2112 SCHOOL OF MUSICAL ARTS STAFF

Merritt Partridge
Drums, Percussion, Director Of Education

Merritt Partridge is a freelance musician who has been performing since his teens. He has performed in a broad range of styles including: rock, soul, blues, country, funk, hip-hop, jazz, big band, theater, improv, avant-garde, and classical. Merritt is also an experienced studio producer and recording engineer. His versatility and experience bring a unique perspective and philosophy to his performing and teaching. He has been teaching since 1993.

His influences include Vinnie Colaiuta, John Bonham, Milford Graves, Tony Williams, Art Blakey, Jim Chapin, Kenny Soule, Jason Patterson, Gene Lake, Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield, Buddy Rich, David Garibaldi and Tommy Lee.

Hunter Crews
Drums, Percussion

Hunter attended Drummers Collective in New York City (1994 and 1996). He studied sight-reading, technique, rudiments and various styles under Michael Lauren, Sandy Gennaro and Brad Flickinger. Hunter graduated from the Los Angeles Music Academy in 2001. While attending he studied sight-reading, playing techniques, rudiments, time signatures as well as many different styles including rock, funk, jazz, blues and latin under Ralph Humphrey, Joe Pocaro, Mike Shapiro and Michael Packer. Hunter has played in many bands including Omicron, Severed Existence, Individually Twisted, The Bookem' Dano's, Crucible of the Damned.

His influences include John Bonham, Bill Ward, Dave Lombardo, Tommy Aldridge, Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland and Gene Hoglan.

Kevin Rader-Rhodenbaugh
Drums, Timpani, Marimba, Percussion

Kevin took his first drum lesson with revered percussionist, Karl Gilbert, in 1980 at the age of 11. Six months later he boldly announced to the world, "I am going to college to study music". During the following 6 years, he held on to that dream, which eventually culminated in his acceptance to the Ball State University School of Music as a student of renowned tympanist Dr. Erwin C. Mueller. Kevin flourished as a collegiate percussionist and, in addition to his involvement in all of the top collegiate ensembles, became a frequent performer with many of the semi-professional orchestras in central Indiana. It was also during this time that Kevin co-founded the band Neurotic Box, which eventually signed a publishing/development contract with Interscope Music. He later left the band to accept a scholarship at Miami University where he would study under Dr. William Albin and become an award winning solo marimbist. Upon leaving Ohio, Kevin spent 3 years performing and recording as a rock drummer in Washington, DC. In 2003, He and his wife Marcey moved to the Raleigh, NC area where he began teaching privately.

Andrew Munger
Drums, Djembe, Vibraphone, Marimba, Percussion

Andrew Munger is a professional Percussionist, Composer, and Educator living and teaching in the Raleigh Area. After graduating from the Atlanta Institute of Music, Andrew moved to Raleigh and joined the Raleigh and Durham Symphony Orchestras as prinipal percussionist. Since then, he has played with a number of Rock, Jazz, and "World Music" groups. His teaching approach is founded on an "old-school" focus on basic techniques, tempered by a "real-world" understanding of what it takes to be a professional performer in today's music market. For more information about Andrew and his musical projects, visit www.rhythm-art.com.

Todd Proctor
Drums, Percussion

Todd received a scholarship to study at East Carolina University which has one of North Carolina's most prestigious music programs. Todd studied privately under Mark Ford, who is currently the head of the percussion department at North Texas State University. Louis Pragasam, a Full-Bright Scholar from Malaysia also taught Todd privately. Pragasam influenced Todd to study many styles from other countries and regions. Todd also studied with the world-renowned bassist, Carol Dashiell and jazz great Peter Erskine. While attending East Carolina University, Todd had the fortunate opportunity to play with some of the world's finest musicians: Sedatrius Brown, Mulgrew Miller, Christian McBride, Grady Tate, and Maceo Parker.

