The George Mason University Indoor Drumline is proud to introduce it's battery staff for the 2018 season!
Alex Musliner - Battery Manager
Alex Musliner is excited to be a first-year member of the George Mason instructional team for the 2018 season. Most recently, Alex was the snare technician for Imperial Dynasty indoor percussion ensemble and the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle corps for their 2017 seasons. He has performed as a member of Cadets2 , Cadets Winter Percussion, and Carolina Crown. Alex graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Computer Engineering in 2015 and is currently working as a developer at a website provider.
Frank Cummings - Snare Technician
Frank was born and raised in southern New Jersey, just thirty miles outside of Philadelphia. It was in the fourth grade when he discovered his love for drumming. In 2003, Frank was introduced to the marching arts, joining the Penns Grove High School marching band.
Frank began marching drum corps in 2008 with the Reading Buccaneers, winning two DCA titles in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, Frank lived out his dream, joining the snare line at Carolina Crown. He continued marching Crown through 2012, eventually aging out with the Bluecoats in 2013. Along with his passion for drum corps, Frank has extensive WGI experience, marching with United Percussion in 2011 and Rhythm X in 2012, 2013 and 2014, aging out as the ensemble section leader.
After moving to Ohio, Frank has had the privilege of working with many great programs in the Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati areas. He is currently the battery caption head for the BOA finalist William Mason High School marching band and serves as a battery technician for the Lebanon band program. In 2015, Frank joined Rhythm X as a snare technician, where he continues to teach. Frank was the snare technician for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2015 and 2016.
Frank looks forward to continuing his educational role as a snare technician with Carolina Crown as well as George Mason University.
Mike Windish - Snare Technician
Mike Windish began his marching career spending four years with the University of Delaware Marching Band, graduating in 2006. During that time he also performed with the Reading Buccaneers and Aftermath Percussion. For the past 10 years Mike has worked as a premier percussive educator in the Mid-Atlantic region. He has lent his knowledge to groups such as the Penn State University Indoor Drumline, Field of View Indoor Drumline, the University of Delaware, Carolina Crown, and various high schools in the area. This will be Mike’s first year on staff with George Mason University. Outside of the activity, Mike lives in Delaware and works as a real estate agent.
Shane Nickels - Snare Technician
Shane Nickels is a percussionist specializing in rudimental and orchestral percussion. Shane currently serves in The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps as a snare drum instrumentalist and as Adjunct Faculty at George Mason University. Before winning the job with the fife and drum corps, Shane also performed as a snare drummer in DCI and other professional groups including The Bluecoats, The Troopers, and the Kansas City Chiefs drumline. As an educator, Nickels was the battery instructor for The University of Kansas Marching Jayhawks for two years and has given numerous clinics to private studios, high schools, and colleges throughout the country.
In addition to rudimental percussion Nickels is an orchestral percussionist, having performed with the Debut Orchestra, American Youth Symphony, Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, and the Mariinsky Orchestra. He was also a fellow at Music Academy of the West studying under Mike Werner and Ted Atkatz as well as playing at the Tanglewood Music Festival.
Shane received an undergraduate and masters degree at the University of Kansas under Kevin Bobo and Ji Hye Jung. Nickels then went on to receive an artist diploma at the University of Southern California under Jim Babor and Joe Pereira of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Matt Penland - Quad Technician
Matt Penland is a percussion performer, educator, and arranger based out of Washington, D.C. where he is a percussionist in the U.S. Air Force Band, Ceremonial Brass. Matt is also on the instructional staff for The Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps and arranges music for several marching percussion groups across the country.
Displaying a comprehensive background in both classical and marching percussion, Matt's performance accolades include: 3rd Prizewinner of the 2014 TROMP International Percussion Competition in the Netherlands, Top Prizewinner of the 2013 Atlanta Modern Snare Drum Competition, a 2015 Great Plains Marimba Competition Semifinalist and 2014 Southern California Marimba Competition Semifinalist. As a marching percussion soloist Matt was the 2011 DCI Individual and Ensemble Tenor Champion and the 2009 PASIC Collegiate Tenor Solo Champion.
Matt has performed and given masterclasses at the International Percussion Festival Seoul in South Korea, the Nebraska PAS Day of Percussion, the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, the Texas Music Educators Association convention and others. He was a section percussionist with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago before joining the Air Force, and was also a Music Academy of the West percussion fellow. Matt has taught private lessons to students ranging from beginners to collegiate level and is most recently an instructor for the George Mason University Indoor Drumline and South Lakes High School in Reston, VA. As a rudimental percussionist he was a member of the Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Carolina Crown, and Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps.
Matt earned a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from the University of North Texas in 2012 and a Master of Music Performance degree from Northwestern University in 2015. His teachers included She-e Wu, Christopher Lamb, Vadim Karpinos, James Ross, Paul Rennick, Christopher Deane, and Mark Ford.
