UVU Percussion is a “total” percussion program where students become skilled in orchestral/contemporary literature, drumset/popular styles, and music from around the globe (specifically West-Africa, Brazil, the Middle-East, Trinidad, and Cuba). As an all-undergraduate program, UVU Percussion students get individualized attention from faculty as well as the opportunity to perform in high-profile solo and ensemble roles that would typically go to graduate students at larger institutions. At UVU, percussion faculty roles extend beyond private lessons, performing side-by-side with students in percussion ensembles, supporting them in career building activities, and modeling as professional musicians locally, nationally, and internationally. UVU Percussion graduates are successful performers, educators, and industry professionals throughout Utah and around the country.
Degrees and Scholarships
At UVU we offer amazing 25%-100% tuition scholarships to Music Majors, Minors, and Non-Majors in addition to your academic scholarships. Contact Dr. Jones at shane.jones@uvu.edu if you are interested in a personal tour/private lesson.
UVU Degree Options (all eligible for scholarships)
Commercial Music - write, record, and perform your favorite music from pop/rock bands, jazz, video games, and movies.
Music Education - teach the next generation of future musicians. drumline tech, band director, k-12 music teacher, and/or private teacher.
Music Performance - perform at the highest level possible in all genres including orchestral, solo, drumset, chamber, and folkloric.
BA/BS in Music - gain a broad overview of music with significant electives and no specialty needed
Music Minor - keep music as an important part of your education even if you are not a music major
Non-Major - take lessons and play in ensembles just for fun
Percussion Facilities
The percussion studio at UVU has an extensive collection of instruments, mallets, music, and practice facilities to set students up for success in a variety of music professions. This includes a faculty teaching studio, 6 dedicated practice spaces, and a custom designed storage room with a large inventory of well-maintained instruments including a large collection of classical instruments, 7 drumsets, and folkloric instruments from Africa, Brazil, Trinidad, Cuba, and the Middle-East. In addition to the large collection of music at the Fulton Library, UVU Percussion students get access to over 600 gigabytes of percussion resources via Dr. Jones’ personal online percussion library.
Noorda Center for the Performing Arts
Completed in 2019, The Noorda Center is a $59 million cutting edge Performing Arts facility that is the home the UVU Music Department and UVU Percussion Studio. In addition to the dedicated percussion facilities, the Noorda Center includes an 878-seat concert hall that is the Utah Valley home of the Utah Symphony, a 501-seat proscenium theatre, a recital hall, a recording studio with multiple dedicated sound isolation rooms, and multi-use rehearsal spaces throughout the building.
UVU Percussion Faculty
Dr. Shane Jones | Director of Percussion
shane.jones@uvu.edu | 801-863-5408
Dr. Shane Jones has studied and performed around the globe, including in Brazil, China, Mexico, Trinidad/Tobago, Puerto Rico, Ghana, and across the United States. He was percussionist on Broadway for 1776 at 54 Below and was percussionist for the off-broadway premier of the Pulitzer prize winning show Next to Normal. Currently, Shane serves as Director of Percussion at Utah Valley University and is the Associate Editor of World Percussion for the Percussive Arts Society. He is percussionist and Director of Production and Finance for internationally performing group Khemia Ensemble and a founding member and co-director of steelworks steelband.
Nathan Hurst | Adjunct Instructor of Percussion
nathan.t.hurst@gmail.com
Nathan Hurst is a professional percussionist and musical educator. With energy at the core of his artistry, Hurst has performed in Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, Austria, Germany, England, France, and Switzerland. His versatility in various genres has led him to performances with Itzhak Perlman, Randy Brecker, Ed Calle, Rubén Álvarez, Collin Raye, Keith Carlock, among others. A new music artist, Hurst has performed modern works including the premiere of Vietnamese composer P.Q. Phan’s opera, “What the Horse Eats.” Nathan earned a MM from Indiana University and a BM from Brigham Young University.
