Paul Wiercioch :: Manager :: Visual Coordinator
paul@greenthunderpercussion.org
Paul Wiercioch is very excited about joing Green Thunder Percussion for his third season as Manager and Visual Caption Head.
Prior to Green Thunder Percussion, Paul was a member of the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps Contra section from 2001-2004. Since 2002, Paul has been teaching visual programs across the state including Normal West High School (2003-2005), John Hersey High School (2002, 2006-present), and Lake Park High School (2009-present). Paul has also designed visual programs for various high school and winter guards in Illinois since 2004. Paul attended Illinois State University, earning a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration.
During the week, Paul is a Senior Account Executive for Canon Business Solutions and is approaching his 5th year in the industry.
Joe Roach :: Director/ Arranger
joe@greenthunderpercussion.org
As a player and student, Joe Roach spent four years at Prospect High School where he discovered his love for percussion and desire to excel. Mr. Roach took that passion and went on to become a member of the 1998 Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps Front Ensemble. It was over the next few years, while studying at the University of Iowa, where he began making a living as a working musician.
Mr. Roach has been a teacher in the Chicagoland area for over nine years. Working primarily at the high school level, he has had the privilege of teaching at some of the finest percussive driven programs in the area. He spent four years teaching with Bret Kuhn at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, and is currently the Percussion Caption Head/ Arranger at Lake Park High School in Roselle, IL. This will be Joe’s fifth year with Green Thunder Percussion and first year as director.
In addition, Mr. Roach will be spending his second summer with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps teaching the front ensemble.
Brian Spicer :: Battery Coordinator :: Tenor Line
brian@greenthunderpercussion.org
This will be Brian Spicer's fourth year teaching Green Thunder Percussion. Brian attended Prospect High School and studied percussion with Bret Kuhn and continued on to play tenors for the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from 1998-2000. During that time, the percussion section won two High Percussion Awards (1999 & 2000) and the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps a World Championship (2000). In 1999, Brian received first place in the DCI Individual & Ensemble competition for his tenor solo "Bats Out of Hell."
Brian was a member of the University of Illinois Drumline from 1999 to 2000. He then taught the U of I tenor line from 2002 to 2007. Brian has taught at a variety of high schools in the Chicagoland area, and he currently teaches the Wheeling High School Drumline and the Lincoln-Way East High School Drumline. In addition to teaching, Brian continues to perform with the Chicago Bulls Stampede. Brian currently works full time as a School Psychologist at Maine South and Maine West High Schools.
Billy Spicer :: Snare Line
billy@greenthunderpercussion.org
Billy Spicer attended the University of Kentucky and Illinois State University where he graduated with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. He spent the summers of 1998, 1999, and 2000 playing snare drum for The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, winning two drum titles and a world championship. During 1999 and 2000 Billy performed in the PAS snare drum individuals competition. He has spent time teaching a variety of high schools in Chicago, as well as in the states of Kentucky and Florida.
Last season, Billy primarily worked with the snare line during Green Thunder’s first year of competition in the indoor percussion activity. He is a current performing member in both the Chicago Bears Drumline and Chicago Bulls Stampede. By day, he teaches 3rd grade in Lake Zurich, Illinois.
Jesse Backes :: Snare Line
Jesse Backes is a new addition to the Green Thunder staff for the 2012 season. After graduating from Downers Grove North High School in 2009, he continued on to the University of Illinois where he is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Music Education.
Jesse has been and continues to be active in the marching percussion activity. Beginning his competitive career with Green Thunder in its inaugural 2008 season, he stayed with the group in 2009. After taking the winter of 2010 off, Jesse was given a spot on the 2010 Colts Drum and Bugle Corps snareline. He then spent the 2011 winter season with Gateway Indoor Percussion from St. Louis, MO and the summer of 2011 with the Fred Sanford High Percussion award-winning Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. He hopes and plans to continue performing with The Cavaliers in the summers of 2012 and 2013.
