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A native of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Beddis spent his youth with the Peterborough Krescendos, the Canadian Knights, and the Dutch Boy Drum Corps. He would later move south to join the ranks of the World Champion Garfield Cadets, in order to become part of the now-legendary œperfect percussion line of 1987. After winning his second title in 1990, he aged out, swiftly moving into the role of instructor.
His instructing experience includes the Madison Scouts, Star of Indiana, and the Phantom Regiment. It was there, in 1996, that Beddis helped capture the World title with his ambitious leadership and musical compositions for œThe Defiant Heart, an all-Shostakovich program. In 1997, he turned his skills to the rebuilding of the Toledo, Ohio, Glassmen. Within the year, his expertise found immediate reward, moving that section into the forefront world-class recognition. After the successful 2000 season, he moved to the Crossmen, where he remained until his appointment as Percussion Coordinator to the Madison Scouts. Beddis unique reputation as a program builder prepared him for the role of returning the 2005 and 2006 Madison line to elite status.
In 2007, Lees unique reputation of building quality percussion programs with success in short periods of time fit in right with Carolina Crowns desired level of success. Through the 5 seasons with Carolina Crown, Lees leadership and team brought the percussion program to within striking distance of the best percussion section in the world along with contributing to the overall success of the drum corps.
During his time with Carolina Crown, Lee took on the responsibilities of the percussion arranging and consulting for the Crossmen in 2011. His leadership and strong advice lead The Crossmen back into finals in 2012 for the first time since 2004, the last time Beddis lead the percussion caption for the corps.
After much evaluation, Lee decided to return to the Madison Scouts in 2012-2014 and The Cadets in 2015 and 2016. He began his percussion instruction in Madison in 1991 and marched with the Cadets in 1987-1990. He recognized these moves as being a great challenge and it proved to be successful in building and maintaining the percussion program at elite status with both groups.
Lees experience at all levels of instruction from tech, to caption head, arranger and percussion coordinator has made him the perfect choice for assisting Tom Aungst with the Cadets in 2018 and beyond. Lee will also continue maintaining his role as consultant with the Academy, where he began in 2017.
In addition to drum corps experience, Beddis is in demand throughout the United States and Canada as a highly-regarded judge for Winter Guard International. He started teaching and arranging for WGI groups in 1994 and moved into judging in 1999.
