Ralph Hardimon
Encyclopedia
Ralph Hardimon is a percussionist, teacher, composer, and clinician. He is best known for his work in the areas of marching percussion
, rudimental drumming, drum & bugle corps
, and marching band
. He is also considered by many to be arguably the greatest percussion teacher of all time.
Hardimon's performance experience started in the late sixties with the Los Angeles Police Band, and later the Velvet Knights and Anaheim Kingsmen drum & bugle corps. He taught and studied with Fred Sanford and studied with Charles Dowd at the University of Oregon
.
Following Fred Sanford's departure after the 1980 season, Hardimon became Director of Percussion for the Santa Clara Vanguard in 1981 and kept that position through 1990, during which time SCV
won four High Percussion awards (1978,1979,1988,1989) and three DCI
World Championships. He served as a consultant for SCV
from 1997-2000. Hardimon has scored music for many other corps (including Blue Knights from 1990-2001) as well as college percussion ensemble
s and marching band
s. He is currently the percussion caption head at the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps
.
Hardimon received Grammy nominations for Jazz
and Rhythm and Blues
, and a Gold Record for Rhythm and Blues
. He has worked for Disney and bowl games such as the Citrus Bowl
, Orange Bowl, and Super Bowl
. He travels to Japan several times a year to work with percussion ensembles, marching band
s, and drum corps
.
Hardimon was inducted into the DCI hall of fame in 2000, and received the “Life Time Achievement Award” from Sabian Cymbals in 2005. He is currently a Winter Guard International
adjudicator, continues working a partnership with Mike Sherpa at "Head Talk" (a school of multi-percussion in Loveland, CO), and arranges percussion for Capital Regiment, a Division 1 DCI Drum Corps from Columbus, OH.
Vic Firth
also manufactures a popular brand of drumsticks that feature Hardimon's name. These are heavy, white sticks with a barrel tip, intended for use with marching snare drums. Another, lighter version of sticks also bear his name, titled 'Ralphie Jr.s'
Marching percussion
Marching percussion instruments are specially designed to be played while moving. This is achieved by attaching the drum to a special harness worn by the drummer. The drums are designed and tuned for maximum articulation and projection of sound, as marching activities are almost always outdoors or...
, rudimental drumming, drum & bugle corps
Drum and bugle corps (modern)
A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...
, and marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
. He is also considered by many to be arguably the greatest percussion teacher of all time.
Hardimon's performance experience started in the late sixties with the Los Angeles Police Band, and later the Velvet Knights and Anaheim Kingsmen drum & bugle corps. He taught and studied with Fred Sanford and studied with Charles Dowd at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
.
Following Fred Sanford's departure after the 1980 season, Hardimon became Director of Percussion for the Santa Clara Vanguard in 1981 and kept that position through 1990, during which time SCV
SCV
SCV can refer to:* Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, a Division I Drum Corps International drum corps based in Santa Clara, California.* Santa Clarita Valley* Sodalitium Christianae Vitae* Several complex variables* Small colony variants...
won four High Percussion awards (1978,1979,1988,1989) and three DCI
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
World Championships. He served as a consultant for SCV
SCV
SCV can refer to:* Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, a Division I Drum Corps International drum corps based in Santa Clara, California.* Santa Clarita Valley* Sodalitium Christianae Vitae* Several complex variables* Small colony variants...
from 1997-2000. Hardimon has scored music for many other corps (including Blue Knights from 1990-2001) as well as college percussion ensemble
Percussion ensemble
A percussion ensemble is a musical ensemble consisting of only percussion instruments. Although the term can be used to describe any such group, it commonly refers to groups of classically-trained percussionists performing primarily classical music. Percussion ensembles are most commonly found at...
s and marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
s. He is currently the percussion caption head at the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps
Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps
The Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps are a World Class drum and bugle corps based in Denver, Colorado and founded in 1958, and are a member corps of Drum Corps International. They are known throughout the circuit for their moving interpretations of classical music, use of choreography and...
.
Hardimon received Grammy nominations for Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and Rhythm and Blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, and a Gold Record for Rhythm and Blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
. He has worked for Disney and bowl games such as the Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
, Orange Bowl, and Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. He travels to Japan several times a year to work with percussion ensembles, marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
s, and drum corps
Drum and bugle corps (modern)
A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...
.
Hardimon was inducted into the DCI hall of fame in 2000, and received the “Life Time Achievement Award” from Sabian Cymbals in 2005. He is currently a Winter Guard International
Winter Guard International
Spawning from the organization Drum Corps International , Winter Guard International was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S...
adjudicator, continues working a partnership with Mike Sherpa at "Head Talk" (a school of multi-percussion in Loveland, CO), and arranges percussion for Capital Regiment, a Division 1 DCI Drum Corps from Columbus, OH.
Vic Firth
Vic Firth
Vic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...
also manufactures a popular brand of drumsticks that feature Hardimon's name. These are heavy, white sticks with a barrel tip, intended for use with marching snare drums. Another, lighter version of sticks also bear his name, titled 'Ralphie Jr.s'