Rhythm X Percussion announces 2020 Music Instructional Staff
We’re excited to announce the music instructional staff for our 2020 percussion group! We’ve assembled quite the team for X20. Read our designers’ and educators’ bios below. Come back soon for the percussion group’s weapon line & visual ensemble instruction, as well as the staff announcement for X Winds!
In alphabetical order, per caption:
Design Team
Tim Fairbanks
Ensemble Director, Design - Visual / Program
Tim has taught at Centerville HS since 1997 as both the Director of Percussion and currently as the Visual Designer for the marching band, Indoor Drumline and Winter Guard. Tim is also currently serves on the WGI Board of Directors and is the Vice President on the WGI Executive Committee. In addition to this role, Tim serves on the WGI Percussion Steering Committee and represents Rhythm X (PIW) on the Percussion Advisory Board. Tim is an in-demand freelance designer, judge, instructor and consultant. He proudly endorses Pearl/Adams, D’Addario, Evans Drumheads, Sabian, and is a Signature Artist with Promark.
Tim Jackson
Design - Battery / Movement
Tim began his drumming career at the age of ten studying rudimental, drumset, and keyboard percussion. He is now one of the most in-demand consultants and instructors in the United States. Notably, Jackson won honors as the PASIC Multi-Tenor champion in 2005, and the DCI Individual and Ensemble Multi-Tenor champion four consecutive years from 2003 to 2006 while performing with The Blue Devils. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from The Ohio State University.
At Rhythm X, Inc., Tim serves on the design team of the Percussion ensemble. He has served an integral role in program design since his age out year as a performer. Tim endorses Pearl/Adams, and Evans Drumheads, and is a Signature Artist of Promark.
Andrew Markworth
Design - Front Ensemble / Music
Andrew Markworth is a composer, arranger and consultant writing wind, front ensemble and battery percussion for marching bands, indoor drumlines and drum corps. Andrew currently resides in Centerville, Ohio with his wife Kara, their children Natalie and Brady, and Ralphie, the Westie. Previously, he was the Centerville High School Band Director from 2005-2008 before becoming a full-time writer. He is currently engaged as the full score arranger for Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps in addition to his role at Rhythm X, Inc.
Andrew endorses Yamaha Percussion, Evans Drumheads, and Zildjian Cymbals. He is a signature artist with Promark - having designed the Andrew Markworth Signature mallets, released in 2018. He is in-demand as a freelance consultant.
Battery Staff
Josh Brickey
Battery Coordinator & Snares
Josh Brickey is an active arranger, composer, and educator in the central Ohio area. Josh was recently the Percussion Caption Head for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, and is currently Battery Coordinator and Snare Tech for RhythmX. Josh has worked with and designed for numerous high school programs in the Dayton and Columbus, OH areas. He has also spent time teaching or arranging for notable program such as the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, Tates Creek Indoor Percussion Ensemble, Miami University Marching Band, and Capital City Percussion (2013 PIO Champion).
Josh has performed with many notable programs, including Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps (2004), the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps (2005), Trinity Indoor Percussion Ensemble (2000), and Rhythm X (2003-2006).
Mike Cavanaugh
Basses
Mike Cavanaugh has been a part of the marching activity since 2008. He was introduced to the marching activity as a student at Centerville High School. Since then, he has been a marching member of many World Class WGI and DCI ensembles.
Mike started his drum corps career with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, performing with them in 2012 and 2013. Mike went on to march with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, where he received a DCI silver and bronze medal, He aged out with the corps in 2015.
In 2013, Mike also marched his first Independent World WGI season with the WGI medalist, Rhythm X. He was a part of Rhythm X from 2013-2016 where he received a WGI gold medal in 2013, a WGI bronze medal in 2014, and a WGI silver medal in 2015. After ending the marching portion of his career he went on to teach at the Blue Stars, Crossmen, and Connexus percussion.
Mike currently lives in Centerville, Ohio where he is a technician with many high schools in the Dayton area, and a registered visual judge with the Central States Judges Association.
Thomas Claesen
Quads
Thomas Claesen is excited to start his third season with Rhythm X. He has taught marching ensembles and English as a foreign language in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Born and raised in Belgium, Thomas moved to the States in the fall of 2017. He now lives in Nashville, TN with his wife Chelsea and their energetic dog Rachel. He works as a freelance designer and developer, and revamped the Rhythm X website in the summer of 2019.
