Byron began his educational journey with music in the 4th grade but his passion for rudimental percussion began when he attended the Alan Keown Drum Camp. It was after those three fateful summer camps that he decided to major in Percussion Performance at the University of Oregon studying directly under the late great Charles Dowd. Over the following 15 years, he went on to teach at dozens of high school indoor and outdoor marching programs in the Pacific NW, was the original snare technician for the first two years of the Oregon Crusaders Drum Corps, and a writer/performer for 3 years for the Portland Trail Blazers “Groove Machine.” Byron was the lead music and battery technician at Rex Putnum HS for 7 years culminating in their 12th place finish at World Championships (WGI 2024). He has been a battery technician at the University of Oregon for over 13 years and is currently the Percussion Director at Sherwood High School and Middle School.
The Marching Arts has continually evolved to demand of the performers a high degree of physical endurance, mobility, strength and athleticism. Byron also brings to the Alan Keown Drum Camp his 20+ years within the Fitness Industry. Byron has carried eight nationally accredited certifications as a Master Trainer, as well as being a Nutritionist/Dietician and a Fitness Software Company CEO. Having trained over 20,000+ sessions in his career, from Olympic gymnasts, junior Olympic skiers, Ironman triathletes and everyday people looking to improve their quality of life, Byron brings the fun and the knowledge and passes it on to the next generation of performers.
