Director of Percussion Studies, James Corcoran, directs the UC Percussion Ensemble and is the Assistant Director and Percussion Coordinator of the UC Marching Band.

In addition to teaching at the University of the Cumberlands, Mr. Corcoran serves an Adjunct Instructor of Percussion for the Governor’s School for the Arts, where he coaches percussion and mixed instrumental ensembles.

Mr. Corcoran is the coordinator for the Cumberland Drum Camp and frequently acts as an adjudicator for marching band, concert band, and solos and ensemble festivals throughout Kentucky.

Mr. Corcoran has performed professionally with a number of artists and ensembles including Dave Samuels, Bob Becker, James Campbell, Leon Bates, the Lexington Philharmonic, and the Lexington Bach Ensemble. As a freelance artist, he also performs with Whisper Garden, Don’t Pass Go, The Five Gringos, Caribbean Blues, Harold Sherman and Friends, The Dave Hummel Octet, Colonel’s Choice Dixieland Band, Dixieland South, Insufficient Funds, the UC Faculty Jazz Ensemble, The UC All-Star Big Band, After Six, and many other groups in the Central and Eastern Kentucky Region.

Mr. Corcoran earned the Bachelor of Music Performance (B.M) degree and a Master of Music Theory (M.M.) degree from the University of Kentucky.  He is a member of the Lexington Musicians Union, MENC (the National Association for Music Education), KMEA (Kentucky Music Educators Association),and PAS (Percussive Arts Society), where he serves as the current President/Treasurer of the PAS Kentucky Chapter.  Mr. Corcoran regularly attends the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) and hosts the PAS Kentucky Day of Percussion, which has had such international artists as Billy Cobham, Tommy Igoe, Michael Burritt, Zoro, Michael Collier, Glenn Kotche and many more.
James Corcoran is a University Artist sponsored by Innovative Percussion, Sticks and Mallets, Nashville, TN.

UC Drumline:   
          http://www.ucumberlands.edu/drumline

PAS KY Chapter: 
          http://www.pas.org/chapters/kentucky

Cumberland Drum Camp
          http://www.ucumberlands.edu/drumline/drumcamp.php

Courses Taught

MUSC130 Music Appreciation

MUSC 421 Orchestration

MUSC 423 Form and Analysis

MUSC 490 Independent Study in Music

MUPR 109 Percussion Ensemble

MUPR 215 Percussion Techniques

MUAM 013-423 Applied Music-Instrumental

Publications, Presentations, and Performances

2006 KMEA Convention, presented “Jazz Drumming: How To Help Your Heavy Metal Drummer Better Understand Jazz”

Performed: Clinics and Master Classes in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Texas.

Performances with:

The Southeastern Kentucky Fine Arts Association
Whisper Garden
The Five Gringos
Don’t Pass Go
After Six
Caribbean Blues
Tandem Percussion Duo
Dave Samuels
Bob Becker
Leigh Howard Stevens
John Bergamo
David Mancini
James Campbell
Lexington Philharmonic
Lexington Bach Ensemble
Leon Bates, Tribute to Gershwin
Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps
Fuego Latino
Lexington Children’s Theatre
Lexington Musical Theatre Association
Centre College Players
UC Faculty Jazz Ensemble
UC All-Star Big Band
Colonel’s Choice Dixieland Band
Dixieland South
Harold Sherman and Friends
Five Easy Payments
Insufficient Funds
Dave Hummel Octet
Advocate Brass Band
Freelance Artist in Central and Eastern Kentucky
Harold Sherman Trio