James Coviak

Resourceful and driven teacher and director with an extensive history of creating nationally exemplary percussion groups.

• Percussive Arts Society
• Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (Adjudicator)
• Greater Flint Area Cultural Community Planning Committee (2003)

School Band and Orchestra magazine interview/ Cover Story, November 2003

• Director and Performer - Jim Coviak & Friends Caribbean Jazz
• Performances Include:
• Clio Amphitheater - 2013, 2014, 2015
• Flint Jazz Festival - 2014
• Headliners, TAC Jazz Festival in Hastings - 2012 and 2013
• Performance Artist with “Legacy Percussion Ensemble”
• Headliners at the Idaho Jazz Festival 2011
• Recording Artist - Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble
• Founding Member- Five recordings with DMP Records
• “Different Strokes” recorded at BMG Studio 1A in NYC, released in 1991, distributed in 56 countries
• “Lift Off” recorded at the Hit Factory, NYC with special guest Bob Mintzer, released in 1993
• “The Gamut” recorded at the Hit Factory, NYC with special guests Dave Samuels and Joe Morello, released in 1994
• “World Music Tour” released in 1996
• “Third Wind” released in 2000
• Drum Set Percussionist
• - Akron Symphony Orchestra “West Side Story” 11/1985 Director, Alan Balter
• - Goodyear Theater (Akron, OH) “A Chorus Line” 11/1985 Director, Brad French
• Orchestral Percussionist
• - Principal West Shore Symphony (MI) - Murray Gross, Director 9/1983 - 5/1985
• - Midland Symphony Orchestra (MI) - Adrian Gnam, Conductor 9/1983 - 5/1985

• “Normandy Beach, 1944” by David Gillingham, 1993 for the North Farmington High School Percussion Ensemble
• “Time Stream” by David Maslanka, 2002 for the Steelheads Steel Band

• The Steelheads - Mott Middle College High School
• 2025 Performance at the Syracuse Jazz Festival
• 2024 Showcase Performance at the MSBOA Honors Concert at WMU
• 2023 Showcase Performance at the “Music For All” National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis
• 2022 Performance at the NBC25/WEYI TV production of A Classy, Brassy Christmas & More
• The Boys and Girls Club of Flint Steel Band
• 2019 - Performance for Yo-Yo Ma at the Flint “Day of Action” event,
• Highest score of any group at the 2019 Heritage Festival in Chicago
• Performance in the “Classy Brassy Christmas” at the Capitol Theater produced and televised by NBC
• 2018 - Performance in the “Classy Brassy Christmas” at the Capitol Theater produced and televised by NBC
• 2017 - The highest score of any group at the 2017 Heritage Festival in New York City, with scores of 97, 100, and 100
• The Steelheads - Mott Middle College High School
• 2016 - 2017 Headliners at the TAC Jazz Festival with special guest Andy Narell
• 2015 - 2016 Steelhead alum Daru Jones is the Cover Story of Modern Drummer Magazine
• 2014 - 2015 Former Steelhead Daru Jones performs live with Jack White at the Grammy Awards https://vimeo.com/89641315
• 2013 - 2014 Headliners at the TAC Jazz Festival
• 2012 - 2013 Performance at “Latin is America - University of Calypso”, with Andy Narell, Relator, Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra I, and the Oakland University Steel Band
• 2011 - 2012 Concert with special guest Andy Narell at Mott Community College Headliners at the TAC Jazz Festival Steelhead Eugene McBride performs with Alexander Zonjic and Special Guest Kenny G
• 2010 - 2011 Headliners at the TAC Jazz Festival Placed in the top 3 nationally at the Panorama Steel Band Competition in Virginia Beach. Only band at the festival to perform two complete panorama arrangements: Pan in A Minor (Kitchener) and Coffee Street (Narell)
• 2009 - 2010 Gold Award, Adjudicator’s Trophy, and Best Instrumental Group Award at the Heritage Music Festival in New York City with scores of 97, 100, and 100 Performance at the River Raisin Jazz Festival Steelheads Drummer Eugene McBride placed #2 in the nation at the Guitar Center Drum Competition in Hollywood, CA Former Steelhead Daru Jones appears in “Modern Drummer Magazine”
• 2008 - 2009 Gold Award at the Panorama Steel Band Competition in Virginia Beach Opened for Alexander Zonjic and later performed with him at the Carrousel of Nations in Windsor Syracuse National Jazz Festival with Special Guest Andy Narell Detroit International Jazz Festival
• 2007 - 2008 Concert with Special Guest Andy Narell at Red Ink Studios. Syracuse National Jazz Festival. Flint Jazz Festival Detroit International Jazz Festival
• 2006 - 2007 Syracuse National Jazz Festival Top honors at the Heritage Music Festival in St. Louis with the highest score of any band at the festival. (Middle College H.S.) Performed at the Mott Community College Ballenger Trust Speaker Series featuring Harry Belafonte as guest speaker.
• 2005 - 2006 Detroit International Jazz Festival with Special Guest Andy Narell. Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Columbus, Ohio
• 2004 - 2005 Detroit International Jazz Festival Won the Gold Award and the Adjudicator’s Trophy at the Heritage Music Festival in New York City. (Middle College H.S.)
• 2003 - 2004 Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival Featured cover story in School Band and Orchestra Magazine. Top honors at the Heritage Music Festival in Chicago with the highest score of any band at the Festival.(Middle College H.S.) Featured Guest Artists with the Macomb Symphony Orchestra.
• 2002 - 2003 Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival.
• 2001 - 2002 Concert and a master class at “Journees de la Percussion 2001” at the Paris Conservatoire. Showcase concert at the 2002 Music Educators National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
• 2000 - 2001 (Middle College H.S.) Won the national “Call for Tapes”, and performed a showcase concert at the Percussive Arts Society International convention in Dallas, Texas. The Steelheads compact disc, Points of Departure, is released. Named Exemplary program by Michigan Association of School Boards. Named Outstanding program by the Michigan Education Association.
• 1999 - 2000 (Middle College H.S.) Opening performance for Free Flight with an audience of over 1,400 people at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. Top honors at the Heritage Music Festival in New York City with scores of 99, 100, and 100.
• 1998 - 1999 (Middle College H.S.) One of 35 school groups worldwide selected to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, receiving a citation of excellence from the International Association of Jazz Educators. The first amateur group from the US to ever perform at the International Nice Jazz Festival in Nice, France. International Jazz a Vienne in Vienne, France. Montreux Detroit International Jazz Festival.
• 1997 - 1998 (Middle College H.S.) Opening performance for the Canadian Brass for an audience of over 1,400 people at Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. Top honors at the Heritage Music Festival in Chicago with the highest score of any band at the Festival.
• 1996 - 1997 (Middle College H.S.) Guest Artists with the Saginaw Symphony as part of the Holiday Pops concert, broadcast on radio and television throughout Michigan and nationwide in Canada. Top honors at the Heritage Music Festival in London, England, with the highest score of any band at the Festival, including steel bands from London and the Virgin Islands.
• Midwestern Conference on School Vocal and Instrumental Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• 1995 - 1996 (Middle College H.S) Top honors at the Heritage Music Festival in Toronto, with the highest scores of any band at the Festival.
• North Farmington H.S. Percussion Ensemble
• 1994 Showcase Concert at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago Showcase Concert at the Michigan Day of Percussion in Okemos
• 1993 Winner, National “Call for Tapes”, and Showcase Concert at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Columbus
• 1996, 1995, 1994, and 1993 Winning Chamber Percussion Ensembles, Annual Showcase Concerts at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival