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| Executive Director |
 Dr. Michael W. Nickens completed his academic degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Yale University, and the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty of the George Mason University School of Music in fall 2006 as Director of the Pep Band (Doc Nix and the Green Machine) and as an Assistant Professor of Music. At Mason, he teaches courses in sight-singing/ear training, popular music in America, an improvisatory music ensemble, brass methods, is co-director of the George Mason University Symphonic Band, and regularly collaborates with the George Mason University School of Dance. During the summers he has taught tuba, jazz performance, improvisation, chamber music, and theory at the Performing Arts Institute at Wyoming Seminary and the Northern Arizona University Music Camp in Flagstaff, Arizona.
He draws on his experiences as a former marching member of the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps, the James Madison University Marching Royal Dukes, the Yale Precision Marching Band, and as a drum major and marching member of the Spirit of America National Honor Band. He is active as a composer/arranger, and clinician working with a variety of marching programs around the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. These programs include Annandale High School, Thomas A. Edison High School, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Fairfax High School, West Potomac High School, Mount Vernon High School, Damascus High School, South County High School and Falls Church High School. Other programs include Franklin Central and Warren Central High Schools in Indiana, Farmington High School in Michigan, the Vision Elite Drum and Bugle Corps in Brooklyn, New York.
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Program Coordinator / Caption Head / Arranger |
Chris Martin has been teaching marching percussion in Fairfax County since 1999, most notably with Thomas Edison, West Springfield and Chantilly high schools. Writing for battery, front ensemble and visual design, his achievements in the indoor drumline activity include 11 Winter Guard International regional championships, 8 Atlantic Indoor Association circuit championships and a 2006 WGI Scholastic A Class Bronze Medal. Under his direction, the Mean Green achieved National Finalist status in their first year of WGI PIO competition.
In addition to actively teaching, Chris has been a member of the United States Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass in Washington DC since 1997. A graduate of Florida State University, he has been instructing and arranging for the FSU Marching Chiefs "Big 8" drumline for the past 15 years. Chris is a proud member of the Vic Firth Education Team as well as being an educator for Pearl/Adams percussion and Evans Drumheads.
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| Visual Designer |
 Mr. Alan Johnson is the Director of Bands at South County Secondary School in Fairfax County, VA. His teaching responsibilities include the Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, Indoor Drumline and Music Theory. In only three years, South County has twice been named a VA Honor Band, and every ensemble has received a superior rating.
Mr. Johnson holds a B.M. in Music Education from James Madison University and is currently pursuing a Masters in Music education from Shenandoah University. He is also a former member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. Additionally, Mr. Johnson writes drill and arranges music for several marching bands and drumlines in Virginia. |
 Matt Hartwell is originally from Salem, VA where he graduated from Salem High School in 2004. After high school he began his college career at Morehead State University studying Euphonium under Dr. Stacy Baker. After deciding to change majors he transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA to study Business.
In 2004 he marched Baritone with Capital Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Columbus, OH. In 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 he was a member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle corps from Rosemont, IL playing both Baritone and Tuba. In 2007 he had the honor to perform with The Aimachi Marching Band from Nagoya, Japan playing Tuba.
Matt currently resides and teaches in the Richmond area. He has taught and designed for Powhatan High School's Indoor Drum line since 2007. He also teaches and consults several high schools in the Mid Atlantic Region. When not in school or teaching Matt enjoys hiking/backpacking, camping, modeling, tennis, four wheeling, dancing, fishing, and watching ESPN.
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 Christopher Vitale earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Delaware in 2004. From 2004-2007 he served as the Director of Bands at Penns Grove High School in Carneys Point, New Jersey. In 2007 Chris returned to the University of Delaware to complete his Masters of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting. While at the University of Delaware he studied conducting with Dr. Robert Streckfuss and was a graduate assistant to the University athletic bands including the University of Delaware Marching Band.
Chris marched with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 1999, 2001, and was a soloist in 2002. He has served as a visual instructor with the Crossmen, Hawthorne Caballeros, and the DCA World Champion Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps. Chris is an active visual designer for several high schools throughout Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
Chris is currently the Assistant High School Band Director at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, VA. |
Front Ensemble Technician |
 Paul “PJ” Fadoul is a native of Fairfax, Virginia. He graduated from the Yale School of Music with a Performance Certificate. Paul has worked with numerous marching groups as a designer and instructor over the last ten years including 2007 Atlantic Indoor Association PSA Bronze Medalist Fairfax HS and the 2008 AIA PSA Gold Medalist Herndon HS.