Matt proudly endorses Innovative Percussion and Dynasty USA products.
Jim Doorley - Quad Technician
Jim began his drumming career at age 15 with East Coast Jazz Drum and Bugle Corps as a member of the bass line. He went on to march with the Spartans, Jersey Surf, and The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps as a quad player. Jim attended UMass Amherst where he was a member of the UMass drumline under the direction of Thom Hannum and Colin McNutt. He was a member of the quad line at UMass for 4 years and was the quad line section leader for 2 years. Jim is currently a PhD student in clinical psychology at George Mason University. This is his 3rd year teaching the quad line.
Grayson Ramsey - Bass Technician
Throughout much of his life, Grayson has lived in Northern Virginia and is a recent graduate of George Mason University. Since the age of 12, he has been involved in the marching activity. Beginning with his high school program, he quickly developed a passion for bass drumming and the marching arts. This continuous drive led to his involvement with the George Mason University Indoor drumline organization, performing with the group as a bass drummer from 2015 through the 2017 season. While at George Mason he played bass four in 2015, two in 2016-17, and after his first year became bass section leader for the 2016-17 seasons. During his time as a member of George Mason he was also the bass technician for the Yorktown Indoor Drumline based in Arlington, Virginia for the 2016 season. In 2017, he became the bass technician for the WGI Scholastic Open class finalists, South County High School, where he continues to teach. Outside of the drumming activity Grayson enjoys experiencing new things and travelling to exciting places. He has traveled to five of the seven continents and plans on visiting the last two soon. Grayson is excited to be returning for his fourth consecutive season with the organization as part of the bass instructional staff.
Ryan Scott - Bass Technician
Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Ryan is a graduate of Mills E. Godwin High School and Virginia Commonwealth University. Ryan has been involved with the Marching Arts since age 13. First as a member of the award winning Godwin Indoor Drumline and the Mills Godwin HS Marching Band. Ryan marched Bass Drum with WGI Independent World Class Finalist United Percussion in 2009, and with George Mason Mean Green from 2010 - 2013 – Winning the WGI Independent Open Class Gold Medal in 2012 and finishing 8th in the Independent World Class in 2013. Ryan also marched Bass Drum with Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps from 2010 to 2012, performing as a DCI Finalist in each of his last two seasons. Ryan served on the Spirit of Atlanta Staff as Bass Technician for the 2015 DCI Season and has been on Staff as Bass Technician for the George Mason University Indoor Drumline from 2014 to Present. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys video games, motorcycle riding and performing as drummer for his band Vince Kane & The Incurables. He currently resides in Richmond with his fiancé Liliana Perez and their two cats Remus and Tonks.
Garrett Churchey - Bass Technician
Garrett was born in Frederick, Maryland. He began his drumming endeavors in high school and music has driven and steered him in his career ever since. As a sophomore in high school, he auditioned and was offered a spot with the Windsor Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps hailing from West Windsor, New Jersey and competing in the A Class division of Drum Corps Associates. Garrett then continued on to audition for Chesapeake Percussion, competing in WGI A Class for the 2012 season and then returning to the Windsor Regiment for the 2012 summer season. With two summers of drum corps and a season of WGI under his belt, Garrett went on to become a member of Spirit of Atlanta in 2013 and 2014, and the George Mason University Indoor Drumline in 2013 and 2014.
In May of 2015 Garrett began Marine Corps basic training in Parris Island, South Carolina. After earning the title of United States Marine, Garrett reported to the Marine Barracks at 8th & I in Washington, DC to begin his career as a member of "The Commandant's Own", The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps where he plays bass drum.
Since 2013 Garrett has taught at multiple high schools in the western Maryland area, and in 2016 joined the staff of the George Mason University Indoor Drumline as a bass drum instructor.
Megan Huynh - Cymbal Technician
Returning to Mason for her first year on staff is Cymbal Technician, Megan Huynh.
Megan is a Fairfax, Virginia native. After she entered Fairfax High School she joined the marching band first playing saxophone and shortly after moving on to be drum major. Thereafter, she found interest in her high school's indoor program where she marched two years of cymbals and two years of bass drum.
In 2014, Megan joined GMUID's cymbal line and served as section leader for two years. The summer of 2014, Megan marched cymbals with Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps and in 2015 she marched Spirit of Atlanta. In 2017, Megan aged out at Infinity Percussion in Orlando, Florida.
Megan recently graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University. After the summer, she will start working at Deloitte Consulting LLP in Washington, DC.
We are excited to see what this fantastic staff has to offer in the upcoming season! Follow us on Facebook for further staffing and audition announcements coming in the near future!