Percussion Staff

DR. DAVID L. MILLS

david.mills@uconn.edu

Professor Mills joined the music faculty in 1990 and has served as the director of the UConn Marching Band and conductor of the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Varsity Pep Bands. In addition to the bands, he teaches courses in music education and is chairman of the admissions and scholarship committees of the UConn Music Department. He holds the B.S. in Music and the Master of Music Education degrees from Western Carolina University and earned his Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Miami. Dr. Mills is active as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician for high school bands throughout the eastern United States. In Connecticut, he has conducted all of the CMEA Regional Honor Bands.

Before coming to UConn, Dr. Mills was Director of Bands at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia, conducting the wind ensemble, concert band, and marching band. At the University of Miami, he worked with the "Band of the Hour" and is a member of the Band of the Hour Association Hall of Fame. He began his career as the band director at Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg, Virginia where the band established a superior reputation in the areas of both concert and marching band. As the result of his work in Blacksburg he was awarded the Phi Delta Kappa Distinguished Educator Award.

Dr. Mills is a member of numerous honorary and service societies in music and education including Music Educators National Conference, Connecticut Music Educators Association, College Band Directors National Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Phi Mu Alpha, Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity, National Band Association (State Chairman of CT), and the Big East Band Association.

In 2011, Dr. Mills was recognized by the UConn Alumni Association and presented with the Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award.

MARVIN MCNEILL

marvin.mcneill@uconn.edu

Mr. McNeill has earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Virginia Polytechnic and State University, and his Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from the University of Connecticut.

After completing his Masters degree, Mr. McNeill accepted the position of Director of Bands at Sacred Heart University (1997-2002). While at Sacred Heart University, Mr. McNeill developed a comprehensive music program to include marching band, pep band, concert band, jazz band and Terpsichore, the Sacred Heart University Winter Guard. Much loved and respected by both students and colleagues, he was named Advisor of the Year in 2002.

In his current appointment, Marvin serves as the assistant director of the University of Connecticut Marching Band and Varsity Pep Bands. He also conducts the University Concert Band, teaches brass techniques, and organizes and instructs the marching percussion program.

As a trombonist Marvin performs widely in concert, commercial, and jazz venues throughout the Northeast. His trombone teachers include George Sanders, John Swallow, John Mosca, and Dayl Burnett. Marvin's conducting teachers include James Glazebrook and Dr. Jeffrey Renshaw.

Marvin has many years of marching band and drum corps experience. As a member of the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, Marvin was selected as Glassmen of the Year in 1991 and was also selected as a member of the 1992 Drum Corps East/Drum Corps Midwest All Stars. Marvin has also served on the brass staff of the Connecticut Hurricanes Senior Drum and Bugle Corps.

Marvin McNeill is a member of the International Trombone Association, International Association of Jazz Educators, Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, and is an honorary member of both Kappa Kappa Psi, and Tau Beta Sigma.

Chris Horvat

chrishorvat@yahoo.com

Chris started his marching career at Notre Dame High School (West Haven, CT) where he played in the drumline from 1994-1998. During the summers of 1997 and 1998, he marched in the tenor line with the Connecticut Hurricanes. Chris then attended the University of Connecticut where he was a member of the university's Marching Band snare line from 1998 – 2000 and became drum major for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Over the summers, he marched in the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps ( San Antonio, TX) tenor line (1999) and the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (Allentown, PA) tenor line (2000, 2001 and 2002). Chris has also taught for the Connecticut Hurricanes in 2003 and marched in the Hawthorne Caballeros tenor line in 2004.

Chris is a University of Connecticut Alum where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Manufacturing Engineering and Management. Chris currently works in the repair development group for an aerospace company in the Hartford, CT area. He manages a team of engineers developing repair solutions on jet engine components.

Chris is also an honorary member of the National Band Sorority Tau Beta Sigma and National Band Fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi.

Allan Hutchins

allan.hutchins@gmail.com

Allan started playing in the drumline at Robert E. Fitch Senior High School in Groton, CT in 1999.  He served as drumline captain for three years before graduating in 2003.  He attended the University of Connecticut and played tenors in the drumline for the UConn Marching Band from 2003-2007 while serving as tenor section leader for three years. 

Allan is a two-time recipient of the Golden Stick Award as voted by his peers in the UConn Drumline.  He is also an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.

Allan graduated from UConn with his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and currently works in the pharmaceutical industry.  He returned to work with the UConn Drumline in 2008 to tech to the tenor line.

HANS ANDERSON-DOLLHOPF

drumline@uconn.edu

Hans Anderson-Dollhopf has earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from The University of Connecticut and his Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Saint Joseph College.

Before arriving at Storrs, Hans received percussion instruction from John Kemble (1996-2007) in percussion performance, reading, writing, corps-style, as well as set instruction.

Hans is a University of Connecticut Marching Band Alum after serving five seasons in the Bass Drum line including two seasons as section leader. Since his graduation from The University of Connecticut Hans has been a tech with the UConn Drumline along with several high schools in the Southern Connecticut area. In both the 2008 and 2009 seasons Hans was awarded the Golden Stick by members of the UConn Drumline. In 2010 Hans was inducted as an honorary member of the National Band Sorority Tau Beta Sigma.