Adams State University Spring Percussion Festival 2025

April 24 & April 25

About the Festival

Band Directors and students, you are cordially invited to the inaugural Spring Percussion Festival April 24-25, 2025 on the Adams State campus!

This event is open to percussionists ranging from middle school to undergraduates in college. Band Directors, parents, or guardians are welcome to accompany their participants.

The general schedule is as follows: arrive on Thursday 4/24 at approximately 8:30am and participate in coachings and clinics throughout the day with Dr. Leoce and our featured guest teachers – information about our world-class guest teachers is available below. We are able to provide all percussion equipment as long as the equipment needs are received in advance.

Thursday evening at 7:00pm, attend a concert performed by the guest artists, Dr. Leoce, and the Adams State Percussion Ensemble, Steel Band, and Brazilian Ensemble. On Friday, enjoy more coachings and clinics before heading back home.

Schools may choose to attend ONLY Thursday, ONLY Friday, or attend both days and get overnight accommodations. While overnight accommodations, food, and transportation will be your financial responsibility, we are able to offer discounted rates at local hotels for participants. Additionally, this festival will be offered with no registration fees!

Festival Schedule

April 24
8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

April 25
8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Details Coming Soon

Registration Link

Deadline for registration, March 1, 2025

Festival Host

Melinda A. Leoce, D.M.
Assistant Professor of Percussion, Adams State University

Bio

About the Adams State University Percussion Department

Guest Artists

Ksenija Komljenović, D.M.A.
Percussion Department Chair, University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Ksenija Komljenović, a percussionist, educator, and composer, gained international recognition as a prizewinner of the International Percussion Competition Luxembourg. As the first Serbian woman to earn a doctorate in percussion, she teaches at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, America’s first public arts conservatory. Her passion for chamber music and intercultural collaboration shines through her ensemble, Vesna Duo, which she co-founded with pianist Liana Harron. Their bold arrangements of classical, contemporary, jazz, and folk music bring a unique flair to their performances. The Wall Street Journal praised Vesna Duo’s debut album, featuring Ksenija’s marimba and piano arrangement of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, as “impressively reconfigured” and “smashingly effective.” In 2024, Ksenija celebrated her Carnegie Hall debut and the world premiere of Episodes for Marimba and Orchestra, composed for her by Academy Award nominee and six-time Emmy Award winner Chris Boardman, who described her as “intellectually brilliant, musically curious, intuitive, with the heart of an artist.” Ksenija has performed internationally, appearing in hundreds of concerts and leading over 60 masterclasses across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Her compositions, including Slavdom and Epilogue, draw on her Slavic and Balkan roots. A Marimba One artist, she holds degrees from the Frost School of Music, Illinois State University, and the Faculty of Music in Belgrade.
Learn more at www.ksenijakomljenovic.com.

John Sevy, M.M.
Freelance Percussionist and Educator (based in Denver, Colo.)

John is a passionate musician, jazz drummer, percussionist, and educator based in Westminster, Colorado. Born and raised near Denver, John’s love for drumming began at a young age, with childhood memories of building makeshift drum sets from plastic pots while helping his mom plant flowers. His dedication to drumming led him to pursue a degree in percussion performance at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he studied both classical and jazz percussion, gaining invaluable experience across various musical genres.
John continued his studies at the prestigious Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he completed a master’s degree, performance diploma, and served as an Associate Instructor in Percussion for 3 years. Throughout his time in the Midwest, John was an active performer between Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, while still managing a busy private studio. His performance career has seen him collaborate with a wide array of talented musicians, including Grammy winning Steven Feifke, Greg Ward, Fabian Almazan, Tony DeSare, Jeff Jenkins, Brian Casey, Alex Wignall, Michael D’Angelo, Brendan Keller-Tuberg, the Boulder Philharmonic, Terre Haute Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, Ballet Indiana, Richmond Symphony, among others.
In addition to his performative work, John has developed a strong presence as an educator teaching throughout his Colorado community. Often visiting middle and high schools to help students have a motivated and supported musical experience. When able, John loves to pursue masterclasses at University’s where he can discuss ideas such as melodies on the drum set, music and business, soloistic techniques, and much more. He has a deep commitment to helping his students grow as musicians and individuals, creating an environment balanced in hard work and joy. Whether teaching or performing, John’s goal is to guide others into a focused, enriching experience where music fosters personal growth, connection, and a deeper understanding of the art.