Winter Drumline: Staff Page

SS A past Vice President of the California chapter of PAS, Tad Carpenter has built a distinguished career in marching bands and drum & bugle corps.

Tad earned his undergraduate music degree and teaching credentials with California State University Northridge. He followed with a Masters in Percussion Performance, earning honors status at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

Tad has been involved in marching virtually since he could carry a drum. At age 11, he was playing with Santa Clara Vanguard. At 14, Tad got his first taste of success, winning the High Drum Caption with SVC in 1975. Over the years, he has instructed winning corps and marching bands including the Sacramento Freelancers, Glassmen, Velvet Knights Drum & Bugle Corps. Tad has also marched with the Disneyland Magic Kingdom Korps.

His horizons expanding, Carpenter led and composed percussion for the 1984 Olympic Band, the 1991 Olympic Sports Festival, the 1994 World Cup Opening Ceremonies in Los Angeles, and the Spirit of Tanjong in Singapore.

Today, Tad instructs drum lines for the University of Southern Californian Trojan Marching Band, the Tournament of Roses Honor Band, and he is Director of Percussion at Pasadena City College - all this in addition to duties as an adjudicator and clinician for WGI and PAS.

Tad is an endorsee for Innovative Percussion and a Musician's Advisory Board member for EVANS Drumheads.