Industry News — November 2025

by PAS Staff

November 3, 2025

Mapex
Mapex Marching Welcomes Nate Carroll as Newest Artist
Mapex Marching is proud to announce the addition of educator, arranger, and designer Nate Carroll to its esteemed roster of artists. Known for his dynamic leadership and innovative teaching style, Carroll has made a lasting impact on the marching percussion community in Southern California and beyond.

“Mapex has set a standard of innovation and artist-to-brand collaboration, and being in a partnership that explores fresh opportunities for both the company and my students is something I highly value,” says Carroll. “I’m excited to see my students, myself, and the company grow together.”

A 2014 graduate of Chino Hills High School, Carroll began teaching immediately after high school and quickly established himself as a leading percussion educator. He performed with Pulse Percussion from 2015 to 2018, serving as section leader in his final two years. His teaching career includes leading multiple award-winning WGI Scholastic and Junior ensembles, including Townsend JHS and Chino Hills HS. Currently, Carroll directs the percussion program at Walnut High School.

Carroll’s consulting and design credits include work with WGI World Class Finalist POW Percussion, where he served as Battery Coordinator in 2019, and Élan Percussion, where he held roles from 2023–2025 including Program Coordinator and Battery Arranger. His Drum Corps International (DCI) teaching experience spans Gold (2018), Pacific Crest (2017, 2019, 2024), and the Blue Stars (2024).

“Nate is an incredibly gifted educator in our marching community. He teaches with a maturity beyond his age,” states Mapex Marching Brand Manager, John Harvill. “I’ve been a fan of Nate since meeting him in 2019 with Pacific Crest, and I’m thrilled to watch his future continue to unfold for himself, his students, and as a part of the Mapex family.”
For more information about Mapex, visit www.mapexdrums.com/us
For more information about Nate, visit his artist page at: https://mapexdrums.com/us/artists/nate-carroll

Porter & Davies
Sting’s Drummer Chris Maas Returns to Porter & Davies
Porter & Davies are delighted to officially welcome drummer Chris Maas to the company’s ever-growing fam-ily of top musicians using its world beating silent tactile monitors.

Chris Maas, a world class session drummer with over twenty-five years’ experience, is known for his ability to play a whole spectrum of music. He has worked with rapper Example, singer/songwriters Matt Corby and Gill Landry, pop duo The Pierces and folk-rock band Mumford & Sons. He is currently on the Sting 3.0 world tour, scheduled to conclude November 2025.

After using a BC2 with Mumford & Sons, Maas is back using a Porter & Davies for the Sting 3.0 tour. He said: ‘After all these years of using your fantastic products, it truly feels like coming home. The BC2 works exactly the way I’m used to and I’m very happy to be back on it — I’m proud to finally be part of the family.’

Porter & Davies are the world leaders in tactile monitoring. Their high-quality products are used by hundreds of top artists. To find out more about making music feel better go to porteranddavies.co.uk/

TRX Cymbals and Somar Drummers, Inc.
TRX Cymbals and Solar Drummeres, Inc. Team-up to Offer Mid Atlantic Drum Camp Scholarship
Just announced! One outstanding young drummer will be chosen to receive the newly-created, “BeatXBeat” scholarship to attend next summer’s 6th annual Mid Atlantic Drum Camp. The award, sponsored by the TRX Cymbal Co. and SoMar Drummer, Inc., is valued at over $1400 and includes tuition, room & board, wi-fi and camp swag. (Transportation and instrument rental are not included.) Scholarship applications will be reviewed by a panel of TRX Cymbal artists to be announced soon.

MADC organizers have already announced the all-star faculty for the camp will include Matt Garstka (Animals As Leaders), Larnell Lewis (Snarky Puppy) and Sheila Klotz (camp host and educator) along with other top educators and specialists in the craft.

The scholarship is open to all drummers between the ages of 12 and 15. Application timeline is January 5^th to April 15^th, 2026. The 2026 Mid Atlantic Drum Camp is scheduled to take place July 18-23, 2026 at St. Mary’s College in St, Mary’s City, MD. For complete details visit www.somardrummers.org.

Toca Percussion
Eddie Montalvo Signs with Toca Percussion!
Toca Percussion is proud to announce that legendary conguero Eddie Montalvo has joined the Toca artist roster.

Widely respected as one of the most influential percussionists in Latin music, Eddie’s addition marks an exciting new chapter for Toca and for the global percussion community.

For more than 40 years, Eddie has been at the forefront of salsa and Latin jazz, performing and recording with icons including the Fania All-Stars, Rubén Blades, Willie Colón, and Héctor Lavoe. His signature sound, Grammy-winning work, and dedication to his craft have made him a household name for percussionists and music lovers alike.

“Joining the Toca family feels like the perfect match,” said Eddie Montalvo. “Toca’s instruments capture the soul of the music I love, and I’m excited to be part of a brand that shares my passion for connecting people through rhythm.”

“We’re honored to welcome Eddie to Toca Percussion,” added Mark Petrocelli, Artist Relations Manager at Toca. “His history and artistry speak for themselves, and having him on our roster is truly special for us and the percussion community.”