Josh Gottry (President) earned a BM in Percussion Performance at Northern Arizona University and MM in Composition at Arizona State University and has successfully established himself as a percussion instructor and performer throughout Arizona and as a nationally recognized composer. Mr. Gottry currently serves as adjunct professor in the music department at Chandler-Gilbert Community College where he teaches courses in percussion, composition, and music theory. Additionally, he works with percussion ensembles and private percussion students at all grade levels as part of his private studio. As a performer, Mr. Gottry has remained active as both a soloist and participant in various local ensembles. He has served as Principal Percussionist for the Mesa Symphony and Flagstaff Symphony Orchestras and is currently the first-call alternate for the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater. In the field of composition, Mr. Gottry's works have gained a reputation for creativity, accessibility, and overall quality. He was an ASCAP Young Composer Competition winner, has been selected for numerous ASCAP Plus Awards, and has nearly fifty published titles to his credit. Josh Gottry is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, the American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers, and the Society of Composers, Inc. He is a clinician for Mike Balter Mallets, Pro-Mark Sticks, and Yamaha Percussion. Mr. Gottry is a member of the PAS Education and Composition committees, was published in the June 2002 and December 2006 issues of Percussive Notes, and presented a keyboard percussion clinic at PASIC 2007.
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Originally from Barnegat, NJ,
Joseph Goglia (Vice President) has been living in Tempe, Arizona since the summer of 2002. He is currently in the Percussion Coordinator for Dobson High School, and has been working with that program since 2003. Since moving to Arizona he has completed a degree in Percussion Performance from ASU, where he was under the direction of Dr. J.B. Smith, Dr. Mark Sunkett, and Dom Moio. Joseph is also currently pursuing his Masters in Music Education with an emphasis in Jazz, under the direction of Mike Kocour. Joe has had many opportunities for teaching, as well as playing professionally around the Phoenix area. From 2005-2006, he had the opportunity to help develop a percussion program at South Valley Junior High in Gilbert, Az. On top of the current High School program, Joe also is Adjunct Faculty at Mesa Community College, where he teaches Percussion Methods, Studio Class, Ensembles, as well as Private Instruction in all areas of percussion.
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Wes Hawkins (Secretary/Treasurer) is a percussionist and educator in the Phoenix area. He earned Bachelor's Degrees in Music Education and Percussion Performance from the University of Arizona in 1997 and a Master's Degree in Music Education (Jazz Studies emphasis) at Arizona State University in December 2003. Currently, Wes teaches at the Tesseract School (Instrumental music for grades 5-11). An adjunct faculty member at Phoenix College since 2005, Wes teaches Jazz History, Percussion Ensemble, and Concert Percussion lessons. He is the owner of the Rhythm is Life Percussion Studio and leads the popular Rhythm is Life Steel Band. Additionally, Wes has been on the percussion faculty at NAU Summer Music Camp since 2000 and has served as Secretary/Treasurer for the Arizona Chapter of PAS (Percussive Arts Society) since 2002. In his spare time, Wes enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time with his family.