As a performer he has given solo and chamber music performances across the United States and Spain, including two solo appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra. He was also the youngest member of the faculty at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University from 2000-2002.
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Front Ensemble Technician |
Steve Ballard is a Fairfax County native having attended W.T.Woodson High School, and has been an itinerant elementary and high school band director for the Fairfax County Public School system since 2003, most recently at the esteemed Thomas Jefferson HS for Science and Technology. He is currently beginning his third year as an instructor for the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps pit. He has previously instructed the Crossmen and the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps. Steve is a Vic Firth sponsored percussion educator.
Steve was a member of the 1996, 97, and 98 Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps pit playing mallets, and the 2000 and 01 Santa Clara Vanguard pit as the timpanist. Steve received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Music Performance (percussion) studying under Gordon Stout as well as a Master of Music in Music Education from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. |
Front Ensemble Technician |
 Wayne Gibson is a native of Calvert County, Maryland, where he graduated from Patuxent High School in 2004. He then attended the University of Delaware and earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and his minor in Biochemical Engineering in 2008. Currently, he lives back in Calvert County again and works as a chemical engineer at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant.
Wayne’s experience with front ensembles started back in his freshman year of high school in the Patuxent High School Marching Band. This experience led him to join and play in front ensembles in DCI groups such as the Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps (02-03) and the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps (06-08). For the 2009 WGI season, he was the pit section leader of the PIW world champion indoor drum line, Rhythm X. Wayne also was a member of the University of Delaware Marching Band (04, 06-07).
He currently teaches the front ensemble at Huntingtown High School and is looking forward to his first year instructing the GMU front ensemble.
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Battery Instructor |
Brett Garrett is originally from Waycross, Ga. He attended Jacksonville State University where he was a proud member of the Marching Southerners Drumline from 1994-98. Brett’s extensive marching experience includes the 1995 WGI World Champion Atlanta Rhythm Machine, 1995 Spirit of Atlanta and the Santa Clara Vanguard in 1997. He was also a member of The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps from 1999 to 2005.
Brett has also been an instructor for the Magic of Orlando, the Colts and the Crossmen. Locally he has taught the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology where the Indoor Drumline was recently awarded the 2008 Atlantic Indoor Association’s Silver Medal in Open Class competition. |
Battery Instructor |
 Patrick “Patch” Moss has been heavily involved in percussion since the age of 10. Receiving his training at Appalachian State University and the esteemed Berklee School of Music, Patrick is currently a full time accompanist for the George Mason University Dance Department playing for technique classes and performing with the GMU Dance Company.
Patrick previously taught at alma mater Chantilly High School (Chantilly, VA) from 2002-04 and is currently the Percussion Caption Head for the South County Secondary School Marching Stallions and Indoor Percussion Ensemble.
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Battery Instructor / Snare Technician |
 Chris Garay has taught drumset and rudimental percussion privately to students in both New Jersey and Virginia, and he has instructed drumlines from George Mason University, Chantilly High School, Fauquier County High School, and Albemarle High School. His performance career as a snare drummer includes the University of Virginia Drumline, the Jersey Surf, United Percussion, the Cadets, and the Bluecoats. During this time he has studied under such marching percussion legends as Michael McIntosh, Bret Kuhn, Tim Maynard, Tom Aungst, and Chris Vale.
Chris is originally from New Jersey, where he graduated with high honors from Delaware Valley Regional High School. He recently completed his undergraduate work at the University of Virginia, earning a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in Philosophy and Religious Studies. |
Tenor Instructor |
 Neil Pittman was transplanted to Northern Virginia from southeastern Michigan after graduating from Western Michigan University in 2006. He currently works as a Technology Education teacher in Prince William County.
His performance experience includes the Bluecoats 'Blue Q' Quadline 01-03, WMU Marching Band drumline 02-04, and Great Lakes Percussion 04. His teaching experience includes the Bandettes Drum and Bugle Corps 00-04, Eastside Fury Indoor Percussion Ensemble 05-07, and various Michigan and Virginia high school marching bands.
