Corps Director

Dwight Emmert

Dwight Emmert is excited to fill the interim role of 2022 Phantom Regiment Corps Co-Director with his brother Jay.  The two have worked in tandem in the past as Co-Visual Caption Heads for PR from 2005-2007 and visual staff colleagues from 2008-2013.  Since 2013, Dwight has aided the corps in numerous facets including Education Coordinator, Visual Designer, and Cheerleader to name a few.  He was inducted into the PR Hall of Fame in 2020.  This summer marks Dwight’s 40th anniversary of his rookie season with the corps.  

Dwight is from Evansville, IN, where he is the Director of Fine Arts for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.  In his eleventh year in this position, he oversees all Arts programming. He proudly boasts the accomplishments of the 140 fine arts teachers/staff/administrators who work across 36 buildings with 23,000 students. His office also runs an extensive Honors Program for the performing arts with over 800 students.  The Honors program includes: middle/high bands, middle/high orchestras, elementary/middle/high choirs, 2-3 winter guards, jazz ensembles, and a summer musical program.

The Phantom Regiment housed in Evansville school buildings last summer while learning their 2021 production.  Dwight and his local team helped make that possible.  The corps plans to be back in Evansville for Spring Training in 2022.

Artistic Director

Tony Hall

Tony Hall has been involved in the pageantry arts as an instructor, designer, consultant and adjudicator for over the last 40 years. He has written countless championship shows for high school marching bands & winter guards across the United States. Tony has designed visual programs for several drum & bugle corps including the Velvet Knights, Blue Knights, Sky Ryders and Garfield Cadets. He has been a member of Phantom Regiment’s visual team in many capacities including designer since 1993. Tony has judged all visual captions in the drum corps, marching band & winter guard arena.

He currently resides in Florida with his wife & two children.

Music Director, Brass Designer & Caption Head

JD Shaw

JD Shaw is Associate Professor of Horn at University of South Carolina and was formerly the French hornist with the internationally acclaimed Boston Brass where he was creative director, music arranger and co-owner of the ensemble. JD is an international solo artist and travels extensively throughout the United States as well as many countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. He has performed as a guest artist with numerous orchestras, concert bands, and brass bands. Currently, he is a member of the Summit Brass, Cones & Tones, and is a resident artist with the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute. In addition, JD has also been a featured performer on National Public Radio’s Performance Today and the CBS Morning Show.

JD received his Masters of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music where he was awarded the Performer’s Certificate under the tutelage of horn pedagogue Verne Reynolds. Orchestral credits include associations with the Rochester Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, New Mexico Philharmonic, Missouri Symphony, and the Boston Pops. Prior to his position at University of South Carolina, Professor Shaw has held teaching posts at Boston College, University of New Mexico and University of Miami.

As an active performer and prolific arranger, JD has recorded over 15 albums encompassing diverse musical styles from the Classical, Jazz, and Latin genres. Such record labels include Loft Recordings, Mark Records, and Summit Records. His last album entitled “Tales of Imagination” features Professor Shaw showcasing new music for solo horn and wind band. This album, released on the Summit Records recording label is conducted by former CBDNA President Eric Rombach-Kendall and performed by the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony.

Professor Shaw writes music for many orchestras, bands, and chamber ensembles. His arrangements are featured with several publishers and can be heard on many recording labels and performance stages across the world. JD has written for many drum and bugle corps and is, currently, the arranger for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, IL and the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Many other drum and bugle corps have performed his arrangements such as the Santa Clara Vanguard, Boston Crusaders, Academy, East Coast Jazz, Sunrisers and Beatrix from Hilversum, Netherlands.

JD Shaw is dedicated to promoting music education for young, aspiring musicians. With the help of Conn-Selmer, National M.E.N.C., and VH1’s Save the Music foundation, JD has taught master classes for young artists across the world spanning age ranges from elementary to college. Also, JD has presented and performed clinics and workshops for music educators at events such as the Mid-Europe Music Educators Convention, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles convention, National Musical Educators National Conference, and The Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic.

Visual Director & Designer

Steven Estudillo

Steven Estudillo was born and raised in Southern California. He is a graduate of La Mirada High School, and studied at California State University, Fullerton. As a performer, Steven was a member of Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps and later performed with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, aging out in 2008.

