Meet the 2019 A Class Ensemble Battery Staff
As we solidify our plans for 2019, and prepare for our auditions in September, we'd like to announce our additions to the A Class Ensemble battery staff. This group of educators looks forward to working with each other and with the members on achieving a one-of-a-kind experience this upcoming season.
Brian Horn
Snare Technician
Brian Horn is a percussion educator from Somerset, NJ. His marching percussion career started 15 years ago at Immaculata High School in Somerville, NJ. Brian’s first experience with an Independent group was playing snare drum as a member of the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps (2010). Following his DCA experience, Brian then marched 2 seasons, including his age-out season, at United Percussion (2011, 2012).
Brian has been the caption head at Westfield High School (USBands) since 2012, and also has WGI teaching experience. Last season, he was the primary snare technician at East Coast Percussion. He is currently a proud staff member of the Hawthorne Caballeros (Snare Technician).
Brian couldn’t be more excited to bring his passion and teaching methods back to the home team!
Nick Liddie
Snare Technician
Nick Liddie is a highly versatile and passionate musician, composer, and educator. Nick’s rich musical background and emotionally infused drumming renditions have led him to play alongside such acclaimed, path-breaking artists including, Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter, Carolyn Malachi, as well as The Godfather of Neo Soul, Roy Ayers. Nick has performed as a snare drummer with the Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2009, Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2011, and United Percussion in 2012. He is also the founder of Berklee College of Music’s first drumline, "Berklee Marching Percussion".
Nick currently serves as the Percussion Caption Head at Mineola High School in Long Island, NY, and the Snare Technician for the White Sabers Drum and Bugle Corps. In light of the fact that Nick considers himself fortunate to be birthed through a well-supported public arts educational system, his focus is to offer a higher level of music education and instruction to underprivileged communities.
Floyd Murray
Tenor Technician
Floyd Murray is a musician and educator based out of central New Jersey. He began his marching career with the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps tenor line in 2007, and continued in 2010 and 2011. He then became a member of United Percussion in 2011 and was section leader for the tenor line in 2012. Currently, Floyd is a performer at GEI Entertainment for the NFL Giants Drum Line and a tenor drum instructor at the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps.
As an educator, Floyd has instructed various high school drumlines around the New Jersey area including Ramsey High School, Woodbridge High School, and Westfield High School. In 2013, Floyd was the quad technician at Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps. Since 2013, Floyd has been a battery instructor at Old Bridge High School for both the marching and indoor ensembles. Most recently, the group was awarded the 2018 WGI World Championships Scholastic Open Class Silver Medal and the WGI Fan Favorite award.
Roman Trujillo Jr.
Bass Technician
Roman Trujillo has been a percussionist for over 15 years. He began his post high school marching career marching bass drum with the SDSU Indoor Drumline in WGI Independent Open (2012). He began his Drum Corps career with Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps out of Southern California on bass drum (2012). His age-out summer was spent with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2013.
Roman has taught at several schools in Southern California and and most recently in New Jersey. He teaches at the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps and taught at East Coast Percussion during the 2018 season. His SoCal upbringing and his exposure to the East Coast mindset helps him bring both ideologies together in an effort to create the best learning experience possible. Roman is honored to join the United Percussion organization and looks forward to getting started.
Ryan Brodhead
Bass Technician
Ryan is a percussion educator and arranger from New Jersey. His marching career started back in 2012 with Cadets2 Drum and Bugle Corps for their inaugural season and continued through the end of the 2014 season. He then went on to march with Cadets Winter Percussion for the 2014 and 2015 seasons, as well as three years with the 10-Time DCI World Class Champions, The Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps (2015, 2016, 2017). He also spent three years in the Rutgers University Drumline and served as bass drum section leader for his last two years. He has taught multiple high school percussion programs in New Jersey and is currently the Percussion Caption Head & Battery Arranger for Madison High School. Ryan is currently one of the percussion instructors for the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum & Bugle Corps.
Shannon Kelliher
Cymbal Technician
Shannon is a recent graduate from Rutgers University with a degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology with a minor in Psychology. She started her marching career at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in New Jersey in their Front Ensemble and was also a Drum Major. She first marched cymbals with the Rutgers University Drumline for two years and was section leader her second year. Shannon marched Cadets Winter Percussion for two years in 2015 and 2016 and was section leader in 2016. In the Summer of 2016 she also marched in the Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps cymbal line.
In recent years she has taught Ramsey High School's Front Ensemble, Old Bridge High School's Cymbal Line and at her high school alma mater and the Rutgers' University Drumline.
Brian Selman
Visual Technician
Brian began his marching career at Wilson High School in West Lawn, PA. In 2010, Brian began marching with the Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps and continued there for 4 years. While there, he spent two years in the cymbal line and two years as an assistant drum major. Brian also got the opportunity to perform with United Percussion in 2013. His teaching experience began with Conrad Weiser High School in 2012 and continued until 2015. He also began working with the indoor percussion ensemble at Governor Mifflin High School in 2014 and continued working with both their marching band and indoor groups until 2017. In addition, Brian has been the cymbal tech for various DCA and WGI groups including Fusion Core, Aftermath Percussion, and East Coast Percussion. Brian also spent the last half of this summer as a battery visual tech for the Hawthorne Caballeros. Outside of the marching activity, Brian is a graduate of Millersville University with a degree in Secondary Education. He is extremely excited to return to the United Percussion family.
Heather Trujillo
Visual Technician
Heather's marching career began in the summer of 2009 and continues to be a vital part of her life. After flourishing both on the field and the floor for 6 years, Heather began to share her talents through teaching. She has been extremely successful in her teaching career, earning 4 medals and a state and national championship.
Heather is currently Color Guard Caption Head for the extremely successful color guard at Pequannock Township High School. Heather also writes for multiple esteemed color guards, using her skills to bring each group to the next level, while providing a positive environment for the members. In addition, she was a dance/visual technician and a visual designer for East Coast Percussion during their successful 2018 season. She is excited to be joining the United Percussion family and is looking forward to an incredible season!
Shari Kuzel
Visual Technician
Shari has been an educator in the pageantry arts for the past 20 years. Her performance experience includes: The Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps (1989-1990), Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps (early 1990's), and the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps (1998). She has been involved with teaching many independent groups in the past such as: Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps, Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps, Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps, 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, and most recently the Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps. She also worked with Field of View Percussion in their first year. She has also worked with numerous marching bands in the North New Jersey area, as a Visual Caption Head and Consultant. Shari has also worked with numerous scholastic indoor color guard programs, such as Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, West Essex High School, and West Orange High School. Shari is very excited to be part of the inaugural year.
“I couldn’t be more excited for the inaugural instructional staff for this group. This team has been carefully selected and it is apparent that they will not only enhance the United Percussion culture; they are also dedicated to the experience that the future membership will receive. With their fantastic backgrounds, this team will bring a wealth of knowledge that will further push the program for many years to come. Myself, the design team, and the rest of the administration are thrilled to welcome these fine people to the United Percussion and Arts team!”
2019 AUDITION INFORMATION
Our 2019 audition information will be released very shortly. Exact location (Philadelphia area) and times will be announced at a later date. Our comprehensive audition page and materials will be available for download on this website.
In the meantime, if you're interested in being a part of #UP19, join our Facebook Interest group here. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements leading into auditions from our A Class Ensemble and United Percussion.