North High School. Active in the local music scenes, he participated for 5 years in the Kansas City Youth Symphony Program, was a finalist in the Independence Symphony Concerto Competition, took first and second place in the Youth Symphony Concerto Competition, and took First prize in the Kansas City Symphony Youth Concerto Competition (1999). Kevin also performed in the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, and the Park University Symphony before going off to college. Upon Graduation, Kevin attended the Peabody Conservatory to study with Jonathon Haas, and Robert Van Sice. Kevin attended the Winter Festival of Campos du Jordao (Brazil) in 2004 where he performed as a soloist, and ensemble member under Eduardo Leandro and Ricardo Bologna. After 3 semesters pursuing a GPD from Peabody, Kevin was awarded a principal timpani position in Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra, South Korea. During his time In Korea, Kevin became a highly sought after chamber musician, performing as guest musician on numerous recitals, and new music concerts. Kevin performed solo recitals regularly, most notably with Svet Stoyanov in Daejeon, South Korea, With Nozomi Abe in Yokohama, Japan and on the Spring Festival Concert Series with Rodrigo Puskas (violin), and Min Park (flute) in Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. Kevin served as Percussion Faculty for the Kyoung-Hee University (Seoul, Korea) School of Music where his students were featured as soloists at the Seoul Arts Center performing Russell Peck's "Glory and Grandeur" for three percussion soloists and Wind Ensemble. During Kevin's tenure Kyoung-Hee University hosted masterclasses by Ji-Hye Jung (Soloist, VanderBilt University), Don Liuzzi (Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Timpanist, Curtis Institute), Svet Stoyanov (Soloist and University of Miami), and Frederick Macarez (Orchestre de Paris, Conservatoire de Paris). Kevin now runs the KC Youth Percussion Ensemble, bringing together middle and high school students from across the KC Metro Area for full length percussion only concerts. KCYPE has been featured on NPR, Kansas and Oklahoma Music Educators Conferences, and the Kauffman Center. Kevin can also be seen performing with newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble as principal percussionist, and occasionally with the KC Symphony

9th-10th Keyboard - Julia Gaines

Dr. Julia Gaines is currently the Director of the School of Music at the University of Missouri but joined the faculty in 1996 as the Director of Percussion Studies. She received her DMA from the University of Oklahoma, her Master’s as well as a Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and her Bachelor’s from the Lawrence Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin. She has performed in the percussion sections of the Missouri Symphony Orchestra, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Fox Valley Symphony, and the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra. She also has a history in drum corps culminating as a member of the 1989 Santa Clara Vanguard front ensemble. As a performer, Dr. Gaines has been a soloist throughout the United States and in several countries including Brazil, China, England, and Russia. Her first solo CD, Tiger Dance, was released by Centaur Records in April 2017. As a pedagogue, she has sold books around the world. Her first pedagogical book, Sequential Studies for Four-Mallet Marimba – Level 1 has become quite popular throughout the US and abroad as the only beginning four-mallet marimba book of its kind. Level 2, The Heart of the Chorale, was published in January 2019 and the final book in the series is on the way. Dr. Gaines has been a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) for thirty+ years. She has been the Vice-President and President of the Missouri Chapter of PAS and hosted the MOPAS Day Of Percussion in 2003 and 2012. She served on the International Board of Directors of PAS before accepting a position as Secretary on the Executive Committee. She was also an Associate Editor for Percussive Notes, the scholarly journal of PAS, with the primary responsibility of Review Editor and served in that role until the summer of 2014. Dr. Gaines proudly endorses Vic Firth Mallets and Sticks, Pearl/Adams Drums and Percussion, Remo Drumheads, and Sabian Cymbals.

