Bands of America Super Regional Championship October 19-20, 2018 Ÿ Ÿ Indianapolis, IN Adjudicator Biographies National Presenting Sponsor

MUSIC PANEL (alphabetical by last name)

Allan E. Kristensen, Clovis, CA Allan E. Kristensen is a retired music educator and arts supervisor, currently working part-time as an arts consultant with the Fresno County Office of Education. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from San Jose State University, where he studied percussion with Anthony J. Cirone. He also credits Fred Sanford, Robert Kalkofen, and Andy Narrell for his percussion development. He has performed with various symphonies and artists, as well as having marched with and taught the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Kristensen is a highly recognized music adjudicator and clinician world-wide, having judged both the Bands of America Grand Nationals and the DCI World Championships several times, including this past August. He has served as President of the Western Band Association (WBA) and President of the Fresno-Madera County Music Educators Association (FMCMEA), and in 2015, he was recognized by CMEA as California’s Outstanding Administrator. He is married to Kim, and they have a daughter named Ryann.

Steve Page, Paducah, KY Active as an adjudicator since 2002 for DCI & BOA, Steven Page has judged , drum corps, concert band, indoor drum line, indoor winds, and choir at over two-hundred events in twenty-nine states and provinces in the US, Canada, and Colombia. These events include eleven DCI Championships (both Open and World Class), eight BOA Regional Championships, and State Championships in Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, and Mississippi. Having taught music in Kentucky since 1999, Steven Page also teaches band and choir in Paducah, Kentucky at Heath Middle School. Steven and his wife, Shana, met in high school and have been married for eighteen years. God has blessed them with seven boys and a girl.

John Phillips, Cape Coral, FL

Jodie Rhodes, Lubbock, TX Jodie Rhodes has been a band director for twenty five years. She has spent the last ten years in Lubbock ISD teaching at Evans M.S Prior to this, she spent eleven years in Spring ISD in Houston, Texas at Westfield High School and its feeder programs. Ms. Rhodes is a graduate of Texas Tech University and received a Masters from Sam Houston State University. For the last two years, Ms. Rhodes has been the program coordinator for the Oregon Crusader Drum and Bugle Corps. She has received numerous accolades for both concert and marching band festivals and is a member of TMEA, TBA and Midwest and is a frequent marching band clinician and Bands of America judge.

Mike Leitzke, Mount Juliet, TN Mike Leitzke began his music career at Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, IL and went on to become a member of the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps and . During his tenure at Rhythm X, the group earned their first WGI World Class Championship. Mike has taught, arranged, and consulted for many high schools and indoor programs across the United States- including several BOA and WGI finalists. Additionally, Mike served as the caption head/arranger for Palmetto Percussion and during that time the ensemble won the 2010 WGI Open Class World Championship and made PIW Finals for the first time. On the drum corps side, Mike has served on the percussion faculty of the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps and the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps as well as having served as a clinician at the GearWORKS series of educational events sponsored by The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from 2009 to 2014.

Presently, Mike is an active adjudicator for Bands of America and . Mike has had the honor of serving on several DCI championships week panels, including the Open Class and World Class championship Page 1 of 4 Finals competitions. Additionally, Mike is an educator and designer for the WGI World Class finalist Mt. Juliet Band of Gold and Indoor Drumline. Mike is an artist for Mapex/Majestic, Remo Drumheads, Innovative Percussion, Inc and Meinl USA.

Mike earned a degree in Atmospheric Science from the University of South Carolina and works for the State of Tennessee.

Paul McGarr, Brantford, ONT

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.

Jeremy Spicer, Leander, TX Jeremy Spicer, a Magna Cum Laude graduate from Texas State University is the owner of SASI – The Leadership People, LLC., a student leadership consulting firm focusing on in the empowerment of young leaders. Mr. Spicer is instrumental in the development and presentation of this concept to thousands of students across the nation. Mr. Spicer is the former Director of Bands at Vandegrift High School. The marching band was named the 2013 UIL 4A State Marching Band Champion. Additionally, the marching band was a consistent Class Champion (Class A, AA, and AAA) and Finalist in Bands of America (BOA) Regional Competitions. Prior to his appointment at Vandegrift, Mr. Spicer spent eight years as a member of the staff at Cedar Park High School. While at Cedar Park, he served as the Conductor of the Symphonic Winds and the Director of both the Marching and Jazz Ensembles. During his tenure, the marching band won numerous marching contests and was a consistent finalist at both the UIL State Marching Contest and BOA Regional and Super-Regional competitions. The marching band is the 2006 recipient of the Sudler Shield, an international award for marching excellence awarded by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Mr. Spicer has also been very active in Drum Corps International (DCI). He has been on the brass staffs of the Carolina Crown (2000), Southwind (2001), Boston Crusaders (2002), and Santa Clara Vanguard (2003 and 2006). He has served in various capacities ranging from Brass Instructor to Assistant Brass Caption Head. Mr. Spicer is active in the United States as a clinician and adjudicator for BOA. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

VISUAL PANEL (alphabetical by last name)

