Tournament of Champions Saturday, October 15, 2011 Standridge Stadium - Carrollton, TX

Links: Information Entry Form Schedule Judges Scoring Results

Judges

Dr. Greg Byrne- General Effect

Dr. Greg Byrne has just completed his thirteenth year as Associate Director of Bands at the University of Louisville. In this role, he served as the Marching Band Director and the director of the university Concert Band and Community Band. The University of Louisville Marching Band performs each year at the prestigious Kentucky Derby and his bands have performed at eleven Bowl Games. Dr. Byrne made national headlines when he recruited Patrick Henry Hughes, who is blind and confined to a wheelchair, into his program. Hughes participation caught the attention of the world through Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NPR, World News Tonight with Charlie Gipson, Oprah, Elen DeGeneres, Good Morning America and ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Dr. Byrne is Distinguished Professor of Music and recently named Director of Percussion Studies at the University of Louisville. He is an Educational Artist for REMO Inc. and VIC FIRTH, Inc.. He is a member of the Hidano/Byrne Duo, endorsed by VIC-FIRTH Inc. to present childrens concerts in Asia and the United States and has performed in Japan with the percussion group FALSA. He served on the National Council for Tau Beta Sigma as Vice President for Professional Relations and is Past-President of the CBDNA, Kentucky Chapter. At the University of Louisville, he has had the opportunity to premiere several works. Most notable is Frederick Speck’s Night Move for Marimba and Cello, performed in Killarney, Ireland at the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles.

He serves as an advocate for musicians with disabilities through his educational DVD, Opportunity to Succeed. He is the Founder and Host of the Johnny Lee Lane Hands On Percussion Experience (H.O.P.E.) each year at the University of Louisville. He is the author of the mallet method book Sight Reading: A New Approach and his book Musical and Cultural Influences that Contributed to the Development of the Percussion Ensemble in Western Art Music.

Greg Hames-Music & Marching

Greg Hames is in his tenth year as the Director of Bands and Chair of the Music Department at J. J. Pearce High School. He is also the Pearce Area Fine Arts Coordinator, TMEA Region III Band Division Chairman, and TMEA Area Band Audition Chair. Mr. Hames began his career in the Richardson ISD as the percussion instructor and arranger for the Lake Highlands High School Band. He then went on to be assistant band director at Berkner High School. Prior to coming to Pearce he took a brief sojourn to Plano as the Director of Bands at Jasper High School.

As a percussionist Mr. Hames has performed with the Dallas Wind Symphony, the Irving and Richardson Symphonies, the Imperial Brass and the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps.

Bands under Mr. Hames’ direction have consistently earned first division ratings in UIL competition and have been named Best-In-Class at festivals in Corpus Christi, Dallas, Denton, Richardson, San Antonio, and Orlando, Florida. Mr. Hames is a student of Eddie Green, University of Houston, Tom Bennett, University of Houston and Claire Johnson. His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. He is also a member of Phi Beta Mu, a national honorary fraternity of public school band directors, is listed in the 1978 edition of Who’s Who Among American High School Students and is twice listed in Who’s Who Among Americas Teachers. Mr. Hames was honored to be the 2007-2008 Teacher of the Year for J. J. Pearce, a finalist for the RISD STARS Teacher of the Year, and the recipient of the 2007-2008 Bursting with Pearce Pride Award.

Dr. John Lane-Percussion

Dr. John Lane is an active percussion soloist, chamber musician, composer, educator, and has performed throughout the Americas and Japan. Recent credits include being a featured international guest artist at the Antarctica Music Festival (Australian National University; Canberra, Australia), performances with his percussion trio, Pulsus, at the Hokuto International Music Festival in Japan, a concerto performance with the National Symphony of Panama, and presentations at the Percussive Arts Society International Conventions in 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009.

