Mike Bishop, Front Ensemble Instructor

Mike Bishop is an experienced and active educator, designer, producer, musician, and international clinician. He arranges and produces for high school & university ensembles around the United States and Europe, including the West Chester University of Pennsylvania Incomparable Golden Ram Marching Band, European X indoor percussion ensemble of The Netherlands, and the Spirit of ’52 drum corps from Rastede, Germany. Previously, Mike served as the Front Ensemble Coordinator of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps (2015-2017), the Front Ensemble Arranger of the George Mason University Indoor Drumline (2017), and on the Front Ensemble Faculty & Social Media Team for the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps (2010-2014), capturing a Drum Corps International World Championship in 2013. Additionally, Mike has served as a member of the Front Ensemble Faculty of Rhythm X & The X Academy and on the Board of Directors as the head of Media & Marketing for Invictus World, Inc. – the first WGI Independent World color guard to be based out of Austin, Texas.

 

After more than five years living in Austin, TX, Mike has returned to his hometown of Philadelphia, PA with his wife, Kelsey. While in Austin, Mike served as the Front Ensemble Coordinator of the Cedar Park HS Timberwolf Band. Since joining the team in 2011, he and his colleagues have captured two UIL Texas Marching State Championships, a PASIC Marching Championship with Best Front Ensemble Caption, and a Lone Star Classic Drumline State Championship. Previously, Mike lived in the Dayton, OH area as the Percussion Director for Bellbrook HS from 2009- 2011.

As a performer, Mike has over 30 combined seasons of performance experience with scholastic and independent groups in the pageantry arts including Riptide Percussion (2002), the Jersey Surf Drum & Bugle Corps (2002-2005), United Percussion (2003-2008), Carolina Crown (2006-2008), and a Winter Guard International World Championship with Rhythm X (2009). He also has been in performances for the NASCAR All*Star Drumline (2008), the Q-Stix™ Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball Drumline (2009), and Aerial Experience Productions (2010).

Immediately following his drum corps age out, Mike joined the staff of the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps (2009) before joining the Carolina Crown’s Front Ensemble Faculty in 2010. In the WGI scene, Mike was on the staff of Redline Percussion (2010), European X (2014, 2017-2018) in The Netherlands, and Rhythm X (2015-2016).

As a producer, Mike is experienced in creating soundtracks for short films, dance teams, and color guards, including the 2018 WGI Scholastic World Finalist Miamisburg High School (OH), 2015 WGI Scholastic A Finalist Manor High School (TX), Invictus (TX), The Black Watch (NJ), as well as samples and sound effects for the pageantry arts. He has composed and arranged hundreds of works for various scholastic, independent, and corporate programs.

Mike is a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, a Yamaha Artist, and a proud endorser of Vic Firth sticks & mallets, Zildjian Cymbals, and Remo drum heads. He has given clinics at Music For All’s Bands of America Summer Symposium and throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan.