Music has long played an important role in the U.S. military. At the outset of the American Revolution, soldiers relied on musicians to mark the activities of daily military life, from regulating camp drills and sustaining troop morale to leading marches and firing weapons on the battlefield.
Today, military musicians, though used less often in combat, are just as integral to the armed forces — their presence signifying a national sense of identity and engendering public trust in times of warfare and uncertainty. Such a dignified profession commands not only extraordinary skill but versatility in one’s craft.
Preparing musicians to adapt to different musical environments is the primary focus of UCF’s Percussion Studio. Through a comprehensive curriculum and studying with world-renowned faculty, students learn to master a variety of percussion instruments in an immersive learning environment. The UCF Percussion Ensemble, the primary performing ensemble within the Percussion Studio, also offers students real-world experience in all facets of ensemble playing, from orchestral to chamber music to concert bands.
“Our undergraduate program is designed to train well-rounded percussionists, with the idea that students are equipped to say yes to any opportunity — whether that’s teaching or performing,” says Thad Anderson ’04, associate professor of music at UCF and coordinator of the percussion studies program.
Where some graduates have continued their studies to pursue teaching careers, others have gone the performing route, auditioning for prestigious gigs like playing with a military premier ensemble — a small group of elite bands responsible for promoting national interests and supporting official government ceremonies such as presidential inaugurations, foreign dignitary visits and funerals for service members.
Although premier ensembles may not carry the same cultural cachet as traditional orchestras, they are just as elite and competitive, with many musicians auditioning multiple times before winning a coveted spot. Still, they see the effort as worth it: They get to do what they love as a career while serving their country.
Here are five percussion alums who landed one of those rare seats in a premier ensemble. Read on to learn more about their journey from UCF to the armed forces, and where they see their lives beyond the military.
Technical Sgt. Jacob Kight ’15
Technical Sgt. Jacob Kight joined the United States Air Force Band in 2021 as a percussionist with the Ceremonial Brass at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. Kight received a bachelor’s in music from UCF in 2015. He was awarded a master’s in music in 2017 and a doctorate in music degree in 2020 from Florida State University. Before joining the Air Force Band, Kight served as the director of percussion studies at the University of South Florida (USF)and principal percussionist for the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. One of his most recent high-profile performances includes playing percussion with the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard at Super Bowl 59 this year.
Main Mission: Enhance the image and culture of the U.S. Air Force through ceremonial performances, including funerals at Arlington National Cemetery, presidential inaugurations, flight arrivals for foreign dignitaries, presidential parades and more.
Musical Beginnings
I was raised in a musical household. Both of my parents have music degrees, and my mother was a music teacher, so I have been surrounded by music for as long as I can remember.
Going for It
When I graduated from Florida State, COVID-19 hit and pretty much all in-person auditions halted. That summer, I needed a job, so I applied everywhere, including Home Depot and Starbucks. Luckily, a position opened for percussion director at USF, and I took it.
In February 2021, when I saw auditions for military bands were open again, I flew to Washington, D.C, auditioned in the morning, flew back to Florida and was teaching the next day. A week later, I was notified that I got the job, and I told the department chair at USF that I wouldn’t be returning the following year.
A Knight’s Training
I wouldn’t be where I am now without having gone through the percussion program at UCF. I think the curriculum is one of the best out there, especially for musicians interested in military bands. We covered all major areas of percussion. Most percussionists in military bands are expected to perform in many different ensembles and styles of music, and studying at UCF prepared me for that.
Looking Ahead
I would love to run a business as my retirement job. I want to create a one-stop shop for all things percussion: selling and servicing instruments, private lessons and an ensemble rehearsal studio for students. A lot of young people don’t have the ability to have percussion instruments at home, so it will be a place for students to come after school and practice their skills.
Staff Sgt. Steven Estes ’20
Staff Sgt. Steven Estes holds a bachelor’s in music in percussion performance from UCF and began a master’s in music at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University before joining the United States Army Field Band in 2021. During his time at UCF, he performed in various ensembles, focusing on orchestral percussion and jazz. He was also a member of the Flying Horse Big Band, UCF’s premier jazz ensemble.
Main Mission: Perform for audiences nationwide and abroad, building public support for the armed forces and contributing to global diplomatic efforts.
Musical Beginnings
What got me into drumming was the marching band. I thought the drumline was really cool. I worked hard at drumming, and it started to feel like something I wanted to do. I didn’t see myself at a conventional job.
Going for It
I finished my first year in my master’s program at Indiana University and was accepted into the National Orchestral Institute that summer at the University of Maryland. A few weeks after the festival I had the Army Field Band audition and ended up getting it.
In the music field, you take every audition you can, so while I could have stayed at IU and finished my master’s, I thought the experience was more valuable.
A Knight’s Training
UCF is really good at getting rid of your weaknesses. The music field is very competitive. A lot of percussionists who make the finals for an orchestra or a military band are good at playing multiple instruments. Then there’s that last little thing like drum set or sight-reading, and that’s where I think UCF helped a lot. You become a more confident, well-rounded drum player, whereas if you specialize too soon, you miss out on that.
Looking Ahead
I can definitely see myself staying in the U.S. Army until I retire. I enjoy traveling, the benefits and the job stability. You also learn different skill sets. If I had a different performing job, that’s all I’d be doing. But here, you can take on different roles. You can be a producer for a show. You can put together a program. You can write the script for shows that have narration and videos. So being in a military band makes you a more marketable musician.
