Tyler Ellison

Tyler James Ellison, born June 26 1983 in American Fork, Utah, is husband to Kimie Hataba Ellison, with whom he has two children, Ricardo & William.  He currently lives in the state of São Paulo in Brazil and serves as the bass drum instructor with Tchá Degga Da.

Tyler’s parents, Jim and Bev, were always the most supportive and encouraging during all of his musical development, rarely if ever missing a performance and working hard to pay for his lessons, classes, trips, instruments, and other equipment. Tyler first began studying music under the tutelage of Jenifer Rasband, taking piano lessons from the age of seven.  Five years of piano study prepared him for his entry into the world of percussion upon beginning junior high school at the age of twelve.

He first picked up a pair of drumsticks during his time in the Summer Band Program for American Fork Junior High. He continued to study music under the direction of the new band director, Christine Wolf for all three years at the junior high school.  Deciding to take his study of percussion more seriously and begin his study of drumset, Tyler began taking private lessons from his band director’s husband, Heath Wolf.  In these lessons Tyler was introduced to different music styles including jazz, latin, rock, and funk. He also learned to analyze rhythm very scientifically through the publications of Kelly Wallis.  Tyler also competed in the Percussive Arts Society Festival for the State of Utah for the first time, presenting the marimba solo Furioso and Valse in D Minor by Earl Hatch.

Once initiated into the world of percussion, Tyler took his first step into marching percussion in 1998, joining the American Fork High School Marching Band, directed by John Miller.  It was here that Tyler met his first drumline instructor and future director of Tchá Degga Da, John Thomas Grant. Tyler played the second bass drum and was chosen as the bass drum section leader despite his rookie status among his peers.

In 1998 the American Fork High School Marching Band presented Victory at Sea Fanfare & Sea Chantey, Country Dance, and Rumba Rumba.  With this show, John, Tyler, and the rest of the band were awarded the State Championship of Open Division Marching Band in addition to several other competition titles, including top percussion caption trophy at every competition.  The band also competed at the Regional Bands of America competition in Las Vegas, winning recognition, going to finals, and winning the highest percussion score in both the preliminary competition and finals.

In 1999 the band performed movements from Tchaikovsky’s Ballet, Swan Lake and Tyler was named section leader of the drumline, playing the center snare drum.  As John had gone to working for Marimba One in California, the instruction of the percussion section over the summer months was left to Glenn Webb.  The band continued to win acclaim all over the state, and won first place at the Bands of America Regional Competition in Las Vegas.

In 2000, the band presented popular songs from the Broadway musical Jekyll & Hyde and Tyler continued in his post as the center snare drum and percussion section leader.  The drumline had a new instructor that year, as Michael Huestis was available during the summer before taking a position as a high school band director in California.  The band performed admirably, winning many captions and trophies throughout the state of Utah. The band went on to win more acclaim and recognition at the Mission Viejo High School Marching Band Competition in California that year.

During his senior year of high school, Tyler was selected to play tympani for the Utah All-State High School Orchestra and performed in the Salt Lake City Tabernacle.  He also performed a tympani solo at the Utah State Percussive Arts Society Festival and was awarded with first place performance, receiving his prize from the hands of drumset legend Gregg Bissonette.  During his senior year of high school Tyler also performed with the Urban Percussion group from the Crescent School of Music directed by Mike Huestis, a fun an innovative group that didn’t last very long.  He also occasionally appeared to rehearse with other groups, but didn’t assume any commitments to participate.

Upon graduation, Tyler auditioned to the Brigham Young University Marching Band “Power of the Wasatch” under the instruction of Randall Beach.  He was selected to play on the snare line, and during the 2001 season Tyler performed with the band at numerous football games in Provo, Las Vegas, and at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee.  The drumline also appeared at the Utah State Percussive Arts Society Festival for Marching Percussion where the BYU drumline won the admiration of legendary Blue Devils instructor Scott Johnson.

From the years 2002-2004 Tyler was called to serve on a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to São Paulo, Brazil.  Shortly before leaving he made one appearance in the American Fork Steel Days parade marching snare drum with the American Fork High School Alumni Marching Band.  While serving on his mission, he learned the portuguese language, became familiar with Brazilian culture, and acquired a love for Brazilian people that would guide his future.

After returning from his mission, Tyler returned to Brigham Young University and marched on the snare line under the instruction of Fred McInnis for two more years on scholarship in fall of 2004 and 2005, performing at the Las Vegas Bowl in December of 2005. In spring of 2006, he met his Brazilian wife through the internet, returned to visit the country he loved and became engaged.  Tyler left his studies on pause while he sought to resolve his international family situation, and was married in March 2007 in Brazil.  The newlywed couple’s plans to immigrate didn’t work out, so Tyler and his family chose to remain in Brazil for a time and he launched his internet marketing consulting firm.

In October of 2009, an unusual string of coincidences reunited Tyler with his first drumline instructor, John Grant, who was also living in Brazil and had just so happened to schedule a clinic in the very city in which Tyler happened to be living. The two old friends joined forces and John invited Tyler to stay on with Tchá Degga Da as the bass drum instructor. He also uses his talents in internet websites and marketing to help the group build a brand and a presence that is respected worldwide by the rudimental percussion industry.