Currently, John is Director of Percussion Studies and Assistant Professor at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas where he teaches applied percussion and directs the Sam Houston Percussion Group and SHSU Steel Band. Prior to his appointment at SHSU, John taught as a lecturer at the University of Wyoming and as a teaching fellow at the University of North Texas and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

John has recorded for the Klavier and GIA record labels with the North Texas Wind Symphony and can be heard on the television series, Wyoming Voices (produced by Wyoming Public Television). Articles, interviews, and educational writing have been published in Windsong, 21st-Century Music, Texas Band Masters Review and Percussive Notes. John is also a former marching member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

John has presented clinics and masterclasses on topics including contemporary music, orchestral percussion, and jazz drumset at the following institutions/venues: Danilo Perez Jazz Foundation, National Institute of Culture in Panama, Texas Music Educators Association Convention, Texas Band Masters Association Convention, Percussive Arts Society Days of Percussion (Wyoming, Louisiana, and Texas), University of Colorado, Colorado State University, University of Wyoming, University of Arizona, Chico State University, Southern Oregon University, Stephen F. Austin State University, University of Hawaii, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, and the University of Mississippi.

Commissioning new works for percussion and creative collaborations are an integral part of John’s work. Over the last few years, he has been connected with a number of composers including Peter Garland, Emiliano Pardo, Mara Helmuth, Michael Fiday, Christopher Deane, John Luther Adams, Kyle Gann, Michael Byron, Wen Hui Xie, Jude Traxler, Kazuaki Shiota and Alex Kotch.

John holds a DMA in percussion performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a MM from the University of North Texas, and a BM from Stephen F. Austin State University. John is a Yamaha Performing Artist and an Artist for Innovative Percussion and Evans Drumheads.

Lance Powell-Guard

Lance graduated from Richland High School in 2005 where he was involved in the Richland Marching Band and concert band his first year before transitioning to the Colorguard in the spring of 2002. While at Richland he was awarded the John Phillip Sousa Award.

Lance performed with the Black Gold Independent Open Winterguard during 04, 06 and 07 and the Ars Nova Independent Open Winterguard in 09. He also performed with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps during the summers of 04-09 and served as the guard captain from 06-09. Lance recently finished his BA in Kinesiology with his minor in biology at the University of Texas in Arlington and received his teaching certification in the spring of 2011.

Gary Williams, Drum Majors

Mr. Gary Williams is currently the Director of Bands at Cockrill Middle School in McKinney. Cockrill is the 5th and newest middle school in McKinney. Under his direction, the Cockrill Band has grown from 130 members to over 360 in just three short years. His duties at Cockrill Middle School include teaching four beginner classes and directing the Symphonic I and Concert Bands. The Symphonic I Band has consistently earned Superior ratings in both U.I.L. as well as other festivals in the D/FW area.

Prior to his appointment at Cockrill, Mr. Williams was the head band director at Kennemer Middle School in Duncanville. Under his direction, the Kennemer Symphonic I Band excelled at the TMEA State Honor Band competition, placing as a state finalist in 2006. Bands under his tenure have consistently earned Superior ratings at the U.I.L. Concert and Sight-reading Contest as well as the Beach Within Reach Festival. His duties at Kennemer Middle School included teaching beginner brass and saxophone classes at Daniel Intermediate and assisting with the Duncanville High School Marching Band.

Prior to his appointment at Kennemer, Mr. Williams was an assistant at Byrd Middle School and Reed Middle School in Duncanville. Mr. Williams had the distinct privilege of serving on staff for two consecutive CCC Honor Bands, Reed in 2002-03 and Byrd in 2004-05. Before coming to Duncanville ISD, Mr. Williams was an assistant at Space Center Intermediate School in the Clear Creek Independent School District. His responsibilities included directing the Concert Band as well as teaching beginner woodwind classes.

Mr. Williams holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce where he was a saxophone player in the Wind Ensemble. During the summer, he stays very active in teaching both Drum Major Camps and Band Camps around the state of Texas. Mr. Williams was elected Middle School Chairman for Region 20 and Region 25 where he served for two years each. His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Kappa Kappa Psi.Mr. Williams resides in McKinney with his wife Brittney, who is an assistant band director at Faubion Middle School and their two year old daughter Olivia Paige.

David Zahrndt-Music & Marching

David Zahrndt is in his 13th year of teaching band in Texas and is currently the Director of Bands at Colleyville Heritage High School. Prior to his appointment at CHHS, Mr. Zahrndt spent eight years in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, both as the Associate Director of Bands at Newman Smith High School, and as the Director of Bands at R. L. Turner High School. Under his direction, his Marching, Concert, and Jazz Bands have received numerous accolades throughout Texas.

Mr. Zahrndt’s professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, The Texas Bandmasters Association, and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. He holds a Master of Music Degree in Trombone Performance from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Louisville, in Louisville, Kentucky.