Hawthorne Caballeros Announce 2010 Program
The Hawthorne Caballeros are excited and pleased to announce their 2010 competing program with the presentation of “Behind the Mask”. Behind the Mask will be an original production composed by our New 2010 Design Team.
Behind the Mask will transport you into the world of identity – is it real or perceived? Can you just put on a simple mask to become a different person or portray a different mood or emotion? Yes, when you put on a mask anything is possible; suddenly you can move, act, and think differently without second thought. The mask embodies potential for transformations of all kinds – emotional, spiritual, physical, and symbolic. Follow the exciting repertoire of Behind the Mask presented by the 2010 Caballeros as they explore and reveal numerous musical styles, tonalities, colors and effects; ultimately revealing the true identity of the 2010 Hawthorne Caballeros.
Led by our 2010 Show Coordinator, Thomas Aungst, the 2010 Design Team will include brass arrangements written by Rob Stein, Brass Arranger and Caption Head, percussion arranged by Mike Schmitt, Dave Dumont, Mike Wyatt and Tom Beebe, visual design created by Eric Robertshaw and Anthony Tanasy designing the Guard Program. Tom has been working closely with the new design team and is looking forward to introducing Behind the Mask to our fans and the drum corps community. Tom stated, “This generation of the Caballeros has a modern approach to the traditional Caballero style. "Behind the mask" will prove to be an imaginative, high velocity crowd pleaser”.
The Hawthorne Caballeros, sponsored by American Legion Post #199 in Hawthorne, will enter their 64th season of competition and have amassed a remarkable host of records. They have won the DCA World Championship 9 times, the American Legion National Title 16 times, the National Dream Contest 17 times, and the New Jersey State American Legion Title 43 times. They have completed 5 undefeated seasons, consecutively in 1984 and 1985. In 1989, during DCA’s 25th Anniversary season, fans voted the Caballeros their favorite Senior Drum and Bugle Corps of all time. Corps Director Emeritus is James J. Costello Jr., President and General Manager is Frank Gerris, Business Manager is Alan Katz, Treasurer is Rich Warga, Personnel Manager is Michael Ryan, Lou Storck is the Operations Manager and the Secretary is Marianne Kerr.
Introducing the 2010 Design Team
Tom Aungst – Show Coordinator and Percussion Advisor
Tom Aungst has been involved in the drum corps activity for almost thirty years. Tom started marching in 1979 with the Reading Buccaneers Senior Drum and Bugle Corps, where he played snare drum. In 1981, he became a member of the Garfield Cadets and continued to march with the corps until his age-out year in 1984. Aungst became the lead percussion technician for the Cadets from 1985 until 1989. From 1989 through 2008, Tom was the Director of Percussion and Arranger for the Cadets. In his 27 years with the Cadets, Aungst has been involved with winning nine DCI World Championships, six Fred Sanford High Percussion Awards, and nine runner-up titles. Tom was inducted into the Cadets’ Hall of Fame in 2004 and the DCI Hall of Fame in 2006.
Aungst is currently the Percussion Director for the Dartmouth Public School System in Dartmouth, MA. His position includes teaching percussion students from fourth grade through high school. He also carries with him great success on the Winter Guard International Percussion circuit with Dartmouth High School capturing 4 World Championships in 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, and placing in the top three every year since.
Aungst has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from West Chester University in PA, and a Masters in Jazz Performance from Rutgers University. Tom lives in New Bedford, MA.
Rob Stein – Brass Arranger and Caption Head
Rob Stein is a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, holding both a Master’s degree in music education and a Bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance. As a music educator in both the private and public setting, his experience includes extensive work with drum corps, marching bands, jazz bands, wind ensembles, pit orchestras and private lesson studios. As a performer, Rob has had the honor of playing with many outstanding musicians, such as Dave Liebman, Slide Hampton, Carl Allen, Tim Hagans and Jeff Jarvis.
Rob started his drum corps career marching with the Jersey Surf for 6 years, spending 4 in the hornline, and 2 as drum major. Rob finished aging out with 2 years at the Concord Blue Devils playing upper lead trumpet. Since then, Rob has been a music writer and consultant for many schools across the country through his business, "Standing O Marching", and judges for both USSBA and Cavalcade of Bands marching circuits. Currently, Rob lives in East Windsor, NJ.
When asked to join the Caballeros, Rob said, "I’m thrilled to be a part of an organization with such a long standing tradition of excellence. This season is going to be incredible, and I’m looking forward to getting the brass line off to a great start for 2010!"
Eric Robertshaw – Visual Designer and Caption Head
Eric Robertshaw will also be returning to the Caballeros for his third season as Visual Designer and Caption Head. Eric’s drum corps teaching experience includes working with the Crossmen, the Cadets and the Reading Buccaneers. In addition to being a visual judge for the National Judges association, Eric has been designing drill for numerous award winning marching bands throughout New Jersey.
Anthony Tanasy – Color Guard Caption Head and Designer
Anthony Tanasy will also be returning to the Hawthorne Caballeros in 2010 as the Color Guard Caption Head. Anthony was the 2009 Color Guard Caption Head and Designer, is a former marching member of the Caballeros (1997-99) and the Equipment Designer for the 2008 Caballeros Color Guard, has many years of High School, WGI, DCI and DCA experience.
