Nevin, Mike

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Composer Name

Biography

Born: 1965

Country:

Studies: University of Northern Colorado (Master of Music in Percussion Performance); Montana State University (Bachelor of Education)

Teachers: James Campbell & Dan Moore & Gray Barrier

Website: https://www.nevinpercussion.com/

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Over the past four decades, Mike Nevin has built an extensive resume as a successful composer, arranger, educator, and adjudicator. He helped build many successful scholastic and non-scholastic music programs, and his original compositions have been performed by numerous ensembles in the U.S. and abroad, earning critical acclaim.

As a performer, Mike has played numerous percussion instruments in multiple genres. This diverse experience has highly influenced every aspect of his writing. He attributes his time in Philadelphia performing with Spoken Hand Percussion Orchestra—a collaboration merging music from West Africa, Brazil, Cuba, and India—as one of his most significant influences.

Mike served as the front ensemble arranger and instructor for the Concord Blue Devils, Denver Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, and the SOKA Renaissance Vanguard in Tokyo, Japan. He became involved in the indoor percussion activity in 1994. Since then, a long list of champions and finalists in WGI and indoor circuits around the country have performed his original compositions and arrangements. WGI champions Gateway H.S., Upper Darby H.S., and Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble are among his most successful groups. Blue Knights performed Mike’s original music each season during his 15 years as their front ensemble arranger and instructor. He also served as their director for four years, from 2015 to 2019.

Works for Percussion

Concert Percussion Ensemble Works

Lifecycles - 11 Players
Partytime! - 12 Players; Bass Guitar
Retro-Future - 15 Players
Sculpting the Air - 13 Players
Steel Heart - 12 Players
The Earth, The Stars, and the Land of Dreams- 16 Players
Where The Rivers Meet - 17 Players