Will Wells - drill designer, arranger
Will Wells is a full-time marching arts designer and clinician from South Padre Island, Texas. He has worked with numerous high school programs around the country, including BOA Grand National finalists Blue Springs High School from Blue Springs, Missouri and Centerville High School from Centerville, Ohio. He previously worked as an assistant band director at Port Isabel HS in Port Isabel, Texas, where he now serves program coordinator and drill writer for the 10-time state qualifier and 2016 Texas Area E champion Silver Tarpon Band.
Will studied music performance (tuba & euphonium) and education at The University of Akron. He has also earned a B.S. in Journalism from Kent State University and an M.Ed from The Ohio State University. In addition to teaching, he has also designed drill and arranged music for programs in Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia, New Mexico, Arizona, Missouri, Tennessee, New Jersey, as well as Lithuania. He has been an adjudicator for the Arizona Marching Band Association, New Mexico Pageant of Bands, Kentucky Music Educators Association, Mississippi Bandmasters Association, North Carolina Bandmasters Association and ATSSB in Texas.
Will is a current member of the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps brass staff, having previously served for four seasons on the visual staff (2012-2015). In 2016, he assisted with the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as Connexus Independent (WGI) from Columbus, Ohio.
His performance experience includes five seasons with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps on tuba and lead baritone. During his time with the corps, he served as tuba section leader and was a soloist on both instruments. Outside of the marching realm, Will has performed with the Billboard-charting band Company of Thieves on trombone, and can be heard on their live music video for the song "Talulah."
Will studied music performance (tuba & euphonium) and education at The University of Akron. He has also earned a B.S. in Journalism from Kent State University and an M.Ed from The Ohio State University. In addition to teaching, he has also designed drill and arranged music for programs in Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia, New Mexico, Arizona, Missouri, Tennessee, New Jersey, as well as Lithuania. He has been an adjudicator for the Arizona Marching Band Association, New Mexico Pageant of Bands, Kentucky Music Educators Association, Mississippi Bandmasters Association, North Carolina Bandmasters Association and ATSSB in Texas.
Will is a current member of the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps brass staff, having previously served for four seasons on the visual staff (2012-2015). In 2016, he assisted with the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as Connexus Independent (WGI) from Columbus, Ohio.
His performance experience includes five seasons with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps on tuba and lead baritone. During his time with the corps, he served as tuba section leader and was a soloist on both instruments. Outside of the marching realm, Will has performed with the Billboard-charting band Company of Thieves on trombone, and can be heard on their live music video for the song "Talulah."
Ryan Williams - arranger, composer
Ryan Williams first began composing music as a freshman in high school in Mechanicsburg, PA. Since then, he has been active as a clinician, educator, composer, and performer for more than 20 years. Williams has worked with dozens of competitive and non-competitive high school bands, college bands, and drum corps over the last 20 years across the US and in Europe. With his leadership, these groups have earned local, regional, and national championships.
After serving 14 years in the United States Army Reserve, Williams began teaching drum corps as a brass instructor with the Hawthorne Caballeros, the Reading Buccaneers, The Cadets, and the Boston Crusaders. In 2020, he joined the Blue Stars from LaCrosse, Wisconsin as the Assistant Brass Caption Head, where he continues to teach today. In 2018, he began working as a designer and composer/arranger with the Starriders Drum & Bugle Corps from Bad Münder, Germany. He has also worked as an adjudicator in several states across the country, and with Bands of America Regional events.
As a composer, Ryan’s works have been performed across the United States and have been described as “a cut above the rest” and “sophisticated” by American composer Mark Camphouse. His portfolio can be viewed at www.RyanJWilliams.net and his works are published by Woodson Percussion & Publishing.
Ryan’s extensive background in composition and the marching arts have earned him a position with the MuseScore engraving and publishing platform as a content specialist and engraver for Marching Arts projects.
Ryan lives in Columbia, SC, where he actively serves as a freelance composer/arranger, performer, clinician, and adjudicator while also working on his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Composition.
After serving 14 years in the United States Army Reserve, Williams began teaching drum corps as a brass instructor with the Hawthorne Caballeros, the Reading Buccaneers, The Cadets, and the Boston Crusaders. In 2020, he joined the Blue Stars from LaCrosse, Wisconsin as the Assistant Brass Caption Head, where he continues to teach today. In 2018, he began working as a designer and composer/arranger with the Starriders Drum & Bugle Corps from Bad Münder, Germany. He has also worked as an adjudicator in several states across the country, and with Bands of America Regional events.
As a composer, Ryan’s works have been performed across the United States and have been described as “a cut above the rest” and “sophisticated” by American composer Mark Camphouse. His portfolio can be viewed at www.RyanJWilliams.net and his works are published by Woodson Percussion & Publishing.
Ryan’s extensive background in composition and the marching arts have earned him a position with the MuseScore engraving and publishing platform as a content specialist and engraver for Marching Arts projects.
Ryan lives in Columbia, SC, where he actively serves as a freelance composer/arranger, performer, clinician, and adjudicator while also working on his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Composition.
