Introducing The United Percussion 2 2024 Design Team
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United Percussion and Arts, Inc. is excited to introduce the 2024 United Percussion 2 Design Team!
Alex Santa
Director
Alex began his marching career in 2007 with the Quakertown Community High School Marching Band. From there he went on to study Percussion at West Chester University under Ralph Sorrentino and Dave Nelson. In 2012, Alex marched with the Hawthorne Caballeros playing Snare Drum - and from there went on to perform with Matrix Percussion (Based out of Akron, OH) in 2013, placing 4th in WGI World Championships.
Alex has taught/arranged for many programs in the Southeast PA Region such as Daniel Boone HS, Neshaminy HS and even spending 4 years with Hempfield High School( Landisville PA) - as the Percussion Director for the Indoor and Outdoor seasons. During his time with Hempfield HS, they went three straight years as champions in the local circuit and were awarded with High Percussion Awards. Alex also spent time teaching and arranging for Millersville University’s Marching Band from 2017-2018. From 2014-2018 Alex served as the Battery Coordinator for the Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps, along with teaching programs such as Penn State Indoor Drumline, and the Connecticut Hurricanes.
Alex has been involved in Directing UP2 since 2020, and this will be his second season as Program Director for the group.
Brad Donoris
Creative Director/Visual Design
Brad has been an active educator and visual designer of the marching arts for over 20 years. His performance experience includes The Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps (1993-1994), and the Santa Clara Vanguard (1995). He has been involved with many independent groups over the years, including the Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps, Lehigh Valley Knights, Teal Sound, Crossmen, 7th Regiment, and the Boston Crusaders. Currently, he is a consultant for Q Winter Guard, (WGI IO Finalist 2016, 2017), and on the visual team at the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps (2017-Present).
In addition to working with independent groups, Brad has worked with many scholastic ensembles, most recently with visual instruction at King Philip H.S. from Wrentham, MA. Currently, he is the visual designer for Pecos H.S. from Pecos, TX, and Rancocas Valley Regional H.S. from Mt. Holly, NJ.
Brad was involved with United Percussion in 2004, and from 2017 to present.
Alex Beltran
Battery Arranger
Alex Beltran is an active writer, teacher, performer, and clinician based in New England. He holds a Masters Degree in music history from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he also received an undergraduate degree in percussion performance. While at UMass Alex has worked as teaching assistant to Thom Hannum, studied under Ayano Kataoka, and currently teaches and arranges for the UMass Minuteman Marching Band.
Alex’s marching career began with the Connecticut Hurricanes from 2008-2010 before marching in the quad line at The Cadets from 2011-2014. During his time at The Cadets, the group won the 2011 DCI Championship and the 2013 Fred Sanford high percussion award. He was battery section leader from the 2012-2014 seasons. Alex was also a member of the UMass quad line from 2010-2013, where in addition to the full Marching Band schedule he performed at PASIC 2011 and the 2013 Macy’s Day Parade. He was both quad line and battery section leader for the 2013 season.
After aging out Alex has ingrained himself working with top drum corps and percussion programs, teaching The Cadets battery during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. While pursuing his Masters studies, Alex maintained an active schedule working with and writing for schools across the United States and putting on clinics both with the UMass percussion program and as a stand alone presenter. His writing resume includes UMass, top competitive Indoor Percussion ensembles, marching bands across the country, and DCI corps.
Alex is currently the battery coordinator for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, where he handles the day to day teaching, equipment, and logistical needs of the battery. He is ecstatic to be re-joining the team at United Percussion, and continue the tradition of amazing work that makes the group so special.
When he is not traveling or teaching, Alex enjoys exploring scenic Western Massachusetts, involving himself in the local live music scene, and learning about the history of Roman and Western Culture.
Alex proudly endorses Vic Firth Drum Sticks, and Zildjian Cymbals.
Tony Lymon
Front Ensemble Arranger/Sound Design
Tony currently serves on the design team and is Audio Caption Supervisor for Carolina Crown. He recently completed a 24 year tenure as the co-music arranger/show designer for the Petal High School marching band in Petal, Mississippi and was the director and show designer for the Petal Indoor Percussion Theatre, a national WGI Percussion Scholastic World Class Finalist. He has twice been awarded the Outstanding Junior High Director of the Southeast Mississippi Band Directors Association and the 2008 Mississippi Bandmasters Association AE McClain Outstanding Young Band Director Award. Tony was also the Founder and Director of Eminence Indoor Percussion Ensemble (2003-2005), a regional and national WGI Open Class finalist and championship ensemble.
Tony holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Certification in 3D Architectural Rendering from The 3D Training Institute of New York. He was a member and principal percussionist in the world renowned Southern Miss Wind Ensemble and Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra. While at Southern Miss, Tony was the percussion arranger for the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band and USM indoor percussion ensemble. Tony was also a member of the World Champion Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps (Bloomington, IN) from 1991-1993. In his three years of DCI experience, he won the DCI-Midwest Solo Timpani Champion and the 1994 Percussive Arts Society International Solo Timpani Award.
Tony's original marimba composition "Of Thoughts and Thinking" has become a standard in percussion literature. The piece was most recently recorded by German percussion artist Cornelia Monkse on the CD "Marimba 2" and was featured in the French documentary film "Le Ciel."
After college, Tony pursued a professional performance career for eight years with the pop/rock band King Konga . While with King Konga, Tony toured the world selling out venues nationwide. The group did a post September 11th USO tour for the U.S. Military in Hawaii and South East Asia. The four-piece band gained critical acclaim reaching #81 on the AC Hot 100 Pop Charts with "Something Good." With a rare accomplishment by an independent band, King Konga captured the eyes and ears of many major record labels and the band went on to perform at Woodstock '99. Tony has also performed with The Mississippi Symphony, Mobile Opera, Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera and The Meistersingers Orchestral/Choral Ensemble.
He has also served as Sound Designer for The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018 and Creative Designer for Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps 2019-2020. He is the owner of Eidetic Creative, a multimedia creative designs solution business. He currently resides in Petal, Mississippi with his wife Emily and 16-year-old daughter Colette.
Registration and packet downloads for 2024 are live! Get the packet here. Stay tuned for more announcements coming soon!