BUENA PARK, Calif. — Yamaha Corporation of America and Winter Guard International (WGI) recently named Joshua Boulis winner of the 2017 Yamaha/Dennis DeLucia Scholarship.
The scholarship, named for renowned percussion teacher, arranger, clinician, judge and Yamaha Artist Dennis DeLucia, is awarded to a deserving percussionist each year at the WGI Indoor Percussion World Championship Finals, a news release states.
Boulis is a senior at Delaware Hayes High School. After graduation, he will be marching on bass drum in the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in San Antonio, Texas. He will then commence his freshman year at Bowling Green State University, studying music education.
He began playing music in 2012 and started marching in 2013. He has been affiliated with ConneXus Percussion for five years playing the bass drum. During high school, he was head of the Delaware Hayes Percussion Ensemble in the Ohio Music Education Association Ensemble Competition, receiving the highest score of a “1” at last year’s competition, and a “2” at this year’s event.
“I am honored and thankful for being chosen by Yamaha and WGI as the Yamaha/Dennis DeLucia Scholarship recipient,” said Boulis. “Marching has been a part of my life for many years, and it has shaped who I am as a student and as a musician. I am eager to use the benefits of this opportunity to further my education in music and pursue a career in what I love.”
“Yamaha is unwavering in its support for music education at all levels,” said Troy C. Wollwage, percussion marketing manager, Band & Orchestral division, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Education is at the core of what we believe in as a company.”
WGI supports the competitive indoor marching activities of percussion, winds and color guard. Known as “The Sport of the Arts,” WGI combines music, movement and props into a theatrical production. The WGI Indoor Percussion World Championships is the culminating event of the indoor percussion season.
