Student Information

Over the years, IUP percussion students have been frequent winners in a variety of performing competitions including the Johnstown Symphony Concerto Competition, IUP Concerto Competition, the Gorell Student Competition, the Department of Music Competition, the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, the Butler Symphony Orchestra Competition, and the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Artist Competition (nine State winners, six Eastern Division winners and two National winners).

Since 2001, percussion students have consistently placed as finalists in the Delta Omicron Music Department Competition, which is open to all students in the IUP Music Department. On several occasions, percussionists have been awarded First Place. Academically, there have been as many as three percussion majors at any given time in the IUP Honors College since its inception several years ago.

Current percussion students are majoring in music education, performance, and theory/composition. They are performing with the Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band, Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Music Theater, Brass Ensemble, two jazz bands, and a variety of combos. Most percussion majors give solo recitals in their junior and/or senior years. Many alumni have been successfully placed in public school teaching positions around the country. Recent graduates pursuing their masters have been awarded assistantships in college programs such as UNT, TCU, LSU, the University of Delaware, and Truman State University.