Derek Mickelson, Percussionist

Derek Mickelson is a percussionist and double major in Music Education and Percussion Performance at Kent State University. He currently performs with the Kent State Wind Ensemble, the Kent State Percussion Ensemble, and the Marching Golden Flashes.

Growing up the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Derek is a graduate of Spotswood High School, where he completed five seasons with the marching band and was a founding member of the Spotswood High School Indoor Drumline in 2021. The ensemble expanded into Rockingham County Indoor Percussion, and he participated during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He returned to competition in 2025 after the group’s one-year hiatus. In addition to his marching experience, Derek performed with the Spotswood Symphonic, Concert, and Jazz Bands, as well as the Percussion Ensemble.

Beyond his school ensembles, Derek gained extensive performance experience in the broader musical community. He joined the Massanutten Brass Band for their 2023–2024 concert and competition seasons, performed with the award-winning Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra as an additional percussionist, and has been selected for numerous district, regional, and state-level honor ensembles. He also continues to expand his solo repertoire, demonstrating versatility across the full spectrum of percussion instruments.

Derek has further distinguished himself through four seasons of participation in Drum Corps International’s World Class circuit, competing at the highest level of the marching arts. He performed with the Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps in 2022 and with Spirit of Atlanta from 2023 through 2025, achieving DCI Semifinalist recognition all four years. These experiences provided him the opportunity to perform alongside some of the world’s most accomplished young musicians in a highly competitive and demanding environment.

Dedicated, hardworking, and passionate about both performance and education, Derek continues to pursue excellence in all facets of his musical career. Through his studies and performance opportunities at Kent State, he aspires to make a lasting contribution to the field of percussion as both an artist and educator.