Thomas marched drum corps at The Academy (2008-2009), Santa Clara Vanguard (2010) and The Cavaliers (2011). Some of his teaching experiences include being the battery arranger and coordinator for DrumSpirit (2010-2017), teaching the quadlines at The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2012-2013) and the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (2017-2019), representing Innovative Percussion as an educational artist, working with the Field Band Foundation in South Africa, and being an English lecturer at VIVES University College.
Trevor Dunbar
Quads
Trevor Dunbar is from Indianapolis, Indiana, where he got his start playing Quads at Lawrence Central High School. His first experiences with indoor were with Legacy Indoor Percussion (‘14,’16) and NorthCoast Academy (‘15). He also went on to march Phantom Regiment (‘15,’16,’17,’18), where he was section leader his last two years. Finally, Trevor finished his marching career with Rhythm X (’17,’18,’19).
Trevor graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science where he majored in Mathematics and obtained minors in Psychology and Spanish. He has taught the Battery at Center Grove High School and The Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps as well as performed with the Indiana Pacers and Indianapolis Colts Drumlines. Trevor recently moved to Columbus, where he is now a software engineer.
John Genga
Basses
John is super excited to be back with the Rhythm X percussion team. He spent several years performing with Rhythm X (2015-2018) and this will be his second year on staff. John has also performed with various drum corps as a bass drummer since 2011. His performing experience includes Spartans, Carolina Crown and The Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps.
John is originally from Newport, RI but currently resides in Dayton, OH where he teaches The William Mason High School marching band.
Alex “Scoot” Huizen
Cymbals
Alex began his marching cymbal career in 2009 with the Jenison High School Marching Band. He played cymbals there for three seasons, two of which won MCBA Championships in Flight II. Entering his first year of college, Alex spent his first indoor season in 2014 with Genesis Percussion from Grand Rapids, MI. Alex continued marching cymbals at Rhythm X from 2015-2017. In addition, Alex also performed with the Madison Scouts for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Alex was section leader for Genesis (2014), Rhythm X (2016-2017), and the Madison Scouts (2016). He is also a two-time recipient of the Cymbal Scholarship. Alex served as cymbal instructor for Genesis Percussion and the Colts Cymbal Line in 2018. Alex is currently a graduate student at Michigan State University studying Landscape Architecture. He is excited to be returning to Rhythm X as an instructor of the RXP for the 2020 season.
Chelsea Levine
Cymbals
Chelsea Levine is an established cymbal technician throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.
She’s dedicating her post-marching career to the advancement of marching cymbals through teaching, building her company Seavine, & co-founding The Cymbal Scholarship.
Chelsea has marched and taught in various groups around the world. She was fortunate enough to perform with Rhythm X, Crossmen, Jersey Surf, United Percussion & Gateway Indoor. Upon aging out, Chelsea has been a cymbal technician for Rhythm X since 2014, Colts and Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps, Centerville High School, Western Carolina University, & DrumSpirit. She has also promoted the art of cymbal playing in Europe and Asia with clinics in Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, China, and Thailand.
In 2010 Chelsea founded Seavine, a company that offers high quality cymbal and hornline performance products such as The Cymbal Gloves. She founded The Cymbal Scholarship- assisting WGI & DCI cymbal players with their membership fees. Since 2012, they have given away over $20,000 to marching cymbalists fully funded by Seavine profits.
Chelsea’s excited to have the added responsibility of social media specialist for Rhythm X, Inc this season. She currently resides in Nashville, TN with her super cool quad tech husband Thomas and their energetic dog Rachel.
Adam Norris
Battery Coordinator & Quads
Adam Norris is a percussion specialist in the Louisville, Kentucky area, working full time as a private educator and arranger, and recently served as Assistant Battery Caption Head for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. Prior to the Blue Stars, Adam spent three seasons as the Quad Tech for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (2011-2013). Previously, he was the Percussion Director at Centerville HS, and is currently a member of the battery staff at Rhythm X (2013-present).
Adam has performed in many programs, including the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, and Rhythm X. He studied music at Eastern Kentucky University as well as Miami University, where he performed in a variety of ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra and Steel Band. He has performed, judged, and taught in multiple countries around the world, including India, Thailand, and Holland. Currently, Adam lives in Louisville, KY.
