Judges for Battle on the Blue Ridge
Andrew Barberi
Andrew Barberi is from Pensacola, Florida where he first got introduced to the marching arts at Milton High School. After high school, Andrew continued his marching arts career at Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps in 2009, and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2010-2012. Andrew was a member of Northeast Independent World 2010 and Braddock Independent World 2012, both WGI Independent World Class top five finalists. Andrew was a member of the WGI Advisory Board in 2013 and 2014. He has directed, taught, and choreographed for several of the country’s top Color Guard programs including; Nease High School - 2012 WGI Scholastic Open Bronze Medalist, Chotawhatchee High School - 2013-2014 WGI Scholastic World Class Finalist, and UCF Pegasus World. Andrew has also been involved in some of the country’s top marching ensembles including; The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps - 2016 Drum and Bugle Corps World Champion, Cedar Ridge High School, Round Rock High School, and Cedar Park High School - All Bands of America National Finalists. Most recently, Andrew was the Director of Color Guards at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, from 2016-2021. Under Andrew’s leadership the program’s three color guards were a consistent TCGC State Finalist, WGI Regional Finalist, Bands of America Regional Finalist, and UIL State Qualifier. Andrew currently resides in Washington D.C., where he is pursing his career in cooperate operations and logistics.
Mike Kirby
Michael Kirby currently lives in Washington DC. He is a former snare line member of the Crossmen, Blue Knights and Brigadiers Drum and Bugle Corps. He is a former instructor of the Univ. at Buffalo and Thomas Jefferson HSST. He is long-time percussion judge for the Atlantic Indoor Association.
Logan Nagai
Logan Nagai is originally from Texas, where he studied Music Education at the University of Houston. While at UH, he was a member of the Spirit of Houston Marching Band, Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity, and studied French Horn with Gavin Reed of the Houston Opera and Ballet Orchestras. During his university years, Logan marched at the Phantom Regiment from 2014 through 2016 and was the section leader in his last year. He aged out with the Blue Devils in their 2017 production Metamorph, winning their 18th World Championship. After graduating, Logan taught for four years at Stephen F. Austin High School in Sugar Land, TX. During his time at SFA, he taught the AP Music Theory class, the second and third concert bands, and the marching band each fall. The SFA band was a consistent UIL Sweepstakes winner, UIL Region, Area, and State participant, and BOA Regional and Super Regional Finalist. In 2022, Logan relocated to the Washington, D.C. area to pursue his career in technology sales and marketing.
Stan Schoonover
Stan Schoonover (Music) has led the Fairfax Wind Symphony for all of its’ 19 seasons as Music Director. His thirty-two year career in public school education included eleven as Music Supervisor for the Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools, widely regarded as one of America’s foremost school music programs. Ensembles under his direction have appeared at The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Ferguson Center, the Center for the Arts, the Midwest Clinic, and 13 times at the VMEA In-service Conference. Mr. Schoonover is an adjunct instructor at James Madison University, is a Coordinator for the Music For All National Concert Band Festival, a member of the MFA Educational Team, and the Midwest Clinic Advisory Committee.
Scott Litzenburg
Scott Litzenburg resides in Kennett Square, PA. He received his Bachelor of Science, Music Education from West Chester University in 1984. Scott is currently the Director of the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps.
Scott recently retired in 2018 after 34 years of teaching HS band in Pennsylvania.He conducted the UHS Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band & Musical pit orchestra. His bands have been selected as a finalist in the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival in New York City, Won the overall band award at the Kentucky Derby Festival and the twice have been named as the grand Champion at the Gator Bowl Festival in Jacksonville FL. The bands have received numerous superior ratings at concert, jazz and marching festivals in his 34 years of teaching. Was the Musical Director at Unionville and directed the last four productions of West Side Story, Shrek, Mary Poppins and the King and I.
Scott was the past Cavalcade of Band President, DCI Event Manager/head tabulator, and a WGI Contest Administrator. He was the Co-Founder of the Tournament of Roses Honor Band and took them to the 2015 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.
Scott works part-time as an Event Manager at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square PA and works with the visiting artists as they perform at the gardens. He is also the past Principal Timpanist with the Chester County Pops Orchestra and a charter member of that ensemble.
Scott is a former member of the Garfield Cadets, past director of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps and is a past member of the Drum Corps International Board of Directors.Scott is a member of Phi Beta Mu and is an alumnus of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternities.
Bob Wall
Bob Wall is from Middletown, VA and is a nationally recognized public safety professional with extensive experience developing and managing traffic and other public safety and educational programs. Bob coordinated the child passenger safety training and traffic safety public information and education programs for the Fairfax County Police Department. In the Commonwealth of Virginia Wall has been active as a consultant to the International and Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, coordinating and assisting with several highway programs. As the coordinator of the IACP National and Virginia Law Enforcement Challenge, Bob made the Virginia state program one of the premier state traffic safety programs in the country.
Bob is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, and an alumnus of the two-time DCI World Champion, Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps. His pageantry experience incubuses over 15 years of instructing the Lake Braddock Secondary Marching Band in Burke, VA as well as instructing or consulting many other marching bands and winter guards in the Commonwealth for more than 25 years. Mt Vernon High School, Madison High School, Thomas Jefferson High Schools and Centerville High School are only some of the schools he has instructed or consulted over the years. His judging experience also spans many years in Virginia and nationwide.
He recently retired, again, as the Public Education Coordinator with the Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue. Bob is now the Global Car Seat Safety Advocate for Wonderland Manufacturing, representing NUNA Baby Essentials. In 1993 Bob received the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s highest award for outstanding achievements in highway safety, the J. Stannard Baker Award.
Carl Bly
Carl Bly taught for 30 years at Centreville High School and Lake Braddock Secondary School in Fairfax County, VA, and was Concert Band and Orchestra Director at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Currently Mr. Bly is Adjunct Assistant Professor at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. Mr. Bly’s concert and marching bands have enjoyed international reputations. In addition to the many awards received by his marching bands, Mr. Bly’s bands have been a finalist at the Bands of America’s Grand National Championships in Indianapolis, IN. His Concert Bands have performed at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and Bands of America’s National Concert Band Festival, and in the concert halls of the Kennedy Center, DAR Constitution Hall, at Wolf Trap, and the Legrande Theatre in Quebec, Canada. Mr. Bly conducts numerous clinics yearly with both concert and marching bands and conducts regularly All-District and All-State Events. He has held numerous state and national positions in professional organizations. Carl is a long time judge with Drum Corps International and Bands of America.
Elisa Lessard
Elisa Lessard has been involved with color guard as a performer, choreographer, designer, instructor, and adjudicator for over 20 years. She believes in the power of color guard and marching band to shape the lives of those who dedicate themselves to this activity. Ms. Lessard holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Texas Christian University and a Master’s in Music Performance from the University of North Texas. She is a former music educator in Fairfax County before deciding to stay home with her small children. She has taught successful color guard programs in North Texas as well as Northern Virginia. Currently, she serves as an adjudicator for the Atlantic Indoor Association, a thriving winter guard circuit in the Northern Virginia area. Elisa lives in Woodbridge, Virginia with her husband and three children.