Judges for Blue Ridge Regional
Jim Brooks
Jim Brooks obtained his Bachelor of Music degree from Wright State University in1980, and was the assistant band director Kokomo HS, Kokomo Indiana, from 1981-1982, and was the assistant director at Centerville, (OH) High School, from 1983-1988. At both Kokomo and Centerville, he designed and instructed the winter guard, directed the percussion ensemble, and was visual designer for the marching band. Jim did graduate work at the University of Dayton in Educational Leadership, and also at Wright State University in music education. He was a band director and music educator in Dayton Public schools from 1992-2002.
Jim was an extra percussionist with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and has performed professionally with such artist as, Moody Blues, Doc Severinsen, Shirley Jones, Clarke Terry, Lionel Hampton, Art Garfunkle, Roger Williams, and Sarah Vaughn. He played drums and percussion for dozens of musical theater productions in the greater Dayton/Cincinnati area, including: Sweeney Todd, Evita, Brigadoon, Children Of Eden, Cats, Gypsy, Cabaret, A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, Applause, Anything Goes, Will Rogers Follies, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Falsettoland, and many others.
Jim is the color guard judges coordinator for the Mideast Judges Association, and judges for numerous other circuits across the country. He has judged for WGI, DCI, and DCA. He currently resides in Centerville, Ohio.
Doug Casteen
Doug Casteen currently resides in Richmond, Virginia and is a graduate of North Carolina State University. He has been judging marching bands, drum corps and color guards for the last 25 years. He has been active as an adjudicator for many band associations across the US. He has recently judged state championships competitions for Oklahoma. Colorado, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. He is currently the Chief Judge for the Atlantic Indoor Association (AIA) where he inducted in the AIA Hall of Honor in 2006 for his contributions to the circuit. He is the current Chief Judge for the Virginia Marching Band Cooperative (VMBC). He has judged all visual captions for Drum Corps International (DCI) and currently judges for the Winds Division of Winter Guard International (WGI). He served as a General Effect Judge for Color Guard Division of WGI for 12 seasons where he judged over 40 Regional Championships and 6 World Championships. His performing experience includes marching in DCI with Avant Garde from Saratoga Springs, NY, the 27th Lancers from Revere, MA, and the Star of Indiana from Bloomington, IN. He performed the Star Alumni Drum Corps in 2004 and 2010. He has instructed various marching bands, winter guards, and drum corps throughout the Southeastern US.
Reiko Casteen
Reiko Casteen is a native of East Tennessee. She graduated from Daniel Boone High School, East Tennessee State University, and Eastern Virginia Medical School. She has taught several guards (fall and indoor) throughout her career. Her judging experience includes serving as a movement caption judge in the Atlantic Indoor Association since 2004 and has been judging marching band competitions across the Southeastern US for the past 15 years. Her winter guard performing experience includes Daniel Boone High School from 1992-1995, Nuendo Winter Guard from 1996- 2000 where they were the WGI Bronze Medalists in 1996, and Infiniti World Winter Guard in 2003. Reiko’s drum corps experience includes marching with Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, Illinois from 1994 (3rd place), 1995 (5th place), and 1996 (DCI Gold Medalist). Reiko currently lives in Richmond, VA with husband and son.
Chad Reep
Chad Reep is the Virginia Tech Assistant Director of Athletic Bands. Chad works with the Marching Virginians, the Men's Basketball Pep Band, the Symphony and Campus Bands, and first year Sight Singing classes. Prior to his appointment to Virginia Tech, Mr. Reep spent six years as Assistant Director of Athletic Bands at James Madison University. While at JMU he assisted with all aspects of the Marching Royal Dukes, directed the JMU Pep Band, and directed the JMU Concert Band. Mr. Reep revamped the JMU Pep Band, creating one of the best bands in college basketball and increasing its membership to over 250. Mr. Reep earned his Masters of Music in Wind Conducting at James Madison University, where he was a Graduate Assistant for the band program. Prior to his time at JMU, Mr. Reep earned his Bachelor of Music Education at The University of Montana, located in his hometown of Missoula, and was hired as Director of Bands at Big Sky High School in the same city. Mr. Reep spent three years at BSHS before departing to Virginia for graduate work.
