 | Welcome to the |
Zaepfel Stadium are:
Color Guard |
Catherine Meininger |
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Catherine Meininger has been a member of the color guard community for the past 10 years. She started her performing career at Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City, OK, where she marched both fall and winter seasons from 2010-2014. She served in leadership roles in her high school program as early as her sophomore year, helping to create more opportunities for the guard to perform in the school's assemblies and grow recruitment for the program, and was given an official title of captain in her senior year of winterguard. After graduation, Ms. Meininger moved to Rochester, NY for college and joined The Brigadiers Winterguard in Syracuse, NY. She marched in the Independent Open class from 2015-2018 and in the Independent World class in 2019. In her final years with the organization, she also grew into a leadership role and helped lead the unit to a bronze medal in 2018. She has also been a color guard instructor for Bethel High School, Webster High School, Hilton High School, and recently has started teaching for Rhapsody Winterguard. Ms. Meininger earned her Bachelor's degree in Motion Picture Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology and currently works as a Color Scientist for Portrait Displays in Edmonds, WA. She is excited to join the marching arts community here in the Pacific Northwest and looks forward to spreading her love for the activity to the next generation of performers. |
Drum Major |
Maggie Whiteman |
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Maggie Whiteman is the director of bands at Eastmont High School in Wenatchee, Washington. Prior to this position, she graduated from Central Washington University with her Bachelor's in Music Education. Between marching and teaching, she has been involved in the drum corps and marching community for five years. This past summer, she worked as a Drum Major Technician for the Seattle Cascades. She has been a Drum Major Instructor for the Central Washington University summer Band Camp for two years. In college, she was conducted the Central Washington University Marching Band and the Seattle Cascades for two years. Maggie continues to work with high schools across the state as a marching/drum major instructor and is proud to be a part of HARVEST 2019! |
General Effect Music |
Steve Kuske |
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Stephen Kuske is in his 18th year with the Evergreen School District in Vancouver. He served as Director of Bands at Evergreen High School for 17 years. Before coming to Evergreen, he served as Director of Bands for three years at Fred C. Beyer High School in Modesto, California. During his tenure at Beyer High School, the group was selected to perform at the prestigious Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Chicago. Before moving to Modesto, he taught successful band programs in Eugene and Salem, Oregon. The Sprague Wind Ensemble from Salem, Oregon, under Mr. Kuske’s leadership, placed in the top three at the OSAA State Band Championships during each of his three years at the school. In Mr. Kuske’s last year in Salem, the Sprague Wind Ensemble was the Oregon State Band Champion. Mr. Kuske has also led successful marching bands. The Beyer Marching Band, under Mr. Kuske’s direction, won first place at many festivals and competitions around the country, including the Marching Bands of American Western Regional and the Western Scholastic Marching Band Championships in California. The Evergreen Marching Band has garnered over 250 awards and trophies during Mr. Kuske’s tenure, and is the five-time Northwest Marching Band Champion marching band. The Evergreen Band has twice has been nominated for the National Sudler Shield Award for Excellence in Marching Band. Since Mr. Kuske came to Evergreen, the Evergreen Band has performed in Seattle, Hawaii, San Francisco, Canada and Los Angeles. In 2009, the Evergreen band was selected from 1400 applicants to march in the Barack Obama Presidential Inauguration Parade in Washington DC. Some other noteworthy performances include the Portland Rose Parade, the premiere parade in the Northwest. Evergreen has won the Sweepstakes Award for this prestigious event in nine of the last ten years. Mr. Kuske has worked with numerous composers whom he has brought in to clinic and work with his bands, including Alfred Reed, Ron Nelson, David Holsinger, David Maslanka, Timothy Mahr and Jack Stamp. Mr. Kuske is in demand as a guest conductor and band adjudicator. In the past, Mr. Kuske has been guest conductor of the Oregon State University Symphonic Band, the California State University Stanislaus Wind Ensemble and both the Salem and North Coast Adult Concert Bands. Over the past years, he has been invited to speak at the Oklahoma, Arizona, Oregon and Washington State Music Educators Association Conventions, presenting on “Technology in the Music Classroom,” “Creating Success in Your First Years as a Band Director,” “Building a Successful Marching Band Program with Limited Resources,” and “Motivating Band Students.” He has received three citations of teaching excellence from the Bethel, Salem/Keizer and Evergreen School Districts, but his proudest moments are those he spends with his wife and two sons. |
General Effect Visual |
Tommy Williams |
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Tommy Williams is the new Education Director for Seattle Cascades. He has been involved in the marching arts for three decades. He has worked with such groups as Spirit of Atlanta, Nite Express, Magic of Orlando, Capital Regiment, Teal Sound, Phantom Regiment, Crossmen, Boston Crusaders, and most recently, the Blue Stars. Mr. Williams was on the design team for Music City Mystique from their inaugural 1995 season until 2002. He also was involved with WGI high school percussion groups in Texas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Florida. While living in Texas, Tommy was on the Visual Team for BOA programs including Cedar Park High School, Cedar Ridge High School, Winston Churchill High School, and Claudia Taylor Johnson High School. Tommy is excited to work with the Cascades as the Education Director, a visual consultant, and a mentor for this up and coming staff. He now resides in Wenatchee, WA in semi retirement bliss and loves being a new northwest resident. |
Music Ensemble |
Sam Ormson |
