Randy Rhody is the Director of Bands at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His bands have received hundreds of superior ratings and championships in both marching and concert. Mr. Rhody has served as conductor clinician, and adjudicator for bands in twelve states and is a certified USSBA judge. Mr. Rhody has had experience as a competing director in the Division II Marching Band Championship during the 1990’s and won the championship in 1995 while band director at DeKalb County High School. Randy Rhody is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Michael Eddy is in his first year as Principal at Smith-Barnes Elementary. Previously, Mr. Eddy spent six years as Coordinator for Fine Arts in the Henry County School System (McDonough, GA). As Coordinator for Fine Arts, Mr. Eddy oversaw the operation of all fine arts programs for forty-three schools. The Henry County School System is located thirty miles south of Atlanta, GA and according to the National Census Bureau, it is the third fastest growing county in the United States and the fastest growing county in Georgia. Prior to his appointment in Henry County, he spent his previous six years as Director of Bands at Jonesboro High School, Forest Park High School and Riverwood High School. Mr. Eddy received his BME from Stetson University and received his M.Ed. from the State University of West Georgia. Currently, Mr. Eddy is completing his Doctorate in Music Education from the University of Georgia.
Mr. Eddy has held leadership positions as the Southern Division Chairman for the National Band Association (NBA) and Vice President for Performance Evaluations for the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA). He is a former GMEA District VI Chairman, Georgia NBA State Chairman, as well as 2002 and 2004 CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference Chairman. Currently he serves as the Community Bands Representative for the NBA and the Government Relations Liaison for GMEA. Mr. Eddy has been a past organizer for the District VI Honor Bands as well as actively involved in planning several GMEA events. He has been an adjudicator in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina and has been a guest clinician in these states for various honor band events. He is a member of the Tara Winds Community Band and serves this organization as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. His professional affiliations include GMEA, NBA, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
In addition to his professional responsibilities, Mr. Eddy serves as Orchestra Director at Community Bible Church and is currently politically running for Chairman of the Henry County Board of Commissioners. Mr. Eddy resides in McDonough, GA with his wife Shirley, daughter Madeleine, and son Reagan.
Ibe is a composer/arranger under his business Thoughts In Progress Productions, a company that focuses on creative music design and publications. Prior to his business, Ibe was involved in Operations for the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, IA. His duties included tour planning, bingo administration, sponsorship and advertising, show promotions and ticketing and office management. Before moving to Dubuque, IA, he held the role of Executive Director at Dimensions, a growing drum and bugle corps in the west Michigan area. Through his times at Dimensions, he has served as Program Coordinator, Staff Coordinator, Tour Manager, and Brass Arranger/Instructor.
Ibe is an endorsed artist of Sibelius and currently arranges for the Colt Cadets and Fever Drum and Bugle Corps. Other programs from Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Virginia include Western Michigan University, University of Virginia, Portage Central HS, Legends, Union HS, Gregory-Portland HS, North Marion HS, Springville HS, Jesup HS, East Buchanan HS, Lenox HS, Milton HS, Maquoketa HS, Maquoketa Valley HS, Pulaski HS, Floresville HS and Farmington HS.
Ibe is also an accomplished instructor and adjudicator in the competitive marching arena in Iowa, Michigan, and USSBA. In 2002, he served on the brass instructional staff for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and was the Brass Caption Head for 5 years at the BOA competitor Portage Central High School. Through these experiences, Ibe created a winter brass and percussion performance ensemble called Legends. Serving as Music Director and Arranger, this ensemble provides members with an experience in education, performing and recording.
Ibe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Michigan University, where he studied music education and entrepreneurship. His studies also include working with Wayne Downey, Scott Boerma, Don Hill and Larry Clark in the areas of arranging. Through the drum corps industry, Ibe’s training has included Greg Orwoll, Dan Acheson, Jeff Fiedler, Brian Hickman and JW Koester.
Current and past clients include programs from Michigan, Wisconsin, California, Iowa, Texas, Florida, Missouri and Virginia: Colt Cadets, Colts, Madison Scouts, Fever, Legends, Dimensions, Western Michigan Univ., University of Virginia, James Madison Univ., Portage Central HS, South Lyon HS, Fred C. Beyer HS, Gregory-Portland HS, Farmington HS, Union HS, Milton HS, Oelwein HS, Maquoketa Valley HS, Jesup HS, Lenox HS, East Buchanan HS, Springville HS, Senior HS, Maquoketa HS, Belding HS, Glendale HS, Kenowa Hills HS, Kalamazoo Community Church, Delton-Kellogg HS.
