Jorden Charles

Visual Instructor

With a passion for movement cultivated since childhood through dance, Jorden Charles embarked on her journey in the world of marching arts as a trumpet player at Oviedo High School in 2007. Following her graduation, Jorden's dedication led her to assume the role of visual technician at her alma mater, where she flourished from 2011 to 2018, ultimately serving as the visual caption head from 2015 to 2018.

Expanding her influence, Jorden extended her expertise to various institutions, including University High School, Olympia High School, Windermere High School, and Infinity Percussion I and II. Her commitment to excellence earned her a place in the prestigious Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012, where she honed her skills as a trumpet player until 2015.

Jorden's journey as an educator and mentor continued to evolve as she joined the Infinity II visual staff in 2016, progressing to the visual staff of Infinity I in 2019. Her exceptional leadership qualities led her to assume the role of visual caption head at Infinity II for the 2020 season. Despite a brief hiatus to traverse the Atlantic, Jorden returned to Infinity I as the Visual Ensemble Coordinator, further enriching the program with her expertise.

Presently, Jorden's influence extends across multiple platforms, as she dedicates herself to nurturing talent at Infinity Percussion I, Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, and Windermere High School. Through her unwavering dedication and passion for the arts, Jorden continues to inspire and shape the next generation of performers and educators alike.

Will Carroll

Visual Instructor

Will Carroll is a brass musician and educator hailing from Dallas, Texas, where he currently imparts his passion for music as a middle school band director in the Plano Independent School District. Prior to his tenure in Plano, Will served as a middle school band director in various schools within Dickinson ISD.

Will's journey in music began at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he pursued a degree in Music Education. There, he had the privilege of studying under the mentorship of Dr. Charles Gavin. During his time at Stephen F. Austin, Will actively contributed to several ensembles at the University, including the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra of the Pines, and Opera Orchestra.

Beyond the academic realm, Will Carroll extended his expertise as a music and visual technician to various schools in the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. His journey has been marked by excellent achievements as a performer. Before entering the Drum Corps scene, Will performed with the Hebron High School marching band and Wind Ensemble. After, he dedicated five summer tours to the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle corps, contributing to three top-three placements and a coveted World Championship title in 2016. His musical journey also took him across international boundaries when he performed with the Bluecoats international ensemble, embarking on an unforgettable experience in Hong Kong in 2017.

Ryan Stratford

Visual Instructor

Ryan lives in Southeast Michigan where he is an independent visual coordinator, choreographer and educator. Ryan marched trumpet with the Blue Stars from 2014 through 2018 and joined the visual staff after aging out through the 2023 season.

As a drum corps instructor, Ryan has also had a variety of responsibilities with the visual teams at Seattle Cascades and Genesis.

He is excited to rejoin the team for the 2025 season!

Jason Schmidt

Visual Instructor

Jason Schmidt is a native to Granger, IN, and currently resides in Indianapolis, IN. He is currently the assistant director and visual designer of the Plainfield Red Pride Marching Band where he has been teaching since 2014. He has also been the visual designer for various other Indiana-based ensembles in both fall and winter seasons.

Jason began his music journey in the Penn-Harris-Madison schools where he was blessed with an immense amount of opportunities, namely performing in the Midwest Clinic in 2008. He then obtained his B.S. in Music Education from Ball State University, and has since remained involved in the performing arts in many capacities. 

Jason was a performing member of the Blue Stars from 2010-2012. Aside from being in the ensemble, he also competed in the I&E competitions and was runner-up in 2011 and champion in 2012 on solo trombone. He then joined the Blue Stars admin team in 2013. More recently he taught on the visual staff at The Academy in 2023 and Music City in 2024.

Outside of the marching arts, Jason has been a trombonist with the Indiana Wind Symphony since 2021. He has enjoyed his experiences with the ensemble and having the opportunity to perform in the beautiful venue of The Palladium in Carmel, IN for the regular concert season.

Jason is thrilled to be joining the Blue Stars in 2025, coming full circle to his drum corps beginnings!

Yukari Nakazawa

Visual Instructor

Yukari began her marching career as a tuba player when she was High school Student at Shijonawate Gakuen High School Burning Bravers. Afterwards she joined the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010-2013.

After aging out, Yukari start to teaching Shijonawate Gakuen High School Burning Bravers(Osaka,Japan) as Brass and Visual Staff.she is also a choreographer, and drill writer. Yukari has been instrumental in continuing to compete in All Japan Marching Band National Championship for over 10 years.