Staff Sgt. Mitchell Gribbroek ’15
Staff Sgt. Mitchell Gribbroek earned a bachelor’s in music from UCF and a master’s in music degree from Florida State University. While pursuing a graduate diploma from the New England Conservatory, he won a section position with the Virginia Symphony, where he performed until joining the Army Field Band in 2019. Gribbroek has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Virginia Opera, Orlando Philharmonic, Gulf Coast Symphony, Tallahassee Symphony and more.
Main Mission: Build positive connections with the public and foster support for the armed forces through compelling music performances.
Musical Beginnings
I’ve been interested in drums since I was a little kid. I started drum set lessons when I was 8 and quit after a year or so, but picked it back up when I joined the band in middle school. I really liked the drumline in high school. A lot of my friends in the class ahead of me were majoring in music at UCF, so I knew it was a good program. UCF was the only place I auditioned and the only place I wanted to go.
Going for It
My wife is also a percussionist, so we were looking for a job in the same area. But it’s rare for two percussionists to find full-time work in the same city. That’s what drew us to military bands. In Washington, D.C., there’s a big concentration of all these performance gigs in one place, so we thought our chances were probably best to try to go for a military band career. I think it took five tries before I finally got offered a position with the Army Field Band.
A Knight’s Training
UCF has a phenomenal percussion program. Having a well-rounded experience with all the different facets of percussion made me more marketable for my master’s program. For military bands, especially, drum set experience and world percussion can be a huge differentiator, and that was a big advantage I had from going to UCF.
Looking Ahead
I recently had two incredible opportunities with the Army. One was using the G.I. Bill to get my pilot license, so that’s something I am considering doing after I retire from the military band. I am also in the later stages of building our website as one of my auxiliary duties. Web design and coding are things I had no experience with. But the Army has paid for different certifications and trainings to help me develop this site — and those are additional marketable skills I have now, thanks to this job.
Technical Sgt. Christopher Baird ’18
Technical Sgt. Christopher Baird is a percussionist with the Ceremonial Brass for the United States Air Force Band. Before joining the Air Force in 2023, he participated in the band’s Diversity Fellowship program and performed with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Florida Symphony and Sinfonia Gulf Coast, among others. Baird earned a bachelor’s in music in performance from UCF. He also earned a master’s in music in percussion performance and a doctorate in music from Florida State University.
Main Mission: Honor service members, inspire patriotism among the public and represent all airmen during various ceremonial events, including arrival of heads of state, state funerals and presidential inaugural parades.
Musical Beginnings
I played percussion in middle school because I thought it was one of the cooler instruments. It was always the thing I looked forward to. I was fortunate that I went to a strong high school music program. All the staff created a positive environment where students wanted to learn. That inspired me to pursue teaching as a potential career. I wanted to share that excitement with other students.
Going for It
While I was still in my doctorate program, the Air Force put out an ad for a fellowship that gives musicians the opportunity to know what it’s like to be in an Air Force band for a couple days. I loved the program and learned a lot about ceremonial bands.
When I returned to my doctorate program that fall, a friend gave me the heads-up that someone was going to be retiring in the Air Force Ceremonial Brass and there would be auditions soon. I auditioned, skipping the preliminary rounds, thanks to my fellowship, and got the job. From there, things moved quickly. I graduated with my doctorate on May 5, 2023, and left for basic training May 8, 2025. The fellowship program was really what motivated me to pursue the military band. Getting to rehearse with a professional band like that was a life-changing experience.
A Knight’s Training
UCF has a very structured curriculum where you’re studying different instruments each semester. All the different levels you learn in the curriculum are super applicable to auditions because they are all instruments that you have to know — and know how to play well. Had I not gone through the Percussion Studio and learned the fundamentals, there’s a chance I probably would not have gotten this job.
Looking Ahead
I definitely plan on staying in the military for a while. I would like to familiarize myself with different areas of administrative work, but I also want to continue playing and moving up the ranks. I was recently hired as a sponsor to help onboard new band members. And that’s something I’m really looking forward to — helping people get excited about being here but also helping them get through the scary parts of basic training.
Staff Sgt. Theodore Jackson ’20
In 2020, Staff Sgt. Theodore Jackson earned his bachelor’s in music in percussion performance from UCF, where he was a two-time winner of the UCF School of Performing Arts Excellence Competition. He went on to complete his master’s degree in percussion performance in 2022 at the Indiana University (IU) Jacobs School of Music. During his time at IU, he served as an associate instructor of percussion and regularly performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, Jackson became a percussionist with the West Point Band at the United States Military Academy.
Main Mission: Fulfill official musical requirements for the U.S. Military Academy, including military and patriotic ceremonies, public concerts, sporting events and social activities for the Corps of Cadets and the West Point community.
Military Beginnings
I joined the drumline in high school, and that’s when I knew drumming would be my life.
What drew me to the UCF Percussion Studio were the faculty and the curriculum. It’s a very regimented program. I knew by the time I finished I would be able to play all these different types of styles and instruments.
Going for It
Military bands sometimes use blind auditions, which help ensure anonymity and fairness. Throughout the audition you’re asked to play many different prepared pieces, as well as sight read music that you haven’t seen before. I had to do that four or five times for my auditions. You have to be versatile because in the military you wear a ton of different hats.
A Knight’s Training
UCF gave me the knowledge and skills to never say no to a gig. I also really appreciated how well UCF prepared me for grad school. I had to show how well-rounded I was in my audition, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that if it weren’t for the curriculum at UCF.
Looking Ahead
I have a gig that allows me to keep getting better and gives me the time to do that. That’s the best thing about this job. Percussion is such an intense, competitive field that you’re always focused on getting better. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing than playing drums.
