Bushwackers Announce 2012 Brass Staff
As the Bushwackers enter their 31st year of providing exceptional drum corps experiences, we are proud to announce our brass staff for 2012. This dynamic team is composed of music educators and veterans of the marching activity who will provide a world-class brass program.
Meet the brass staff at The Bushwackers Open House on Saturday, December 10th. With a great staff, a dedicated administration, top-notch facilities, all that’s missing right now is YOU!! For more information, please visit: www.bushwackers.org
Dennis Argul – Brass Arranger and Caption Supervisor
Dennis Argul is no stranger to drum corps or to the Bushwackers. He has a long history with the Bushwackers in various capacities, and we are excited to have him be a part of the Bushwacker family once again!
Dennis has been a music educator for over 25 years. He is currently a Master Teacher for the Office of Visual and Performing Arts in the Newark, NJ Public Schools and a freelance low brass musician in the metropolitan area.
Dennis is very active as a Brass Arranger and clinician for Drum and Bugle Corps, and has worked with the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps of Allentown, PA, the Connecticut Hurricanes of Shelton, CT, the Govenaires of St. Peter, MN, the Carolina Gold of Rocky Mount, NC, the Sunrisers of Long Island, NY. the Caballeros of Hawthorne, NJ and the High Country Brass of Denver, CO.
Dennis also serves as a composer, arranger, clinician and adjudicator for various marching bands throughout the United States.
Ken Korlishin – Brass Caption Head
Ken Korlishin is the director of bands at Montville township high school since 1998 and has developed the band program from the ground up to a highly successful award winning ensemble. His band took top honors at the 2011 USSBA National Championships in Annapolis, MD.
Ken has marched with the cabelleros in 1998, and was a brass technician with the Reading Buccaneers in both the 2009 and 2010 season.
Ken is originally from Green Pond, NJ, and graduated from Morris Knolls High School. He attended Elon University where he was the Principal Euphonium in his college wind ensemble, and he graduated Cum Laude with a BS in music education.
Ken brings a fresh perspective to both the Bushwackers and to DCA, and is looking forward to providing the highest class of brass instruction while giving the members the best drum corps experience possible. He is excited to continue the 30-year tradition of excellence the Bushwackers have been known for, and to help the corps propel to the next level for the next 30 years.
Chris Hawkins – Brass Technician
Chris Hawkins has been with the Bushwackers since 2006, taking last year off, serving many roles from marching member, backfield conductor, and staff member. He began his drum corps career with Magic of Orlando in 1995, and also marched with The Cadets of Bergen County in 1999. Chris’ teaching experience includes Mt. Olive High School (1997-1999), Pioneer (2002), JP Stevens High School (2006-2007), and most recently with Rancocas Valley High School (2008-present) who won the USSBA Group III Open National Championships in 2009 and 2010.
Chris graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2000 with a BM in Music Education, and continued his education at Indiana University, earning a MM in bass trombone performance in 2004. He has performed with the New World Symphony (Miami, FL), the Terre Haute Symphony (IN), Akron Symphony (OH), the Philharmonia a Vent Wind Orchestra (IN), and the Indiana University Wind Ensemble, which included a performance at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. His teachers include Peter Ellefson, M. Dee Stewart, and Donald Harwood.
Tom Bowitz – Brass Technician
Tom Bowitz became involved in the marching band activity 23 years ago as a member of South Brunswick High School Marching Band.
His Drum Corps career started in 1991 with the New York Skyliners and has since played with the Lambertville Volunteers Drum and Bugle Corps as a percussionist, and then mellophone and lead trumpet for the Reading Buccaneers, and most recently on the brass staff for the Bushwackers.
Tom’s teaching career began right out of high school as a percussion consultant to Allentown High School. In 1995, he became the Assistant Band Director and Percussion Arranger for Pittston Area High School. His arranging and teaching career has continued to include schools like Allentown High School, Bermudian Springs High School, Perkiomen Valley High School, Shamokin Area High School, Blue Mountain High School, and he is currently the Percussion Arranger, Assistant Marching Band Director, and Director of indoor percussion at Northwestern Lehigh High School. He is also a member of the National Judges Association since 1996.
Tom is very excited to return to the Bushwackers for a second year as a member of the staff and looks forward to continuing the tradition of education and excellence that the Bushwackers have been known for.
The six-time DCA world champion Bushwackers are a competitive all-age drum and bugle corps based in Central New Jersey. We rehearse once a month through the winter and early spring, then perform most weekends throughout the summer. Our members range in age from 14 to 29+, with an average age of about 22. The Bushwackers’ goal is to provide a competitive, affordable, world class drum corps experience to our members that’s educational and fun. To find out more, visit us at: www.bushwackers.org
