2009 Memphis Sound Staff Additions

Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps of Memphis, Tennessee and Dallas, Texas is pleased to announce the addition of several key staff members to the 2009 staff.

As the corps continues to strengthen its membership, the staff continues to grow in depth and talent. The staff for 2009 shows a great diversity from within the musical community. College professors, high school band directors, drum corps alumni, etc set the stage for Memphis Sound to come "Celebrate" in the 2009 season.

Tate Fincher – Visual / Brass Staff

Tate Fincher is currently the first assistant band director at Lake Highlands High School in Richardson, TX. During his first year at Lake Highlands the marching band consistently placed in the top 7 in finals at all contests (including winning their first contest), receiving higher scores in visual and music captions than groups more than twice their size. Prior to his appointment in that position he served as an assistant director at Wylie High School in Wylie, TX where the marching band made an appearance at the Texas State Marching Contest as well as the Music For All National Concert Band Festival. Mr. Fincher is active as a drill writer across the state of Texas and was mentored by Memphis Sound’s current drill designer, Nathaniel Neugent, and continues to collaborate with him on design. He is active as a clinician and adjudicator in both the fields of marching band and concert band. He is an alumus of The University of Texas at Arlington.

Landon Tooke – Assistant Tour Director

Landon Tooke is a founding member of Three Headed Monster Percussion Group . He has performed with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, Longview Symphony Orchestra, Monroe Symphony Orchestra, Southern Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and is the principle percussionist for the Louisiana Baptist Symphony Orchestra. He has made multiple appearances as a guest performer with the Louisiana Tech University Percussion Ensemble and the University of Louisiana at Monroe Percussion Ensemble. Landon has also appeared as a guest artist at multiple venues such as the Louisiana Chapter PAS Day of Percussion, the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens Artist of the Month Concert Series, the Hurley School of Music Piano Festival, and on KTVE Channel 8. Landon holds a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University where he studied with Dr. Mel Mobley.

You can find out more about Memphis Sound at www.memphisdrumcorps.org