I was born on September 4, 1982 in Staunton, Virginia to Douglas and Patricia Hyden. We lived in New Hope for ten years, and rented from Mr. Eli Wood. Mrs. Dot Sandridge was my baby sitter through those 10 years. I attended New Hope Elementary School in New Hope. While I was in elementary school, I played little league baseball and football. When we moved to Verona, I attended S. G. Stewart Middle School. While there I was in band and learned how to play drums and various percussion instruments. I also continued playing little league baseball and football. In eighth grade I was in the Fighting Indian Marching Band and played snare drum. The next year I attended Fort Defiance High School. While there I continued to play snare in the marching band as well as performing with the symphonic band, jazz ensemble, percussion ensemble and pit orchestra. During my high school years I was in the all county and all district bands all four years and auditioned for the all VA bands the last three years. My sophomore year I performed with the All Virginia Orchestra. I also played varsity football and baseball for the high school. During my senior year I met Jamie Ott, my girlfriend, and the most important person in my life. We get along so well and plan to get married one day. After high school I began classes at Blue Ridge Community College. I also began taking classes at James Madison University and started marching with the Marching Royal Dukes in the drumline. Check out my page dedicated to the drumline, and my link to the official drumline page. My first year I played 7th bass drum and went to Greece to perform for new years celebrations. The next year I was in the snare line and we went to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The first two years of college I helped instruct the Fort Defiance Fighting Indian Drumline, my high school line! During the next year, Jamie finished her general education credits at Blue Ridge Community College with an Associates in Arts and Sciences, and moved to Richmond to attend VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University). I am finishing up my general education classes, and plan to transfer to JMU soon! I marched in the drumline for a third year, playing snare. I instructed a drumline in Fredericksburg at James Monroe High School. I have a page dedicated to this drumline. Last fall I auditioned for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. This brings us to the present, so I will add more as my life progresses.... ...Well, it is now December, and quite a lot has happened in a couple of months. I have finished instructing the drumline at James Monroe High School in Fredericksburg, and the season ended with the Christmas parade. I will not be instructing there next year however. In November I auditioned for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. It was great, and I made the drumline. I will be playing 5th bass during the 2003 season. I haven't found out what the show is yet, but I'll post it once I find out. The JMU marching season is over, because for once we don't have any parades or trips for once, but next year at this time, I will be getting ready to go to Ireland and Germany. Right now, I am finishing up another semester of school, and exams are just about over. I will have about a month to relax before classes start again, so by then I will be bored enough to go to class again. I can't wait until next marching season, because I might be a section leader in the drumline. I can't wait for the summer either, because I will be travelling all over the country performing for thousands of people, and loving every minute of it. Well, this is all I can think of for now, but I will write more later! 8/24/2003 It is now August and I have just came back from a great summer with the Bluecoats. If anyone is interested in marching drum corps, but just doesn't know about it, go to a camp, and if you make it definitely do it. I have so many memories from this summer, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Now I am back at home. I am taking a much needed semester off of school to work and save some money. I am one of five section leaders in the drumline at JMU, and I am very happy about that. We have just finished up band camp, and I am so hyped about the season this fall. We are going to Ireland and Germany over Christmas Break, so I can't wait for that. Hopefully I will do a better job of keeping up with the website!
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