Carter Smith
Snares
This is Carter’s first year on staff with Rhythm X. He aged out from the group in 2019 after spending three seasons as a member. He also spent time as a member of the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps, Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps, and Legends Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as Cap City Percussion and the Ohio State Marching Band. Currently he is the snare tech at Olentangy Liberty High School.
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Carter is a student at The Ohio State University. He is studying Industrial & Systems Engineering.
Front Ensemble Staff
Lee Allman
Front Ensemble
Lee Allman is a freelance music educator and arranger based in Indianapolis, IN where he serves as the Percussion Director for Avon High School. He holds a bachelors degree in music from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. An experienced arranger, ensembles he has designed for include Union High School (OK) and Avon Winds (IN).
Lee has been a front ensemble technician at the Crossmen for five years, and his past drum corps teaching experience includes the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps and Carolina Crown. He’s excited to return to Rhythm X.
Lee is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion.
Will Buetow
Front Ensemble
Will Buetow is from Avon Indiana where he currently resides. He has taught the Avon High School Front Ensemble since 2014, as well as the Crossmen Front Ensemble for the past two summers.
Will was a member of the Bluecoats Front Ensemble from 2015-2017 and also a member of the Carolina Crown Front Ensemble in 2014. He was in the Rhythm X Front Ensemble from 2015-2018.
Will graduated from IUPUI in Indianapolis in the Spring of 2018. He received a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in psychology. Now he is working as a campaign field manager with the HRCC in Indianapolis.
This will be Will’s second year with the Rhythm X Front Ensemble. He is excited for the upcoming winter season!
Ryan Kilgore
Front Ensemble
Matthew Ryan Kilgore is a percussionist, arranger, clinician, performer, adjudicator, and is currently Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. With a diverse percussive background he specializes in keyboard percussion, chamber music, steel band and the marching arts.
As a performer, Mr. Kilgore has performed and given clinics throughout the United States and Europe. Ryan was the highest placed American in the Paris Marimba competition as well as being selected as a representative of the United States in the 5th installment of the World Marimba Competition in Stuttgart, Germany. He has performed at three Percussive Arts Society International Conventions, including the Mallet Masters All-Stars in 2010. As a chamber musician Ryan has performed with Third Coast Percussion Ensemble, Mark Ford, Michael Burritt, Steven Schick and She-e Wu. Matthew Ryan Kilgore will soon be heard on a University of North Texas Percussion Ensemble CD where he is featured on Alejandro Vinao’s Estudios de Frontera.
Ryan marched with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in 1999, and has been teaching there since 2008, where he serves as the music ensemble coordinator. He has been part of 3 gold medal seasons with Rhythm X Indoor Percussion. He has also had the privilege of working with great band programs such as Marcus High School and Carmel High School.
Ryan has his Bachelor Bachelor of Music in percussion performance from Rutgers University and a Master of Music in percussion performance and pedagogy from Northwestern University. Currently, Ryan is finishing his DMA at The University of North Texas and teaches privately in Columbus, Ohio where he also the Director of Percussion at Thomas Worthington HS.
Dan Schmitt
Audio Engineer
Dan Schmitt is an audio engineer/designer that currently resides in Louisville, Ky. He studied Music Industry at Eastern Kentucky University, and has been helping consult with marching ensembles for 10 years. Dan's workload most recently includes podcast, soundtracks, and samples, as well as helping raise two four-legged kids at home with Amanda. He has had the privilege to work with Rhythm X since 2017. Crank It Up!
Lane Summerlin
Front Ensemble Coordinator
Dr. Lane Summerlin is an active percussionist residing in Indianapolis, Indiana. He serves as the Front Ensemble Coordinator for Rhythm X. Lane teaches at Center Grove High School where he instructs the front ensemble, assists the percussion ensemble and maintains a large studio of private lesson students.
Lane has been working with the Crossmen since 2017. Previously he instructed the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps and the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, where he also served as Percussion Caption Head.
Lane received his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from The Ohio State University, where his focus was percussion performance. His academic research is centered on the history and development of the front ensemble in Drum Corps International; his publication is the first to focus on the subject.
Dr. Summerlin holds a Master of Music degree from The Ohio State University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.