Jim Sewrey is a proactive school percussion music educator. He is a former instrumental music educator of general music (grades 3-4), band (grades 5-7), middle school band/orchestra (grades 6-9) and senior high school band (grades 9-12) as well as a former collegiate professor of instrumental music education studies, applied percussion studies and percussion ensemble. He has served the music education profession as a teacher, lecturer, conductor, director, writer, professor, manager, representative, advisor, consultant, clinician, advocate, performer, adjudicator, conceptual creator, mentor, visionary, arranger and guest percussion educator for various summer music camp venues.
Mr. Sewrey is a charter member of the American School Band Directors Association, a co-founder of the Percussion Workshop of America and a founding father of the Percussive Arts Society and author of its name. He organized and established the Project Create Percussion Ensemble Program, the Community Drum Brigade and the Spring City Area Percussion Ensemble. Mr. Sewrey was also instrumental in establishing a body of literature written and arranged around the symphonic percussion ensemble concept. In 2006, he was the recipient of the Civic Music Association of Milwaukee's Lifetime Achievement Award, and since 1975, he has served as an educational advisory member and as Chairman of the Woody Herman-Sister Fabian Fund Jazz Scholarship Committee.
