Marimba One Artists

Caleb DeGroote is the President and Co-Founder of the Cherry Blossom Brass Band, a British-style, competitive brass ensemble based in the greater Washington D.C. area.  He holds a B.A. in Music and Political Science from Binghamton University, where he studied percussion with Dan Fabricius, and a M.A. in Diplomacy from Norwich University.

Music performance, education, and competition have always played a large role in his life.  Since his first teaching position with the Naples High School Marching Band in 2006, Caleb has taught a total of 30 competitive seasons over 14 different scholastic programs, with these ensembles competing in the New York State Field Band Conference, New York State Percussion Circuit, Tournament of Bands, Bands Of America, US Bands, and Winter Guard International.

Caleb also spent nearly a decade in the Drum Corps activity, beginning his career with the Rochester Crusaders in 2008.  After playing vibraphone with The Citations for the 2009 Drum Corps International season, he spent four seasons (2010–2013) with the Empire Statesmen instructing the front ensemble.  While with the Empire Statesmen, he arranged Kaduodal’s 2011 percussion music, helping them achieve a bronze medal in Drum Corps Europe.  In 2014, he was the percussion caption head and front ensemble arranger for Windsor Regiment.  For the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Caleb DeGroote was the front ensemble instructor of Fusion Core.  His ensembles have placed in the top five in DCA / DCI / DCE eight times.

Currently, Caleb is deeply involved in the competitive British Brass Band community, having played with Chesapeake Brass Band (2014), Rockville Brass Band (2015 - 2019), Atlantic Brass Band (2017-2018), and the Brass Band of Northern Virginia (2019-2023) in national and international competition. He was the Co-President of Rockville Brass Band from 2016-2019, on the Board of Directors for the North American Brass Band Association in 2018, and on the Board of Directors for the Brass Band of Northern Virginia from 2019-2023. He is currently the President and on the Board of Directors of the Cherry Blossom Brass Band. His successes in the British Brass Band tradition include:

• NABBA, Full Band Competition
 • 2023, 9th Place, Championship Division, Brass Band of Northern Virginia
 • 2019, 4th Place, 1st Division, Rockville Brass Band
 • 2018, 1st Place, 2nd Division, Rockville Brass Band
 • 2017, 1st Place, 2nd Division, Rockville Brass Band

• NABBA, Solo Competition
• 2023, 3rd Place
• 2018, 1st Place
• 2017, 3rd Place

• Cory Band Virtual Brass Band Competition (UK)
• 2019, 3rd Place, 1st Division, Brass Band of Northern Virginia

• Scottish Open (UK)
• 2018, 6th Place, Atlantic Brass Band

• Brass In Concert (UK)
• 2018, 11th Place, Atlantic Brass Band

• Mid-Atlantic Brass Band Festival, Solo Competition
• 2018, 1st Place
• 2016, 1st Place