Regional Championship at Dallas/Ft. Worth September 30, 2017 Dragon Stadium Southlake, TX
Adjudicator Biographies National Presenting Sponsor
MUSIC PANEL Wayne Dillon, Cranford, NJ Mr. Wayne Dillon is currently Director of Bands at Upper Academy High School in Elizabeth, NJ. Mr. Dillon holds a master’s degree in jazz performance from The University of Miami, and completed honors fine arts and education degrees from York University in Toronto, Canada. In 2008, Mr. Dillon was awarded the State of New Jersey Governor’s teacher recognition award for his work with the music program at Elizabeth High School. He is an active performer and recording artist, an adjudicator for Drum Corps International (DCI), and has judged the national championships for both Bands of America (BOA) and DCI more than 21 years. Mr. Dillon has served as the brass caption head with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, and on the staff of the 10-time world champions Cadets of Bergen County.
Jay Kennedy, Holliston, MA Mr. S. Jay Kennedy’s career encompasses varied and successful experiences as a composer, arranger, producer, performer, educator, and administrative leader. He is Vice President for Academic Affairs/Vice Provost at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Kennedy received his Ph.D. from Boston College, and Master of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Northwestern University. Mr. Kennedy has composed, arranged, and produced music for hundreds of television and radio commercials, for which he has received numerous awards. His music has also been heard in feature films, including “Wayne’s World”, “Electric Horseman”, “Fast Break”, and “Lethal Weapon 2”, and in a variety of television series, including “One Tree Hill”, “Judging Amy”, and “Felicity”. A veteran of the recording industry, Mr. Kennedy has written and produced music for Sheryl Crow, Siedah Garrett, James Ingram, Patti Austin, Little Richard, Stanley Clarke, Brenda Russell, Dave Grusin, and Singers Unlimited. Mr. Kennedy was a Grammy Award finalist in 2002 for arrangements on the recording, “Virtuosi”, by Gary Burton and Makoto Ozone. His published compositions include works for concert band, percussion ensemble, and marching band. Mr. Kennedy has been an active adjudicator for marching band, drum corps, and indoor percussion competitions for over 30 years, and has written for several drum and bugle corps. He has also composed the themes for the Drum Corps International (DCI) championship broadcasts and DVDs. He was elected to the DCI Hall of Fame in 2007 for longtime contributions as an adjudicator, judge administrator, arranger, and composer.
John Phillips, Cape Coral, FL In demand as a clinician and consultant across the globe, Mr. John Phillips shares his unique brand of music education through workshops with State and Provincial Music Educators’ Associations, the National Association for Music Education, and as a presenter at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Throughout his career, he has participated in numerous initiatives with Music for All including the National Concert Festival, the annual Summer Symposium, and the Bands of America (BOA) Grand National Championships. Phillips is the Artistic Coordinator for the Southwest Florida Symphony in Fort Myers. Prior to moving to the U.S., he conducted ensembles and taught music education classes at the University of Western Ontario, the University of Toronto, and York University. Since 2000 he has served as judge administrator for Drum Corps International (DCI) and was inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame class of 2015. Mr. Phillips also serves in the capacity as Senior Advisor for Music Mentors International leading professional development programs to promote critical and creative thinking.
Kyle Young, Westfield, IN Mr. Kyle Young is currently Associate Director of Bands at Carmel High School in Carmel, IN. His responsibilities include co-conducting six concert bands, one of four jazz ensembles, and athletic bands. He also serves as an Assistant Director of the Carmel High School Marching Greyhounds, which most recently made their 21st consecutive appearance in Bands of America (BOA) Grand Nationals Finals and was named the 2016 Grand National Champion. Prior to arriving in Carmel, Kyle served as a band director in the Mason City School District in Mason, OH. Mr. Young’s ensembles have consistently received superior ratings in both Ohio and Indiana. During his tenure in Carmel Page 1 of 3 and Mason, ensembles have been invited to perform at the IMEA and OMEA Professional Development Conferences, the BGSU Reading Clinic, and the Music for All National Concert Band Festival. Carmel Wind Symphony 1 was most recently named the 2017 State Concert Band Champion. Kyle received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Wright State University and his Master’s Degree from VanderCook College of Music. Kyle was named the 2013 Alumni of the Year for the Wright State University School of Music. Mr. Young has served as a clinician and adjudicator in both concert and marching bands throughout the country. He lives in Westfield, IN with his wife Kelly.