Jesse has been lucky to study with some of the best educators in the percussion community; Huei-Yuan Pan, Bret Kuhn, Andres Aya, Michael MacIntosh, Brian Tinkle, Tim Maynard, Ricardo Floes, and William Moersch.
Jesse has taught at Munster High School in Munster, IN and has consulted and written for the University of Illinois’ Illini Drumline
Josh Wilson :: Tenor Line :: Visual
joshua@greenthunderpercussion.org
Josh Wilson is an experienced pianist, percussionist, and visual artist. This will be his second season teaching at Green Thunder.
Josh has worked with all age groups from elementary school through college both privately and in an ensemble context. He has taught and arranged for the Northern Illinois University drumline, Lincoln-Way East drumline, Wheaton-Warrenville South, and Lemont Music programs.
In the past he has performed with marching groups such as the NIU marching band, Chicago Bears drumline, Chicago Bulls drumline, I-2 Percussion Ensemble, NorthCoast Academy, and most recently with Aimachi from Nagoya, Japan. Josh's current explorations haven taken him south to the island of Trinidad to perform at Panarama, the world's largest steel band competition.
In his spare time Josh enjoys playing the ukulele, flying his stunt kite, and juggling.
Kevin Hanrahan :: Bass Line
kevin@greenthunderpercussion.org
This is Kevin Hanrahan's second year teaching Green Thunder Percussion. Kevin graduated from Marist High School in 2007. Currently, he is finishing the last stage of his bachelors degree in Music Education at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago.
Kevin has been heavily involved in both DCI and WGI and has been a member of groups such as Americanos Indoor (2006), Pioneer Indoor (2007, 2008, 2009), NorthCoast Academy (2010), Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps (2007), Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps (2008, 2009, 2010), and the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps (2011). During his time with the Phantom Regiment the percussion section captured 2 Fred Sanford High Percussion Awards (2008, 2010) as well as a DCI World Championship (2008). He has also had much success with Pioneer Indoor when they won their 2 consecutive WGI World Championships (2007, 2008).
Kevin has studied with such great teachers as Kevin Lepper, Bret Kuhn, Paul Rennick, Brian Lowe, Tyler Orbison, Stuart Spoon, and Adam Hill.
Kevin is an active percussionist in the Chicago land area and currently teaches at Lake Park High School in Roselle Illinois.
Bobby Bonslater :: Cymbal Line
Bobby Bonslater began his marching arts career in 2001 playing baritone for Racine Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. He advanced to become the Trumpet Soloist for the 2004 DCI Midwest Div III Champions, Americanos Drum and Bugle Corps, the 2005 DCI Division II/III Grand Champion, East Coast Jazz Drum and Bugle Corps and the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, where he aged out in 2007. Bobby continued to march at the all-age competitive level with the 2009 and 2011 DCA Class A Champions, Govenaires Drum and Bugle Corps, while serving as Program Coordinator for the Racine Scouts who performed twice as DCI Open Class Semi-finalist under his leadership. During his drum corps career, Bobby received multiple top honors in I&E competitions; most recently, DCA Trumpet and Mellophone Individual Champion, as well as a 2nd place finish in the Baritone category.
In addition to his drum corps experience, Bobby has marched and taught three-time WGI PIA Regional Champion, Americanos Indoor and two-time WGI PIA World Champion, Pioneer Indoor. This will be his first season with Green Thunder Percussion.
Bobby dedicates a good portion of this time to schools and independent programs that focus on uplifting inner city youth and neighborhoods. He has worked with a variety of performing arts programs in the Chicagoland area, most recently working with the Marion Stamps Youth Initiative as the Colorguard Coordinator and De La Salle Institute as the Music/Visual Designer.
Bobby studied Music Education at VanderCook College of Music and is currently the Co-Founder and Program Director for Windy City Legion Drum and Bugle Corps
Lloyd Puckitt
lloyd@greenthunderpercussion.org
Lloyd Puckitt is a FMM of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle corps and was a member of the snare line from 1983-85. During that time, Lloyd taught high school drumlines before going on to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to continue his studies in Percussion Performance.