Steven has been a Visual Designer, Educator, Creative Director, and Adjudicator since 2006. His designs have been represented by ensembles within Bands of America, Winter Guard International, and Drum Corps International circuits.

Upon aging out in 2008, Steven began his work as an instructor and designer within the drum corps activity. He worked with Pacific Crest as a visual instructor in 2009, then later served as the Visual Designer from 2010 – 2012. After a two-year hiatus from the ensemble, he returned as the Visual Designer and Creative Director from 2015 – 2021.

Simultaneously, Steven was a visual instructor for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2009-2015, serving as the Visual Caption Head starting in 2011.

During the winter seasons, Steven served as a Visual Designer and instructor for Pulse Percussion 2012 – 2022, and presently at Chino Hills High School since 2012, and designs for several other award-winning indoor percussion ensembles throughout the country.

In addition to his work in the United States, Steven has had the opportunity to branch out internationally and work with performing ensembles in South America, providing consultation and clinics to further spread the marching arts in different regions.

Steven currently resides in Ontario, CA. with his loving wife Lexie, and his three children, Emily, Ezekiel, and Elle.

Visual Caption Head

Matt Hartwell

Matt is a full-time Visual Designer and educator living in Long Beach, CA. Matt has marched with Capital Regiment (2004), The Cavaliers(2005-2008), and Aimachi Marching Band (2007). He taught at The Santa Clara Vanguard from 2010-2021, serving as Visual Caption Manager since 2017. For the summer of 2022, Matt taught both The Blue Devils & Bluecoats. In 2010, he had the extreme honor of teaching and designing several productions for His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said’s Royal Guard of Oman Marching Band. Matt is currently the Visual Caption Manager for Pulse Percussion and has held that position since 2017.

Color Guard Designer

Blake Dutton

Blake Dutton has been involved in many aspects of the marching arts. His performance career began as a french horn player with the LD Bell HS Blue Raider Band (2004-2007), followed by winter and summer performance opportunities with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps (2007-2010), Ars Nova Winter Guard (2007-2011), Pride of Cincinnati Winter Guard (2012), and Pride of Cincinnati Dance Ensemble (2014).

As an educator, Blake has had the opportunity to work with many well-respected programs in the BOA, WGI, and DCI activities; including LD Bell HS, Broken Arrow HS, Carmel HS, Hebron HS, Center Grove HS, Avon HS, Pride of Cincinnati, Blessed Sacrament, Juxtaposition Winter Guard, Escalade Winter Guard, The Cavaliers, along with other high school and independent groups.

Blake, originally from Hurst, Texas is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Design with an Art Direction focus along with a minor in Marketing. Shortly after graduating in 2013, Blake relocated to Indianapolis, IN, where he currently resides. His involvement as a choreographer and designer at Avon and Center Grove HS continues to foster his passion for the marching arts.

Guard Caption Head

Eryn Boone

Eryn Boone resides in Indianapolis, Indiana where she is the color guard director at Carmel High School. Originally from Avon, Indiana, she has been involved in the marching arts activity since 2005. As a performer she had the opportunity to march with numerous world class organizations including Avon High School, Zydeco Winter Guard, Carolina Crown, and Pride of Cincinnati.

Following her marching career, Eryn continued to share her passion for colorguard and performing through teaching. She has worked with various DCI and WGI groups including Carmel High School, Northview High School, the Mandarins, and the Boston Crusaders.

Percussion Director & Front Ensemble Designer

Tyler Sammons

Since 2018, Tyler has served as the percussion director at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. He is a graduate from the University of North Texas with degrees in percussion performance and music theory. Throughout his career, he has served in teaching or design roles for many notable high school programs, including Westlake High School, Marian Catholic High School, L.D. Bell High school, Prosper High School and Hebron High School.

Tyler served as a member of the percussion staff for the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps from 2012 until 2022. During that time, the Santa Clara Vanguard won the Fred Sanford Award for best percussion performance 5 times, and was named the 2018 DCI World Champion, 2017 Silver Medalist, and 2019 Bronze Medalist.