Kim Corney, Westland, MI Kim (Corney) Kuhn has played various roles during her 24-year involvement in the pageantry arts. As a performer, designer, director, instructor and clinician, Kim has been involved with many groups making appearances in BOA, DCI, and WGI semi-finals and finals. Continuing to stay active in the activity, she works with multiple fall and winter programs as a writer and technician. As an instructor, she enjoys getting to share her passion for the activity with her students, watching the training foundation she put into place support their development to a higher level of Page 2 of 4 performance with other organizations, and start teaching units of their own. Having served on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Color Guard Circuit for multiple years she continues to stay active on many committees with a strong focus on training and education for both young performers and directors. Kim is an active visual adjudicator for Drum Corps International (DCI), Bands of America (BOA), and Winter Guard International (WGI) and various fall marching band and winter guard circuits across the country. She enjoys getting to travel but also looks forward to spending time at home with her husband (Blair), dog (Lucy) and cat (Misty).

Ken Giese, Henderson, NV Ken Giese is a nationally recognized visual caption designer and adjudicator. He is an active visual caption judge for Music for All/Bands of America, Drum Corps International, Winter Guard International (Percussion Division), the Winter Guard Association of Southern California, the Florida Federation of Color Guards Circuit, and many other local circuits and organizations throughout the United States and abroad. He has served as a visual designer and instructor for numerous high school bands, winter guards, drum and bugle corps, and units. He holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in educational leadership. Mr. Giese currently resides in Henderson, Nevada, where he is a high school mathematics teacher.

Juno Orefice, Wyoming, MI Juno started in the activity as a marching member of the Brooklyn Royal Eagles back in 1971. In 1974 he marched with the Secaucus Meadowlarks who later merged with the Woodbridge Townsmen to become the Royal Brigade, a 1976 DCI Regional Finalist. Juno has worked in the pageantry arts for over 30 years as a Visual Designer. He has judged for Drum Corps International since 2006, judging World Class Finals week on many occasions. He has been judging for BOA since 2015 and has judged Indoor Guard and Percussion for over 20 years. He helped develop the Michigan Color Guard Judging Association from the ground floor and fostered the growth of judges as well as circuit members. He’s been Judge Coordinator for the Michigan Color Guard Circuit since 1998 and was inducted into MCGC Hall of Fame in 2009. From 2010 to 2015 he was the Visual Caption Head for the Michigan Competing Band Association. In 2015 he became the Judge Coordinator for the Michigan Competing Band Association. Juno continues to hold yearly Clinics both locally and nationally for all Visual Captions. His attitude of “it’s about the kids” has been maintained and professed over his many years of service.

Bob Thomas, Apollo, PA Bob Thomas currently judges or has judged for Music for All (MFA), Drum Corp International (DCI), Winter Guard International WGI), Drum Corp Midwest, Drum Corp Atlantic, Indiana State Scholastic Music Association (ISMMA), Drum Corp (DCE), Youth Education in the Arts (YEA), Ohio Judges Association, Florida Federation of Judges, Atlantic Indoor Association (AIA), Pennsylvania Federation of Judges, and Marching in Okayama, Japan and Drum Corp Associates (DCA). In 2008 and 2009 he judged the World Marching Band Championships in Malaysia. He judged the 2009 thru 2011 Thailand Drum Line Competition in Bangkok, Thailand. He has judged for Italian Marching Show Bands Association (IMSB) in 2014 thru 2017. He also judged the Grand Prix Marching Band competition in Jakarta Indonesia in 2017.

Robert Solomon, Van Nuys, CA Mr. Robert Solomon has been involved in the marching arts since 1979. He performed as a member of the color guard for the Velvet Knights Drum & Bugle Corps, and at California State University in Northridge. He then turned to instructing and has designed for several top programs in Southern California, and continues to do that to this day. Mr. Solomon has been judging since 1996 and is an adjudicator for Winter Guard International (WGI), Drum Corps International (DCI), Bands of America (BOA), and various state and local associations. He played trumpet and was drum major at El Camino Real HS in Woodland Hills, California. Robert is a banker and lives in Los Angeles with his golden retriever, George.

Neal Smith, Canton, MA Mr. Neal Smith is a Visual Designer and has designed shows for Drum Corps, Marching Bands, Color Guards, and Percussion ensembles throughout the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, and Europe. His designs have won numerous Regional, National, International, and World Championships. Mr. Smith’s trademark style of Page 3 of 4 coordinating all the elements of sound, color, and movement has made his designs entertaining, engaging, and effective. In addition to designing, he is a consultant and clinician and has worked on Marching Arts Task Forces in developing programs in inner cities. Mr. Smith is a member of the Massachusetts Judges Association and judges Regional, National and World Championships for Bands of America (BOA), New England Scholastic Band Association, Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association, MAC, Drum Corps Associates, and various independent judging associations. Mr. Smith was a member of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps beginning at the age of 12 and continued to march for nine years as brass soloist and drum major. Mr. Smith is a member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, The Massachusetts Music Educators and Drum Corps Hall of Fame, the Boston Crusaders Hall of Fame, and the Connecticut Hurricanes Hall of Fame.

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 Ph. D. (ABD) in conducting and music supervision at with Tony Maiello and Arnald Gabriel. His leadership experience includes membership on several state and national music education executive boards including the Mid-West 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 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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