Blair Kuhn
Blair Kuhn received his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Communication & Film Studies from Eastern Michigan University. Blair’s been active in the pageantry art for over 30 years, having performed as a percussionist with the Saginaires Drum & Bugle Corps 1982-84, Northern Aurora Drum & Bugle Corps 1885 & The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps 1986. Along with his background in percussion, Blair is an accomplished Color Guard & Drill designer, with over 20 years of experience. Blair was the visual designer for Eastside Fury Percussion, from 2007-2010 & Co-Director / Designer of Ancora Winter Guard 2007-2014. Blair currently designs for The University of Michigan Winter Guard and Marching Band. Blair currently holds the position of Vice President of the Michigan Color Guard Circuit & Visual Caption Head for the Michigan Competing Band Association. Currently Blair is an active adjudicator for The Michigan Competing Band Association, Michigan Color Guard Circuit, Drum Corps International & Winter Guard International. Blair most recently judged the DCI World Championships in 2018.
Dr. Rob Sanderl
Rob Sanderl is a well-known musician and artist in the field of percussion. His versatility in almost any setting, from jazz, classical and contemporary, to drum corps, has earned him the opportunity to perform in many prestigious settings around the world. As Associate Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Radford University in Virginia, Sanderl has transformed the Percussion Studies Program at the University to one of prominence.
Rob’s skills as a performer, educator and composer grew from his long history and love of the marching arts, which became evident to him as a child in the 6th grade. In 1999, on his summer break from Crane, Rob gave up his summer vacation to improve his skills, playing snare drum with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. As his knowledge grew, Rob moved from performance to direction, where from 2002-2005 he served as percussion director and designer for the Arlington Admiral Marching band in New York. He and his band won two Musical Arts Conference Championships, one New York State Championship, two High Percussion Awards, a first and second place finish at Bands of America Regionals, and made the 2004 semifinals at the Bands of American Grand National Championships. Rob also served on the staff of the Madison Scouts, and was Caption Head for the Empire Statesmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 2008-2009. Rob continues to be an active arranger in the marching idiom, having written for groups in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Iowa, receiving numerous state championships and high percussion awards. Additionally, he has written for the USC Trojan Band, The University of Buffalo, and the Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps.
Rob received his DMA and Masters in Percussion Performance from the Eastman School of Music, as well as the coveted Performers Certificate. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music with a Performer’s Certificate. During his education, Rob had the privilege to study with well-known musicians John Beck, Jim Petercsak, John Riley, Erik Forrester, Ernie Musquiz, and John Pratt
Jason Derting
Jason Derting has been teaching and judging marching band for over 20 years. He has marched with 3 finalists at Winter Guard International (WGI) including winning a world championship with Infiniti Winter Guard and Chimeras World Winter Guard. Jason was a clarinet and drummer in marching band and has experience teaching and designing band and color guard shows for various high schools in Virginia and Tennessee. Jason is currently an Adjudicator for the Atlantic Indoor Association (AIA), Mid-Continental Color Guard Association (MCGC), and other winter guard circuits in the United States. He is entering his 3rd season as a WGI Equipment Judge this year. He adjudicates numerous marching band competitions annually in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. He resides in Fredericksburg, VA with his wife and 2 children, working as a Physical Therapist Assistant.
Matt Liner
Matt Liner is graduate of Appalachian State University where he earned a bachelor of music degree in music education with a minor in psychology. Matt began his career teaching at East Davidson High School and E.L. Brown Middle School in Thomasville, NC. Following his tenure in Davidson County he moved into the position of assistant band director at Ronald Reagan High School and Meadowlark Middle School in Winston-Salem. After two years serving as the director of bands at Ronald Reagan High School from 2008-2010, Matt accepted the band director position at Meadowlark.
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Matt was a member of the world championship finalist Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps and was a part of the corps’ instructional staff. As a visual designer, Mr. Liner programs for several marching bands across the Carolinas.
In 2011 Mr. Liner was selected as the Band Director of the Year by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Band Directors Association. He was also the 2013-2014 recipient of the Northwest District Bandmasters Association Award of Excellence.
Matt has served as a member of the board of directors for the Northwest District Bandmasters Association and is the past-chairman for the North Carolina Music Educators Association Jazz Section. Matt’s professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, North Carolina Music Educators Association, the North Carolina Bandmasters Association, the Northwest District Bandmasters Association, Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society of Education, Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Society of Music, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Professional Music Fraternity and the American School Band Directors Association.