Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame is an honor given to those individuals who make a significant and lasting contribution to RMPA and who, in some way, have greatly influenced the association.

2018 Inductee

GINGER GAINEY

2015 Inductee

DAVID EVANS

David has been a part of the RMPA family since 1995 as a Performer, Instructor, Arranger/Composer, member of the Board of Directors and Executive Director.  David served as Executive Director of RMPA from 2010 through 2014.  During his tenure as executive director, He spent numerous hours scheduling, organizing, making sure every aspect of every show was perfect for the Students, Instructors, RMPA Volunteer Staff, Judges, Parents and Audience members, not to mention running his own Band program and Percussion Ensemble’s at the same time.  He organized and put the RMPA into the 21st century by updating the back-side of the organization so that records could be better kept, and to simplify the year-to-year transitions.  David has always tried to make the environment of the RMPA one where the student comes first, and made executive decisions based on what was good for the organization as a whole.  We truly have a better RMPA because of his Leadership and Organization. 

 

2014 Inductee

RAY ULIBARRI

2013 Inductee

DAN BURKE

2012 Inductees

JOHN CROUCH

In 1996, John Crouch agreed to veer off of his Color Guard and Marching Band drill writing course, and create the visual program behind Northglenn’s production of Interstellar Suite. With a WGI Silver Medal finish, the stage was set for percussion ensembles across the country to explore new and exciting ideas incorporating movement, staging, costuming, and themes in ways never approached before.

As independent groups began to rise, John took on the Blue Knights visual program. In his time there, the Blue Knights set new standards of movement with fluid geometry and velocity that left an indelible mark on the activity.  Over the last 16 years, he has written for many of Colorado’s finest ensembles, and has been rewarded with countless gold, silver, and bronze medals at both the RMPA and WGI level.

His full-time job has taken John and his family away from Colorado, but his work here has and will always be recognized as visual innovation that changed the face of indoor percussion.

COREY BRODERSEN

Corey Brodersen has been a percussion instructor in Colorado for the past 17 years.  During this time, he has worked with many ensembles, including Arvada, Centaurus, Legacy, Longmont, Mountain Range, and the Blue Knights.  Corey has accomplished much during his career, working with multiple RMPA Champions and WGI Finalists, and his shows have consistently been some of the most unique and memorable in RMPA.

In addition to his teaching career, Corey has been instrumental in the growth of the RMPA organization.  He has served as RMPA President, as well as Education Director.  In this role, Corey organized, and presented clinics at, the RMPA Day of Percussion.  He also began the Individual and Ensemble Festival, giving students a new venue to explore their art form.

 

2010 Inductees

KAT THIEDE

Kat started as a volunteer for RMPA after her daughter's graduation from Northglenn High School.  She took on the task of Timing and Penalties Judge for several seasons, eventually becoming RMPA's Executive Director.  She achieved great success in all aspects of this job, and her knowledge of business management, people skills, and tireless detailing brought RMPA to a new level of stability and success.  Her calm, always friendly demeanor is noticed and appreciated by everyone in the activity:  stressed out staff members, kids racing on and off the floor, frantic parents, and worn out RMPA volunteers.

Upon her leaving the job as Executive Director, she spent a year in transition training Dan Burke as Executive Director.  She also was instrumental in setting up the Board for the challenges of a large turnover of volunteers and another Executive Director change in 2010.  Her guidance and help through this time was invaluable in continuing our commitment to giving students the best possible experience for years to come.  Kat continues to help RMPA in many ways, including serving as Timing and Penalties Judge once again.

KATHY MARVIN

Kathy has been a percussion instructor and clinician in Colorado for the past 20 years. Receiving the Fiske Scholarship, she studied percussion and music business at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Business from the University of Colorado at Denver.  Currently, she is a percussion instructor at Northglenn High School, Mountain Range High School, directs a middle school percussion ensemble, and has an active private lesson percussion studio. In the summer, she enjoys being a clinician for the Yamaha Sounds of Summer, her first one having been in 1990 with Fred Sanford.

