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Mike Sammons, Assistant Professor of Music
Percussion

Michael Sammons currently serves as the Director of Percussion Studies at the University of South Alabama and performs with the Mobile Symphony. He is a founding member of Zumbumba, an active percussion trio specializing in music from around the world. Most recently, Zumbumba performed at the 2008 Percussive Arts Society International Convention. In 2007, the trio presented an original composition, Foforo Twene, for timpani and African percussion as part of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention's "Focus Day". Mr. Sammons has performed with orchestras in Florida, Arizona, and Alabama. He appeared as a guest soloist for the Music Educator¹s National Convention, Southern Division Conference in January of 2005 and in 2004, served as a guest performer for the Crested Butte Summer Music Festival in Crested Butte, Colorado.

An active educator and clinician, Mr. Sammons served as Lecturer in Music at Clemson University in 2007-2008. He currently serves as director and co-founder of the Treasure Coast Percussion Camp held in Vero Beach, Florida since 2005. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society and is a contributing author to Percussive Notes. He has served as a clinician and adjudicator throughout Alabama, Florida, Arizona, and Mississippi. In 2006 Mr. Sammons presented a session entitled "New Music for Steel Band" at PASIC in Austin, Texas with the University of Arizona and UT Austin Steel Bands and released the third CD, Panstraction, by the UA Steel Band.

Mr. Sammons completed his doctoral coursework in percussion performance at the University of Arizona, where he served as Graduate Teaching Assistant and Director of the UA Steel Band Program from 2003-2007, and is currently in the process of completing his dissertation. He received the 2007 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant award for the UA College of Fine Arts. Mr. Sammons earned the Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Arizona in 2005 and the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, with a Performer¹s Certificate, from the University of Florida in 2002. His travels abroad include Trinidad and Ghana, where he conducted research on the traditional music and dance of these cultures.

Michael Sammons is endorsed by Pro-Mark, Remo, and Sabian percussion companies.

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Contact Info
Mr. J. Michael Sammons
LPAC 1234
Department of Music
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL 36688
251-460-6247
msammons@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Education
Bachelor of Music Education
with Performance Certificate

University of Florida

Master of Music in
Percussion Performance

University of Arizona

Doctoral candidate in
Percussion Performance

University of Arizona

Recordings
Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra
by Anders Koppel

Kim for Snare Drum
by Áskell Másson

Sonata No. 4 for Violin
by Eugène Ysaÿe/transcribed by Mike Sammons

Impromptu for Marimba
by Áskell Másson

Feels so Baaad
by Steven Mackey

Wai Na Fu Yo
traditional Birifor


Panstraction 2006
University of Arizona
Steel Band
Mike Sammons, director

Course Syllabi
Percussion Department Handbook
Applied Percussion
USA Percussion Ensemble
Percussion Pedagogy
Percussion Methods
Percussion Literature
USA Marching Drumline
 

 
 

Department of Music | Laidlaw Performing Arts Center 1072
University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 36688-0002
Phone (251) 460-6136 | FAX (251) 460-7328
music@jaguar1.usouthal.edu