Staff
River City Rhythm is proud to announce the instructional staff for the 2009-2010 season:
Beau Hansen, Head Director/Bass Tech
Beau has been a part of the marching band and drumline activities since 1992. He has been instructing students in some capacity since 1997. In addition to his drumline experience, he is also a current member of the Minnesota Percussion Association Board of Directors, and also owns the Kracker Jacks Drumline from Waite Park, MN, with whom he has performed with every year since 1996, including a trip to Manhattan, NY to participate in the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, 2003.
Highlights and accomplishments include:
- Marched with Rocori High School, 1992-1996
o Won MACBDA Class A Championship four years in a row (’92, ’93, ’94, ’95)
o Won MACBDA Best Overall Percussion Award in 1993
o Won MPA State Championship in 1994
o Tied for second place at Bands of America Indoor Percussion Festival Grand National Championship, 1994
o Won Bands of America Indoor Percussion Festival Grand National Championship, 1995
- Marched with Riverside Community College, 1996
o Marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1st, 1997
- Marched with Velvet Knights Drum & Bugle Corps, 1997
- Bass drum tech, Rocori High School Drumline, 1997 – 2004
o Bass ensemble won MPA I&E medals in 2002 and 2004
- Bass drum tech, St. Cloud All-City Marching Band, 2004
- Drumline instructor, Hutchinson High School Marching Band, 2005
- Drumline instructor, Albany High School Marching Band, 2006 – 2007
- Head instructor, Buffalo Lake-Hector Winter Drumline, 2002 – 2004
- Drumline instructor, Becker High School Marching Band, 2005 – 2007
- Co-instructor, Phoenix Drumline, 2005-2006
- Head instructor, Becker Winter Drumline, 2005 – 2009
o Won MPA Class A State Championship in 2007
o Bass ensemble won MPA I&E medal in 2007
o Elected Instructor of the Year, 2007
Bojan Hoover, Frontline/Pit Tech
Bo is currently a senior and a School of Music Scholar at the University of Minnesota where he is majoring in percussion performance and music education. He has studied under world-renowned percussion professors Fernando Meza, Peter Kogan, Steve Yeager, and Phil Hey while participating in numerous ensembles there, including the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, New Music Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Jazz Combo. During his time at the University of Minnesota, he has also become a frequent performer with the Northern Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society of Minnesota.
Highlights and accomplishments include:
- Performed with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps, 2003 & 2004
- Performed with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, 2005, 2006 & 2008
o Crowned DCI World Champion in 2003 and 2006
o Awarded four separate DCI I&E Gold Medals in 2005, 2006, and 2008 in the categories of percussion ensemble (twice), multi-percussion solo, and keyboard solo respectively.
- Performed with Minnesota Brass Indoor drumline, 2008 & 2009
- Assistant marching band director at Anoka High School
- Head Instructor, Anoka Winter Percussion, 2007 – 2009
- Taught and arranged for the Becker Winter Drumline, Henry-Sibley Winter Drumline, Waconia Marching Band, and the Irondale Winter Drumline and Marching Band.
- Currently serves on the Minnesota Percussion Association Board of Directors and organizes their annual Day of Percussion which reaches an audience of nearly 700 high school and college percussion students.
- Awarded the Minnesota Percussion Association “Instructor of the Year” award, 2009
- Won the Missoula Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition and was awarded two performances with the Montana-based orchestra, December 2007
- Made his orchestral debut with the Missoula Symphony Orchestra by performing Ney Rosauro’s “Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra.”, February, 2008
- Took part in Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic’s International Summer Academy for Marimba and Percussion and was selected to perform in concert with Zivkovic and guest artist Beverley Johnston at the conclusion of the academy, August, 2008
Patrick Lyons, Assistant Director/Visual Tech
Patrick Lyons is an alumnus of Champlin Park High School and has marched both at the high school and drum corps level. Patrick began instructing and arranging right out of high school. Patrick is extremely excited and privileged to be teaching with River City Rhythm. He has taught with head director Beau Hansen for the past four years, Mike Spooner for the past two years and is now teaching with Bo Hoover at Anoka. He would like to thank all the instructors along the way who have made him who he is, including Jay Matuzak, Nick Moreno, Scott Hirsch, Joel Matuzak, Matt Ferry, Roger Carter, Vince Gardner and Jeff Gleason.