Prior to teaching at Vanguard, Tyler taught the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, and was a marching member of the Crossmen (TX) and Phantom Regiment (IL), capturing the DCI world championship with the Phantom Regiment in 2008, and the Fred Sanford award for best percussion performance in 2008 and 2010. Tyler is an active arranger, clinician and adjudicator in the marching arts and resides in Austin, TX.

Percussion Battery Designer

Matt Penland

Matt Penland is a percussion performer, educator, and arranger based out of Washington, D.C. where he is a percussionist in the U.S. Air Force Band. Matt has been arranging music alongside his friend Tyler Sammons since 2012. He was previously a percussion arranger for Music City Drum and Bugle Corps from 2019-2022, for the Hawthorne Caballeros from 2020-2022, and is currently an arranger for the Guardians Drum Corp. Matt was also a percussion instructor at the Santa Clara Vanguard from 2012-2022, during which time the group won 5 Fred Sanford High Percussion awards at DCI Finals. As a DCI performer, he was a member of the Crossmen, Carolina Crown, Phantom Regiment and Santa Clara Vanguard.

Matt has performed and given masterclasses at many universities and percussion symposiums including PASIC in 2018 and in 2021. He earned music degrees from the University of North Texas and Northwestern University, where his teachers included Paul Rennick She-e Wu, Christopher Lamb, James Ross, Christopher Deane, and Mark Ford.

Matt is very excited to be joining the team at his alma mater corps and looks forward to continuing the tradition of excellence!

Percussion Caption Head

Jesus Sanchez

Hailing from Los Angeles California, Jesus is an active performer and educator in both the marching arts and drum set idioms. Jesus regularly performs with the Disneyland Band among other shows at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California and is currently on the instructional staff at Pulse Percussion. Jesus holds a Bachelors of Music in Jazz Studies from the California State University at Fullerton and is currently finishing his Masters of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California.

Brass Caption Manager

Ryan Adamsons

A native of Springfield, Virginia, Ryan Adamsons is based in Chicago where he is an active performer, composer, and educator. His drum corps career began as a marching member of the Bluecoats from 1998 to 2002, and he continued with the organization as a brass instructor from 2003 to 2008 and again in 2011. In 2012 he joined the brass staff of the Santa Clara Vanguard, helping to build the brass program to their first DCI World Championship in nearly 20 years and their first ever Jim Ott High Brass Award in 2018. In addition to his duties with the World Class A corps, he joined the Open Class Vanguard Cadets as Brass Caption Manager and Brass Arranger in 2018, and continued his arranging duties 2019 while taking over as Assistant Brass Caption Manager for the A corps.

Ryan is also an active instructor, adjudicator, and clinician, working with countless groups in the US, Canada, and Japan. In addition to writing for various marching ensembles, he has over 50 commissioned and performed works for jazz ensemble, with his educational charts published and available through Kendor. He currently works as an Artist Advisor at the Denis Wick/Vandoren Musician’s Advisory Studio in downtown Chicago, serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Jazz Orchestra developing their educational programs, is the Jazz Area Manager for The Midwest Clinic, and serves in several roles for the Jazz Education Network including as Conference Production Coordinator for their annual international conference. He plays Powell Custom trumpets and flugelhorns.

Asst Brass Caption Head

Stone Wang

Stone Wang is a Texas native currently living in Austin. Stone is the assistant band director of Walsh Middle School of Round Rock Texas, the school’s honors include being invited to the 2021 Midwest Clinic in Chicago. He attended The University of Texas at Austin where he studied Horn under Pat Hughes and received his Bachelor degree in Music Studies.

This will be Stone’s 4th year teaching brass for the Phantom Regiment. Outside of his affiliation with the Regiment, Stone’s marching arts background includes being an alumnus of the Santa Clara Vanguard, teaching visual at the Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps, and serving as visual coordinator of Rhythmic Force Independent Percussion.

Stone is very grateful for this opportunity to teach and be a part of a strong community inspired by the arts. The gift of music is something to be cherished always, and Stone is excited to be able to contribute to the inspirational drum corps that is Phantom Regiment. In his spare time, Mr. Wang likes to teach, support local activism, and play mahjong with friends.

