NEW LONDON, CT – 7th Regiment is thrilled to announce its Design Team for the 2018 Drum Corps International Season!
“7th Regiment is fortunate to have such an amazing group of people overseeing the design of this year’s program,” said Kevin Lowery, director of 7th Regiment. “Great things are in store for 7R, as we embark on our 15th Anniversary of DCI competition!”
Program Coordinator/ Brass Arranger – Jack Tully
Drill/Visual Designer – Ian Flint
Front Ensemble Arranger – Mike Nevin
Battery Arranger/Battery Caption Head – Kevin Thompson
Color Guard Designer/Color Guard Caption Head – Rachel Lowery
Sound & Audio Designer – Bryson Teel
Stay tuned for an announcement of our caption leaders next week!
JACK TULLY
Jack Tully is an active designer, arranger, composer, adjudicator, and consultant based in the New England area.
Jack is excited to return to 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, where he has served as Brass Arranger since 2011 and Program Coordinator since 2015. He has also been an instructor for The Royal Columbians Drum and Bugle Corps, East Coast Jazz Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Boston College Screaming Eagles Marching Band.
Jack began his drum corps career as a member of the Cadets of Bergen County in 1994 and 1995. Jack received his BA from Boston College in 1996 and his MA from New England Conservatory of Music in 1998. He has been an instrumental music teacher in the Woburn, MA Public Schools since 1998.
Jack is a freelance arranger and composer, and has arranged both wind and front ensemble music for various scholastic units throughout the country. He has also served as an adjudicator for NESBA, USBands, MAC, and MBDA.
IAN FLINT
Ian has been active in the marching activity for over 20 years. He was a member of the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from 1998-2000 and then was a member of the visual staff from 2004-2007. Most recently he was on staff with the Oregon Crusaders and served in many roles including Program Coordinator, Visual Caption Supervisor and Drill Designer. As a drill writer, he designs for over 30 ensembles a year and is an active clinician for groups all across the country.
Ian holds a Bachelors in Music Performance (Tuba) from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He currently works as Director of Bands at Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax Vermont where he teaches 5th-12th grade instrumental lessons and also runs all instrumental ensembles for the district. Previous to moving to Vermont Ian worked for Dartmouth Public Schools (Dartmouth, MA) as the District Wide Brass Specialist. He served as a show designer and visual coordinator for Dartmouth’s marching band and indoor percussion ensembles. In his 9 years there the marching band won 5 USBands National Championships and the Indoor Percussion won 3 WGI World Class Championships. Ian currently resides in Winooski, VT.
MIKE NEVIN
Mike Nevin began his professional percussion career as a performer and teacher at age 15. Over nearly 40 years since then he has built an extensive resume as a percussion composer/arranger, instructor, and adjudicator in the areas of concert, jazz, and marching band as well as indoor drumline and drum corps.
He has written and taught for many of the best marching ensembles nationally and internationally including the Blue Knights World Percussion Ensemble, Blue Knights Drum Corps, Soka Renaissance Vanguard (Tokyo), Yokohama Scouts, and the Concord Blue Devils.
Mike’s original compositions have been performed by several finalists in every class at the WGI World Percussion Championships over the past 20 plus years. The ensembles he has instructed have earned more than a dozen medals for finishing in the top three of their class, with six achieving gold. Mike’s compositions have also been performed by ensembles in Europe and Asia.
Mike earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Montana State University and his Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Northern Colorado. He has also served as Director of Percussion Studies at Colorado State University. Currently, Mike is the percussion specialist at Grandview and Cherry Creek high schools and the Program Coordinator for the four time WGI world champion Blue Knights World Percussion Ensemble.
He and his wife, Angela, happily reside in Lakewood, CO with their family of 6 cats and 2 dogs. Through his passion for music and belief in a strong educational foundation, Mike continues to pursue his lifelong goals as a musician in every aspect, always striving to be a positive influence on the next generation of music educators, writers, and performers.
KEVIN THOMPSON
Kevin Thompson is an accomplished percussionist and educator that excels in the marching arts. A native of Connecticut, he began his percussion education as a member of the Col. John Chester Fife and Drum Corps. As a member of this group for nearly 10 years, Kevin had the privilege to study the art of rudimental drumming with Brendan D. Mason. As a student of David Smith at Western Connecticut State University, Kevin was able to apply his background in rudimental drumming to the greater world of percussion music. Kevin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from Western Connecticut State University, as well as a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance from The Hartt School.
Kevin is an active performer and clinician, having appeared in numerous events held by the Percussive Arts Society. Kevin has also performed with many of the world’s leading percussion performers including Joe McCarthy, Dave Samuels, Ted Piltzecker, Benjamin Toth, and Grammy Award winner Shane Shanahan. Kevin is currently a Doctoral Candidate at The Hartt School, studying percussion performance and pedagogy with Benjamin Toth, as well as African percussion traditions with Joe Galeota. Kevin is also a member of the prestigious Performance 20/20 program, Hartt’s honors chamber music ensemble.
Kevin got his introduction to the marching arts when he joined the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010. He marched with 7th Regiment for two seasons, acting as battery section leader in his second year. Kevin then went on to march with the Madison Scouts in 2012 and 2014, and aged out with the Cadets in 2015, where he earned the Percussion Rookie-of-the-Year award. Since aging out, Kevin has set his eyes on the world of education. He has worked with numerous high school programs around the state of Connecticut, and is currently serving as the Percussion Caption Head/Arranger for Newtown High School. Kevin worked briefly with the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps before returning home to 7th Regiment, where he served as the Battery Coordinator for the 2017 season. Kevin is incredibly excited to be stepping into the role of Battery Caption Head/Arranger for the 2018 season, and looks forward to the future success of the program.
RACHEL LOWERY
Originally, from Indiana, Rachel is a graduate of La Porte High School. Rachel holds a BA in Liberal Studies from Southern Connecticut State University with a concentration in Theatre. Before coming to Connecticut, she was a student at Purdue University, where she spent three years with the Purdue Modern Dance Company.
Rachel was a member of the Phantom Regiment Color Guard in 2001 and 2002. After drum corps, she trained to be an educator with Fred J. Miller Inc., and taught guard clinics around the United States for two summers. She also went on to be a private clinician for programs in Alabama and Illinois through FJM. Rachel continued her teaching with many programs in the Midwest, including La Porte and Warren Central High Schools.
Rachel has been an active guard educator since her move to the east. She split her time working with the color guards of the Norwalk High School and Trumbull High School marching bands, serving as the movement specialist for both. Rachel was also the director of the four time MAC Champion Trumbull High School A Guard for four years.
Rachel is a certified labor and postpartum doula and lives in the New Haven area with her husband and three kids. She is excited to be returning to 7th Regiment for her second season as Color Guard Caption Head.
BRYSON TEEL
Bryson Teel is a recent graduate of Western Connecticut State University’s Audio & Music production program, where he also focused in percussion performance. Bryson is active as an electronic musician, composer, and producer, and is currently entering mentorship programs in New York City to further his education as a writer.
Bryson performed as a tenor drummer with 7th Regiment, as well as the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps. This will be his second year on staff with 7th Regiment, working with the electronics, as well as the tenors.
Bryson is currently working with Newtown High School as a tenor technician and sound technician, and is also a sound designer for Trumbull High School and University of New Haven.
