Taylor Criswell - Director of Bands

Taylor Criswell has been involved with the marching arts for over 10 years. He has consulted and taught with numerous high school marching bands and drum corps throughout Tennessee, Alabama, Illinois, Texas, Iowa, and Mississippi, including the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, Iowa, Memphis Sound, and the Phantom Regiment from Rockford, Illinois. He is honored to be in his third season as the baritone/euphonium instructor for the Phantom Regiment. He holds a BS degree in euphonium performance from the University of North Alabama and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in music education from the same institution.

Taylor holds memberships in MENC, Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society, Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and is a founding member of Alpha Mu Lambda Fraternity Incorporated.

Dustin G White - Music Composer/Arranger

Mr. Dustin G. White graduated from the University of North Alabama in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Music in Education. While attending UNA, he was a member of the "Pride of Dixie" marching band, wind symphony, concert band, brass ensemble, jazz band, studio lab band, jazz combo, and the Shoals Symphony at UNA.  Graduating Magna Cum Laude, Mr. Dustin White was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Society in Education, and Pi Kappa Lambda National Honor Society in Music. He is also an alumnus of the Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity.  Now attending Auburn University pursuing a master of music education degree on a graduate teaching assistantship with the AU band, Mr. Dustin G. White has had the opportunity to arrange for the Auburn University Marching and Pep bands. Mr. White is in demand as a marching band music arranger and commissioned composer for many high schools and universities in the Southeast. His arrangements and compositions have been performed around the nation, several international countries, and even by the Macy's Great All-American Marching Band to which he served as assistant instructor and concept designer. Mr. White studied trombone, theory, and arranging techniques with Mr. Eddie Elsey, Mr. Matt Wood, Dr. Corey Spurlin, and Dr. Johnnie Vinson.
 

Jack Albert - Percussion Composer/Arranger

Jack Albert, a native of Decatur, Alabama, has been involved with marching percussion for 9 years. In those 9 years, Jack has been a member, center snare, and section leader of the University of North Alabama "Pride of Dixie" Drum line and PASIC drum line, a lead player in the UNA jazz band, jazz combo, wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, and in the summer of 2005, Jack marched in the snare line of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. Jack has written for and instructed numerous high school percussion sections in Alabama, as well as Central Bucks High School in Central Bucks, Pennsylvania, and the University of North Alabama. Jack will graduate from UNA in December, 2008, with a bachelor's degree in music education

Drew Solomonson - Visual Designer

Drew Solomonson is a 2006 graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in Arts Administration with a Minor in Business. Drew began his marching career with the Phantom Regiment in 2001. A member of the euphonium section, he marched a total of four seasons in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2007, Drew was named as the Visual Designer and Visual Caption head for the Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps from Memphis, Tennessee, which won the 2007 DCI Division III World Championship, and was presented with the Best Visual Performance award for Division III. In 2008, joined the Phantom Regiment visual staff.

As a designer, Drew has written and worked for several high school groups in Illinois, Tennessee, and Virginia, including Cordova HS, Houston HS, Virginia HS, Memphis Overton, and East Peoria HS. In addition to field shows, he is also involved with indoor productions, beginning his winter design in 2007 with the Cordova Independent Winterguard. For 2008, he served the Visual Designer and Program Coordinator for Capella Winterguard, the 2008 SCGC Gold Medalist and WGI World Championship Bronze Medalist. In addition to his teaching and design, Drew also serves as an adjudicator in several states within the Midwest and South.

Justin Johnson - Lead Visual Technician/Woodwind Instructor

Justin Johnson is currently studying instrumental music education at the Rudi E Scheidt School of Music located at the University of Memphis. There he is a member of the University Wind Ensemble and Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra. He is a student of Allen Rippe and Dr. Jack Cooper.

Mr. Johnson is currently the Visual Caption Head for the Mighty Sound of the South Marching Band at the University of Memphis. He serves as a freelance visual designer throughout the mid-south region and has worked with Bolton High School (TN), Bartlett High School (TN), and Dyersburg High School (TN).

Mr. Johnson’s marching background includes four years with the University of Memphis Marching band, and membership in both the Delta Brigade and Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. 2007 will mark his third year as a member of the visual and brass staffs for the Memphis Sound organization. 
 

Jeremy Driver - Color Guard Designer/Coordinator

Jeremy’s color guard career started with Southwind drum and bugle corps.  In 1998 he marched with Magic of Orlando, under the direction of April Gilligan and Karl Lowe.
 

Beginning in the winter of 1999 Jeremy has taught various color guards throughout Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky. His credits include Cordova High School, a 2004 BOA Regional Finalist, Bartlett High School, a 2002 WGI World Finalist, Amalgamation winter guard, a 2004 WGI World Finalist and Southaven High School. He is also a designer for The University of North Alabama.

In the winter of 2005 Jeremy became a judge for the Gulf Coast Judges Association in the equipment caption.
 

Jeremy received his Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of North Alabama in 2000. That same year he became a music specialist for Shelby County Schools where he is still currently employed.
 

Sara Abramson - Lead Color Guard Technician

Sara Abramson is 21 years old and is attending The University of Memphis, graduating in the Spring of 2009 with a BFA in Graphic Design and a Minor in Art History. Sara began her colorguard career with the Cordova High School Colorguard in 2000, where she marched 4 years, graduating in 2004. In her last year of high school, Sara was a member of the 2004 WGI Finalist Independent A Winterguard, Amalgamation. After graduating, Sara was chosen to be a member of the 2004 Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in which she marched for 3 years. In the summer of 2007, she became a colorguard technician/writer for the Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps, winning the Division III World Championship Gold Medal. Beginning Sara's winterguard career, Sara became a winterguard choreographer/technician for the 2007 WGI Semifinalist Cordova Independent A Winterguard. In 2008, Sara served as a choreographer/designer for the 2008 WGI IA Capella Winterguard, winning the bronze medal at the WGI World Championships. Among these several accomplishments, Sara has choreographed and worked for many other guards in Tennessee and Kentucky including, Henry Clay High School, Dexter Middle School, Cordova High School, Desoto Central High School, and the University of Memphis. Sara will be joining the 2008 Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps this summer, which will be her age out year in DCI.

Johnny Xa - Percussion Coordinator

Johnny Xa is currently attending the University of Memphis where he is pursuing a degree in International Business. Johnny serves as the Snare Tech for the Mighty Sound of the South Drumline. He has worked with numerous drumlines in the area, which includes: Bartlett High School (TN), Munford High School (TN), Overton High School (TN), Jonesboro High School (AR), and Valley View High School (AR). This will also be his second year to serve as the snare tech for Thom Hannum's Mobile Percussion Seminar.

Johnny's marching experience includes: Bartlett High School Marching Band, Bartlett Indoor Percussion, University of Memphis PASIC, Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corp, Colts Drum and Bugle Corp, The Mighty Sound of The South Drumline, and Gateway Indoor. He is happy to be back on staff and looks forward to another great year!