Vater is pleased to announce that Cisco Hance, Sean Gordon, Darren Van Derpoel and Lamon Lawhorn have all joined the Vater Marching Artist Family!
As we are most widely known for our drumset products, it’s really been no secret that Vater also manufactured marching sticks for a leading brand in the marching world for many years. Players are now truly realizing that the first-class quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail in what they were using for marching sticks had been really coming from Vater all along – and just how much that mattered.
Vater’s extensive and expanding Marching, Ensemble and Educational product line is catching the attention of today’s well-respected players and has become a game changer for their groups!
We are excited and honored to welcome these players with their official #SwitchToVater
DARREN VAN DERPOEL
“I am incredibly excited to join the Vater team! There’s so much history with the Vater brand, and I am looking forward to being a part of expanding on the marching products.“ – Darren van Derpoel [Ayala HS / Dark Sky]
Darren Van Derpoel resides in Glendora, CA and works throughout Southern California as a music educator. After graduating from Vista HS in 2005, he performed with Esperanza Drum and Bugle Corps, Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, Black Knights Indoor Percussion, Riverside Community College Marching Band, and RCC Indoor.
He has earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Management from Cal Poly Pomona in 2013. He currently serves as the co-director of Sidle Entertainment, Southern California’s Premier Drumline, whose current clients include the Los Angeles Dodgers, LA Kings, Angel City FC, and the Los Angeles Chargers’ “Thunderbolt Drumline.”
Darren has been an active percussion instructor in Southern California since 2005, working with many high schools and independent groups. He currently works with Dark Sky Percussion, El Dorado HS, and Ayala HS.
LAMON LAWHORN
“The quality of Vater products is literally unmatched in the industry, and everything feels great in my hands. It’s one thing to play with a pair of sticks; it’s another knowing the owner of the company is still hands-on, in the factory every day, making and matching the sticks himself. The look, the quality, the sound; these are extremely important to me, and I have all three in Vater. The icing on the cake has been working directly with Johnny and Alan to ensure that my ideas materialize and being welcomed into the family. Because, as Alan says, “Once you’re Vater, you’re family!” – Lamon Lawhorn [Virginia State University / PAS President Elect]
Dr. Lamon Lawhorn serves as the Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Percussion Studies at Virginia State University, where he directs all aspects of the comprehensive percussion program within the Department of Music.
Dr. Lamon Lawhorn, a native of Fort Worth, TX, received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from Prairie View A&M University, a Master of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Mississippi, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Percussion Performance. Previous teachers include Larry Jones, Ricky Burkhead, David Carlisle, Kris Keeton, Neeraj Mehta, Eric Willie, and Bruce Graves.
Dr. Lawhorn has performed in various orchestral venues as a member of the Corinth, Greensboro, Roanoke, and Winston Salem Symphony Orchestra, and various musical theatre productions. In addition to his orchestral experience, he has recorded, performed, and toured on drum set with various artists.
Active within the Percussive Arts Society, Dr. Lawhorn currently serves as President-Elect for the Executive Committee and a member of the Board of Directors. An avid promoter of educational instruction, he has conducted clinics across the United States, multiple Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) clinic sessions as well as internationally at the Austrian Percussion Camp, the Taipei and Shanghai International Percussion Summer Camps, teaching gospel drumming and American marching drumline techniques. As a composer, Dr. Lawhorn has works published through C. Alan Publications and accompanied compositions through Row-Loff Publications. Previously, Dr. Lawhorn served as Assistant Director of Bands at North Carolina A&T State University, where he coordinated all percussion areas of the University Band Program.
He is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, Inc., Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and the Alliance of Black Orchestral Percussionist.
CISCO HANCE
“Proud to officially join the Vater Drumsticks family. Grateful to be aligned with a company that truly supports the artists behind the instrument.” – Cisco Hance
Osman “Cisco” Hance is an experienced percussion educator, designer, and program leader with more than 20 years in the marching arts. He currently serves as the Head Band Director at South Fork High School in Stuart, Florida, is the Battery Coordinator for Infinity Percussion, and teaches the battery at the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps.
Throughout his career, Cisco has worked with high school and independent programs, helping develop performers and build strong, competitive ensembles. His experience in the drum corps activity includes leadership roles at the highest level, as well as work with multiple world-class organizations.
Known for his ability to build culture and create high-level performance environments, Cisco focuses on developing students through accountability, consistency, and a clear vision for excellence.
SEAN GORDON
“Vater has a long history of making exceptional drum set sticks. So when Alan and Johnny approached me about coming on board and helping them explore the marching percussion world, specifically through my lens of the front ensemble, I got really excited. The process has been very fulfilling, the conversation that we have about the products gets deeper every time, and its obvious I’m working with people who are just as passionate about creating excellent products as I am. I cannot wait for the world to see the incredible mallets we are making!” – Sean Gordon [Ayala HS]
Sean Gordon has been involved in the marching arts as a teacher and arranger for over two decades. Through that time, he has had the opportunity to teach some wonderful ensembles, including The Blue Devils, The Mandarins, The Academy, Pulse Percussion, Dark Sky Percussion, and a number of scholastic programs, including El Dorado High School and Ayala High School.
As an arranger, Sean has been lucky enough to explore all levels of the activity, from middle school programs to world class ensembles, With a background in mallet percussion, his arrangements for both marching and concert percussion feature the acoustic percussion instruments that make up the foundation of our activity, while still celebrating the electronic elements that have pushed the activity to where it is today.
Being raised in a musical family, Sean played piano and saxophone before joining the drumline at his middle school, playing just seconds of mallet percussion in his 7th grade year. However, his love of playing mallets and performing in this activity was instant, and through his performing career, Sean was able to be a member of the Ayala High School Percussion Ensembles, Impulse Drum & Bugle Corps, Pulse Percussion, RCC Indoor Percussion, and The Blue Devils. He continued his education at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Pedagogy.
MATT ALBANO
“I have an immense respect for the products that Vater has brought to the drum set community. Listening to Alan Vater walk through the research and development that has taken place over multiple generations of his family makes me excited and humbled to take on this opportunity to bring a mallet keyboard series to the Vater family. While designing this mallet series, the team at Vater has been great at making sure my ideas and concepts are heard. I am excited to help design a product that meets the highest standards the Vater family has set in the percussion world.” – Matt Albano [Infinity / Boston Crusaders]
Matt is a percussion educator, composer, and arranger based in the central Florida area. During his independent marching career, he performed with Infinity Percussion (2013, 2016-2018) and the Bluecoats drum and bugle corps (2014-2015).
Matt has served many roles in the marching activity, including front ensemble instructor, coordinator, and arranger. He has been a front ensemble staff member with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps since 2021. He has also held many roles as a staff member with Infinity Percussion where he is currently the Front Ensemble Coordinator and Co-Arranger for Infinity.