Todd has an active freelance career performing varying styles of music with artists throughout the Southeast. These styles include pop, country, rock, Cuban, blues, funk, R& B, straight-ahead jazz, electric- jazz, calypso, soca, reggae, and symphonic/orchestral percussion.

Chris Henderson
Drums, Percussion

Chris has been playing drums for over twenty years. After having taken lessons at 2112 as a kid, Chris joined the staff at 2112 and eventually began teaching lessons in 1996. He has played in several bands from the area, some of which include The Nickel Slots and The Accelerators. Chris has an abundance of live performance experience and has played on several studio recordings with genres ranging from blues and rock to pop and country.

While taking a hiatus from full time music, Chris attended Penn State University and received a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an A.S. in Business Administration.

Chris' influences include John Bonham, Stuart Copeland, Bill Ward, Mickey Curry, Jeff Sullivan, Travis McNabb, Ric Menke, Randy Guss and Josh Freese.

Randy Evans
Guitar, Bass

Randy began playing guitar in 1968 in Washington, D.C. and 6 months afterwards started performing in school programs and with other local musicians. He later attended Montgomery Community College in Rockville, MD where he majored in General Music. In 1983 he relocated to Durham, NC where he continued studying with notable local musicians including Brother Yusuf Saleem. In 1987 Randy Began teaching while performing with reggae and World Music artists Mickey Mills & Steel and Charlotte-based MidLand. He also co-founded jazz quintet Shadze (1992-1998) and two other acts-Nostalja and Lejendz-both R& B oldies groups, as well as played and recorded on numerous other projects.

In 2006 Randy was accepted to study under jazz master and columnist Howard Morgen. Among Randy's influences are: Jimmy Reed, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Nolen (James Brown), Steve Cropper, George Benson, Jimi Hendrix and any Classic Rock and Classic Funk, Carlos Santana, and Larry Carlton.

Tim Pemberton
Guitar, Bass

Tim started playing guitar in 1979 and began playing in/leading rock bands & performing for audiences soon after. After playing in a number of cover bands as a teen, he began developing his own style(s) of playing & started writing and performing original music with bands of many styles, including rock, funk, soul, heavy metal, punk and free jazz, sometimes all in the same band.

He brings many years of experience, starting his teaching career in 1988, part time at his home. He has taught at 2112 School Of Musical Arts since 2008 and is director of the "Let's Rock" program on Saturdays as well as teaching and occasionally performing with Brimstone, the schools all-star band.

After close to 32 years of playing guitar, he considers himself to be, first and foremost, a life-long student and is grateful to learn something new from every person he meets (of any age).

A few of his favorite players and influences include Frank Zappa, Jimi Hendrix, Capt. Beefheart, Niki Sparrow, Joni Mitchell, Mike Watt and D. Boon of The Minutemen, Prince, Root Boy Slim, John Coltrane, Adrian Belew, Dr. Know, Jimmy Page, Alex Lifeson, Andy Summers, Elliot Easton, Brant Bjork, Thin Lizzy, Tom Waits, Danny Gatton, Nels Cline, Chris Stevens (an excellent Raleigh player/teacher Tim studied with in the late 80's and early 90's), Dean Ween, Billy Gibbons, Eddie Hazel (of Parliament/Funkadelic), Jeff Buckley, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, George Harrison, Curtis Mayfield and many more.

Kelli Cox
Voice

Kelli is originally from Oregon where she began singing at the age of 12. Coming from a musical family, singing was part of her life from early on. She received a degree in music with focus on vocal jazz. While in college, she sang in many different bands and went on to live in Austin Texas to receive another degree in Nursing. She remained active with teaching music and singing while nursing, and has now dedicated all her time to the art. She has lived in Raleigh for the last 6 years, and has an acoustic act called Six String Serenade and sings in two other bands as well. Kelli has spent her entire professional life caring for children and is thrilled to take the opportunity to teach kids to sing and perform.

Evan Francis
Piano

Evan has a Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance, as well as being a church accompanist and choir director.