Brian Beute, a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, teaches instrumental music at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, Florida. He conducts the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Beginning Band, and Jazz Band. Prior to his current appointment at Trinity Preparatory School, he was Director of Bands at Fred C. Beyer High School in Modesto, California, where his bands were considered among the finest in the state of California. His Wind Ensemble was one of 15 California bands to be invited to the prestigious Fresno State University Concert Band Invitational each year, the Marching Band placed 5th in the state three years in a row, and the indoor color guard and percussion ensemble placed in the top three in the nation for three consecutive years.
Mr. Beute began his teaching career rebuilding the instrumental music program at Delton Kellogg Schools in Delton, Michigan where his Marching Band and Wind Ensemble received Superior ratings. Mr. Beute developed the schools’ first band parent organization; a support group that financially supported his private lesson initiative.
Mr. Beute received his Master of Science from Southern Oregon University, a Bachelor of Music from Cornerstone University, and is in his eleventh year of teaching.
In 2002, Mr. Beute was awarded the "Citation of Excellence" for conducting from the National Band Association and was nominated to the "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" in 2000 and 2002. Recently, Mr. Beute was nominated for the 2007 edition of “Who’s Who in America” and the 2008 edition of "Who’s Who in the World." An accomplished trumpeter, he has performed under the baton of John Bourgeois, Kenneth Bloomquist, Francis McBeth, Johann DeMeij, Jan Van der Roost, and Stephen Melillo.
Mr. Beute and his wife, the vocal music teacher at Trinity, reside in Winter Park with their daughters, Monroe and McKinley
Randy Blackburn is currently the Director of the Teal Sound Drum & Bugle Corps based in Jacksonville, FL. He received his Bachelor of Arts Music Education in 1982 from Memphis University (previously, Memphis State) in Memphis, TN.
Mr. Blackburn has had an extensive marching history starting with the Florida Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps of Pembroke Pines, FL in 1979. From 1980 to 1982, he was a member of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps of Philadelphia, PA. He has served as Director of Suncoast Sound Drum & Bugle Corps of Clearwater, FL and Assistant Band Director at Largo High School in Largo, FL. He has served as the Visual Designer and on the Visual Staff for the Suncoast Sound Corps, Largo High School Band, Clearwater High School Band, Osceola High School Band and Teal Sound Corps.
Mr. Blackburn has been an active adjudicator for the DCI South, Gulf Coast Color Guard Circuit, Southern States Judges Association, Florida Federation of Judges Association, Central States Judges Association He is also an adjudicator for the USSBA based in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Craig Fitzpatrick holds a Bachelor of Music degree in composition from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where he studied composition with Stephen Heinemann. He obtained his Masters in Music Composition in 2003 from the University of Illinois in Champaign. While there, he studied composition under Stephen Taylor and Rick Taube. Since then Craig has had the opportunity to work closely with Jack Stamp, David Maslanka, and David Holsinger
Craig marched with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps baritone line in 1998 and has been involved with the Cavaliers brass staff. Since 2001, he has taught competitive marching brass at Morton High School, where they were recently named the 2005 and 2006 class 2A State Champions. Craig also adjudicates marching band contests throughout the Midwest.
Since 2001, Craig has arranged music for competitive high school marching bands in the Midwest. Additionally, he has experience designing drill for competitive marching bands. Schools Craig arranges and writes drill for have been Illinois State Class Champions and BOA Super Regional Finalists and have placed in their class at BOA regional competitions.
Craig was a finalist in the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards in 2001 and 2003. In 2005, he was chosen as a participant in the National Band Association's Young Composer Mentor Project sponsored Bands of America. Craig has been commissioned to write concert band literature for various Midwest Jr. High and High Schools. His compositions for orchestra, choir, soloists, and small ensembles have been performed at Bradley University, the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan. In addition, Craig has band works published with Alfred Music Publishers, as well as, TRN Music.
Craig maintains an extensive private brass studio, teaching trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba lessons to students of all ages. During the 2005-06 school years, Craig served as assistant director of bands at Washington Community High School. During this time, the Washington High School Symphonic winds were selected to compete at the 2006 Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival for the first time.
Craig studied trombone with Hugo Magliocco at Bradley University and Elliot Chasanov at the University of Illinois. He currently performs with Opera Illinois, the Prairie Wind Ensemble, and the Peoria Municipal Band, and he was featured as a soloist in the Municipal Band’s 2004 season. Craig resides in Morton, Illinois with his wife, Katrina.
