Colts Announce Brass Changes For 2014

The Colts welcome back a couple of familiar faces to lead the brass staff and arrange the music. Jason Buckingham, who last served as Colts brass caption head in 2007, returns to the Colts in the same role. Chuck Naffier, an alumnus of the corps, was instrumental in the Colts initial run into DCI Finals back in the early 1990s as brass caption head, arranger, and later as program coordinator. Chuck will write the Colts brass book in 2014 for the first time since 1999.
Jason has served as caption head for the Blue Knights, Troopers, Colts and, most recently, the Crossmen. He has the unique distinction of taking three brass programs from non-finalist status into DCI’s Top 12 (Blue Knights ’96, Colts ’07, and Crossmen ’12). He was a member of the Original London Cast of “blast!” working on the music staff, and was selected as the Colorado representative in School Band & Orchestra magazine’s annual list of “50 Directors Who Make A Difference” while at Northglenn High School in Denver. Read more about Jason here.

Chuck Naffier has been involved in the marching band and drum corps activities since 1980 as a performer, teacher, arranger, composer, program coordinator and consultant. He has served on the DCI Judges/Instructors Taskforce as one of two brass representatives alongside Wayne Downey. Since 2011, Chuck has been the brass arranger at Crossmen. In the 1990s, he took on many roles with the Colts including brass arranger, brass caption supervisor and program coordinator. He entered the Colts Hall of Fame in 2003 having been an integral part of the design team that had the corps in DCI Finals every year but one from 1993-99. Read more about Chuck here.

“We are excited to be reunited with Jason and Chuck on the Colts brass team,” said Colts Director Vicki MacFarlane. “We have great respect for Jason’s work with the brass programs he has built through the years. Chuck actually served as my brass caption head back in the mid-’90s, and it’s an honor to have him back on staff with the Colts.”

In other staff news, Marc Sylvester will return as program coordinator and visual designer in 2014. Marc will once again lead the design team, which will be announced in its entirety soon.

Chris Tomsa, who served as Colts brass arranger from 2004-13, is pursuing some outside business ventures and, as a result, will step back from his position as brass arranger for the corps. Chris instead will continue to serve the Colts in an administrative, educational and design capacity in the position of program advisor. Said Chris, “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue my work with the Colts, and working closely with Vicki as program advisor. We’re excited to build on the momentum we’ve established as we pave the way for an extraordinary time to come.” Read Chris’ updated bio here.

The Colts will make additional staff announcements in the coming days, along with an announcement regarding the preseason audition and rehearsal schedule. Stay tuned…