For those involved within the arts, coaching sports or teaching academics, there is an age-old adage of “paying it forward” – the idea that those who were once performers, athletes or students become involved in similar educational paths of their respective mentors; to preserve the ideals and traditions passed down and deliver them a new generation. Sean Gordon is among the new wave of up and coming instructors that fits this positive trend.

Sean’s mallet percussion training began as a seventh grader while attending Canyon Hills Jr. High.  He continued to play mallets for Ayala’s percussion section all four years before graduating and participating with groups such as Pulse Percussion, Riverside Community College, Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps and aging-out with the 2007 DCI Champions, The Blue Devils, as a mallet percussionist.

During the course of his indoor career, Sean returned to his alumni as a mallet tech in 2007, holding the position until he was promoted to front ensemble instructor in 2009 – working with the likes of his former instructor, Caleb Rothe, Bryan Nungaray, and current front ensemble instructor/arranger Jim Wunderlich.

Since Sean’s inclusion as Ayala’s mallet tech, the standard setting concert ensemble has earned an astounding three Percussion Scholastic Concert World Championships (four total for 2006 – 2007, 2009 – 2010), as well as their first Percussion Scholastic World title in 2010 with their emotionally charged and patriotic program, “Live to Tell”. He also worked with Pulse Percussion as a mallet technician from 2009 – 2011, where the ensemble earned a 4th place finish in 2009, the Percussion Independent World Bronze Medal in 2011 and the organization’s first ever Championship in 2010 for their program, “Worth the Wait”. 

Sean’s teaching prowess has also migrated to the drum corps scene, as he has worked as the front ensemble instructor for The Mandarins Drum & Bugle Corps (Sacramento, CA) in 2010, The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps (Tempe, AZ) in 2011 and 2012, and The Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps  in 2013. 

Sean currently resides in Chino Hills, CA and is a proud educational endorser of REMO drumheads, Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets , and TAMA Percussion.