Forte Announces 2010 Visual Staff

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Forte Drum & Bugle Corps of Grand Prairie, TX is proud to announce the 2010 Visual Staff:

Visual Caption Head, Kenneth Thompson

Kenneth Thompson currently lives in the Dallas area where he serves as a band director for Duncanville ISD. Kenneth has been a clinician/instructor/technician in Texas for the past 8 years. Kenneth holds a Bachelors of Science in Music Education from Texas A&M Commerce. Kenneth served as a marching member, drum major, and elected undergraduate intern for the Pride Marching Band. Kenneth marched baritone with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003 and 2004. In 2005 he joined Southwind’s visual staff under Mark Palise and Dann Petersen. He continued this role through 2006. In 2007 he joined Southwind’s brass staff under Steve Vento. In 2008 Kenneth joined Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps as the visual/brass caption head. In 2009 he continued on as the visual caption head for Memphis. For the 2010 season, Kenneth will return as the visual caption head for Forte Drum and Bugle Corps. Kenneth resides in Duncanville, TX visual [at] fortecorps [dot] org 

Visual Technical Staff

April Dalton began her marching career at age 14 as a member of the Holmes Mighty Bulldog Marching Band in Covington, Kentucky. Her marching background includes Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps and Gateway Indoor Percussion. Since 2005 she has been teaching visual and cymbals at various high schools, including Holmes High School (KY), Milford High School (OH), and Dixie High School (KY). April is now a visual tech at O’Fallon Township High School (IL), the Cymbal/Visual/Drill Tech at St. Charles United Percussion (MO), a Visual Tech at Forte Drum and Bugle Corps (TX), and the Visual Caption Manager and Cymbal Tech at Freedom Youth Percussion. She is attending Southwestern Illinois College, and is pursuing a Bachelors of Science Education in Family and Consumer Sciences

Charles Stollon Charles "CZ" Stollon comes to the brass staff from a strong background in both teaching and marching. After completing high school, CZ attended Georgia Tech where he marched his first DCI season in 2002 with The Cavaliers of Rosemont, IL. CZ moved back to the DFW area in 2003 and finished his undergrad at the University of North Texas under Nick Williams, Dennis Fisher, Eugene Corporon and Dr. Brian Bowman. Marching his age-out in 2004, CZ came back to UNT as drum major of the Green Brigade Marching Band for two seasons. He has been an active technician with the Newman Smith, Plano East and R.L. Turner marching bands. He is currently an active member of the Texas Music Educators’ Association and Texas Bandmasters Association.

He currently resides in the DFW area and is the Assistant Director of Bands at Vivian Field Middle School in Farmers Branch. He is happily married and he and his wife share two very energetic dogs, and is looking forward to an exciting season in the maiden voyage of Forte!! Charles will also be serving on the Brass Staff

Benjamin Kelly is the associate director of the Stafford Sound Machine at Stafford Middle School in Frisco, Texas. He currently directs the Advanced Band and Spartans of Swing Jazz Band, and teaches trumpet, horn, and trombone. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a Bachelors of Music. While at North Texas Benjamin was involved in the Green Brigade Marching Band where he served as trumpet section leader. He also performed in various Lab bands, Jazz Repertory Ensemble, Concert Band, and Brass Band, under the directions of Jay Saunders, Dr. Brian Bowman, and Dr. Nicholas Williams. He spent two years as a marching member of the Cascades from Seattle, Washington, and aged out in 2007 with the Santa Clara Vanguard. Benjamin has also taught two seasons with the Creekview High School marching band in Carrollton, Texas. He is currently an active member of the Texas Music Educators’ Association.

Benjamin resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with his wife and hyper active dog Boomer. He is extremely excited to be a part of the inaugural year of the Forte Drum and Bugle Corps.

Kraig Reeves is a senior music education major at Texas A&M University-Commerce, where he is a member of the marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, and trumpet studio. He has worked with area high schools including Commerce High School, Cooper High School, and Wills Point High School. He marched with Memphis Sound in 2008 and aged-out with the 2009 Troopers, who earned a spot in the DCI Finals after 23 years outside the top 12. He is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and TMEA. Kraig is happy to be a member of the inaugural team for Forte and look forward to taking the organization as far as it can go.

Mike Haunzelka will be starting his first year with Forte. He is a former marching member of Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps. After his 2006 age-out year, he was honored with Southwind’s Jamie King Member of the Year Award. Since then, Mike has been involved with various marching groups in southern Minnesota, including the two-time DCA Class A Champion Govenaires Drum and Bugle Corps. Outside of drum corps, Mike works as a writer for several newspapers north of the Twin Cities metro. As a former Minnesota State University – Mankato student, he was managing editor of The Reporter student newspaper. He graduated in 2008 with a B.S. in Mass Communications.

For information about auditioning at an upcoming Forte Camp in Texas, Ohio or Virginia – www.fortecorps.org

Register for Membership Information: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dFJCcGxBcHk0dF9zeG1fLW5LaF9PU2c6MA

Posted by on Thursday, January 28th, 2010. Filed under DCI Open.