Judges for Cavalcade
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.
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.
Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson is a 1982 graduate of Western Carolina University. Mr. Robinson his teaching career as assistant band director at Enka High School and in 1984, he became the Band Director at Pisgah High School, in Canton, N.C.
Mr. Robinson was the Band Director at Cary HS from 1987-2000. During his 13- year tenure, the Cary Band continued its strong tradition of excellence by winning numerous Grand Championships at many regional competitions. Also, the Cary Bands performed in the 1998 New Year’s Day Parade, in London, England, as well as giving a concert performance in Wembley Hall. In April 2000, the Cary Bands were invited to return to Europe, performing a 10-day tour of concerts in Bruges, Belgium, Le Touquet and Paris, France.
In 2000, Mr. Robinson started the band program at the newly built Wakefield Middle School in Raleigh, N.C. From it first year enrollment of 80 students, the band grew to over 225 members earning Superior and Excellent ratings at State Concert Band Festivals during his 10-year tenure. Mr. Robinson is currently the Instrumental Director at The Franklin Academy Charter High School in Wake Forest, NC where he conducts the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and piano class. The band started with 27 and has presently 90 members and the 2016 Music in the Parks Concert Band and Jazz Band Grand Champion scoring the highest of all 6 weekends.
Rich Zamperini
Rich Zamperini received his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his Master of Science degree in Music Education from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. His marching experience includes stints with the General Butler Vagabonds of Butler, Pennsylvania, the Bridgmen of Bayonne, New Jersey, and the 27th Lancers of Revere, Massachusetts where he was respectively instructed by Drum Corps International Hall of Fame members Bruno Zuccala, Scott Koter, Dennis DeLucia, and Charley Poole. He has performed in concert bands directed by Frederick Fennell, William Revelli, Eugene Corporan, H. Robert Reynolds, and Jack Stamp. Lastly, his jazz teachers include Dom Famularo, Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton, David Garibaldi, and Jimmy Cobb. Rich's over 30 year career in marching music includes experience as an instructor, conductor, director, composer, arranger, performer, clinician, adjudicator, and administrator. His marching ensembles consistently performed at superior levels. Their accolades include two Bands of America regional championships and one Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association crown. He has served as a marching band judge in 31 different states and Canada, including 24 championship competitions. He also judges for DCA, WGI, and served on six DCI championship week panels. Past administrative positions include two time director of the General Butler Vagabonds drum and bugle corps, music caption coordinator of the Pennsylvania Federation of Contest Judges, and assistant director of the Steel City Ambassadors drum and bugle corps of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His students have ranged in age from 4 to 92. Currently, Rich serves as proprietor of the Facebook business page, "Good to Great, Great to Champion", an independent music education contracting business specializing in marching music ensembles.
Kelly Earp
Kelly Earp resides in Raleigh NC and is an Alumni of The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. For nearly a decade he served on their visual staff after his membership in their brass section, winning three DCI Championships and four Visual Caption Championships. He also has been on visual staff for The Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps from Denver CO and consulted with The Blue Stars from La Crosse WI. He is currently serving his 15th year as the Drill Designer and Visual Caption Head for The Cary High School Marching Band. Prior to his work at Cary High School and The Cadets he graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sound Engineering and Music Production. Kelly has been affiliated with several other high school bands, winter guards, and indoor percussion ensembles in North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, and New Jersey serving as a consultant, clinician, and drill designer. He is also a Certified Design Analysis Judge for Carolina Winter Ensemble Association (CWEA). Kelly is an enthusiastic and creative individual who enjoys being a part of the pageantry arts in NC and VA.
Tim Bray
Tim Bray taught percussion at Tunstall High School for over 25 years and was also the founding director of the Virginia Helmsmen. The Virginia Helmsmen and the Tunstall Concert Ensemble are perennial finalists and medalists at WGI. Tim has also served on the WGI advisory board for many years shaping the percussion activity nationally. He has consulted with many national high school groups and represents VA on the national level. He and his wife Debra have raised two children who are both highly active in the winter percussion activity.