DMgroove - DOJO Percussion

Dana Murray - Executive Director, Arranger, Caption Head

     As a high school student, drummer, Dana Murray immersed himself in music. He spent countless hours in the "woodshed" studying the masters and honing his skills. A native of Omaha, this "young lion" naturally began gigging wherever and whenever he could which included street corner performances. In the mid 90’s, Dana moved to Boston to attend the renowned Berklee School of Music on scholarship. Shortly thereafter, on the advice of the jazz legends Max Roach and Victor Lewis, a Omaha native, Dana moved to the center of the jazz universe, New York City. From the mid 90’s to the early 00's, Dana was a big part of the city’s scene. He toured the world with Wynton Marsalis and began gigging and recording with the likes of Donald Byrd, Jimmy Witherspoon, Roy Hargrove, Sherman Irby, and James Hurt, to name a few. Dana also played several Broadway shows, including the rock opera “Tommy”. Unlike many jazz musicians, Dana did not limit himself to jazz. Dana toured with the Soul Trance band Topaz and in support of jam band stalwarts Widespread Panic, performed with Atlantic records’ WaxPoetic alongside Norah Jones and Steely Dan singer Carolyn Leonhardt. Along with Malike Burke, Dana founded Reallive, a cutting-edge hip-hop group. Dana is also an A-list Producer who has produced records for a variety of labels including BlueNote. Dana recently produced Eric Revis’ new release "Tales of the Stuttering Mime".

     Dana returned to Omaha at the end of 2003 to raise his son Aleeke. The opportunity to reunite musical skills with longtime friend Mitch Town was exciting and he immediately began work on the new group, Von Angel. Combining 21st Century technology with an old-school attention to musicianship, Von Angel's upcoming album charts new territory on the modern music landscape.

     Currently, Dana is one of the most in demand educators in the Mid-West. Dana performs many clinics across the country as a product endorser for Vic Firth drumsticks and Istanbul cymbals. Holding head percussion positions at Bellevue East and Burke High Schools for the last four years, his programs have been top performers in the State as well as winning multiple out of state contests. Creatively, Dana is currently scoring the music for the film “Desert Flower” based on the world wide best-selling biography on Super Model, Activist, Waris Dire. As founder of Dojo Percussion and its parent company DMgroove Drum Dojo, Dana aims to reach the masses through the power of music and percussive art.

Jennifer Christensen - Assistant Director

Jennifer Christensen is currently working as a medical coder at Eye Specialists in Bellevue. In high school, she marched with the Bellevue East Marching band as a trombone player and played clarinet in concert band. As a current band mom of a high school percussionist and Dojo member her love for music and the marching arts has been rekindled with her involvement as volunteer and spectator. She brings to Dojo her years of business, organization and administrative experience. She loves working with the members and overseeing the day to day and behind the scenes operations of the organization.

Ron Hardin - Visual Caption Head/Drill Designer

     Ron Hardin is currently the Director of Bands at Bellevue East High School. Ron took this position in 2000, and has led the Chieftains to many successful performances in all areas, including Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Bands, Indoor and Concert Percussion, Indoor Color Guard, Chamber Ensembles, and Marching Band. Under his watch, the band programs have performed in ten different states.

     Ron Hardin’s experience in the drum corps activity is extensive, spanning over twenty years. As a performer, he spent the 1991 and 1992 seasons with the Star of Indiana. Upon the completion of his performing career, Ron joined the Blue Devils as a member of their visual staff for eight seasons and later spent five years as the Visual Caption Head of the Santa Clara Vanguard. Currently Ron serves as the Visual Caption Head of the Canton Bluecoats. In addition to instructing, Ron has designed visual programs for Yamato, Pride of the Lions, Magic of Orlando and Minnesota Brass. In 2007, he served as Visual Coordinator for the Blue Stars. Ron has also served as an instructor representative on the DCI Instructors’ Task Force and has authored several rules proposals.