Under Kathy's instruction, the Northglenn High School Percussion Ensemble has won numerous state marching band percussion titles and eleven Rocky Mountain Percussion Association Winter Percussion titles, as well as WGI gold, silver and bronze medals in the Scholastic World category.  Her dedication as a passionate educator has influenced some of Colorado’s top percussionists to continue their craft with groups such as the Blue Devils, Blue Knights, and numerous college ensembles. She has also inspired many former students to share their knowledge and love for the percussion activity by becoming instructors both here and across the country. 

 

2009 Inductee

WARD DURRETT

A graduate of Millikin University and the US Navy School of Music, Ward currently performs with Denver’s Hot Tomatoes Jazz Orchestra, the Dean Bushnell Orchestra and is the leader of the MountainSong Jazz Project. Ward’s performance credits also include Denver pianists Gary Dempsey and Chuck Lamb, singer Carol Lawrence, band leaders Bob Crosby, Ray Eberly, Les Elgart and Ray McKinley, entertainer Sheri Lewis, and Al Pierson (the Guy Lombardo Orchestra).    

Ward's credentials include past Instructor of Percussion at Colorado State University as well as Colorado Christian University: Percussion Director for the University of Northern Colorado's "Pride of the Rockies" marching band; Director of Admissions and Director of Percussion and Jazz Studies at the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago and Percussion Instructor and Arranger at Marian Catholic HS in Chicago Heights IL. 

 In December of 2000, Ward was the first percussionist to be inducted into the Winter Guard International Hall of Fame in recognition of his pioneering efforts in the development of the WGI indoor competitive percussion activity. He served as both Percussion Coordinator and Chief Judge for WGI and still contributes to the activity as a consultant and member of the WGI Percussion administrative team. 

Ward is a clinician for, and plays Mapex Drums and Majestic Percussion exclusively.  
https://warddurrett.com/

2008 Inductees

DAVE MARVIN

Dave's highly competitive programs have set many of the "percussion theatre" standards the activity now builds upon. Dave has been the Percussion Director at Northglenn High School for the past 30 years.Dave was the mastermind behind show concepts and visual coordination for the four time WGI World Champion the Blue Knights World Percussion Ensemble from 1999-2005.

Dave has served on the WGI board of directors and currently is the President of the Rocky Mountain Percussion Association. He served on the very first WGI Percussion Steering Committee through 2006 and has constantly been striving to develop a sound educational base for his and all indoor percussion students. Dave was instrumental in the creation of "Stampede", the first officially endorsed and sponsored drumline in the National Football League. To date, most of the teams in the NFL now have an official drumline as an additional entertainment source, thanks much to Dave's innovative efforts.

MIKE NEVIN

Mike Nevin, an internationally recognized percussion composer, arranger, adjudicator and clinician, has written and taught many award winning ensembles. Some of these including four-time WGI Independent World Class Champion, Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble, two-time WGI Concert Class Champion, Gateway High School and 2004 DCI Champion Concord Blue Devils.

Mike served many years on the RMPA board of directors and also spent a year as the interim Director of Percussion Studies at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

His original compositions for percussion ensemble continue to have an enormous impact on the percussion community both nationally and in the Rocky Mountain Percussion Association

 

2007 Inductees

CHARLES CRAIG, RALPH HARDIMON, STEVE YATES AND JOE BARTKO

These four gentlemen started RMPA in 1991. They were concerned about the level of percussion training and performance, primarily at the high school level and formed what is now one of the nation’s premier percussion organizations of its kind, with a main focus of student motivation and educational training through the percussion activity.

LYNN AND GEORGE LINDSTROM

For several years, this couple contributed their hearts and time to RMPA, enhancing the organization in every way.

Note: information On Additional Hall of Fame Inductees coming soon!