Matt Harloff - Caption Supervisor - Email Matt Matt Harloff is in his twelfth year as Assistant Director of Bands at Avon High School. Mr. Harloff was appointed as the Assistant Band Director for the Avon Band Department in the summer of 1996 after graduating from Indiana University in the Spring of 1996. Mr. Harloff earned a masters degree in education from the University of Indianapolis in 2001. Mr. Harloff is the assistant director for all four concert bands at the Avon High School. Avon Concert Bands consistently received superior ratings at the Indiana State School Music Association Organizational Contests.

Avon’s top wind ensemble has had the honor of performing at the Indiana State Concert Band Championship for the past 4 years, placing as high as 2nd in 2007. This year the Avon Wind Ensemble will be performing at the Indiana Music Educators Association conference. Mr. Harloff is also the assistant director to The Avon Marching Black & Gold where the group has won 7 state championships in as many years. The Marching Black & Gold has also qualified as a Bands of America finalists 5 out of the last 6 years, and earning a National Championship in Class AA in 2002. Mr. Harloff’s other responsibilities include the private lessons and chamber program. Mr. Harloff has been nominated for “Who’s Who of American Teachers” 5 different times and proudly serves on the ISSMA Concert Organization committee for the 2007-08 school year.

The summer of 2008 will be Matt Harloff’s sixth year as Brass Caption Head for the twelve-time Drum Corps International Finalists Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Harloff spent 3 years as brass instructor for the nine-time Drum Corps International World Champion Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from 1998, 1999, & 2002. Matt was a performing member of the Drum Corps International World Champion Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps from 1989-1995. Matt severed as the drum major in 1993.

Matt is a native of Mt. Pleasant Iowa, and very proud of his musical family. His father, Bill and his brother Ben are also band directors. Matt’s most important job is helping raise his two beautiful children Tyson, age 7 and Shaelyn, age 2. Matt is married to his wonderful wife Susie who has won the award for most outstanding mother for the past 7 years (well at least in Matt’s eyes.) They both share a passion for the happiest place on Earth: Walt Disney World.

Marshall Woody - Trumpets - Email Marshall Bio coming soon!!!

Joe Padawan - High Brass - Email Joe Joe Padawan, a native of Rockford, Illinois with family currently residing in Bloomington, Indiana, is attending Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri where he serves as Principal Trumpet in the top Wind Ensemble, performs with the top Jazz Band and numerous other performing ensembles. He plans to graduate in December 2008 with a Bachelors degree in Music Education and is excited to be married in 2009 to his fiancée, Jean Andert. He hopes to also complete a doctoral program and teach at the collegiate level. Joe marched drum corps starting at the age of 11 with Phantom Regiment Cadets (1992-94), Pioneer (1995-97), Phantom Regiment (1999) and served as the Phantom Regiment Tour Manager (2003). He has also performed with the Star of Indiana Brass Theater (1998), BLAST! II: Shockwave at Epcot (2002), and the BLAST! Japan tour (2005). His teaching experiences include the Bloomington North (IN) Winter Drumline and Marching Band, the Edgewood High School (IN) Marching Band, the Star of Indiana Youth Band, the Owen County High School (KY) Marching Band, the Brick High School (NJ) Marching Band, and the Mainland High School (NJ) Marching Band. This year he has taught

Kelly Bishop - Mellophones - Email Kelly Kelly Bishop is a graduate of James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, South Carolina. While in high school, she was mellophone section leader and drum major, winning the gold medal at four state championships. Her band also participated in the Inaugural Parade, Rose Parade, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Kelly currently resides in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she attends Converse College. She will be graduating in May of 2008 with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education with an instrumental emphasis. Throughout her college career, Kelly was a staff member of the Greenwood High School and James F. Byrnes High School marching bands. She teaches several students privately and hopes to continue to build her horn studio in the future. Kelly's drum corps career began in 2004 with the Carolin a Crown and the famous "Bohemia" show. She played lead mellophone for the duration of her experience, and was section leader for the years of '05-'07. Kelly aged out at the Rose Bowl in August of 2007. She will be filling the position of mellophone tech with Carolina Crown beginning in the '08 season. She looks forward to a great season and the opportunity to teach with and learn from the best teachers in the activity!

Corey Alvaro - Baritones / Euphonium - Email Corey Corey began his drum corps career in 2001, marching baritone for Carolina Crown, where he aged out in 2003. Since aging out, Corey taught on visual staff at Crown in 2004, and became a member of the brass staff in the 2007 season where he teaches low brass. Outside of teaching drum corps Corey has worked with various Marching bands in the central Florida area. In 2006 Corey graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Social Science Education and now teaches World and American History at Timber Creek High school in Orlando, fl.