Lloyd's career continued as a recording engineer in the music industry after completing his marching career in 1985, working locally in Plainfield, IL, then Chicago, and finally New York City. His work led him on travels throughout the entire country, as well as Ireland and England, working with artists such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Mathew Sweet, Madonna, and earning Platinum records with Vitamin C and Fuel.
The business side of music began to change in the late 90's, and Lloyd decided to change careers and revisit his love for the artistic and educational side of music. Lloyd currently works as a Private Percussion Instructor in Plainfield School District 202, and Batavia School District 101.
Lloyd is continuing his percussion studies while serving as the Percussion Caption Head and Arranger for Plainfield North High School, and Plainfield Central High School and is also on staff at Batavia High School. Lloyd is also a Sound Consultant with Prospect High School and Lake Park High School.
Lloyd is currently serving as the Sound Logistics & Production Engineer for the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, The Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps and is also currently serving as an instructor with Green Thunder Percussion.
Lloyd is an Education Artist for Innovative Percussion, Evans, Planet Waves and Dynasty Percussion.
Mike Leitzke :: Front Ensemble Consultant
Mike Leitzke began his percussion career at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Illinois, and went on to become a member of the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps front ensemble for the 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons. Mike was also a member of the Rhythm X Indoor percussion ensemble for the 2008 season, during which Rhythm X earned their first WGI World Class Championship.
Mike has taught and arranged for many high schools and indoor programs across the United States, including Dorman High School (PSO finalist), Lexington High School, Irmo High School, and Summerville High School. Additionally, Mike served as the front ensemble caption head/arranger for Palmetto Percussion from 2009-2011. During that time the ensemble won the 2010 WGI Open Class World Championship, and made Independent World Finals for the first time ever. Mike has also served as a clinician at the GearWORKS Summer Drum Days Clinics put on by The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps since 2009. Mike was on the percussion faculty of the Colts Drum & Bugle corps for the 2010 season, and was the front ensemble coordinator for the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps in 2011.
Mike has been extremely fortunate, and is very thankful to have been a student of some of the best music educators in the world. Mike’s instructors include: Bret Kuhn, Lee Beddis, Andrew Markworth, Lalo Davila, Joe Roach, Ian Hale, Dave Schmuck, Brian & Billy Spicer, and Steve Ballard.
Mike is currently living in Columbia, South Carolina with his girlfriend Lindsey and their dog Dexter. He is studying physical geography/atmospheric science at the University of South Carolina.
Dan Hubert :: Front Ensemble Tech
Bio coming soon.
Erick Eckstrom :: Front Ensemble Tech
Bio coming soon.
Huei-Yuan Pan :: Composer/ Arranger
huei@greenthunderpercussion.org
Known for his professionalism and congenial nature, Huei-Yuan Pan is considered by many to be one of the top rising performers and educators in the percussion world. The diversity of his background has provided him with such a high level of well-rounded expertise that he is consistently sought after to provide masterclasses and clinics throughout the United States, as well as Asia, having traveled to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan. Educational presentations have most recently included Elk Grove HS Day of Percussion, VanderCook College of Music, Oklahoma Band Director's Association, and East Central University. It is with great passion that he strives to promote music through education and performance.
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Mr. Pan attended The University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Human Learning, and continued his studies at Northwestern University, receiving a Masters of Music degree in Percussion Performance and Literature. During that time, he worked with the Longhorn Marching Band and Wildcat Marching Band Drumlines respectively. His marching percussion experience includes the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (2001) and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2002-2004). In 2008, he became Director of Green Thunder Percussion, an educational division sponsored by The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps for high school age students in the Chicagoland area, and in 2012 decided to dedicate his time to the arranging and composition aspect of the GTP design team.
Mr. Pan has served on the music faculty at Lyons Township HS in La Grange, IL since 2007, taught courses ranging from Concert Band, Jazz Band, AP Music Theory, to Beginning Folk Guitar, and was recently awarded tenure in 2011.