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Sam Ormson is currently in his 16th year of teaching his twelfth year at Mountain View HS. His groups have performed at the Midwest Clinic, the National Concert Band Festival, the Western International Band Clinic, the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Washington Music Educators Conference, and the NAfME All-Northwest Division Conference. His groups have performed and collaborated with many artists including; the Count Basie Orchestra, Wayne Bergeron, Jeff Coffin, Bob Reynolds, Peter Boonshaft, Patrick Sheridan, Gary Green, Carlos Kalmar, Tim Lautzenheiser and others. A two-time Grammy Signature school award winner and the 2015 OnPoint Community Credit Union teacher of the year, Sam maintains an active schedule as educator, conductor, and clinician. Sam received his Bachelor degree from Central Washington University in 2000, his Masters in Conducting from the American Band College in 2005, his National Board Certification in Music in 2007 and his Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Music Education at Boston University in 2015. |
Music Individual |
Jeff Ray |
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Jeff Ray is in his 31st year of public education, and is currently the director of the 350 member Olympic View Middle School Band from Mukilteo, WA. This group was won events all over the Pacific Northwest and California. They were also the first middle school in the United States to perform at a division one NCAA Bowl game, performing with Destiny's Child. Prior to entering education Mr. Ray spent 25 years in drum and bugle corps as a member, instructor, and as a director. Groups Mr. Ray has been affiliated with include the Percussionaut Patriots, Renaissance, Freelancers, Imperials, Marauders, Argonauts, Spartans, and Cascades Corps. Mr. Ray also keeps a very busy performance schedule as a lead trumpet player. He has backed artists from the Brecker Brothers to George Burns, played for cruise lines, and currently plays for various Latin and Rock groups, as well as lead trumpet for several big bands in the Seattle area. |
Percussion |
Alan Keown |
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Alan Keown is a noted percussionist and teacher in the Pacific Northwest. As a performer he has worked with the Smothers Brothers, Suzanne Sommers, Sharri Lewis, the Britt Festival orchestra and numerous symphony orchestras including the renowned Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra. As a drum set artist he has performed in concerts and nightclubs throughout the Northwest, as well as recording studio dates for albums, jingles, and video projects. He is a frequent consultant to high school and college band programs, and has been involved with Ted Turner’s Goodwill Games as well as the competitive tour sponsored by Drum Corps International. Alan is a clinician for Yamaha Drums, Sabian, Malletech drumsticks, and Remo as well as the marching percussion specialist for various Oregon High Schools. He is also the founder of the Alan Keown Marching Percussion Camp, currently held in Oregon. Mr. Keown publishes marching band music with Matrix Publishing Company and concert percussion literature with Alfred Publishing. Alan is also a publisher of concert percussion music with Tapspace Publications and indoor drumline shows with Marching Show Concepts. |
Visual Performance Ensemble |
Michael Tran |
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Michael Tran is currently in his fourth year teaching in the Lake Washington School District. Prior to becoming a band director, Tran spent many years instructing, consulting, and coordinating numerous high school marching ensembles within the Washington State including, Mercer Island, Kamiak, Newport, Chiawana, West Valley (Yakima), Marysville Pilchuck, Eastlake, Cedarcrest, and many others. Additionally, he devoted three years writing for, coordinating, and instructing the Central Washington University "Wildcat" Marching Band in Ellensburg, WA. Michael graduated from CWU, earning his degrees in music education and psychology. During his enrollment, he performed in a varying array of instrumental and vocal ensembles and was extremely involved in the music program, serving as the NAfME Collegiate Senator, a position he held for three years. Tran’s marching band experience began back in sixth grade in parade band. After four years at Sultan High School, Michael participated in the drum corps activity as a lead trumpet player at The Seattle Cascades and The Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps. After serving his final year as a Head Drum Major in DCI, Michael returned to the Seattle Cascades as an administrator. In 2016, he was promoted to Executive Director and Corps Director. Under his leadership, the group would secure their highest score since 2007. Michael is currently the Band Director at Inglewood Middle School, earning the LWSD Educator of the Year Award last year. He is also a Head Basketball Coach at the school, leading the girls team to their 10th district championship. Michael enjoys the opportunity to make an impact each day and is thrilled to be participating at the Harvest Festival of Bands! |
Visual Performance Individual |
Mitch DeGrace |
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Mr. DeGrace has taught and performed in the marching arts since 1985. He performed four years as a brass player with the marching band at Tahoma Senior High School from Maple Valley, one year with the Imperials Youth Band, from Renton, and four years with the Marauders Drum and Bugle Corps from Longview. After aging out of drum corps in the summer of 1992, Mitch joined the Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps as a visual instructor where he was on staff until 1998. His final year with the Cascades he held the position of Tour Director where he was responsible for planning and executing all aspects of a full drum corps tour. Mr. DeGrace has been an active member of the marching arts in the northwest as an instructor, judge, and designer for the last 27 years, Mr. DeGrace is in his 12th year as the director of instrumental and vocal music at Meridian High School just north of Bellingham. |
Finalist Policy
Twelve bands from Preliminary Competition will be selected to participate in Finals Competition in the following manner:-
The 12 bands with the highest scores regardless of division will be selected to be in finals.
Bands performing in the Novice and Exhibition divisions are not eligible for Finals.
- Bands perform in Preliminary Score order
- Caption Awards (Best Marching, Auxiliary, etc.) are awarded to the highest scoring band in Preliminary Competition
- An addiitonal set of caption awards for finals and finals trophies (12th through 1st will be awarded.
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Saturday, October 19, 2019 Zaepfel Stadium Preliminary/Finals Competition |
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