Yamaha Names Queen as District Manager of School Service Sales

Jeff Queen has joined Yamaha Corporation of America as District Manager on the company’s School Service Sales team. He reports to David Suter, regional sales manager, School Service Sales.

In his new role, Queen manages the Yamaha relationship with School-Service Dealers, educators and artists in the southwestern territory which includes Southern California, Southern Nevada and most of Arizona.

“Jeff’s unique and varied experience in marching percussion brings a fresh perspective to this role,” said Doug Steinmetz, director of School Service Sales, Yamaha Corporation of America. “We are grateful to have such a well-respected member of the music education community as a part of the School Service Sales team.”

Queen is an experienced educator, having taught in several well-known Indiana institutions including Butler University as the Adjunct Professor of Percussion and Assistant Director of Athletic Bands, and at Carmel High School as the Director of Percussion. He has also served as Percussion Director at Avon High School and Percussion Captain Head for the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps.

Queen has been involved in the marching arts since the age of 10. At the age of 15, he began his drum corps career with the Canton Bluecoats and continued on to march with the Velvet Knights, Santa Clara Vanguard, Blue Knights and the University of North Texas. Along the way, he won individual snare drum championships in Drum Corps International and Percussive Arts Society competition two years running (1994 and 1995) and remains one of marching music’s most sought-after percussion instructors.

Additionally, Queen is an original cast member of the Emmy- and Tony Award-winning Broadway Show “Blast!” where he was a solo performer and battery instructor from 1999 to 2003.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition as well as his master’s degree in percussion performance at Butler University.