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Bassline Technician |
 Chris Leone has been studying and performing music since the fourth grade. Originally a drum set player, Chris began studying concert percussion in high school under Christopher Thomas. His focus on the marching activity intensified upon his enrollment at the University of Delaware. Chris was a member of the University of Delaware marching band and pep band for all four years at the University. Chris' drum corps experience is exclusively with the Cavaliers drum and bugle corps. He was a member of the DCI World Championship corps in 2006 playing bass 1 and was on staff in 2007 as bass instructor.
Upon receiving his bachelor degree in business administration, Chris was invited to Japan by the Aimachi percussion ensemble. While at Aimachi, Chris split rolls as bass sensei and bass 2, performing in the 2007 fall marching band season as well as the 2008 WGI bronze medal production, "Drum Roll." In Chris’ performing career, he has had the privilege to play under Jim Ancona, Jim Casella, Bret Kuhn, Uichi Kajiyama, and Jaime Alvarez-Calderon.
Chris currently resides in Richmond, VA working full time as both the internet marketing manager for a local web solutions firm and as an internet marketing consultant. Besides music, Chris' passions include biking, traveling the world, and his internet projects. |
Bassline Technician |
Joey Rivera has spent the last 10 years as a high school battery arranger and instructor for schools in California, Virginia, and Maryland. Joey is currently the battery tech and co-arranger for Thomas Jefferson HSST in Alexandria, VA.
Joey’s performance career includes being a member of “The Commandant’s Own” Marine Drum & Bugle Corps 2001-05. He marched two years in the tenor section and two years as bass drum section leader. He was also one of the head arrangers for the battery from 2003 – 2005. Joey’s drum and bugle corps experience also includes the 1998 Conquistadors on tenors and Pacific Crest in 1999 on bass #2. He aged out with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps in 2000 as bass #1.
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Cymbal Line Instructor / Technician |
 Mario Taylor began his marching career at Escambia High School in Pensacola, FL and then with the first year of Eminence Indoor Percussion Ensemble in 2003. He was in the cymbal line at Spirit from Jacksonville State University in 2003 and 2004. For both seasons, the Spirit cymbal ensemble finished first place in the Cymbal I&E competition. From there he marched with The Crossmen for 2005 and 2006 where he was recognized with the Most Outstanding Cymbal Player award for two years running. Mario aged out with Music City Mystique in 2007.
His teaching experience includes various high schools including Escambia High School, Tate High School, Pace High School, Pine Forest High School and Fort Walton Beach High School. He also taught the cymbal line for Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps for the 2007 season and returned to Spirit of JSU to be the cymbal instructor for the 2008 & 2009 seasons. He has also been a cymbal technician with Music City Mystique since 2008.
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Cymbal Technician / Manager / Webmaster |
 Carmel started off her marching career at Thomas Edison HS in Alexandria, VA. She first marched bass drum her freshman year of marching band, then went on to play tenors for Edison's marching band and indoor ensemble for the next three years. In 2007 Carmel was a member of (the then Independent Open) United Percussion's Front Ensemble. She then marched cymbals with United Percussion in 2008 in their debut to the Indepedent World class. In 2009 Carmel returned to her primary instrument marching tenors with George Mason during their first competitive season. She was also the Mean Green's manager and webmaster.
Carmel has taught at Hayfield Secondary School and South County Secondary School over the past three years, and will be teaching Mount Vernon High School for the 2009 marching season. She will be taking the 2010 indoor season off from teaching local high schools and marching with GMU to focus on achieving her BA in Film and Video Studies. Instead, she will be working with the Mean Green's cymbal line before leaving in February to intern with WGI's Audio/Video department during which she will travel to various Regionals and both Championship weeks updating the Fan Network throughout the season. |
Administrative Assistant |
 Daniella Rodas graduated from Thomas Edison HS in 2007 and is currently attending NOVA Community College. She was a part of Thomas Edison’s percussion ensemble and concert band for 4 years. She was a part of both the marching band and indoor drumline for three years. The indoor drumline’s achievements included earning first place at three Winter Guard International regional championships, first place three years in a row at the Atlantic Indoor Association Circuit Championships, and a 2006 WGI Scholastic A Class Bronze Medal.
Daniella plans to graduate from George Mason University with a BA in Art and Visual Technology and/or Fashion Design.
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