Meet the Staff - Alex Entin, Battery Caption Head

The following is the first feature in our "Meet the Staff" blog series intended to introduce you to the instructors you will meet at our upcoming BEX Audition Events. In this week's post, we are excited to highlight our extremely talented battery caption head, Alex Entin.

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Arvada, CO (suburb north of Denver) attended Pomona High School there and performed with the award winning band and percussion ensembles for four years.

Tell us about your education background and drum corps experience.

I performed with the Blue Knights Drum Corps, the Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble and The Cavaliers Drum Corps. I attended The University of Northern Colorado from which I received my degree in Music Education and a teaching license for the state of Colorado to teach Music to students grades K-12. Gray Barrier was my percussion professor during my time at UNC. Other teachers I had through my drum corps experience include Jim Cassella, Jim Ancona, Mike McIntosh, Ray Ullibary, Brian Tinkel, Dustin Schletzer, Carl Eppler, Brian Perez, Pat Amann, Jeff Ausdemore among many others.

I had the pleasure of teaching alongside many of those great teachers at The Cavaliers where instructed the snareline for 4 years after I aged out, including the 2011 Fred Sanford Award winning drumline. I also taught alongside some of the best educators in Colorado during my time teaching and arranging for the Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble.

In all of the shows you were involved in as a performer and instructor, which one was your favorite and why?

2011 Cavaliers "XtraordinarY" and the 2011 BKPE WGI show "Physical Graffiti." It was a great year all around! Both shows had some of the most innovative elements specifically with the battery that I have ever seen in a show. It was a pleasure working on those shows and seeing the members take on some of the most challenging and exciting material you can imagine.

How did you get hooked on the activity?

I love rudimental drumming, and still do! I have since expanded my range including all percussion, band, and string instruments, but I am a snare drummer at heart. My background in piano drove me to pursue music, and drum corps was an easy decision for me to make at a young age because it was in line with what my goals were. I can confidentially say that if it weren't for my drum corps experience, I would not have my current job as a music teacher at Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs.

What excites you about being involved in the launch of The Battalion?

I'm honored to be part of a group that focuses so greatly on positive core values of young men and women, preparing them to become adults of strong character, morals, leadership, and friendship.

What should students expect for the first clinic? How can they get the most out of it?

Students should come with a desire to learn, first and foremost. As with anything, the more prepared you are before the clinic, the more you will get out of it, so my recommendation is for students to start drumming NOW, take private lessons if you can and also drum everyday.