EDWARD E. MIKENAS

       <edward.mikenas@lynchburgva.gov>   

     emikenas@msn.com     (434) 386-2222 (H)
      www.edmikenas.org     (434) 455-5796 (W)

EDUCATION

1970 - Bachelor of Science in Music Education and Performer's Certificate for Musical Excellence from the State University College at Potsdam, N.Y.

1971 - Master of Music in Performance and Literature from the Manhattan School of Music, New York City. Permanent Certificate to teach Public School Music in the State of New York.

Percussion Studies with:

1986 -Collegiate/Professional Certification from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

1987 - National Roster of Trainers from the North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

1992 - Certification as a Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

1998 - Mediation Certification from the Supreme Court of Virginia, #0964.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2005 to Present - Organist for Holy Cross Church-Lynchburg, VA.

2005 to Present - Bassist with the SRO Big Band-Roanoke, VA.

2004 - Presented drumming workshops for the ROMUVA CAMP FESTIVAL in Dvarciskes Village, Lithuania.

Provided training for Family Preservation Services.

2001-02 Developed and taught graduate course titled "Drumming on the Edge of Leadership" for the Waldron School of Social Work at Radford University.

2000 – Bassist with Sonny Fortune and the Lenny Marcus Trio at the Barbados Jazz Festival.

Bassist with the Lenny Marcus Trio-Spoleto Jazz Festival.

1999 – Developed "The PEARLS" HAND-DRUM ENSEMBLE comprised of 4^th and 5^th graders from various local elementary schools. Performed at the Virginia PAS Day of Percussion 4/1/00.

Perfomed with Frank Foster at Grenada’s "Spice Island Jazz Festival".

1998- produced a record entitled Renaissance with Rene Croan (Rene-Marie) and Tom Ohmson.

1997 to Present - Developer and Director of DAY SERVICES. (City of Lynchburg) Duties include the management and operation of the program. Develop policies and practices, hire staff, manage the budget, supervise student interns from area colleges. Conduct Substance Abuse and Mediation Groups. Provide training to state, city, and program employees as required.

1988 to 1997 - Superintendent of SPARC HOUSE. (City of Lynchburg) Duties include the management, organization and direction of operations of the facility. Develop policies, hire and schedule staff, manage budget, and supervise practicum placements from area colleges. Conduct substance abuse education and prevention groups for residents and family members. Provide training to state, city, and facility employees as required.

1983 to 1988 - Assistant Director of ABRAXAS HOUSE (Department of Corrections). Duties included supervision of line staff, supervision of practicum placements from area colleges and universities, provide family counseling to residents and their families, liaison between agencies and the public. Program evaluation. Training of state and facility staff in basic skills form residential programs as required.

1982 to 1984 - Residential Director of the TREES Program (Augusta Co. Public Schools). Duties included supervision of staff and residents. Supervision of practicum placements from area colleges and universities. Maintain case records. Provide family counseling. Teach independent living skills. Community liaison. Provide recreation.

1979 to 1981 - Recreation Site Director for Rockingham Co. Parks and Recreation. Duties included providing a wide range of recreational activities to all age groups.

1971 to Present - Freelance bassist for Broadway shows, stage bands, combos, resorts, and recording sessions for commercials and records. (Pippin, Godspell, Grease)

1987 to 1988 - Organist for the New Hope United Methodist Church in New Hope, Virginia. Music Director and pianist for productions put on by ShenanArts of Verona, Virginia.

1986 to 1987 - Bassist with Linda and Robin Williams (Prairie Home Companion). Tour included performances at the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

1977 to 1979 - Bassist for Warner Brothers Records and Wisner Productions. Recorded fusion-jazz albums and did promotional tours in the United States and Canada.

1975 to 1976 - Bassist with Esther Phillips (CTI recording artist). Performed on Saturday Night Live, Midnight Special, Good Morning, America, Dick Clark's West Coast version of American Bandstand. Toured the United States on promotional tours and received standing ovations from Christmas to New Year at the Apollo Theatre in New York City.

1975 to 1976 - Bassist with the La Mama Experimental Theatre. NYC. Played and performed in contemporary versions of Greek tragedies. Other duties included writing and arranging. Direct by Andre Serban. Artistic direction by Elizabeth Swados.

1974 to 1975 - Bassist, guitarist, organist, and actor with the ALIVE Company. Performed "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" in the United States and Canada. Produced by Wayne Adams. Technical direction by Ken Graham.

1974 to 1975 - Bassist with the Joffrey Ballet Company at the City Center in New York City. Also performed on national tours including the Kennedy Center, Wolftrap Performing Arts Center in Vienna Virginia, and the stage at Ravinia. (Chicago)

1971 to 1975 - Bassist with Jay and the Americans. Performed first as a sideman in the final year as an "American". Major performances on the East Coast included Madison Square Garden, Nassau Coliseum, and The Spectrum. Also was part of the rhythm section for "The Angels", "Gary and the Juniors", "The Coasters", "The Five Satins", "Gary U.S. Bond", "Bo Diddley", and "Chuck Berry".