Large Ensemble - Carol Helble

Carol Helble holds a Bachelor's of Music Education, a Bachelor's of Percussion Performance and a Master's of Percussion Performance, all from University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. While at UCM, Carol was selected as the winner of the Missouri Music Teacher's Association percussion division, and inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda as the outstanding graduate student. Also during her time at UCM, she was the state of Missouri winner, 8 state regional winner and national finalist in the Music Teacher's National Association solo percussion division. Other honors include twice being selected for the American Legion Americanism Award and Who’s Who Among American Teachers. Carol has taught for the Belton Public Schools as a band assistant for the BHS Band program, then as a House Mother, Percussion Instructor and part time Choir Director for the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri. She then moved back to her hometown of Dixon, MO to serve as a K-5 elementary music teacher for 12 years. While at Dixon Elementary, Carol maintained a private percussion studio consisting of students from Mexico, Dixon, Waynesville and Lebanon, MO. After her time at Dixon, Carol served as an assistant band director and as the very first percussion specialist for the Lebanon Public Schools. She has served as a judge for solo/ensemble contests, district and state band auditions, indoor drumline competitions, as well as being a clinician for several drumlines and ensembles. She was the founder and director of the Mid-Missouri Percussion Arts Trophy (MMPAT) that was held annually in Lebanon for 15 years. Carol has served as the Missouri Percussive Arts Society President and is the head of the committee to revise the MSHSAA percussion graded music list. She also successfully petitioned the MSHSAA music advisory board and executive advisory board to allow “Percussion Orchestra” as an official contest category at state large ensemble festival. Most recently, Carol accepted a position on the Board of Editors for the percussion music publisher, Studio 4 Music and Marimba Productions. In addition to Percussive Arts Society, Carol's professional affiliations include Missouri Bandmasters Association, Music Educators National Conference and Missouri State Teachers Association. Carol retired from public school teaching in 2021 and currently resides in Lebanon, Missouri.

Snare Drum - Candice Hill

Candice Hill is a percussionist and steel pan performer, educator, clinician, composer and adjudicator. Candice received her Master of Music Performance, Steel Pan, from Northern Illinois University, and Bachelor of Music Performance, Percussion, from Missouri State University. She is currently on percussion faculty with the School of Music at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS. Candice grew up in Missouri and has studied percussion under Dr. Scott Cameron, as well as steel pan with the legendary pan builder and innovator, Cliff Alexis. She studied performance on steel pan with Liam Teague, and has traveled to Trinidad to perform in the largest steel band competition in the world, Panorama, with Skiffle Bunch steel band. Candice has performed as a featured guest artist with dozens of middle school, high school and college ensembles, as well as wind ensembles, community bands and choirs throughout the United States. She formed The Candice Hill Band, a performing group that highlights the steel pan with other traditional instruments, and regularly plays drums and other percussion for local bands, musical pits, churches and more. Candice also spent several years playing snare in the KC Chiefs Rumble Drumline, and was the first woman to perform in the group. As an educator, Candice has spent over a decade teaching drumline and concert percussion for the North Kansas City School district as a percussion specialist, and has given clinics for other area school districts, including Shawnee Mission, Raytown, and Desoto. She has an active private lesson studio for students studying all areas of percussion, and adjudicates auditions and performances for drumline and Missouri High School Activities Association events every year.

Collegiate Keyboard - Yun Ju Pan

Drumset Covers - Mike Sekelsky

Michael Sekelsky served as Professor of Percussion/Assistant Director of Bands at UCM from 1984 until 2018. His final five years were spent primarily in administration serving as Music Department Chair, and Associate Dean/Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. During his tenure at UCM Dr. Sekelsky was a first-call big band drummer in the Kansas City area. He served for seven years at the Chair of PAS Drumset Committee, as President, Vice-President, and Webmaster for the Missouri Chapter of PAS, as College-University Vice President for MMEA, and for five years as the MMEA Technology Advisor. Dr. Sekelsky continues to serve as an educational endorser for Evans Drumheads, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, and Sabian Cymbals. He is also a spokesperson for No Nuts Cymbal Sleeves and Magnatrack Drum/Cymbal Triggers. He resides in Festus, MO with his wife Stephanie where he teaches several lessons through Zoom and works with area high schools.