Anthony teaches the South Brunswick Marching Band (2004 – present) and has taught their Scholastic Guard Visual Ensemble. His teaching experience also includes Phantom Regiment and Phoenix Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Jackson, Elizabeth and Hillsborough High School Marching Bands. Anthony’s marching experience includes the Hawthorne Caballeros from 1997 – 99, DCI World Champion Cadets of Bergen County in 2000, Blessed Sacrament (2002 – 2003) Just Class Independent World (2000-2003) and Shadow Danse in 1997.
Anthony is an avid runner and practices dentistry full time in Absecon, NJ. He is very excited to be on board as the Color Guard Caption Head and looks forward to contributing to another successful season with the 2009 Hawthorne Caballeros.
Mike Schmitt – Percussion Arranger & Caption Head
Mike Schmitt will continue as the 2010 Percussion Caption Head for the Caballeros and arrange for the 2010 battery. Mike is from Parsippany, NJ, is currently living in Lake Hopatcong, NJ and has been a member of the Hawthorne Caballeros since 1999.
Mike was the recipient of the 2002 Caballeros Percussionist of the Year and marched with the 2003 World Champion Hawthorne Caballeros. Mike has arranged and taught many high school band programs both in New Jersey and Connecticut. Mike has been the caption head and arranger for Parsippany Hills High School Marching Band since 2001 where he won 4 percussion titles. He is currently a technician and arranger for Westhill High School Marching Band as well as their Winter percussion program in Stamford, CT.
Dave Dumont – Battery Arranger
Dave Dumont is thrilled to be working with the Hawthorne Caballeros for his third year. In 2002, Dave began his senior drum and bugle corps career marching with the Hawthorne Caballeros. He also marched with Syracuse Brigadiers and the Connecticut Hurricanes. During the winter of 2005 he marched with Project Percussion out of Pittsburgh, PA. His DCI experience includes the Crossmen in 2006 and the Cadets (Holy Name) in 2007. Dave has been teaching at Trumbull High School since 2004.
Tom Beebe – Pitt Arranger
Tom Beebe is a twenty-four year professional music educator and entertainer. In 2010, Tom will compose the pit score with Mike Wyatt for the World Famous Hawthorne Caballeros. Tom is thrilled with this opportunity and said “This is gonna be a great year!”
After receiving a Bachelor’s in Music Education from West Chester University in 1984, he has worked with several high school and middle school music programs throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Tom currently serves as the Director of Music Activities at The Cleveland School in Newark New Jersey.
His drum corps resume is a unique story of success in marching music. Tom has earned four different championships in three different idioms in three different decades. He earned an Eastern States Championship as a member of the Crossmen in 1980. Writing arranging and teaching Hammonton Sr. High School’s marching Band lead to an undefeated season and an Atlantic Coast Championship in 1983. As the founding “Pit Guy” for the Jersey Surf, he won a Garden State Championship in 1992. His role as the “Pit Coordinator” for the “World Famous Hawthorne Caballeros” was rewarded with a world championship in 2003. He proudly serves there still.
In between all the teaching came all the judging. As well as, judging for seven years for DCA, Tom, along with his wife Stephanie, have been active members of the National Judges Association for more than twelve years. Tom is the announcer and host of the Atlantic Coast Championships for Marching Bands and the Week-end in Wildwood All Chapter Championships for Indoor Activities were he has served in this capacity for the last ten years.
In 2009, Tom led the team that created “The Tournament of Bands All-Star Marching Band.” This year long effort brought together the Jersey Surf, the Hawthorne Caballeros and over a dozen corporate sponsors to create a marching band for high school students from seven states and over two-hundred high school programs. They will make their public debut at the six/ABC Ikea Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.
Michael Wyatt – Pitt Arranger
Mike Wyatt is excited to return to the Hawthorne Caballeros organization as pit arranger. He has been with the organization for the past 5 years as pit section leader and most recently as a pit tech. Mike has been active in the marching community for over ten years and started teaching in 2003 at southern New Jersey schools such as Highland, Deptford, Burlington Township, and Eastern. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies: Percussion Performance from the University of the Arts. He has arranged and written original compositions for Eastern Regional High School, Burlington Township High School, and Middle Township High School. He was also an age-out of WGI Independent World finalist United Percussion in 2008, and is now in his second year on pit staff there.
The 2010 Hawthorne Caballeros are also pleased to announce that Lou Storck has been named Staff Coordinator for the 2010 Caballeros. Lou Storck has been with the Hawthorne Caballeros since 1966. Currently the Manager of Operations, Lou will also assume the role of Staff Coordinator. He began his career with Hawthorne marching in the percussion section and taught the Caballeros Color Guard from 1969 through 1999. Lou was a drum major from 1977 through 2007; is currently a drum major for Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps and assists in parades and as always, where ever he is needed. Lou was inducted into the Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 2004.
For information visit our website: www.cabs.org. To receive an email about 2010 membership or to get additional information on membership contact Mike Ryan by phone (973) 709-0500 ext. 1532 – or email Mike at m [dot] ryan [at] cabs [dot] org.
For additional information on this press release contact: Marianne Kerr, Hawthorne Caballeros, Marianne658 [at] yahoo [dot] com.
