Ward Durrett

Ward has served as Percussion Director/Arranger for numerous successful marching band percussion programs, including Conant (IL) High School, the 1980 BOA Summer National Champion. His percussion ensembles have earned four BOA Grand National Championships with Marian Catholic Hgh School Marching Band, in 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1989. Ward was the Founder and Director of the PASIC Marching Percussion Festival, and the Coordinator of the Bands of America Marching Percussion Festival.

Ward is a WGI Percussion legend. In December of 1980, Ward became the first guy to host and conceive a festival putting “Drums in a Gym." Ward instructed The Glenbrook HS Spartan Marching Marching Band in Northbrook, IL that became the birthplace of what is known worldwide as the Indoor Competitive Percussion Activity. We call it WGI Percussion now, and Ward is the guy who started it all. 

Since 2002, Ward has served as the WGI Percussion activity as the Percussion Administrator. He was the very first WGI Percussion Coordinator and the initial WGI Percussion Chief Judge. In December of 2000, Ward was the first member of the WGI percussion community to be inducted into the WGI Hall of Fame in recognition of his pioneering service to the Indoor Competitive Percussion activity.

Currently, Ward manages DrumsWest, the percussion division of Boomer Music in Fort Collins, CO, and is an active judge in Colorado and surrounding states for Marching Band and WGI. He is excited to help your students shine, and give them the tools they need to succeed. Most recently he has instructed Percussion for The Rampart Regiment Marching Band from Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, CO, and The University of Northern Colorado “Pride of the Rockies” Marching Band.