2012 PEOPLE

Patrick Zampetti.Director of Marching Percussion

“Mr. Z” has over 40 years of percussion experience as an instructor, arranger, clinician, performer, student, and adjudicator.  He is honored to be working with such a great group of students and staff here at UVA under the direction of his former student; William Pease. His previous teaching experience includes four years with the World Champion Cadets Drum Corps during which they won two of their 10 DCI World titles.  He has also instructed the Royales (NJ), Colonials (NJ), and Plebes (NJ) drums corps as well as NESBA Champion Oliver Ames (MA), Middle Township (NJ), Washington Township (NJ) and Mills Godwin (VA) high school bands in addition to many past and current private students.  He has served as a percussion adjudicator for marching band competitions in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  He is a former student of Kim Plainfield and Peter Erskine at the Drummer’s Collective in NYC and served as a clinician with the Pearl Drum Company.  He is currently a Marching Percussion Specialist and Private Drum Teacher with the Vic Firth Education Team.  He participated as a marching percussion performer for 8 years including three years as the Cadets Drum Sergeant and was honored with the prestigious Cadet of the Year award.  He firmly believes in “passing the torch” and considers the fact that many of his students have gone on to perform at higher levels of the marching percussion activity, or have become instructors or directors themselves, to be the greatest reward for his work.  Patrick received his professional degree in Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and founded Studio Z Architecture 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 wonderful children.

Contact Patrick @ patrick@studiozonline.com

Chris Garay.Drumline Instructor and Arranger

Chris Garay has taught rudimental percussion throughout the East Coast, and he has instructed drumlines from University of Virginia, George Mason University, and Spirit of Atlanta. He is a member of the Vic Firth Education Team and a REMO Health Rhythms Trained Facilitator. His performance career as a snare drummer includes the University of Virginia Drumline, Jersey Surf, United Percussion, The Cadets, The Bluecoats, and Rhythm X. During this time he has studied under marching percussion educators Bret Kuhn, Tom Aungst, Michael McIntosh, Chris Hestin, Tim Fairbanks, Tim Maynard, and Tim Jackson.

Chris is originally from New Jersey, where he graduated with high honors from Delaware Valley Regional High School. In 2009 he completed his undergraduate work at the University of Virginia, earning a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in Philosophy and Religious Studies. In addition to teaching, Chris trains physical fitness classes at CrossFit Charlottesville and plays drumset with The Anatomy of Frank.

Contact Chris @ chrisgaray87@gmail.com

I-Jen Fang.Front Ensemble Instructor

I-Jen Fang joined the faculty of the McIntire Department of Music at the University of Virginia in 2005 and is the Principal Timpanist and Percussionist for the Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra. She also directs the UVa Percussion Ensemble, the UVa New Music Ensemble, and is the front line instructor for the Cavalier Marching Band. I-Jen was born in Taipei, Taiwan and began her musical education at age six starting with the piano. She took up percussion at the age of nine and came to the United States at age fifteen to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Percussion Performance at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Later, she received her Master of Music degree from Northwestern University and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas where she served as a teaching fellow. I-Jen was a member of the University of North Texas Champion Indoor Drumline, performing and competing at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC).  She also coached the front line in the UNT Summer Marching Camp and at high schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Contact I-Jen @ if4n@virginia.edu

Zane Chao.Drumline Captain

Zane is from Fairfax, Virginia and has been involved with percussion since 8th grade, when he was accidentally signed up for concert band. But ever since, he has truly enjoyed playing drums and continues to love it. Throughout high school, Zane played competitively with the Fairfax High School Marching Band as well as Indoor Drumline. He has experience playing in the pit orchestra, bass drum, tenors, and snare (his current instrument). Outside of the Cavalier Drumline, Zane has played in the UVa Wind Ensemble, participated in Student Council, and created delicious treats in the baking club. As a rising fourth year in the McIntire School of Commerce as well as the Cavalier Marching Band, Zane is majoring in marketing and IT and hoping to pursue a career in advertising. In his spare time, he loves to play guitar and poker, surf YouTube, and troll the Internet. Zane loves conversation and meeting new people, so do not be afraid to approach him about anything. 

Contact Zane @ zc8be@virginia.edu

Matt Schagrin.Snare Section Leader

Matt is from Fairfax, Virginia and has been playing drums since fifth grade. Throughout his percussion career he has played in various ensembles including the Fairfax High School Indoor Drumline, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and currently the Cavalier Drumline. Besides marching with the Cavaliers, Matt participates in the University of Virginia Percussion Ensemble and Basketball Band. As a rising second year, Matt is pursuing entrance into McIntire Comm School or a major in economics with a finance concentration. When not drumming, Matt enjoys watching Chuck, running, and eating at the White Spot or the College Inn on the corner.

Michael Koenig.Quad Section Leader

Michael has lived in Charlottesville since he was four years old. His passion for drumming started at the age of five when he got his first drum set. He began taking drum lessons when he joined his middle school band in the sixth grade. At Albemarle High School, Michael played quads in the Marching Band all four years and was drum captain his junior and senior years. Here at UVa, besides playing quads for the Cavalier Marching Band, Michael is a part of the Wind Ensemble and the Percussion Ensemble. As a rising fourth year, Michael is a Chemistry Major and plans on going to Medical School after graduating from UVa. In his free time, besides drumming, he enjoys playing tennis, basketball, Mario Kart, and watching his favorite TV shows on Hulu.

Casey Pease.Bass Section Leader

Casey was born in Chesapeake, Virginia, and has lived here in Charlottesville since 2003. Casey began his musical interests at a very young age. His first instrument was the French Horn then moved quickly to percussion the following year. Casey went to Albemarle High School and was on their drumline his freshmen and sophomore year, marching cymbals then bass drum the next year. While at Albemarle High School, he began to moonlight as a drummer for the University of Virginia Marching Cavaliers. And played in the drumline his junior and senior year of high school. Casey has played in the CMB for four years on the bass drum line. Casey is staying in Charlottesville and attending PVCC to continue his involvement with UVa Marching Cavaliers and plans to transfer to UVa in the spring. He plans on being a member of the band longer than any other student. Casey enjoys swimming, beating people in Call of Duty, and being a gorilla.

Jamie Beaton & Elise Rowe.Cymbal Section Leaders

Elise is from Chesapeake, Virginia and attended Hickory High School where she was a member of the pit section for all of her 4 years. At UVA, Elise decided to give marching a try and has been a member ofthe cymbal line for the last two years. Outside of the marching band, Elise also plays bass clarinet in the university’s wind ensemble. She is currently majoring in biology and German and intends to pursue a career in medicine after college. When not at marching band practice or wind ensemble rehearsal, Elise also enjoys reading, loves the beach, and is a member of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at UVA.

Jamie is from Ashland, Virginia, and began playing music with the guitar at age seven.  In middle school he moved on to clarinet and oboe, which he plays in the UVa Wind Ensemble.  A third year, Jamie is a chemistry major with a concentration in biochemistry, and plans to become a doctor or work in the pharmaceutical industry.