BORN IN:
San Diego, CA

LIVES IN:
Houston, TX

DRUMMING SINCE:
1986

BIGGEST INFLUENCE(S):
Brian Zator, Neil Peart, Ray Luzier, Dave Weckl

FAVORITE ALBUM PLAYED ON:
Houston Symphonic Band (Robert Ticheli TBA Concert)

FAVORITE ALBUM DIDN’T PLAY ON:
“Moving Pictures”, Rush

CAREER HIGHLIGHT:
Texas City High School sweeping all 2A Awards at the BOA Woodlands Regionals in 2010

FAVORITE SABIAN CYMBAL:
Concert Band: 18″ HHX Synergy Medium Crash Cymbals (great for the stage or the marching field)
Drumset: 21″ HH Crossover Ride

Vincent Gumkowski is going into his twenty-third year of teaching, and his seventh as the Head Band Director at Bobby Shaw Middle School in the Pasadena Independent School District. His duties encompass teaching all beginner band instruments for 180 band students in grades 5 and 6. In addition, Mr. Gumkowski maintains an active private lesson studio with students from Lutheran South Academy in Houston, Tx.

After graduating from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory under the direction of Robert Peri, Mr. Gumkowski chose to continue his education at Loyola University in New Orleans. Mr. Gumkowski studied conducting with Dr. Joseph Hebert and percussion pedagogy with Jim Atwood, and was a member of both the Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. He taught at Bonnabel High School in Kenner, Louisiana and is a 1997 graduate of Loyola University (New Orleans) with a Bachelor of Music Education.

Prior to teaching at Bobby Shaw MS, Mr. Gumkowski taught in Texas City ISD and started the annual Texas City ISD Percussion Ensemble Concert in 2006 and credits the success of his percussion ensembles to using vertical alignment (teaching the same nomenclature and techniques) to create consistency between Grades 5-12. His marching percussion ensembles have won Division I ratings at the Sulphur Marching Festival in Sulphur, LA in 2007 and 2008.

In 2010, the Texas City High School Marching Band won Outstanding Visual Effect, Outstanding Musical Effect, Outstanding General Effect, and Class 2A Champion at the BOA Woodlands Regional. The Texas City High School Symphonic Band won Best in Class (High School) and Outstanding Xylophone Soloist at the Peaks Music Festival at the Murchison Performing Arts Center in Denton, Texas in May 2011. The Symphonic Band ranked third in the 2011 TMEA Region XVII 4A Honor Band Listening. Mr. Gumkowski also taught Mariachi Raya (the Texas City HS Mariachi Ensemble) and the group earned 3rd Place in their first competition at Texas State University’s Feria del Mariachi Festival.

Mr. Gumkowski’s professional affiliations include the Percussive Arts Society, Texas Music Educators Association, and Texas Bandmasters Association. In addition, he is a former Principal Percussionist of the Houston Symphonic Band and Deer Park Community Concert Band and plays with the Pearland Chamber Orchestra. He is also endorsed by Innovative Percussion Sticks and Mallets, Sabian Cymbals and Dynasty USA.