NCBDA Judges Manual

Mr. Casteen is from Raleigh, NC and is a graduate of N.C. State University. He has been judging marching bands and color guards for the last 15 years. His marching experience includes marching in drum corps international with Avant Garde from Saratoga Springs NY, the 27th Lancers from Revere, MA, and the Star of Indiana from Bloomington, IN. In addition, he is active as an adjudicator for the United States Scholastic Band Association, Atlantic Indoor Association, Florida Federation Colorguard Circuit and is currently the chief judge for the Carolina Indoor Performance Association. Mr. Casteen also is a General Effect judge for Winter Guard International (WGI) and is on staff with the 4 time WGI finalist Infiniti Winterguard from Greenville S.C.

Dennis DeLucia Music Effect

Dennis is one of the most respected percussion teachers, arrangers, clinicians and judges in the United States. He is best known for his accomplishments with championship drum corps including the Hawthorne Mucchachos, Bayonne Bridgeman, Star of Indiana and the Crossmen; senior drum corps such as the Sunrisers and Caballeros; and championship bands such as Piscataway High School(NJ). His drumlines have won 16 championships "High Percussion" titles, including the only Triple Crown in drum corps history - (1981). He appears as an expert analyst on the telecast of DCI finals on PBS and serves on the Task Force for WGI Indoor Percussion. He is the first percussionist to have been inducted into both the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame and the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame. He is an Associate Professor of Percussion at Rutgers University, teaches at Pisactaway High School (NJ), and has two books currently in print: "The Drummer's Daily Drill" (1998) and "Dennis DeLucia's Percussion Discussion" (1995).

Dave Luzio Music Performance

Mr. Luzio is from Centreville, Ohio where he is an administrator and supervisor of music for Carroll High School and the Music Supervisor for the Greater Dayton Catholic Schools.  His teaching experiences include 14 years as Director of Bands at Carroll High School.  During his time at Carroll, his bands consistently received Superior ratings at the Ohio state Marching Band championships.  His bands also consistently finished high in Marching Bands of America national and regional competitions.  This achievement was peaked with a Class A Grand National Championship.  His adjudicating experience includes 19 years service with the Central States Judging Association.  During that time he has served as the Director of the organization, its Music caption head and on its Board of Directors.  He was elected into the CSJA Hall of Fame in August of 2000.

Eric Sabach Visual Effect

Eric Sabach has been active in the Movement Arts since the age of nine. He was one of the "Original 13" members of a newly built high school, whose marching band and music program skyrocketed to state recognition in a matter of years.

Besides performing in his band, he was an active member of the local music union playing in pit orchestras throughout Northern NJ and was a member of the Royal Brigade Drum and Bugle Corps in 1980 and The Garfield Cadets from 1981-1984 (winning the DCI title for the first time by an eastern drum corps.)

After graduation from West Chester University with a major in music, Mr. Sabach became the "In town Visual Caption Head" for the Star of Indiana Drum Corps and later worked for a Yamaha Instrument distributor in Trenton, NJ and Boonton, NJ.

He has been writing competitive band drills since 1980, having won numerous titles in the following states: KY, IN, PA, IA, NJ, MN, MD, NY, and IL. One of his bands from the Allentown, PA area in 1996 won the "A" division at the Bands of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis, IN. Eric has also been an adjudicator in the following organizations: USSBA, TOB, CSJA, DCI, DCE, and BOA.

Matt Savage Percussion

Matt is a graduate of the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York and The University of Southern California, has taught at every level of public education from elementary to the college level. Along with teaching in public education, Matt also has twenty-five years of playing and teaching experience in the marching percussion field. This experience includes playing snare drum with the legendary Bayonne Bridgemen and serving as percussion director and arranger for drum and bugle corps such as the Anaheim Velvet Knights, The Dutchboy of Kitchener, Ontario and the Canton Bluecoats. At the collegiate level, Matt has served as percussion instructor for the USC Trojan Marching Band and is currently director of percussion at The University of North Carolina where he has also served as Assistant Director of University Bands. He is heavily involved with the indoor percussion activity as an adjudicator for WGI. Matt has recently delved into the art of drumstick and mallet design creating the "Matt Savage" series of sticks and mallets. His most recent publication is "The Matt Savage Rudimental Workshop", a state of the art rudiment development book with 2 CD accompaniment published by Warner Bros. Music.

David Smithwick Drum Major

David Smithwick is a graduate student at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He earned his bachelor degree in music education from UNC in 1998.  He is the former band director at North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, NC and at Franklin High School in Franklin, VA.  Mr. Smithwick's bands earned several superior ratings both in district concert band festivals and on the marching field.  Most recently, Mr. Smithwick worked for several years as an assistant under Jeffrey Fuchs with the University of North Carolina athletic bands.  He has been working with and coaching drum majors for the past nine years.

Bob Thomas Color Guard

Bob Thomas is from Greensburg, Pa.  He has been working as an adjudicator for Winter Guard International for the past 19 years.  He is also active as an Adjudication for Drum Corps International, Winter Guard International and Bands of America.  He has been the Director of Education for the Ohio Judges Association and is currently the Director of Education for the Florida Federation of Judges.  Mr. Thomas has worked as a clinician throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.  His design and instruction experience includes all levels of performers from high school and college of drum corps, marching bands and winter guards.