McNutt, Moyer to guide Cadets' percussionists
Monday, August 18, 2008
By: Caryn Goebel

Arrangers, lead instructors announced for 2009 corps

Colin McNutt, left, and Iain Moyer will lead the 2009 Cadets' Percussion and Front Ensemble sections.

Two familiar faces and well-respected instructors will assume lead roles in the 2009 Cadets’ Percussion Section. Colin McNutt has been named the corps’ Director of Percussion and lead arranger while Iain Moyer steps into the role of Front Ensemble Arranger. 

Both McNutt and Moyer have been instructors with the Cadets since 2007 and are honored to be moving into these key positions at the corps enters its 75th Anniversary season. They take over following the recent resignations of Tom Aungst and Neil Larrivee. 

McNutt has served as the Cadets Percussion Caption Supervisor for a little more than two years, handling a considerable portion of the daily instruction of the section. He came to the Cadets with a lengthy marching and drum corps resume, including his most recent job Director of Percussion and Arranger for the Madison Scouts of Madison, Wis. 

“I am so grateful to have the chance to continue working with the Cadets,” McNutt said. “The traditions, work ethic, team work and regard for innovation are within every part of this corps, and coming into this special anniversary year, it is going to be a very exciting season.” 

In prior years, McNutt arranged and instructed for the Star of Indiana of Bloomington, Ind., the Glassmen of Toledo, Ohio, and the Crossmen of San Antonio, Texas. He also took his talents to the stage, writing and teaching for the popular production “Blast!” 

He hasn’t only instructed as McNutt started marching drum corps his junior year in high school in 1988 with the Boston Crusaders of Boston, Mass., then aging out with the Santa Clara Vanguard of Santa Clara, Calif., in 1992. 

McNutt has made a career out of his passion for music and percussion, while in between completing his double major of music education and classics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1998. He also writes music for marching bands in the United States and Japan. 

The coming season will mark Moyer’s tenth year of arranging and instructing front ensembles in the activity. Before coming to the Cadets as a technician, Moyer was an arranger and instructor with the Madison Scouts from 2004-2006, the Magic of Orlando in 2003, the Glassmen from 2001 to 2002 and the Crossmen in 1999. 

A resident of Madison, Ala., Moyer is in his fifth year as the Director of Percussion at the University of North Alabama. His duties there include teaching over 20 applied percussion majors, directing the university Percussion Ensemble and coordinating all aspects of the UNA Marching Percussion Section.  

Moyer is also finishing up his Doctoral degree in Musical Arts from the University of Oklahoma, where he is currently working on his dissertation on the subject of “Percussion Arranging.”  He lives with his fiancée, Nicole, who he will be marrying the weekend after DCI Finals 2009. 

Having the opportunity to work and instruct alongside Aungst and Larrivee has been an honor, both agree. And they hope to continue in helping foster legendary percussion sections. 

“I am very excited to be taking on the role of Front Ensemble Arranger for the  Cadets,” Moyer said. “It has been a pleasure to work under the ‘Aungst and Larrivee duo’ for the past two seasons, and I am extremely honored to be a part of the team that is carrying on the legacy of the Cadets’ Percussion Section.”  

“Our team will be trying to follow the Cadet's motto of ‘tradition and innovation’ by building on the Cadets percussion program's multiple decades of success, while pushing the limits of musicality and virtuosity for the next generation of marching musicians,” Moyer added. 

“Tom and Neil are not only close personal friends, but have been mentors to me for the last two years,” said McNutt. “How fortunate I am to have that pedigree, influence and guidance from them.” 

Further staff announcements regarding the percussion program will be forthcoming. In addition, according to George Hopkins, Director of the Cadets, “Tom Aungst has been offered the opportunity to consult with the Cadets for the coming season. We are letting a little time go by so that Tom can settle into his school and home life. As you might expect, this is quite the transition.” 

Click here for more information on the Cadets and membership for 2009.