Dr. Oliver Molina is an active percussion performer, educator, arranger, adjudicator and clinician. He is a versatile percussionist with experience in many areas of percussion, from orchestral to marching to jazz and many others. He has performed at various state Day of Percussion events, PASIC and other music education conferences. Oliver has also participated in many professional development workshops such as the Alan Abel Summer Percussion Workshop and the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop. He has served as a clinician for the “Yamaha Sounds of Summer” percussion camp and has adjudicated many marching contests and state solo and ensemble festivals.
As an active soloist and chamber ensemble musician Oliver seeks new literature from composers and commissions new works. He as joined several consortiums that included works from composers such as Alejandro Vinao, Baljinder Sekhon, Steven Snowden, Ivan Trevino, and Marc Mellits. Oliver has teamed up with Dr. Joe W. Moore III to form the Omojo Percussion Duo. The duo was formed in 2013 and they have presented clinics and performed recitals throughout the southeastern United States.
Oliver is an Associate Professor of Music and Assistant Director of Bands at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. At NSU, he teaches the marching band percussion section, applied percussion lessons, percussion research courses, conducts a concert band, directs the steel bands, and co-directs the percussion ensemble.
Oliver earned a doctor of musical arts degree in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Iowa under Dr. Dan Moore. While at Iowa, he served as a band teaching assistant for the Hawkeye Marching Band, and as the instructor/arranger for the Hawkeye Drumline. Oliver has written halftime show music and drill as well as stand tunes for the HMB. He was in charge of all percussion activities with the athletic bands and taught a drumline techniques course in the spring semester.
Oliver earned a master in music from the University of Arkansas, where he also arranged and instructed for the percussion section of the Razorback Marching Band. He earned a bachelor in music education from the University of Central Florida. Oliver’s percussion teachers include Dr. Dan Moore, Jim Dreier, Chalon Ragsdale, Jeff Moore, Kirk Gay, Jim Yakas, and Daniel Neimeyer, and Dr. Richard Mark Heidel for conducting.
Oliver has worked with and arranged for many band programs throughout the United States. He was a member of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and 2005 and Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003. He has worked with the front ensembles for the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, Iowa and the Magic Drum and Bugle Corps from Orlando, Florida.
Before teaching at NSU, Oliver was the Associate Director of Bands at University High School in Orlando, FL. At UHS he taught concert bands, marching band, percussion ensembles, jazz band, steel band, a keyboard elective class, and a competitive indoor percussion line.
Oliver is a Yamaha Performing Artist and is an education endorser for Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Remo Drum Heads, Sabian Cymbals, and Black Swamp Percussion. His professional affiliations include the Percussive Arts Society, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, the National Society of Steel Band Educators, and the Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society.
