Chris DeBerry is a music enthusiast at heart. He officially began his career in percussion at Middle Tennessee State University, where he also earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. While at MTSU, he participated in the university’s Marching Band of Blue, Steel Bands, Salsa Band, Percussion Ensembles, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble. He was very fortunate to study with Lalo Davila, Julie Davila, German Baratto, Derrick Phillips, and Paul Garretson. He is now a middle school band director in the Middle Tennessee area.

Aside from his duties as a professional educator, he stays involved in the competitive music scene through his participation as an adjudicator, clinician, and educator. Chris regularly judges for local TN band contests, indoor percussion, and USBands as a music and percussion judge. He is also involved with WGI as an educator and consultant for local ensembles, and DCI as the Percussion Caption Head for Music City Drum Corps from Nashville, TN. He has also worked with the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps on visual staff. When not involved with percussion, Chris keeps his musical activity going through his responsibility as Music Director for a community youth dramatic arts program.

Chris has enjoyed many performance opportunities over the years. Some notable performances are an ensemble competition at PASIC, marching percussion clinic with MTSU at PASIC, live performances with Jeff Coffin from Bela Fleck, Chris Tanner (steel drum virtuoso), and the Nashville Jazz Orchestra, and a percussion video shoot with Scott Johnson, Lalo Davila, Glen Caruba, and German Baratto. He also performed competitively as a member of Music City Mystique on the snare line through all four of his years in the ensemble.