Tim Snyder - Tubas - Email Tim Tim is currently in his 6th year of teaching at Shelby County HS located in Shelbyville, KY. As the director of the jazz program at Shelby County the jazz program has grown from being non-existant to receiving local honors and accolades. Most recently being invited to perform at the Kentucky School Official Conference as the premier ensemble. Tim is an avid composer and arranger with several works being performed on a regular basis. Most recently receiving a World

Larry Shane - Consultant - Email Larry Larry is returning to the brass faculty of the Carolina Crown for his third year of working with the corps. He received his Bachelors degree in Music from the University of Miami in 1991 and his Masters degree in Education from the University of Central Florida in 2004. Larry is currently the Band Director at Ardrey Kell HS in Charlotte, NC, a position he has held since the school opened in the fall of 2006. Before moving to the Charlotte area, Larry spent fourteen years as Band Director at several South Florida high schools including Park Vista HS, John I. Leonard HS, and Miami Southridge Senior HS. Over the last 15 years, Larry's ensembles have consistently received "Superior" ratings in marching band, concert band, and jazz band music performance assessments at both the District and State levels. In addition, Larry has been listed numerous times in the Who’s Who Among American Teachers national publication. Larry has been involved with drum corps since 1985. He has worked with several other drum corps over the last 15 years including the Blue Knights, Dutch Boy, and Magic of Orlando. He is a former Lead Soprano and Soloist with both the Florida Wave and the Concord Blue Devils, and former drum major for the University of Miami “Band of the Hour”.

Larry currently lives with his wife Randi and their three children in the Charlotte, NC area.

Ben Harloff - Consultant - Email Ben Ben holds two Bachelors Degrees from Indiana University: Music Education and Trumpet Performance. He is currently in his first year teaching at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Ben marched with the Phantom Regiment Cadets (1988-1989) and Star of Indiana (1990-1993). Ben then performed with the Star of Indiana Brass Theater for four years which eventually turned into Blast! During his time with Blast!, he was one of the trumpet soloists in both the London and New York City casts. Ben and his wife Cindy live in downtown Minneapolis.

Dean Westman - Consultant - Email Dean
Dean Westman currently serves as the Orchestra Director for the Avon Community School Corporation in Avon, Indiana.  Prior to coming to Avon, Dean spent 2 years as the Educational Director for Bands of America and Orchestra America.  Prior to his work with Bands of America, Dean served for 6 years as Director of Bands at Stephen F. Austin High School in Sugar Land, Texas.  Westman also Co-Conducted the award winning SFA Symphony Orchestra.  Under Dean’s leadership, the SFA Marching Band was named Bands of America Houston Regional Champion in 2002, 2003, and 2004.  The SFA Band placed 5th at the 2002 Bands of America Grand National Championships and 4th at the 2004 Bands of America Grand National Championships, winning both Outstanding Music Performance and the Al Castronovo Memorial Esprit de Corps award.  The marching band has performed at 4 consecutive Texas UIL State Championships.  Dean’s concert ensembles at SFA have performed at Carnegie Hall, the Moores Opera House, the Meyerson, and the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago.  Mr. Westman has also held band director positions at Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas and Indian Prairie School District in Naperville, Illinois.  Dean was reunited with the SFA Marching Band in the fall of 2007; where he now works as Program Coordinator along side dear friend and mentor, Ralph Hardimon

In 2002, Dean was named the Texas Young Bandmaster of the Year at the Texas Bandmaster’s Association Convention.  He has taught the Tenrikyo Aimaichi Marching Band from Nagoya, Japan, which has won the All-Japan Marching Band Championship in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2007.  Mr. Westman served on the teaching staff for the 2005 Bands of America Rose Parade Honor Band of America.  In 2007, Dean became the wind arranger for the award winning Winston Churchill High School Marching Band from San Antonio, Texas.  He continues to present clinics throughout the United States and Japan, including presentations to the Midwest Clinic, the Texas Bandmaster’s Association Convention, the Colorado Bandmaster’s Association Convention, the Texas Music Educator’s Association Convention, the DCI Judges and Instructor Clinic, and the Texas Dance Educator’s Association Convention.  Dean has conducted district honor ensembles in Cobb County, Georgia and Jefferson County, Kentucky.

Dean has been an active instructor and arranger in the drum corps activity for 16 years.  Westman served as Brass Caption Head for the nine-time Drum Corps International World Champion Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003 and 2004.  He spent 7 years as a brass arranger and instructor for the six-time Drum Corps International World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps.  Dean taught on the brass staff for the seven-time Drum Corps International World Champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, and was the Brass Caption Head during the Cavaliers 1995 DCI World Championship season.  Westman is honored to serve as a brass consultant with Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps again in 2008.  Dean will also serve as the brass arranger for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps during their 50th Anniversary Season. 

Dean is a native of Park Ridge, Illinois and a proud alumnus of the University of Illinois.  He lives in Plainfield, Indiana with his wife Adrianna and their 9-year-old daughter, Abigail.

Barry Hudson - Consultant - Email Barry
Bio coming soon!!!

Ryan Summers - Consultant - Email Ryan Ryan Summers is originally from Hendersonville, NC. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Appalachian State University. He is currently the Band Director at Brawley Middle School, as well as the Assistant Director for the Lake Norman High School Marching Band, in Mooresville, NC. Ryan is beginning his seventh year on the brass faculty of Carolina Crown. He is also an alumnus of the corps, having marched in both the Baritone and Contra sections. Ryan is a member of the North Carolina Music Educator’s Association, MENC, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He, his wife Zaneta, and daughter Alana live in Statesville, NC.

Donnie VanDoren - Consultant - Email Donnie
Donnie VanDoren is currently the Associate Producer for Blast! and comes to Carolina Crown with a great deal of experience in the drum and bugle corps activity.

"It is an incredible joy for me to work with the staff and administration at Crown, many of whom have been former students.  As a father of a current Crown member, I am so grateful for the education, the role modeling, and the positive influence my son and the membership is receiving from the Crown faculty."

Donnie resides in Bloomington , Indiana with his wife, son, and daughter.