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Jason Baker serves as Professor and Coordinator of Percussion Studies at Mississippi State University and arranger for the MSU Drumline. He holds degrees from the University of North Texas, New England Conservatory of Music, and University of Connecticut. His current performance interests focus on commissioning solo percussion music by emerging composers from the American South.
Jason has commercially released four solo albums, three etude books, and over 30 arrangements and compositions - many of which are included on solo and ensemble music lists throughout the United States. His works have been performed at the Modern Snare Drum Competition, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Kaohsiung Band Festival in Taiwan, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.
Jason is timpanist of the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, and Starkville Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Meridian (MS) Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been a clinician and/or performer at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, New York City Day of Percussion, Encontro Percussivo Festival in Brazil, College Music Society National Conference, Texas Music Educators Association Convention, All-West Tennessee Music Educators Convention, Mississippi Bandmasters Association Convention, and universities throughout the United States. Jason also performs with the Brooklyn Composers' Syndicate and served as a faculty member at the Sam Houston Summer Percussion Academy.
Jason is Associate Editor of New Literature Reviews for Percussive Notes and previously served as chair of the College Pedagogy Committee and president of the Mississippi Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. He was a performing member with the Glassmen, Boston Crusaders, and Connecticut Hurricanes Drum and Bugle Corps and later served on the instructional staff of the Boston Crusaders. Jason is proud to be an artist for the Yamaha Corporation of America, Innovative Percussion, Remo, Sabian, and Grover Pro Percussion.
Jason is an avid long-distance runner and lives in Starkville, Mississippi with his wife and two children. He received a Master of Business Administration degree from MSU, where he was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor fraternity.
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Ben Neal is Lecturer of Percussion at Mississippi State University and Assistant Director of Bands/Director of Percussion at East Mississippi Community College. As an educator/clinician, he has taught extensively in high schools from Mississippi, Alabama, and New Mexico. Ben has performed with the New Mexico State University Philharmonic as a soloist, and substitute percussionist with the Las Cruces Symphony. He is currently a substitute percussionist with the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.
Ben holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS, and a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. His teachers include Fred Bugbee, Josh Armstrong, Bryan Mitchell, Will Curry, and Ronnie Mckeown. Ben lives in Starkville, MS with his wife, their dog, Izzy, and their three cats, Sasha, Viktor, and Loki. He proudly endorses Artifact Sticks and Mallets.
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Mandy Quinn is Lecturer of Percussion at Mississippi State University and currently the Fine Arts Department Chair at East Central Community College (ECCC), where she also serves as Assistant Band Director and the Director of Percussion Studies. She was the 2024 recipient of the Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher Award. Prior to her role at ECCC, she served as the Assistant Band Director and Director of Percussion for Biloxi Public Schools. Before moving to Mississippi, Mrs. Quinn served as the Assistant Director of Percussion at the University of North Alabama and Adjunct Professor at East Mississippi Community College.
Originally from north Alabama, Mrs. Quinn graduated from Muscle Shoals High School before completing a bachelor's degree in instrumental music education from the University of North Alabama. She earned a master’s degree in percussion performance and conducting from the University of Central Florida and is pursuing her Doctor of Arts in music education at William Carey University. Her teachers include Jeff Moore, Kirk Gay, Dr. Thad Anderson, Dr. Iain Moyer, Andy Smith, and German Baratto.
Mrs. Quinn has also been responsible for teaching and arranging for many high school and middle school percussion ensembles throughout the southeast. Other professional experiences include serving as the Front Ensemble Technician for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps, Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, Gateway Percussion, Terminus Percussion, and Front Ensemble Caption Head for Music City Drum and Bugle Corps and Infinity Percussion.
Mrs. Quinn has performed with many world-renowned marching percussion ensembles such as The Cadets, Carolina Crown, Capital Regiment, Gateway Percussion, and Aimachi from Nagoya, Japan. She is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, where she has served on the Education Committee and is Vice President of the Mississippi Percussive Arts Society. She has had articles published in Rhythm!Scene, a Percussion Arts Society publication and is an artist for Innovative Percussion.
Quinn is married to Nathan Robertson and has two children, Elora and David James.
Originally from north Alabama, Mrs. Quinn graduated from Muscle Shoals High School before completing a bachelor's degree in instrumental music education from the University of North Alabama. She earned a master’s degree in percussion performance and conducting from the University of Central Florida and is pursuing her Doctor of Arts in music education at William Carey University. Her teachers include Jeff Moore, Kirk Gay, Dr. Thad Anderson, Dr. Iain Moyer, Andy Smith, and German Baratto.
Mrs. Quinn has also been responsible for teaching and arranging for many high school and middle school percussion ensembles throughout the southeast. Other professional experiences include serving as the Front Ensemble Technician for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps, Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, Gateway Percussion, Terminus Percussion, and Front Ensemble Caption Head for Music City Drum and Bugle Corps and Infinity Percussion.
Mrs. Quinn has performed with many world-renowned marching percussion ensembles such as The Cadets, Carolina Crown, Capital Regiment, Gateway Percussion, and Aimachi from Nagoya, Japan. She is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, where she has served on the Education Committee and is Vice President of the Mississippi Percussive Arts Society. She has had articles published in Rhythm!Scene, a Percussion Arts Society publication and is an artist for Innovative Percussion.
Quinn is married to Nathan Robertson and has two children, Elora and David James.