Blue Stars Announce 2008 Conductors

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After a national search the Blue Stars of La Crosse, Wisconsin are pleased to announce our conductors for the 2008 season.

Jonathan Powell, Principal Conductor
Jonathan Powell has been appointed Principal Conductor for the 2008 season. He brings with him 5 years of conducting experience in the competitive marching arena. Prior to his arrival to the Blue Stars, he served 2 years as a Drum Major at the University of Arkansas, and 3 years as a Drum Major at Summit High School in Mansfield, Texas.


Jonathan has been the recipient of conducting awards at nationally renowned conducting camps, and his conducting teams have been recognized at regional and national invitational marching contests. He has studied conducting under Professor W. Dale Warren of the University of Arkansas.

Jonathan is a native of Arlington, Texas, but currently resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He is the son of James and Debra Powell. He is currently a junior undergraduate at the University of Arkansas, where he is pursuing degrees in Chemical Engineering and International Business and Economics.

“I am honored and excited to have been entrusted with this position at the Blue Stars. The Blue Stars have a proud and storied tradition, and I am honored to be a part of it. I look forward to getting to work with each of the members as we develop lifelong bonds in music. I look forward to the challenge of living up to the Blue Stars name and learning its traditions. My hope is that the members and staff will hold me to the highest standard as we journey on our quest for excellence.”

Joseph Raymond III, Associate Conductor
Joe B. Raymond III, former drum major of the Capital Regiment, begins his 2nd year as conductor for the Blue Stars in 2008. Joe graduated from Harrison Central High School in his hometown of Gulfport, Mississippi in 2005. He currently attends Delta State University where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music education and is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity.

"I am very excited about the progress of the Blue Stars for 2008 season. I look forward to the corps’ performance and the increasing growth of the Blue Stars and am glad to have the chance to help aid in this growth for another year."

Terryl Banta, Associate Conductor
After a year away from the activity, Terryl Banta returns to drum corps as a Blue Stars Associate Conductor. Previously, she was the drum major for the Seattle Cascades for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Prior to her time at Cascades, she spent her first year of drum corps as a drum major for the Spokane Thunder in 2004.  Terryl is a music education major at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.

The 2008 drum corps season will be Terryl’s eighth season of marching music, and sixth as a drum major. “I am absolutely excited to join the Blue Stars on this constantly upward-moving journey! After spending just one weekend with the corps, I am sold. I personally witnessed the wonderful atmosphere this corps creates, and I look forward to a great experience with a corps that’s doing all the right things.”

The Blue Stars are still in the ongoing process of auditioning potential members for the 2008 season. It is not too late to take part in the process. For information on auditions or general information, please email the corps director, Eric Sabach at eric [at] bluestars [dot] org

Please visit our website at www.bluestars.org for an upcoming announcement on our 2008 program, news, scores, merchandise, and to donate.

Posted by on Saturday, January 19th, 2008. Filed under DCI World.