Movement Designer

Lauren Drislane

Lauren Drislane was born and raised in upstate New York and resides in Houston, Texas. She has been involved in the marching arts since 2001, performing with her high school colorguard program. As a performer, she marched for organizations, including Shenendehowa HS, the Pride of Cincinnati Winterguard, and the Pride of Cincinnati Dance Ensemble. Lauren has also taught numerous scholastic and independent ensembles. This includes the Miamisburg HS Winterguard, Pride of Cincinnati Winterguard and Dance Ensemble, and the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps. She is looking forward to new adventures with the Phantom Regiment!

Sound Designer

John Kammerer

John Kammerer is a Los Angeles-based sound designer, producer, composer, and audio engineer. He worked with the Santa Clara Vanguard as sound designer and audio engineer in 2015 and 2016. During that time he founded Marching Soundscapes and has since worked with numerous high school marching ensembles nationwide. In 2018 John co-founded Bleeps+Loops, a music production house based in Seattle, WA which focuses on online and in-person producer education, sound design services, and event promotion. In 2021 John joined the staff at Icon Collective College of Music as an instructor of sound design, synthesis, and Ableton-focused music production techniques. When not creating sounds for the marching arts, John produces bass-heavy dance music under the moniker Hello Ego.

System Designer

Reuben Rodriguez

Founder of PitHacks, Reuben E. Rodriguez is an active educator, arranger, sound designer, and performer based in the Austin area. His formal music training extends to a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL. Rodriguez has extensive experience, both performing with and teaching elite Drum Corps International (DCI) & Winter Guard International (WGI) groups. He is an alumnus of Revolution, Crossmen, Spirit, and The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. From 2017-2022 Rodriguez served as everything from Audio Engineer to Caption Manager Coordinator for The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. Rodriguez currently serves as the sound designer for Red Line Percussion and The Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps.

Beyond his more than a decade of teaching experience, Rodriguez also has multiple years of training in live sound. This includes touring nationally with Eclectic Tuba, coordinating the Electro Brass Music Conference, and facilitating electronics with all of the drum corps, marching bands, and indoor groups he has had the pleasure of working with.

Rodriguez is also responsible for creating the Texas Virtual Percussion Contest, a percussion ensemble contest aimed to create more performance opportunities for and give back to music and percussion programs across the state of Texas. Reuben is beyond excited to be joining the team at Phantom Regiment in the 2023 Season!

Ensemble Consultant

Rob Ferguson

Rob Ferguson is currently the Percussion Arranger and Percussion Caption Coordinator for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, Illinois. In addition to his role with Phantom Regiment, Rob is also the Director of Matrix Performing Arts from Akron, Ohio which includes two WGI indoor percussion ensembles; Matrix World and matrix Open. Rob also serves as the Music Designer for Matrix Open and as the design Coordinator and Music Designer for Matrix World and has since its inception in1999. Rob served as the Percussion Coordinator and Percussion Arranger for the Glassman Drum and Bugle Corps from Toledo, Ohio, from 2008-2012 and as the percussion Arranger for the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle corps from2012-2015. Rob previously served as a percussion representative for the MideastPerformance Association and currently serves as the Percussion Education Director for the Ohio Indoor Performance Association, as well as as a member of the WGIPercussion Advisory Board.

Rob holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Music in Music Performance from KentState University where he studied with Michael Burritt and Ted Rounds. He previously served as adjunct percussion faculty and assistant marching band director at Youngstown State University, and currently is the Design Coordinator for Firestone HighSchool and Norton High School bands in Northeast Ohio, as well as John Hersey HighSchool from Illinois, and Moon Area High School in Pennsylvania. Rob is an active clinician and adjudicator for both the indoor and outdoor marching activities. He has presented clinics on marching percussion, keyboard percussion, arranging, and amplification in the marching activity throughout the U.S. and in Europe including the2007 PAS convention, the 2008 Indoor Percussion Europe Championships, and as apart of the 2016 Chiayi City International Band Festival in Chiayi City, Taiwan. Ferguson has also performed as a marimba clinician and guest artist with numerous high schools and college percussion ensembles.

