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uncp percussion faculty

Dr. Tracy Wiggins, Director of Percussion Studies

Tracy Wiggins

Listen to Dr. Wiggins Perform New Thaan with the UNCP Percussion Group

Tracy Wiggins is coordinator of the percussion program and assistant marching band director at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.  He has a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the HARTT School, University of Hartford. Dr. Wiggins holds a Masters Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Oklahoma State University. He has done post-masters work at The Ohio State University. In addition to his teaching duties he serves as principal timpanist for The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, principal percussionist of the Florence Symphony and percussionist/timpanist for the Carolina Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.

Dr. Wiggins varied musical interests are reflected in his performance credits, highlights of which include: orchestral work with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (extra), The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Florence Symphony Orchestra, The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Waterbury (CT) Symphony, the New Britain (CT) Symphony, the Westerville (Ohio) Civic Symphony and as principal percussionist for the Santa Fe Symphony; solo appearances at the University of Maryland at College-Park, Tarleton State University, the University of New Mexico's Composers Symposium, Oklahoma State University, Samford University, The Hartt School,  Western Connecticut State University,  The University of Alabama-Birmingham,  The 2004 and 2009 Percussive Arts Society International Conventions and The Ohio State University; percussion and drumset work for "Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan" and the touring Broadway musical "Ragtime” with the Birmingham Broadway Series, The Birmingham Operaworks production of "Trouble in Tahiti," and the Birmingham Theater production of "Kiss of the Spider-woman”; concerto appearances with the Hartt School, University of New Mexico, Oklahoma State University and Ohio State University percussion ensembles, the Hartt Contemporary Players, the Oklahoma State University Symphony Orchestra and the Samford University Wind Ensemble; chamber music performances at the North American Saxophone Alliance Northeastern Conference, with "Performance 20/20, and he has twice performed on the Percussive Arts Society's "New Music" day as a member of the University of New Mexico percussion ensemble; marching percussion with the Freelancers and Black Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as instructing the DCI Division III World Championship finalist Delta Brigade, Northern Aurora Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Carolina Gold Senior Drum and Bugle Corps; ethnic percussion with the Hartt School, Samford University and Ohio State University steel drum bands, the Hartt Handance Ensemble, and the Hartt and Ohio State University African Drumming Groups.

His teachers have included Johnny Almendra, Tricia Bovenschen, Wayne Bovenschen, Michael Bump, Joe Galeota, Ralph Hardimon, Gregg Koyle, Alexander Lepak, Christopher Shultis, Ben Toth, Glen Velez and Nancy Zeltsman. Tracy has also performed on masterclasses for Evelyn Glennie, Nebojsa Zivkovic and Robert Van Sice.  Dr. Wiggins has premiered works by composers David Macbride, Thomas DeLio, Daniel Davis and others.

He is an artist/endorser for Yamaha Percussion, Black Swamp Percussion, Innovative Percussion. Evans Drum Heads and Sabian Cymbals.  Tracy Wiggins is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, Music Educators National Conference, The College Music Society, Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.                                                                                                     

Dr. Wiggins Repertoire and Publications

Dr. Wiggins Blog

Tom Bernett, Interim Instructor of Drumset
Tom Bernett

After a childhood that included a dozen years as a drum and bugle corps rat, learning the fine art of precision rudimental drumming, Tom started playing professionally in 1968 in northwestern Indiana. Since then, his experience has included: USO shows; 10 years "on the road" with lounge shows; 3 years of celebrity theater, dinner theater, and studio work in Chicago; and more then 20 years of club dates, corporate events, and studio work in the Minneapolis area.

In addition to playing drums, Tom started singing in church choir at a very early age. Voice lessons followed and he began combining the jobs of singing and drumming during his first road band tour after leaving the Navy in 1971.

In the mid 70s, he studied applied percussion at Eastern Kentucky University under Dr. Donald Cooper, who was best known as Charlie Barnett's drummer during the late 50s. He relocated to North Carolina in 2002, and now lives on a golf course in Southern Pines.

Over the years he has played backup to: Steve Allen, Tiny Tim, Julius LaRosa, Steve and Edie, Jack Jones, Terry Gibbs, Art Lund, David Allyn, the Lettermen, the Spinners, the Temptations, Rodney Dangerfield, Redd Foxx, Phyllis Diller, Bill Cosby, Rich Matteson, Ray Papai's Nirva Nova Orchestra, Bozo the Clown, Emmett Kelly Jr. Circus Show, the Cat's Pajamas, Fred Steele, Connie Foote, Duke Kane & Company, Skip DeVol, Paul Lennon, and a whole bunch of others that he's forgotten.

Tom believes that good music and good musicians are only half of the requirements for a good band. He also thinks that paying attention to the audience, understanding what they like, and helping them have fun are equally important --- he works hard to make that happen at every event where Swing Street performs.

 

Updated: Wednesday, January 4, 2012

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