PEOPLE

Patrick Zampetti, Drum Line Instructor

Patrick has long time association in the field of marching percussion. He participated as a performer for eight years and served as the Garfield Cadets' Drum Sergeant and received the Cadet of the Year Award. He also designed the Cadets' “G" logo. He was a four-year member of the Cadets percussion staff working with drum corps Hall of Fame Member Thom Hannum during which they won back to back DCI World Championships.  He has attended master classes at The Drummers Collective in New York City and is a former clinician for the Pearl Drum Company.  He has also instructed the Royales (NJ), Colonials (NJ), and Plebes (NJ) drum corps as well as Oliver Ames (MA) and Mills Godwin (VA) high school bands. Many of his students have gone on to perform at higher levels of the marching activity or have become instructors themselves.  As an active percussion instructor and adjudicator, he is a strong believer that music is an essential component of the educational process.  Patrick received his professional degree in Architecture in 1981 from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.  He founded Studio Z Architecture, Inc in 1993.  He maintains his professional practice in Richmond where he resides with his wife Lorrie, a Music Therapist, Teacher, and former Cadet Percussionist and their four wonderful children.

Michael Purvis, Drum Line Captain & Co-Snare Section Leader

Michael Purvis was born in Tallahassee, Florida and has lived in Charlottesville for the past 18 years.   Originally a clarinet player, Michael picked up the drums his senior year of high school, playing tenors with the Albemarle High School Marching Patriots. Since entering UVa in 2004, he has been a member of the UVa snare line. 

This fall, Michael enters his fourth year as a student in the Systems Engineering Department.  He is concurrently enrolled in graduate classes and working on the cost of patching security vulnerabilities on his way to a Master's Degree.

Outside of school and drumming, Michael enjoys writing music, lifting weights, and playing tennis and ultimate frisbee.

Ben Hallissy , Drum Line Commander & Co-Snare Section Leader

Born and raised in Hampton, Virginia, Ben graduated from Kecoughtan High School and was a 4 year member of the Warrior Marching Band, becoming band president and drumline captain for his senior year. Ben's musical career started with drum lessons in the 6 th grade, and at UVa he has continued with music by joining the UVa snare line, and playing with the University's Wind Ensemble.

Ben is a member of the class of 2009, and is working toward a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He also enjoys frisbee, soccer, and just about anything that involves the great outdoors, including backpacking, kayaking, and fly fishing.

Taylor Burrow, Quad Section Leader

Taylor Burrow was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia and has lived there her entire life.  She began her musical career in middle school as a flute and piccolo player, and picked up the drums her sophomore year at Courtland High School.  Taylor played one year each on bass, quads, and snare before coming to UVa, where she has played quads ever since.

Outside of drumming, Taylor is a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and the Kappa Kappa Psi fraternity.  She is a part of the Class of 2009, with a major in Economics and a possible minor in psychology if she can get her act together.  Taylor enjoys sports (a different favorite every season), procrastinating, Final Fantasy X, and Sunday Sundaes at the dining hall.

David Rhodenbaugh , Cymbals Section Leader

David Rhodenbaugh is a member of the class of 2009, pursuing a degree in English with a minor in Psychology.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, David attended Indian Hill High School, and was a member of nearly every band ensemble there at some point in his four years, playing the alto saxophone. His senior year, he was Lieutenant and
student drill instructor in the Braves Marching Band, and received the John Philip Sousa award. After marching saxophone with the Cavalier Marching Band in the 2005 season, he switched to the drum line and began pursuing cymbals. Outside of marching band, David is active in the Washington Literary Society and Debating Union. He is also half of the two-man team for the Cavalier Daily comic 4-H Club.

Veronica Tornini, Front Line Section Leader

Veronica is part of the Class of 2010 pursuing a degree in psychology, but is also enrolled in a Five-Year program in special education through the Curry School of Education.

Before attending the University of Virginia, Veronica lived in Port Chester, NY, where her passion for music began.  Her grandmother started teaching her how to play the piano at the age of four, and continued playing piano through high school.  In 4th grade, she learned how to play the flute, then proceeded to piccolo in middle school.  In her transition to high school, she transferred over to pit, and absolutely loved it!  During her last two years of high school, she was drum major, which she also loved.   She was also a member of the Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps for five years, winning the Class A championship in 2007.  When she came to UVA, she played bass drum, decided it was awesome, and continued to play the following year. This year, she will reunite with her deepest love: pit. And she's really psyched about it.