1972 to 1973 - Bassist with the Skitch Henderson Orchestra. Performed on national tours throughout the United States. (Columbia Artist Management, Incorporated-CAMI).

1972 - Principal bassist with the Jacksonville Music Collective in Vermont.

1971 - Principal bassist with the Caecilian Orchestra; bassist for Joel Kay and the Stan Kenton Neophonic Orchestra; bassist for the Super Stars of Israel at Carnegie Hall; bassist for the Larry Elgart Big Band.

TEACHING/WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE

1993 to 2005 - Member of Faculty at Radford University's Music Dept. teaching classical and jazz bass and performing with the faculty jazz ensembles. Also taught as adjunct faculty at Lynchburg College, Sweet Briar College, and Roanoke College.

1992 to 1994 - Professor at Central Virginia Community College. Providing Substance Abuse Education and Prevention courses.

1991 to Present - Co-founder of CLUB CONGA, a Percussive arts ensemble that promotes the development of talent and artistic potential through participation in hand-drumming cultural events. CLUB CONGA has opened for Richie Havens, performed at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, performed at Central Virginia Community College, Western Virginia Community College, Lynchburg college, Randolph-Macon Women's College and the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center.

1986 to 1989 - Adjunct faculty for the Commonwealth of Virginia's Academy for Staff Development (DOC).

1989 to 1990 - Volunteer instructor in Lynchburg Public Schools as a music and cultural consultant..

1988 - Chair for the Virginia Community Residential Care Association's Conference Planning Committee. Developed, designed, and organized instructional conferences for statewide consumption.

1981 to current - Teach parenting skills, progressive relaxation, substance abuse education and prevention, sex education to clients and families of clients.

1971 to Present - Maintain a private teaching practice in music, specifically classical and jazz bass studies, hand drums and percussion. Also ear training, theory, harmony, and improvisation.

1971 to Present - Guest lecturer/workshop facilitator/performer at various colleges, universities, and public schools. (see also DRUMMING ON THE EDGE OF LEADERSHIP) <www.lynchburgva.gov/juvenileservices/drum_edge_leadership.htm>

1977 - Volunteer music instructor in the Englewood, NJ public schools. Taught music and humanities to learning disabled middle school children.

1969 - Music Director for Cherry Valley Central School in Cherry Valley NY. (Summer Program) Instructed grades 6-12 in instrumental music and directed the marching band and majorettes in competitions.

1966 to 1969 - Organist and Choir Director of the United Methodist Church in Amsterdam, New York.

1993 to Present - Creator and Presenter of DRUMS: NOT DRUGS, a Substance Abuse Alternative Treatment Milieu and DRUMMING ON THE EDGE OF LEADERSHIP CLINICS AND WORKSHOPS.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Member - American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)

Member - American Federation of Musicians, Local #123

Virginia Association of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselors past Board Member

Editor and co-founder of SIRENS, a literary magazine from the Manhattan School of Music, NYC

Published selected poetry in the SUNY, Potsdam literary magazine

Member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS)

Studio Musician/ bass and percussion for commercials, albums, CD's and other projects

Perform with the Lynchburg Symphony

Perform with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra

Additional performances include Martha and the Vandellas, Maureen McGovern, Roy Haynes, Chip McNeill, Rene Croan (Rene Marie), Lisanne Lyons, Lenny Marcus, Sonny Fortune, Herb Ellis, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, Mundell Lowe, Mercedez Ellington, Frank Foster, Stefanie Nakasian, Carl Anderson, John D’earth, Lou Donaldson, Steve Khan, David Friedman, Jan Metzger, Vinnie Valentino, Rich Little, Jane L. Powell, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and Rodney Dangerfield.

 Published an article in Percussive Notes Volume 37 #2 titled "DRUMS: NOT DRUGS". Reference <www.pas.org>

 Published an article in Percussive Notes Volume 41, #1 titled "DRUMMING ON THE EDGE OF LEADERSHIP". Reference <www.pas.org> 

Published an article in Percussive Notes Volume 60, February 2005 titled "WALKING AND TALKING WITH OUR HANDS: Hand Drumming and Group Process in Substance Abuse Recovery."  Reference <www.pas.org>

Written a one-act play titled The Two Different Faces of a Moment based on a West African folk-tale.

Book Review Published on the web at <http://drums.org/djembefaq/v16e8.htm> on Mande Music.

Referenced in an article titled "Complementary Therapy for Addiction: Drumming Out Drugs", published by Dr. Michael Winkelman in the American Journal of Public Health, April 2003, Vol. 93, No. 4. <www.ajph.org>

Referenced in a book titled Religion and Healing in America, edited by Linda L. Barnes and Susan S. Sered.  Published by Oxford University Press, 2005.

Referenced in an article titled "The Social Benefits of Rhythm." Reference <http://indigenouspeople.org.uk/kakatsitsi/benefits.htm>

Referenced in the 2006 July/August issue of The Addiction Professional in an article titled "CATCHING THE BEAT OF THE DRUM,"  written by Brion P. McAlarney. Reference <http://addictionpro.com/issues/2006/07/040/>