Highlights and accomplishments include:
- Marched with Champlin Park High School, 2002-2005
o Participated in WGI World Championships in 2002, 2003, 2005
o Participated in WGI World Championship Semifinals in 2005
- Marched with Madison Scouts, 2007-2008
- Marched with Minnesota Brass, 2006, 2009
o Captain of the bass line, 2009
- Marched with Minnesota Brass Indoor, 2009
o Captain of the bass line, 2009
- Taught Richfield High School, 2005
- Taught Becker Winter Drumline, 2006-2009
- Taught and arranged for Yankton High School (SD), 2006
- Arranged for Forest Lake High School, 2007
- Currently teaches at Anoka High School
Nick Meinhardt, Snare Tech
Nick has played and taught snare over the last five years around the central Minnesota area. He has experience on all levels of playing percussion.
Highlights and accomplishments include:
- Marched with Minnesota Brass in the summers of 2007 and 2008
- Marched with Minnesota Brass’ inaugural winter season, 2008
- Taught at Eagan, Red Wing, Rochester Mayo and Rochester John Marshall
Michael Spooner, Tenor Tech
Michael is an alumnus of Anoka High School. Through his career he has worked with such distinguished percussionists as Tom Aungst, Colin McNutt, Nick Angelis, and Brent Montgomery. He will be attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities this spring while pursuing a degree in music.
Highlights and accomplishments include:
- Marched with Anoka High School’s Winter Drumline, 2005, 2007, 2008
- Won the MPA Drum Corps Scholarship in 2007
- Performed in Anoka High School’s Percussion Ensemble, 2006
- Marched with Anoka High School’s fall band, 2006, 2007
- Marched with Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps, 2007-2009
- Marched with Minnesota Brass Indoor, 2009 (tenor section leader)
- Taught the Becker Winter Drumline, 2009
- Currently teaches at Anoka High School 2008-present
- Currently teaches defending state champion Rosemount High School’s marching band
Hope Grover, Cymbal Tech
Hope is currently a public school music, math, and taiko drumming teacher as well as a member of the Leadership Academy for Charter and Alternative School Administrators through the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota/Macalester College. She received her BA in percussion performance (marimba focus) and teaching certification from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2002. She also studied music and physics at Minnesota State University-Mankato and Temple University. Later, she added an additional science teaching license with a focus in physics from Augsburg College in 2006. Finally, Hope added a reading teaching license and a Masters degree from Hamline University in 2007 and 2009. Hope has had the honor of working with Leigh Howard Stevens and participating in the Zeltsman Marimba Festival. In 2007, Hope was a featured performer with Geofrrey Keezer and Thomas Burritt on xylophone. Hope currently performs as a percussionist and flutist with the Minnesota State Band, a percussionist with the Mississippi Valley Symphony, sings with the TCC Gospel Choir, and subs with various other ensembles.
Highlights and accomplishments include:
- Performed with LS-H Winter Drumline 1995-1997
- Performed with Valley Pride WinterGuard 1995-1997
o NorthStar Circuit Champions 1995 & 1997
o WGI Regional Champions 1997
- Performed with Chopstix Percussion 1995-1999
- Taught Minnetonka Winter Drumline 2000-2002
- Performed with Colts Drum and Bugle Corps 2000-2001
o DCI I/E Participant 2000-2001
o DCM Scholarship Winner 2001
- Taught Chops Inc. 2002
- Taught Capital Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps 2003
- Taught Sauk Rapids Winter Drumline 2003-2004
- Taught Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps 2003-2005
- Director of Fridley Winter Percussion Ensemble 2003-2005
- Taught Monticello Percussion Theater 2004-2006
- Taught Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps 2005
- Taught Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps 2007
- Taught Coon Rapids High School Marching Band 2002-2005, 2007, 2009
- Taught Coon Rapids High School Winter Drumline 2003-2008
o Won Class A State Championship, 2008
Paul Weber, Batterie Arranger/Ensemble Consultant
Paul is excited to join the RCR staff. Paul has been part of the drumline activity for over a decade. He is currently the president of the Minnesota Percussion Association and was previously on the WGI Percussion Advisory Board.
Highlights and accomplishments include:
- Marched with the Madison Scouts, 1998-2001
o Section leader in 2000 and 2001
- Awarded first place at the 2001 Drum Corps Midwest I&E Contest
- Served on the percussion staff of Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps, 2002-2006
- Served on the percussion staff of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, 2007
- Currently serves as the batterie coordinator and tenor tech for the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps
- Percussion director at Irondale High School, 2002 – present
