Mike Jackson Staging / Battery Composition

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Kevin Shah Front Ensemble Composition / Sound Design

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Veronica Wicks Caption Head

Veronica is a percussion educator in Southern California with an additional background of study in psychology and social work. She has taught many schools throughout her teaching career and is dedicated to educating young adults through music and mentorship. Veronica's previous experience ranges from teaching and designing for several high schools throughout Southern California along with drum corps to include battery education and Percussion Caption Head of the Blue Knights (2014 - 2019). Veronica currently teaches and designs for battery percussion at several high schools to include scholastic world groups Vista Murrieta High School and Rowland High School, along with Broken City and Carolina Crown.

Malani Bydalek Front Ensemble Manager

Malani graduated from UC Irvine in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Social Ecology, and spent her marching years at Broken City (2017 - 2022) and Blue Knights (2018 - 2019). She has since been on staff at Broken City and spends all free time with her cat.

Chrystopher Berumen Front Ensemble

Chrystopher Berumen is a Vista Murrieta Alumnus and has been involved in the percussion world for almost 10 years. He has performed with Broken City Percussion, Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, Pulse Percussion, and Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps. He is currently attending University of California San Diego and pursuing his bachelors in Education Sciences in hopes of becoming a High School Counselor.

Zach Boromeo Battery

A native of Spring, Texas, Zach is an active educator and designer in the marching arts. He has performed with numerous ensembles including: The TMEA All-State Orchestra, Frost Symphony Orchestra, Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps, Monarch Independent Percussion, and Broken City Percussion. As a current performer with Blue Devils Entertainment, he has also shared the stage with artists like Kanye West, Two Friends, Flowdan, and Lil Baby, with appearances on America’s Got Talent and the Riyadh Season 2023 Opening Ceremony in Saudi Arabia. Zach was privileged to learn from renowned educators such as Rick Rodriguez, JD Guzman, Mike Jackson, Svet Stoyanov, Terry McKinney (Baton Rouge Symphony), and Matthew Strauss (Houston Symphony).

As an educator, Zach has worked with world-class drum corps such as Carolina Crown, Mandarins, along with numerous high school programs in Texas and Southern California. He currently works with the Bluecoats, Broken City, Vista Murrieta HS, and Warm Springs MS.

Liam Maxwell Battery

Liam Maxwell is a percussion educator and composer currently residing in Southern California. As a performer, Liam is proud to have performed with many ensembles including Heat Wave, The Blue Knights, Veritas, Carolina Crown, and Broken City Percussion.

As an educator, Liam has had the privilege of working with many programs across the country in many different roles. Previously, he was on the staff at Carolina Crown as a tenor technician. Currently, he works with Broken City, Vista Murrieta High School, Warm Springs Middle School, and Vista High School.

Bethany Betancourt Battery

Bethany Betancourt is a percussion educator residing in Southern California. She recently got her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. She is currently attending California Baptist University to receive her Master’s in Forensic Psychology. She has performed with numerous world class ensembles including: Ayala HS, Dark Sky Percussion, Mandarins, Monarch, Bluecoats, and Broken City. As an educator, Bethany currently works with Ayala HS and Vista Murrieta HS.

James Gow

James Gow is a Southern California native who began his marching career at Vista Murrieta HS before joining Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (2005-2006) and later going on to march with The Blue Devils (2007-2010).

As a drill designer, James has worked with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps (2017-2018) and is the current visual designer for The Blue Knights (2018-present). He has served as drill designer for multiple high school programs around the country, including Green Hope, Warren, Etiwanda, Foothill, Temecula Valley, and Great Oak HS. James also designs visual programs for scholastic and independent winter drumlines and is currently a choreographer and visual instructor at Broken City Percussion.

As an instructor, James has taught highly competitive groups in the Southern California area including Vista Murrieta, Mission Viejo, Etiwanda, and Fountain Valley High Schools, and serves as the current visual caption head and choreographer for BOA semi-finalist Vista Murrieta HS. He has been a member of the visual staff for the Sacramento Mandarins (2011), The Cadets (2012), and The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps (2013-2018).

Gary Briggs

Gary Briggs is a visual designer and educator living in Orange County, CA. Gary is currently the Visual Caption Head at Blue Devils B Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as an instructor at the Blue Devils, RCC Indoor Percussion and Vista Murrieta High School. He is also a visual designer for marching bands and indoor drumlines across the country.

A native of the Bay Area, Gary graduated from Amador Valley High School and performed with the Blue Devils B and Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps, before moving to Southern California to study Music Performance at California State University, Long Beach.

Gary has previously taught many groups across California, including Ayala, Chino, Fountain Valley, Amador Valley, Homestead and Live Oak High Schools, as well as the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps from 2019-21.

Phil Idell Assistant Director / Percussion Specialist

Phil Idell currently holds a B.A. in Music Education from UCLA, where he studied under Mitchell Peters and participated in the Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and several other university ensembles. Mr. Idell was also a section leader in the award-winning UCLA Marching Band, with whom he traveled throughout the country for various NCAA sporting events, and even internationally as a featured performer in the 2010 Ekitopia Festival in Nagoya, Japan.

After graduating from UCLA in 2012, Mr. Idell became an extremely active percussion instructor in the greater Los Angeles area. During this time, he had the privilege of teaching some of the activity’s most elite pageantry ensembles, including: Arcadia High School, West Ranch High School, POW Percussion, Mandarins, Carolina Crown, and Blue Knights. He is currently the Front Ensemble Coordinator for Broken City Percussion. In addition, Mr. Idell also served as a music arranger and designer for several programs throughout Southern California and Arizona.

Prior to joining the staff at Vista Murrieta, Mr. Idell served as Music Director at Camarillo High School. He is excited to begin his journey with Vista Murrieta!