     As a designer, Ron is very active and closely connected with the pageantry activity. Ron has designed hundreds of shows for bands, drum lines, winter guards and drum corps. Annually, Ron designs for over twenty ensembles. Ron is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the world, having done many clinics throughout the United States, Europe and Japan. Since 1999, Ron has served as a visual judge for Winter Guard International, annually judging for many circuits, regional competitions and world championships. Ron has performed several judging clinics for NMEA, NSBA, WGI, several indoor percussion circuits and the Judging Association of Mid America.

     In addition to his experience in the drum corps activity, Ron also has extensive history as a professional music educator and performer. He was the founder and past conductor of the Diablo Wind Symphony, and was the Director of Bands at Clayton Valley High School in Concord, CA for six years where he served as President of the Contra Costa County Band Director’s Association and Vice-President and Contest Coordinator of the Western Band Association. In addition, he was the recipient of the Jack R. Snyder Young Band Director’s Award. Currently, Ron is the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association Marching Band Chair. When he is not teaching or conducting, Ron finds time to play bass trombone with several ensembles. His greatest pride and joy is his family: His wife Molly, and their daughters Emma and Celeste.

Marcus Brown - Bass Drum Technician

Marcus is currently a music education major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying percussion under Al Rometo and Anthony Falcone. He was a member of the drum line at Central High School in St. Joseph, MO, and played bass drum in the Cornhusker Marching Band; as well as performing with the University’s Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, and the Big Red Express Pep Band. He is currently serving as a drum major of the Cornhusker Marching Band. Marcus is active as a percussion instructor and clinician at area high schools and camps; including Waverly High School, Lincoln Southwest High School, Lincoln Northeast High School, Lincoln North Star High School, Johnson County Central High School, and the Cornhusker Summer Marching Camp.

Matthew Lippincott - Battery Technician

Matthew Lippincott began his percussion career with Sterling High School in Sterling, KS. He went on to become a member of the Rebel Drums indoor drumline from 1997-1999 and marched with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 1999. Matt was also a member of the Kansas State Drumline in 1999 and University of Kansas Drumline from 2001-2004.

Matt has taught at Hutchinson High School, Hutchinson, KS (1998, 2000), Papillion La Vista High School (2005), and consulted University of Colorado Drumline (2009.) Matt has also been a judge in the Heartland Winter Arts Association.

From 2000-2001 Matt studied with Ginger Zyskowski at Hutchinson Community College and then at the University of Kansas (2001-2004) where he studied with Dr. John W. Parks IV and Kevin Bobo.

Julie Hadley - Visual Technician

Michael Howard - Front Ensemble Caption Head

Michael Howard is currently a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, studying under Tomm Roland and Dana Murray. Growing up in the metro area he was a member of the Bellevue West High School drum line and also marched in the BOA National Honor Band in the Rose Parade. He has performed with the Colts Drum and Bugle corps and this previous summer was a member of the World Champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. As a member he also won the DCI Solo and Ensemble competition on timpani. He is currently on staff at Burke High School and Bellevue East High School. As a former member of Dojo percussion, we are proud to welcome Michael to the staff!

Nicole Eddy

Nicole Eddy currently a Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, Nicole brings 17 years of marching experience to the Dojo.

She first marched tom tom with the Commodore's Drill Team as a youth and moved up to assist with the building of the Norris Junior High School drill team her years there as a student. She was a bass drummer under the tutelage of Dana Murray with the Omaha South High School Marching Band before relocating to Bensalem, Pennsylvania where she then marched baritone/euphonium with the Bensalem High School Marching Unit under Dr. Douglas Fitzgerald. During her years at Bensalem she marched indoor drumline as the section leader of the snare line under Dale Adair.

To accompany her marching band experience, she marched baritone bugle with the Omaha Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 1991 and then with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 1992-1994.

In 1994, she auditioned for The Commandant's Own United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.

Upon graduating from basic training she then joined their ranks where she performed for thousands to include presidents and dignitaries from 1995-2001 before moving to another occupation in the Corps where she has served for 15 years.

She is currently working as a marching technician for the Omaha Burke High

School Marching Band under the direction of Norman Edwards and has worked as a marching advisor/technician for multiple marching organizations on the East Coast and in the Midwest.