In addition to teaching, Rob works professionally as a designer, composer, program coordinator, and consultant for outdoor and indoor marching ensembles throughout theU.S. and abroad. He is the owner of Ferguson Design Solutions, a company providing custom arrangements, original compositions for both marching ensemble and concert percussion, consulting, and design resources for marching bands, drum corps, and indoor percussion ensembles in all major arenas of the pageantry arts. Rob is also a sales representative for Field & Floor FX. Currently residing in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Rob is an endorser and clinician for Mapex & Majestic Percussion, InnovativePercussion, the Avedis Zildjian Co., Planet Waves, Pageantry Innovations, and RemoInc

Program Consultant

Rick Subel

Rick is the co-founder, co-director, and creative designer for Paramount Winterguard, from Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, Rick has designed and choreographed for many independent and scholastic colorguard programs including Georgia State University, the Emerald Marquis, Blessed Sacrament, Juxtaposition, Phantom Regiment Winterguard, Tarpon Springs High School, Seminole High School, Kennesaw Mountain High School, Kell High School, Harrison High School, and many others.

Rick has also designed and choreographed for many drum corps including the East Coast Jazz, The Cadets, Magic of Orlando, the Crossmen, the Bluecoats, Phantom Regiment, and Santa Clara Vanguard. For the past 8 seasons, Rick has served as the Artistic Director for the Carolina Crown.

With over 25 years of marching band, drum corps, and winterguard experience, Rick is constantly inspired by the creative process, and discovering and exploring with eager and talented creative teams. And it is the joy of sharing—through designing, consulting, and mentoring—that continues to fuel his love and passion for the pageantry arts.

Tour Director / Member At-Large

Joe Taylor

Joe Taylor was elected to the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors in 2021 and is also the president of the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association Board of Directors. This is his second stint on the Phantom Regiment board as he also served a term from 1998-2001.

In addition to his responsibilities on the two boards, Joe is also the corps’ tour director, a role he previously held from 1998-2001. He is a member of the board’s Governance Committee.

Joe is the assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at Deerfield High School in the Chicago suburbs.

Joe aged out of Regiment in 1991 and filled a variety of volunteer roles until becoming tour director in 1998. He fell in love with the admin side of the corps when he lived with the St. Angel family during his marching days, and was mentored by former corps directors David St. Angel, John Baumgartner, Bill Riebock and Ron Schulz in the years after he aged out.

He lives in Cary, Ill., with his wife Nicki, daughter and current marching member Katherine, and black lab Phantom. 

Assistant Tour Director

Sammie Newcomb

Samantha (Sammie) Newcomb is excited to join Phantom Regiment on the road for the 2022 summer tour for her second season as a Tour Assistant on the Operations team!

Sammie is currently in her third year as the Orchestra Director, Assistant Band Director, and Guitar Instructor at North Augusta High School in North Augusta, SC. A native of Fayetteville, NC, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina in May 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in instrumental music, where she studied French Horn under JD Shaw. While at UofSC, Sammie performed on horn with the Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Winds, and Wind Ensemble. She also performed with the Basketball Pep Band, Volleyball Band, and UofSC’s marching band- The Carolina Band, on mellophone. During her four years of service with The Carolina Band, Sammie was a mellophone section leader for the 2017 season, and was on Senior Staff for the 2018 season. Her experience with drum corps began as a member of the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps hornline in 2017 on mellophone.

Before her time at North Augusta High School, Sammie worked with high school and middle school programs across North and South Carolina as a French Horn instructor and marching band technician. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Sammie performs as a freelance musician in the Columbia/Aiken/Augusta area, performing with ensembles such as the Savannah River Winds and the Aiken Symphony Orchestra.

Professional affiliations include Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, the National Association for Music Educators, and the South Carolina Music Educators Association.

Sammie Newcomb currently resides in Grovetown, GA with her cat, Pancake.

Corps Manager

Marie Czapinski

Marie Grana Czapinski is an expert in the field of pageantry and the only one to hold Hall of Fame membership in all 3 elite marching arts organizations:

Winter Guard International, Drum Corps International, Music For All/Bands of America.

She is a co-founder of Winter Guard International; she played a key role in the formation and development of Bands of America and was a DCI Championship adjudicator for 25 years.

Marie has instructed numerous championship winter guards, drum corps and marching bands including several BOA Grand National Champions. She is well known for her clinic presentations, integrity, and creativity.

Marie is an educational clinician with Bands of America and Conn-Selmer, Inc., consultant for several marching bands, an active marching band adjudicator, and is devoted to all aspects of education in the marching visual arts.