Travis Larson

Brass Caption Head

Travis Larson believes in the power of music to change lives. His passion for music can be traced back to his earliest childhood, when he listened to records non-stop — eager for the day he could finally sign up for band class and learn to play an instrument himself. He first caught the marching arts bug in 1989 as a member of the Velvet Knights, later aging out with the Blue Devils in 1996. 

For over 30 years, Travis has worked with many band programs, encouraging young people to pursue music. He serves as brass instructor, program coordinator, wind composer/arranger and consultant for several high-profile band programs in Arizona,  including Millennium, Mountain View, Williams Field, Red Mountain, Peoria and Desert Ridge high schools. His ultimate goal is to provide a high-quality marching band experience, promoting musical values and arts education.

Born and raised in Mission Viejo, California, Travis was a member, then brass instructor for the Mission Viejo High School Marching Band from 1992-2005. In that time, the ensemble achieved great success, winning two state championships and multiple high music trophies. 

In 1998, Travis was a brass staff member of the Jim Ott Brass trophy-winning Blue Devils. He later joined the brass team for The Cadets from 2014-2016, winning the high brass trophy at the 2015 DCI World Championships. From 2017-2019 Travis joined the new brass team at the Boston Crusaders and helped build some of the most successful horn lines in their history.

Travis received his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Grand Canyon University in 2016. He is currently the band director at Mendoza Elementary and Shepherd Junior High School in Mesa, Arizona. 

Travis resides in San Tan Valley, Arizona with his wife, Ann, their two children, TJ and Ava, and their Chihuahua Axl.

Greg Power

Percussion Caption Head

This is Greg’s 3rd season as caption head and 6th season working at Blue Stars. Greg resides in Clovis, CA and is a member of the Vic Firth/Zildjian education team. He received his Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from Washington State University (2015) and his Master of Music in Percussion Performance at California State University - Northridge (2018). He performed in DCI with the Cascades, Blue Stars and in WGI with Pulse Percussion. 

Greg is currently an Associate Instrumental Director at Buchanan Educational Center, where he directs both Alta Sierra Intermediate Percussion and the Buchanan High School Percussion Studio.

Greg has taught drum corps international and dci students for 9 years. He has had private lesson students march in every active DCI world class drum corps and prior to his employment at Blue Stars, taught at Bluecoats (2020-2022), who won the Fred Sanford award for best percussion in 2022.

Greg is a WGI educator as well, teaching POW Percussion for 6 seasons, as a battery tech, front ensemble coordinator and ensemble coordinator. He currently teaches at RCC indoor.

Greg formerly taught the following high school programs: Arcadia, Thousand Oaks, Sierra Vista and Chino Hills HS. Greg was a former adjunct professor of percussion at California State University, Bakersfield, front ensemble coordinator at Golden Empire and adjunct professor of percussion at Bakersfield College.

Craig Adams

Brass Caption Manager

Craig Adams is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting at Michigan State University where his principal instructor is Dr. Kevin L. Sedatole. Craig also holds the Master of Music degree in Band Conducting and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he was a conducting student of Dr. Eric Wilson.

 At Michigan State, Craig is active in all aspects of the band program and guest conducts the Wind Symphony, Symphony Band, and Concert Band. He serves as a graduate assistant for the Spartan Marching Band, Spartan Brass, Campus Band, and is an assistant conductor for the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony.

Prior to graduate study, Craig was the Assistant Director of Bands at Curtis Middle School (Allen, Texas). He led the sub non-varsity band to consecutive UIL Sweepstakes ratings and team-taught beginning and intermediate band classes. Craig also co-conducted the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, which was named the 2023 TMEA MS State Honor Orchestra. Additionally, Craig served as a marching technician for the Allen HS Marching Band. In 2021, the Allen Band was a finalist at the UIL Area E Marching Band Competition.

Craig is an active educator and adjudicator in the marching arts. He is an alumnus of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, and serves as the Brass Caption Manager at the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps.

 In 2024, Craig received the Graduate Academic Achievement Award from Baylor University. Craig actively attends conducting symposia and professional development opportunities around the country and has worked with such distinguished conducting pedagogues as Jerry Junkin, Mallory Thompson, Steven D. Davis, Craig Kirchhoff, and Jamie Nix.

Amanda Petro

Brass Caption Manager

Amanda Petro has been Assistant Director of Bands at Leander High School since 2022.  Prior to joining Leander ISD, she was an Assistant Band Director at Dripping Springs High School for 3 years.  Amanda is currently in her second year on the Brass Staff with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps.  She is an active choreographer for bands across the country, and was recently a presenter during Student Day at the 75th Annual Texas Bandmasters Association Convention/Clinic in 2022.

Amanda received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2019.  During her time at IU, she studied trumpet with Professor Joey Tartell, as well as performed with the IU Concert Band, IU Marching Hundred, and IU Big Red Basketball Band.  She also served on the board and performed with the Brass Band at Indiana University in its inaugural years. 

Amanda performed with the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps from 2015-2018, serving as the horn sergeant in 2018.  She was the 2017 recipient of the Jim Ott Scholarship, Diane Thompson-Wells Scholarship, and Friends of DCI Scholarship.  She served on the Phantom Regiment Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2018-2022, serving as Vice President until 2022.  Amanda also taught on the Visual Staff for Monarch Independent Percussion in 2022.  

