David Gambal has been an active percussion arranger, instructor, judge, clinician and performer for the past 40 plus years. Owner of Gambal Music, a percussion retail company which manufactures Gambal Music Leather Cymbal Straps and Pads and co-founder of Gambal Manufacturing, a percussion implement and accessory manufacturer, Dave also knows about the business side of percussion.
His judging experience with Drum Corps Associates (DCA), National Judges Association (NJA), Winter Guard International (WGI), and the Keystone Indoor Drill Association (KIDA) has allowed him the opportunity to observe and adjudicate some of the finest programs in the marching activity today.
As an arranger and instructor, his percussion sections have won the Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Championship Best Percussion award with four different group-sized divisions. Dave’s indoor percussion sections have also excelled, winning the Keystone Indoor Drill Association (KIDA) Concert and Marching Championships and Tournament Indoor Association’s (TIA) Concert and Marching Championships. Gambal was the arranger/instructor for 18 Atlantic Coast Championship overall band titles and 8 Atlantic Coast Best Percussion titles. For the past 25 consecutive years, since 1989, Dave has had at least one band in the top four of the Atlantic Coast Championships.
As a performer Dave was a member of the percussion section of the infamous Bridgemen Drum & Bugle Corps, Bayonne, New Jersey for 4 years during which they won the Drum Corps International’s Best Percussion Trophy in 1980, 1981, and 1982. Dave has also marched with the Minute Men Drum & Bugle Corps, Old Forge, PA and Royal Brigade Drum & Bugle Corps, Meadowlands, NJ. He participated with the Bridgemen Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps from 2005-2009.
Gambal has served as an arranger and instructor for the Bridgemen and the Westshoremen Drum & Bugle Corps. He has acted as a consultant for the Brigadiers Drum & Bugle Corps, Syracuse, NY and the Caballeros Drum & Bugle Corps, Hawthorne, NJ. Dave has arranged and instructed several high school marching bands, including Lake Lehman High School, Lehman, PA, West Deptford High School, West Deptford, NJ, Pocono Mountain High School, Swiftwater, PA, Pocono Mountain West High School, Pocono Summit, PA, Montrose Area High School, Montrose, PA, Dallas High School, Dallas, PA, Pittston Area High School, Pittston, PA, Hazelton Area High School, Hazelton, PA, and John S. Fine High School, Nanticoke, PA.
Mr. Gambal has also been a featured clinician for the Percussive Arts Society, the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association and several other organizations. He was also part of the arranging staff for Pocono Marching Concepts.
David is proud to be an endorser of Innovative Percussion products.