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Vance has played drums and percussion for almost eighteen years and he has done some teaching. He began playing drums and
percussion in his middle school band and when he went to high school he played in the marching band and concert band. He was
drum captain of the drumline and he even lead the band as drum major, conducting the band his senior year. While in school
Vance entered many snare drum competitions, recieving ones and twos on most of them, as well as making All City Band as second
and third chair. While in middle and highschool he studied with two amazing teachers Rich Stitzel and Teagan Broadwater, whom
he says he owes many thanks to. Both teachers inspired him and helped him grow as a young percussionist. After graduating
from high school Vance went to music school at The University of North Texas, which is considered one of the top three music
schools in the U.S. Vance was a Jazz Studies major for a year and studied Latin Brazilian drumming and Afro-Cuban drumming.
While studying Afro-Cuban music he learned hand drums and other various percussion instruments. While attending The University
of North Texas he also studied piano, marimba, snare drum, and drumset. Vance has played in bands most of his life. He played
his first bar gig starting at the age of twelve. His first bar gig was a little bar called The Hop (The House of Pizza, which
is now The Aadvark) in Ft. Worth, TX, with a band called Shades of Grey in 1989. Vance Van Donselaar has played in many bands,
and some of these bands have had the opportunity to open up for some pretty well known acts. Some of these acts inclued George
Clinton and The P-Funk All Stars, Colonal Bruce Hampton and The Fiji Mariners and The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Arrested Development,
The Connells, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Jerry Joseph and The Jackmormones, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Vance also had
the opportunity to perform on a side stage at Horde Festival 1998, in Dallas, playing percussion with a band called The Undulating
Band, sharing the stage with the likes of The Fiji Mariners, Cowboy Mouth, The Cherry Poppin' Daddies, and Robert Bradley's
Blackwater Surprise.
Some of Vance's most prominent work was with a band called Drama Tiki 1992-1998 (songwriter/artist/composer John Dyer)
and a band that he created in 2000, called Civitas 2000-2005 (songwriter/teacher/composer Rj Perez).
Other artists or groups Vance Van Donselaar has performed with or recorded with are: John Dyer, Rj Perez, Chuck Hawley,
Jenny Gamble, TASI, The Withdrawals, Felonious Groove Foundation, Mucho Buddha, and The Verbs.
Vance Van Donselaar was born in Austin, Texas and grew up in Ft. Worth, Texas. He moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1999
and currently resides there where he performs weekly with bands like Mucho Buddha/Civitas, as one band (the music from both
bands, songwriters Chuck Hawley and Rj Perez) and The Verbs. He has been know to sit-in with many bands, so you never know
where he might pop up!
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Julio Rockin Out On The Congas!! This is at Justin Oldham and Mark Waltermire's last Civitas performance at Stella Blue.
This was also Civitas' last show at Stella Blue before closing their doors.
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Tumbao!!
Be sure to check out this crazy guy!!
Josh English - my good friend, fellow Paul E player, and very talented percussionist and drummer. If you haven't heard
of him yet, you will!
Please take note of the Paul E drum on Josh's right, your left.
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