• Jamiah Robbins - BA Music Ed, 2022
• Brandon Beck - BA Music, 2021
• Andrew Bullard - Young Performing Artist Recital (2017), BA Mus. Ed. 2018.
• Cody Ray - Young Performing Artist Recital (2017), BA Mus Ed. 2018.
• Josh Ford – Young Performing Artist Recital (2016), BA Music Technology 2016.
• Joe Collins - Graduate Percussion Recital April 2014, MEd April 2014.
• Seth Noble - Young Performing Artist Recital (Fall 2010), BA 2010 (Dec.).
• Adam McDowell - Young Performing Artist Recital (Fall 2009), BA Mus. Ed. 2010 (Dec.).
• Kristina (Banks) Howard - Soloist with Percussion Ensemble (Spring 2008), BA Mus. Ed. 2008.
• David Verin – Soloist with Percussion Ensemble (Spring 2007), Graduate Percussion Recital April 2008), MEd 2008.
• Diedra Robinson – Young Performing Artist Recital (Spring 2006), BA 2006.
• Keith Lloyd - Instructor of Music/Percussion at McMurry University since August of 2006. MM from the University of Kansas. Bachelors from UAB, 2001. Departmental Recital, 2001.
• Brad Palmer – co-owner of DoubleStop Percussion in Birmingham, AL. Front Ensemble coordinator for the Bluecoats drum and bugle corps. MM from the Middle Tennessee State University. Bachelors from UAB, 2001. Departmental Recital, 2001.
• Shane Reeves – DMA from University of South Carolina. MM from the University of Florida. Bachelors from UAB, 2003. Departmental Recital, 2001.
• Sean Womack – MM from the University of Georgia. Bachelors from UAB, 2001. Departmental Recital, 2001.

The Percussion Area at UAB has come a long way in a relatively short time. The university band program began in 1978 as a basketball “pep” band under the direction of Dr. Everett Lawler. In 1987, Dr. Clifford Winter joined the faculty as Director of Bands and was charged with starting the first edition of the “Marching Blazers” in 1994. For two years, percussion instruction was handled by Chris Moore, a native of the Birmingham area and teacher of many high school programs.

As the band grew, the need for full-time percussion instruction increased. Eric Hollenbeck joined the faculty as Assistant Director of Bands in the fall of 1996. Under his guidance, the percussion ensemble saw its first substantial growth in talent and numbers. The studio began to evolve as more percussion students were enrolling at UAB to pursue their music degree. The early years saw the UAB Drumline compete in the PASIC indoor drumline contest in 1994, 1996, and finally in 1999, finishing in second place. During this time, the addition of a complete set of steel pans enabled the percussion area to include a steel band. Dr. Hollenbeck left UAB in 2001 to pursue his DMA and now is on the faculty of Colorado State University.

Dr. Gene Fambrough joined the UAB faculty in the fall of 2001 and continued the direction established through the diligence of Dr. Hollenbeck. Dr. Fambrough began acquiring MIDI percussion instruments in 2002 and started the Electro-Acoustic Percussion group in the summer of 2004. After re-establishing the front ensemble of the Marching Blazers in 2002, Mrs. Laura Noah was hired as an instructor for the section in the fall of 2004. The subsequent growth of the percussion area allowed the addition of Mrs. Noah as adjunct faculty instructor of percussion in the fall of 2007 and Michael Glaser in 2008.

In the fall of 2022, Mike Muncher was brought on as as adjunct faculty to teach applied percussion due to increased size of the percussion studio. The following semester, a second full-time percussion ensemble was added under his direction and is a regular addition to concerts in both the fall and spring semesters. The studio is regularly between 15-20 members and is always looking for new members...join us!