Chelsea Jones | Adjunct Instructor of Percussion
catinsler@gmail.com
Chelsea Tinsler Jones is an avid chamber musician, freelance percussionist, and educator based in greater Salt Lake City, Utah. She is percussionist and Director of Operations for Khemia Ensemble, a mixed-chamber ensemble dedicated to promoting contemporary classical music, and an Instructor of Music at Utah Valley University. She performs regularly with the Utah Symphony and Ballet West. Chelsea received her MM in Percussion Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan and her BM in Percussion Performance and Music Education from the Hartt School.
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Ensemble Opportunities
Percussion Ensemble, Steel Drum Band, West African Drumming, Brazilian Drumming, Middle-Eastern drumming, Drumline (GreenManGroup)
Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Combos, Pep Band, Commercial Music Groups (rock, pop, metal, soul, etc.)
Students of Dr. Shane Jones have…
Graduate School Acceptances
PhD - Duke University Graduate Assistantship
MM - University of Delaware Graduate Fellowship
MM - Bowling Green State University Graduate Assistantship
MM - University of Michigan
MM - The Hartt School, University of Hartford
MM - University of Cincinnati (CCM)
MM - University of Memphis
MM - University of South Florida
MM - University of Missouri Graduate Assistantship
MM - University of North Carolina, Greensboro
MM - University of Tennessee at Knoxville
MM - University of Colorado, Boulder
MM - University of Wisconsin, Madison
Student Competition Winners
1st Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Mock Audition (2024)
1st Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Drumset (2024)
3rd Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Rudimental SD (2024)
3rd Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Marimba (2024)
1st Place, UVU Concerto Competition (2024)
1st Place, Missouri PAS Collegiate Marimba (2023)
1st Place, UVU Concerto Competition (2023)
2nd & 3rd Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Mock Audition (2023)
1st Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Mock Audition (2022)
2nd Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Keyboard (2022)
1st Place, Utah PAS Drumset (2022)
3rd Place, Utah PAS Collegiate Concert Snare (2022)
2nd Place, TN PAS Collegiate Multi Competition (2020)
2nd Place, UT Martin Solo Competition (2020)
3rd Place, UT Martin Solo Competition (2020)
1st Place, TN PAS Day of Percussion Collegiate Keyboard Competition (2019)
Semi-finalist Modern Snare Drum Competition (2019)
3rd Place, UT Martin Solo Competition (2019)
1st Place, TN PAS Day of Percussion Collegiate Keyboard Competition (2018)
1st Place, UT Martin Solo Competition (2018)
1st Place, St. Lucia Panorama Steel Band Competition (2018)
Finalist, TN PAS Day of Percussion Collegiate Multi Competition (2018)
Positions Held
Lane College Percussion Instructor - Jackson, TN
Artist Relations Coordinator - Innovative Percussion, Inc
Army Reserve Band - Lehi, UT
Marine Forces Reserve Band - New Orleans, LA
Jackson Symphony Percussionist - Jackson, TN
Missouri Symphony Percussionist - Columbia, MO
Utah Vocal Arts Academy - Orchestrator, Conductor, and Performer
Re-percussion Refurbish and Repair Business – Founder/Owner
Pan-African Theater Company - Percussionist
Lowe Noize Productions - Founder/Owner
Olde Main Studios - Recording, mixing, and mastering engineer
Draper Philharmonic and Choral Society - composer/arranger
Deli Interactive’s Game “We Need to Go Deeper” - composer
BYU TV’s “Holy Travler” - composer
UVU Modern Dance Accompanist
Seattle Cascades - Bass Tech
Gold Spike Percussion - Drumline Tech
Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps - Drumline Tech
Orem HS - Front Ensemble Tech
Vezzoso School of Music - Percussion Instructor
Best in Music - Percussion Instructor
Yamaha Music School - Drumset Instructor
West End Middle School Assistant Band Director - Nashville, TN
Neif-Norf New Music Festival Fellow
So Percussion Summer Institute Participant
NYU Broadway Percussion Seminar Participant
International Musicians Academy - Bulgaria
Mediterranean Summer Opera Festival Percussionist - Sicily, Italy
Music City Mystique Theatrical Percussion Ensemble WGI - contracted player
