About Us
Who are the Derby City Knights?
The Derby City Knights Performing Arts Association is a soon to be 501c3 non-profit organization. Our long term mission is to provide a wide variety of performance opportunities for adults and youth of all ages. The first phase of this mission is the establishment of the Derby City Knights Drum & Bugle Corps. Or goal is to be a high quality, highly sought after group that will entertain thousands of people and enrich the lives of our members on many different levels.
What is Drum and Bugle Corps?
Drum and bugle corps is a marching and musical activity, similar to marching band in many ways. The instrumentation is much more specific - only brass and percussion instruments are allowed, as well as color guard - dancers who also perform with equipment such as flags, sabers and rifles.
Derby City Knights Brass Staff
Matthew A. Basey -- Corps Director / Brass Caption Head
Mr. Basey is a graduate of Meade County High School in Brandenburg, KY. He attended
the University of Louisville from 1993 until 1996, where he majored in music
education. In 1996, He changed his focus to electrical engineering. He has been
a marching and brass instructor at several Kentucky high school including Meade
County (1993 - 1996), and most recently Central Hardin High School (2004 - 2005).
Mr. Basey's first drum corps experience with the Star of Indiana in 1992, where
he marched Contra Bass. He also was a part of the Star of Indiana Alumni Corps
in 2004. In 2005, Mr. Basey worked with the DCA Class A World Brass Champions,
Music City Legend from Nashville, TN. At Music City Legend, he served as the
visual caption head, assistant brass caption head, and was a co-drill writer.
His most recent Drum Corps experience was as a member of the 2006 Mini Corps
World Champions Star United.
Shane Embry --- Assistant Corps Director / Baritone Instructor
Mr. Embry is a graduate of Meade County High School in Brandenburg, KY. He was
a music education major at the University of Louisville from 1993 until 1999.
Mr. Embry started teaching marching band in 1985 at Meade County High School.
He remained with that program until 2003. During that period he also worked
with Grayson County in 1995 - 1996 and Mercer County in 1998. He also works
as a freelance marching brass clinician with many bands in Kentucky, Indiana,
Ohio, and Tennessee. Since 2004, Mr. Embry has been the Assistant Band Director
at Central Hardin High School.
David Fisher -- Brass Arranger
Mr. Fisher is a graduate of Berklee College of Music (1995) where he studied
jazz arranging and composition along with music scoring for film and video.
His experience as an arranger includes scores for big band, small jazz/latin
ensembles, and horn sections. In addition, David composes and produces music
for short films and video projects. He is currently employed as a sound engineer
for a film production company in New York City.
David has been involved in marching band and drum corps since 1987. He was
a member of the Indiana University "Marching 100" from 1991-1992.
From 1992-1993, he marched with the Star of Indiana Drum & Bugle Corps (euphonium),
as part of their award winning brass line.
David is very excited to return to the Drum Corps community by working with
Corps Director Matthew Basey and The Derby City Knights.
Derby City Knights Percussion Staff
Scott Brawner -- Percussion Tech Head
Bio coming soon
Jim Reed -- Percussion Arranger
Jim Reed has served as percussion arranger for Music City Legend since its founding
in 2004. He is currently band director at Goodpasture Christian School in Madison,
Tennessee, where he has been since 2002. Previously, he served as director of
bands at East Robertson High School from 1999-2002. Mr. Reed is also the founder
and director of OPTIMUS Percussion Ensemble, an independent competitive indoor
percussion ensemble in the Nashville area. In 1996, Jim marched snare with the
Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Music
Education from the University of Tennessee at Martin, where he served as Field
Commander and Percussion Captain for the Marching Skyhawks as well as section
leader for the symphonic band and percussion ensemble. While at UTM, he studied
under Nancy Mathesen and has been able to work with such people as Rich Holly,
Julie Hill, and Eric Willie. He has instructed or designed for more than 20
groups from the high school level through college and drum corps. Mr. Reed is
proud to also be a Charter Member of Music City Legend and a member of its Board
of Directors
Derby City Knights Visual Staff
Dan Goldman -- Visual Caption Head
Dan Goldman graduated from Floyd Central High School and as a student participated
in their state finalist marching and concert bands as well as their award winning
orchestra while capturing a State Championship in 1995. In addition to these
programs he diversified his musical talent in many organizations, including
5 area pep bands, FCHS Symphonic Band and 6 years of Floyd County Youth Symphony,
including their Vienna Tour of 1995. Mr. Goldman's drum corps experience includes
the Northmen (1994) from Green Bay, Bluecoats 1998 and other various partial
seasons.
Mr. Goldman has been teaching visual programs at high schools and state finalist
since 1994. He has written and co-written drill for state caliber ensembles
and has developed his skills in consulting, program coordination, show design
and concepts. Since leaving the School of Music at the University of Louisville
in 1997, he became a self-taught AutoCAD technician in the field of Land Surveying
and Civil Engineering and now resides in Indianapolis, IN, where he continues
to enhance his visual design skills.
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