Outside of teaching, Amanda enjoys rock climbing and hiking, drinking coffee, and playing with her dog, Luna. 

John Kregler

Color Guard Caption Manager

John Kregler is excited to return to the Blue Stars as Color Guard Caption Manager. John currently lives in Dallas, Texas where he is the Color Guard Director at Timber Creek High School in Fort Worth - a UIL 6A state qualifier and BOA Regional finalist. He has had the privilege of teaching several World-class programs, including West Broward High School (FL), Tarpon Springs High School (FL), Mayflower Winter Guard (UK), and Mirage Performance Ensemble (TX).

John is originally from Tampa, Florida, where he began his marching career at Tarpon Springs High School. He is an active choreographer and designer across the United States and internationally and holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations from the University of South Florida.

Malan Messemore

Color Guard Caption Manager

Malan Messemore is joining the Blue Stars for his third summer on the color guard staff. Malan co-directs at the Mirage Performance Ensemble and is also the director of color guard at Red Oak High School. He has a Bachelors of Art from The University of Texas at Arlington for Film with a Minor in Drawing.

Aside from teaching color guard, Malan is a freelance graphic designer and a tattoo enthusiast.

Roger Marquis

Visual Caption Coordinator

Roger Marquis, graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, is in his fourteenth year as a band director and currently an Assistant Band Director at Tomball Memorial High School in Tomball, Texas. 

Roger has been involved in the drum corps activity for over fifteen years and has led the Blue Stars visual program as a Visual Co-Caption Head and Visual Caption Coordinator since the 2016 season. He began as a member of Revolution Drum & Bugle Corps and aged out after multiple seasons with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps. As a drum corps instructor, he has had a variety of responsibilities with Genesis, Blue Stars, Crossmen, Boston Crusaders, and the Troopers.

Roger is a founder and current Board Member of Monarch Arts Education where he previously served as Visual Coordinator of Monarch Independent Percussion, a perennial Winter Guard International World Class Finalist. Additionally, Roger is a consultant, clinician, and adjudicator for high school marching band programs across the country.

Luke Zamprelli

Visual Caption Head

Luke Zamprelli is a resident of Houston, Texas where he is a full-time designer and program coordinator for pageantry groups across the United States.  He is also the visual coordinator for Monarch Independent Percussion, a perennial WGI World Class Finalist.

Luke has been involved in the drum corps activity for over a decade.  He was a member of the Phantom Regiment, and he served on the visual staff of the Boston Crusaders beginning in 2013.  Luke joined the Blue Stars in 2016, becoming Caption Head in 2021.

Prior to designing full-time, Luke held band director positions at Morton Ranch Junior High and, most recently, at Paetow High School in Katy ISD.  Luke has been involved in the marching arts as a designer, clinician, and adjudicator with groups all over the United States and Europe.  His groups have earned numerous accolades such as Bands Of America Class Champions and multiple state recognitions including Texas UIL Area Champions and State Finalists.  

Tyler Propfe

Assistant Visual Caption Head

Tyler currently resides in West Chester, PA where he is an elementary music educator. He is also a designer, choreographer, instructor, and drill writer in the mid-Atlantic.

Tyler’s marching career began with the Connecticut Hurricanes Drum & Bugle Corps from 2006 to 2015 and served as horn sergeant in 2015. Tyler spent 2013 and 2014 with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps.

Tyler has been a part of the Blue Stars organization since 2023. Outside of the Blue Stars he has been with United Percussion since 2019, is the program coordinator and drill designer for Downingtown East Winter Percussion, and is the visual caption head for the Downingtown East High School Marching Band. He has previously served as visual co-caption head for the Jersey Surf in 2016 & 17, served on the Cadets2 staff in 2018, and the Academy visual staff from 2019 to 2023. He has also had roles as caption head, choreographer, designer, and program coordinator for multiple marching bands and indoor ensembles throughout southeastern PA.

Tyler attended West Chester University where he received a dual degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance as a baritone.

Jordan Garza

Front Ensemble Caption Manager

Jordan Garza, from Austin, Texas is currently the Ensemble Director and Front Coordinator at Rhythmic Force Percussion (PIW).  He also serves on the band staff at McNeil High School as the Director of Percussion where he coordinates percussion instruction and curriculum for grades 6-12.  Jordan holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education (Instrumental Emphasis) from Texas State University and is endorsed by the educational programs of Marimba One, Evans Drum Heads, Vic Firth, and Zildjian Cymbals.  He is an active clinician, percussion arranger and instructor for programs across Texas.

Under his direction, Rhythmic Force Percussion has performed at WGI World Championships as a 2018 PIO Finalist, a 2019 PIO Finalist, a 2022 PIW Finalist, and a 2024 PIW Finalist.  In 2021 during the WGI virtual seasons, Rhythmic Force embarked on a standard setting initiative to film their production “Dissolving Boundaries.”  Simultaneously, his percussion ensembles have made appearances at multiple UIL Area Finals Performances, the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, and are consistent finalists at local and national competitions.  In the spring of 2023, McNeil HS Percussion was invited to perform at the Music for All National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This will be Jordan’s first year with the Blue Stars as the Front Ensemble Caption Manager.