Ralph Hardimon

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Ralph Hardimon is a percussionist, teacher, composer, and clinician. He is best known for his work in the areas of marching percussion, rudimental drumming, drum & bugle corps, and marching band.

Hardimon’s performance experience started in the late sixties with the Los Angeles Police Band, and later the Velvet Knights and Anaheim Kingsmen drum & bugle corps. He taught and studied with Fred Sanford and studied with Charles Dowd at the University of Oregon.

Hardimon became Director of Percussion for the Santa Clara Vanguard in 1976 and kept that position through 1990, during which time SCV won four High Percussion awards (1978,1979,1988,1989) and four DCI World Championships. He served as a consultant for SCV from 1997-2000. Hardimon has scored music for many other corps (including Blue Knights from 1990-2001) as well as college percussion ensembles and marching bands.

Hardimon received Grammy nominations for Jazz and Rhythm and Blues, and a Gold Record for Rhythm and Blues. He has worked for Disney and bowl games such as the Citrus Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Super Bowl. He travels to Japan several times a year to work with percussion ensembles, marching bands, and drum corps.

Hardimon was inducted into the DCI hall of fame in 2000, and received the “Life Time Achievement Award” from Sabian Cymbals in 2005. He is currently a WGI adjudicator, continues working a partnership with Mike Sherpa at "Head Talk" (a school of multi-percussion in Loveland, CO), and arranges percussion for Capital Regiment, a Division 1 DCI Drum Corps from Columbus, OH.

Vic Firth also manufactures a popular brand of drumsticks that feature Hardimon's name. These are heavy, white sticks primarily intended for use with marching snare drums.

[edit] References

• Vic Firth Artist: Ralph Hardimon
• DCI Hall of Fame: Ralph Hardimon - 2000