VISUAL PANEL Curtis Costanza, Vancouver, WA Mr. Curtis Costanza is a middle school teacher in Vancouver, WA. He has extensive judging experience with Drum Corps International (DCI), Winter Guard International (WGI), Bands of America (BOA), Winter Guard Association of Southern California, Florida Federation Color Guard Circuit, and is the current chief judge administrator for WGI and the Northwest Association for Performing Arts. His pageantry experience includes consultant, designer, and instructor for various high school marching bands and color guards throughout the country for the past 31 years. Curtis has been a clinician for Northwest Pageantry Association, Western Carolina University, North Texas Color Guard Circuit, Gulf Coast Color Guard Circuit, Southeast Color Guard Circuit, Florida Federation Color Guard Circuit, Northwest Marching Band Circuit, Colorado Band Masters Association, Winter Guard Association of Southern California, Drum Corps Japan, and BOA.
Greg Llacer, Boxborough, MA Mr. Greg Llacer has been a pageantry arts adjudicator and clinician since 1989, judging field show, winter guard, and percussion competitions nationwide, most recently affiliated with organizations in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, and Texas. He has taught color guards and has written field show drill for large high school and university programs such as Vista and Poway High Schools in north San Diego County, CA, San Diego State University, and Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. He also has served in leadership roles across the pageantry arts, as a member of the Board of Directors for the Winter Guard Association of Southern California, from which he is recipient of the Order of Excellence and Hall of Fame honors, Chief Judge for the Texas Color Guard Judges Association, and member of the Field Adjudication Steering Committee for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association. Greg lives in the New England town of Boxborough, MA and works at Harvard University, where he is the director of competitive national and institutional scholarships as well as university-wide undergraduate research programs; he is also member of the Dean of Harvard College's Senior Staff.
Carl Nelson, Lake Elsniore, CA Mr. Carl Nelson has a long history in the marching and pageantry arts activity that covers over 30 years of experience as a performer, designer, instructor, administrator, and adjudicator. Carl graduated from Cypress High School in 1989 after a successful high school music career, and went on to be a member of the six-time world champion Santa Clara Vanguard from 1990 – 1992. During this time, he began his extensive designing and instructing career, working with some of the best marching bands, winter guards, and winter drum lines across the country. Carl was a part of the WGASC/MBOS for 23 years, where he served as the Director of Operations for the largest winter guard association in the United States, the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC); and the Marching Band Open Series (MBOS), where he was instrumental in the establishment of the newest marching band “circuit” in Southern California. Carl travels throughout the United States participating in the highest caliber of events as an adjudicator and clinician, and has worked with Drum Corps International (DCI), Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), Oklahoma Bandmasters Association (OBA), Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA), Marching Band Open Association (MBOS), Colorado Bandmasters Association (CBA), North West Association of Pageantry Arts (NWAPA), Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC), Carolina Winter Ensemble Association (CWEA), Mid Continent Color Guard Association (MCCGA), Indiana High School Color Guard Association (IHSCGA), Pep & Pageantry Arts Association of Central California (PPAACC), San Joaquin Valley Winter Arts Association (SVWAA), and San Joaquin Valley Color Guard and Percussion (SJVCGPR). In his free time, Carl enjoys spending time with his wife of 19 years, and his sons Logan and Tyler.
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CHIEF JUDGE Gary Markham, Dallas, GA Mr. Gary Markham is recently Retired Supervisor of Instrumental Music for the Cobb County School District in Marietta, GA. He is the former Director of Bands at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax County, VA. He has over four decades of experience in music education, with 25 years as a high school band director and 20 years as a music supervisor. He currently serves internationally as clinician, guest conductor, adjudicator, and consultant. The Cobb County Music program has been named one of the “BEST Communities for Music Education in America, 12 times. Mr. Markham received his B. S. degree from Mansfield State University, M. Ed. degree from Penn State University, and studied for his Ph. D. (ABD) in conducting and music supervision at George Mason University with Tony Maiello and Arnald Gabriel. His leadership experience includes membership on several state and national music education executive boards including the MidWest Clinic Advisory Committee. He is currently the Senior Education Consultant and Chief Judge for Bands of America (BOA), Executive Director of the Music Administration Collaborative, and Judge Education Director for Drum Corps International (DCI). He is a 1992 recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation's "Sudler Order of Merit" and the Robinson Symphonic Band is the 1992 recipient of the "Sudler Flag of Honor.” In 2006, Mr. Markham was presented with the Georgia Music Educators Administrative Leadership award and was inducted into the BOA “Hall of Fame.” In 2007, Mr. Markham received the DCI & Coltrin & Associates “Excellence in Music Education Award.” In 2009, NAfME presented the first “Excellence in Marching Music Education” to Mr. Markham for serving as chairman of the Blue Ribbon Commission for writing National Standards and a lifetime devoted to marching music excellence.
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