Eric Shriver - percussion arranger
Eric Shriver is a full-time percussion educator in Southern California. He is currently a member of The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps' percussion staff, formerly serving as the Percussion Caption Head and Battery Arranger for the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps. He received his Bachelor of Arts - Music (Industry Studies) degree from California Polytechnic University (Pomona, CA).
Prior to Blue Stars, Eric served as Snare Tech/Battery Instructor for Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps from 2009-2012. Eric has been on staff with Pulse Percussion Ensemble assuming several different roles: originally he was the snare tech from 2008-2009, then took a much larger responsibility as Battery/Ensemble Coordinator from 2010-2012, helping to earn the ensemble's first World Championship in 2010, and more recently has been on staff as Ensemble Consultant from 2013-present. Currently, he is the Percussion Director at Rowland HS (Rowland Heights, CA) and Sunny Hills HS (Fullerton, CA).
Eric's performance experience consisted of such programs as: Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corp, Pulse Percussion, Black Knights Indoor Drumline, Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, and RCC Marching Band.
Eric is proud to be a Remo and Innovative Percussion Educational Artist, serves on the SCPA Steering Committee, and has been a member of the WGI Advisory Board representing multiple ensembles. He currently lives in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Prior to Blue Stars, Eric served as Snare Tech/Battery Instructor for Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps from 2009-2012. Eric has been on staff with Pulse Percussion Ensemble assuming several different roles: originally he was the snare tech from 2008-2009, then took a much larger responsibility as Battery/Ensemble Coordinator from 2010-2012, helping to earn the ensemble's first World Championship in 2010, and more recently has been on staff as Ensemble Consultant from 2013-present. Currently, he is the Percussion Director at Rowland HS (Rowland Heights, CA) and Sunny Hills HS (Fullerton, CA).
Eric's performance experience consisted of such programs as: Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corp, Pulse Percussion, Black Knights Indoor Drumline, Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, and RCC Marching Band.
Eric is proud to be a Remo and Innovative Percussion Educational Artist, serves on the SCPA Steering Committee, and has been a member of the WGI Advisory Board representing multiple ensembles. He currently lives in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Manny Maldonado - electronics designer, percussion arranger
Manuel James "Manny" Maldonado is the founder, owner, and principal arranger of MJM Works, LLC. Bands playing his arrangements consistently make U.I.L. State, U.S.S.B.A. and Bands of America finals competitions. He has helped establish great programs such as Claudia Taylor Johnson High School and Cedar Park High School with his insight into the percussive arts, and now offers that same insight for other aspiring and inspiring programs throughout the United States.
Manny has either studied arrangements by or worked with arrangements from writers such as Michael Klesch, Key Poulan, Mark Higginbothom, Bret Kuhn, and Erik Johnson. Manny lives in Bulverde, Texas. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Candace, and their two children, Jameson and Owen.
Manny has either studied arrangements by or worked with arrangements from writers such as Michael Klesch, Key Poulan, Mark Higginbothom, Bret Kuhn, and Erik Johnson. Manny lives in Bulverde, Texas. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Candace, and their two children, Jameson and Owen.
Brian Dutton - color guard, choreography
Brian Dutton has been involved with the marching arts activity for more than 15 years. He grew up in the pageantry arts through the L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band program in the early 2000s as a trumpet player. After graduation, Brian furthered both his instrumental and color guard educations at Sam Houston State University, as well as with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps, where he marched trumpet in 2004 & 2005, and then performed in the color guard in 2006 & 2007. Brian has also been a marching member with four different Winter Guard International World Class Finalist organizations throughout Texas, including Are Nova World (06-07), Code Black World (08-09), Cypress Independent (10-13) and Black Gold (15). With over twenty different pageantry seasons on his resume as a performer, Brian prides himself on using his experience to understand what the activity has been, where the activity is going, and how to keep expanding the limitations as time evolves.
Brian currently serves as Color Guard Caption Head with The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps. He was previously the Director of Color Guards at Bentonville HS in Bentonville, AR. He has had the fortune of working with many great mentors in the guard activity while serving as an instructor at Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps Corps (GA), Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps (TX), Eclectix Independent (OK), Avidity Independent (MO), and Spring High School (TX). With significant experience in all facets of both guard/dance & music education as a choreographer, caption head, technician, and director has made Brian uniquely well rounded in all aspects of the pageantry arts, whether working movement with guards, winds or percussion.
Brian received his Bachelors of Science in Mathematics in May of 2011 from Sam Houston State University. Brian has been a high school math teacher in Texas and Arkansas ever since. He graduated in December of 2016 with his Master’s Degree in Special Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University.
Brian currently serves as Color Guard Caption Head with The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps. He was previously the Director of Color Guards at Bentonville HS in Bentonville, AR. He has had the fortune of working with many great mentors in the guard activity while serving as an instructor at Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps Corps (GA), Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps (TX), Eclectix Independent (OK), Avidity Independent (MO), and Spring High School (TX). With significant experience in all facets of both guard/dance & music education as a choreographer, caption head, technician, and director has made Brian uniquely well rounded in all aspects of the pageantry arts, whether working movement with guards, winds or percussion.
Brian received his Bachelors of Science in Mathematics in May of 2011 from Sam Houston State University. Brian has been a high school math teacher in Texas and Arkansas ever since. He graduated in December of 2016 with his Master’s Degree in Special Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University.