Currently residing in Greenwood, Indiana, Ryan Miller has a wide variety of experiences from visual design in drill and color guard to brass instructor with numerous competitive organizations from Ontario to Texas and Las Vegas. Several of these marching bands, winter guards, winter drum lines, and drum and bugle corps have successfully participated in local and regional events as well as Bands of America, Winter Guard International, and Drum Corps International. Most recently he served as color guard instructor and visual choreographer with the 2006 Indiana State Class B Champion, Greenwood High School (IN) and holds a similar position with Columbus North High School (IN) Band who has been a finalist at many Bands of America events including qualifying for Semifinals at Grand Nationals.
Mr. Miller is a 1992 graduate of Chesterton High School (IN) where he was an active trumpet and french horn player in marching band and several other music ensembles. His performance career continued through college in concert settings and on the field when he marched as lead mellophone with the Bluegrass Brass Senior Drum & Bugle Corps in 1997 and 1998, also placing 1st in the Individuals competition in Color Guard at the Drum Corps Midwest Championships. From 1999-2006 he directed and performed with the Back ‘Nsync Senior Winter Guard, who has seen successful competition within the Senior Division in the Midwest Color Guard Circuit and WGI earning the most consecutive class championships in the history of the MidWest Circuit. Many of his high school winter programs have received high awards in their respective circuits. Ryan also judges visual/color guard for marching band field and parade competitions as an independent and also for the United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA). He has served as program coordinator and visual designer for the Colt Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps (Iowa), HYPE Drum & Bugle Corps (Ontario) and was the drill designer for the 2006 DCI Division 3 Silver Medalist Revolution Drum & Bugle Corps (Texas). Currently, he is on the design staff with the Legends Drum & Bugle Corps from Portage, Michigan.
Throughout his career, Ryan has also served as Event Coordinator with Bands of America, Inc. and has been guest conductor at several high school band concerts with one of his original music compositions being debuted at the Indiana Music Educators Association convention in Indianapolis.
Ryan is a graduate of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and also in Music. He also holds a membership with the National Weather Association and is a certified severe storm spotter for Skywarn.
Michael Wix received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY
After graduating, Mr. Wix accepted a position as the Director of Bands for the Lyon County School System in Eddyville Kentucky. After working there for two years, he moved on to Franklin, KY, where he served for six years as the Director of Bands for the Franklin-Simpson High School and Middle School programs.
After completing his Rank I in School Administration from WKU, Mr. Wix accepted an appointment to become the Assistant Principal at Warren Elementary School in Warren Co., KY, and now serves as the principal at Dishman-McGinnis Elementary in the Bowling Green Independent school system. He currently lives in Bowling Green with his wife and two daughters.
Despite no longer being a full-time band director, Mr. Wix remains active in the music world by working with several area band programs, working as a part time music minister at Rich Pond Baptist Church, and adjudicating marching band contests in both Kentucky and Tennessee on a regular basis.
Aaron’s experience in the marching arts began like most, in high school. His enthusiasm coupled with his band instructor’s relationship with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps allowed him to walk onto the 1989 Phantom Regiment Baritone line. After two additional years on euphonium, Aaron was awarded the position of field conductor with the Phantom Regiment for his last two seasons with the corps in 1992 and 1993.
Aaron’s collegiate experience at the University of Utah began with a full scholarship in Music Performance. Aaron was part of the Marching Band each year where he ultimately finished his last two seasons as a Drum Major.
Aaron has maintained his involvement in the marching arts with marching and maneuvering technique clinics and support staff roles for area high-school marching bands. Aaron provides field conducting and drum major clinics, training and judging as well as drum major and field conducting tryout judging.
A native of South Alabama, Mr. Morrow attended Troy University where he received his Bachelors of Music Education in 1990 and his Masters in Music Education in 1996. He has 16 years of teaching experience and has taught in both Alabama and Georgia. He is an active adjudicator in several WGI circuits, the USSBA, and numerous contests throughout the Southeastern United States.
Jenni Giddens’ color guard marching career has included: John Overton High School (TN); 2 time WGI gold medalist and Chimeras Winter Guard 1996-1999 & 2002
As a color guard designer and choreographer, Jenni has worked with various groups including John Overton (TN), Wheeler (GA), Collins Hill (GA), Kennesaw Mountain (GA) and Pope (GA).
Jenni is currently a choreographer and designer for Pope color guard and resides in Marietta, GA with her husband Brian, daughter McKinley and 2 dogs, Cody and Jackson. When not teaching colorguard she works for Turner Broadcasting in Affiliate Marketing.