Teal Sound Names Percussion Caption Head, Visual Designer, Percussion Supervisor

The Teal Sound Drum & Bugle Corps is proud to announce Mr. Terrell Smith as the Percussion Caption Head for the 2007 season. We are also very pleased to introduce Mr. Matthew Heard as this years visual designer along with the return of Mr. Jeff Willis who will serve as Percussion Supervisor and arranger.

Randy W Blackburn, corps director, had this to say about the recent additions. “Teal Sound is very excited to be able to acquire the talents of Jeff, Terrell and Matt”. “Our commitment to the corps since the management has been restructured was to secure dedicated and professional staffing to the corps and build a highly competitive program for this season and beyond”. “We look forward to a very exciting year as we build to California and are glad to welcome them aboard”.

Terrell Smith has several years’ experience as an instructor, arranger, and clinician for world class drum and bugle corps, indoor percussion ensembles and marching bands primarily in the New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania region. The following list represents the highlights of Mr. Smith’s instructional career: The Cadets, Santa Clara Vanguard, Capital Regiment, Reading Buccaneers, Sunrisers, Bushwackers, Skyliners, Rutgers University and Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. His role at Teal Sound for the 2007 season will be as caption head of percussion.

Currently the marching percussion arranger and instructor at Kutztown University, Mr. Smith has had a wide variety of instructional and performance experiences. As a drum corps performer, he played snare drum with the Bayonne Bridgemen, Sunrisers, Skyliners, Westshoremen and is now studying percussion pedagogy and music education at KU. Recently as an instructor, Terrell was on staff with the Buccaneers (2000 – 2006) which include two DCA world championships (2005, 2006) and three DCA percussion titles (2000, 2005, 2006). He was the percussion caption head and snare tech at Capital Regiment (2002, 2003). He was also on the percussion staff with The Cadets in 2001 when the corps captured the DCI high percussion title.

Some of his current and former teachers include: Dr. Will Rapp, Dr. Frank Kumor, Thom Hannum, Tom Aungst, Neil Larrivee, Eric Ward, Dave Franceschina, Lee Rudnicki and Ed Teleky.

Terrell has been an active marching band and indoor percussion adjudicator for the USSBA, Cavalcade of Bands, Keystone Indoor Drill Association and the Mid Atlantic Percussion Society since 1999. He is an educational endorser and clinician for Vic Firth.

Matthew is a native of Macomb, Illinois, and currently lives in Florida. He is a 2000 graduate of Western Illinois University, with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. Matt is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Interior Architecture at the University of Florida.

Matt was a member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps horn line from 1995 through 1998. After aging out of the corps, he joined their visual staff in 1999. In 2007, Matt will be returning to The Cavaliers’ visual staff for the 9th consecutive year.

Matt is a visual designer, consultant and instructor for independent, high school, and collegiate marching music ensembles. His designs have been performed by bands, winter guards and drum and bugle corps from across the country.