Max Salce

Tenor Instructor

Max Salce teaches drums and private lessons in Southern California . From the staff side of things, there are many people I’ve known from marching and finally get a chance to work alongside. It’s an honor to be chosen and trusted for this role and I look forward to seeing what ways my experience guides the members to further develop their performance qualities. 

Marching Experience: Vessel ‘19/‘20, Mandarins ‘21, Broken City ‘22, Pulse ‘23, & Bluecoats ‘22/‘23/‘24

Teaching Experience: Etiwanda High School ‘21/‘22, El Toro High School ‘24, Rancho Cucamonga High School ‘24

Max is super excited to be teaching quads for Blue Stars this summer!

Genevieve Hilburn

Bass Instructor

Genevieve Hilburn is a percussionist and educator based in Southern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in percussion performance from California State University Northridge and a master's degree in percussion performance from Texas A&M University Commerce.

Her performance credits include several national competitions and conventions, including the Modern Snare Drum Competition, hosted by the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Genevieve heads the percussion programs at Bakersfield College and California State University Bakersfield, as well as leading their joint Percussion Ensemble. Her further educational appointments include the Glendale Youth Orchestra, the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, and several public school programs in the Los Angeles area. She also serves on the Percussive Arts Society’s “Rudimental and Marching” committee.

Through her work as an educator, Genevieve hopes to foster a mindset of agency and joy within her students through their work in the percussive discipline. She is excited to return to the Blue Stars for her third season.

Kyle Harry

Bass Instructor

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Kyle began his musical career playing drum set at the age of 9. After attending Musicians Institute, he had a short but meaningful marching career with Pacific Crest, RCC fall, and RCC indoor. Since then, Kyle has taught bass drum at several different world-class ensembles, including the Mandarins, the Academy, Pacific Crest, and Dark Sky Percussion. He was the bass drum instructor for Arcadia High School World Line from 2014-2020. This is is second year with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps.

Kyle currently resides in La Habra, CA and works as a drummer for the Disneyland Resort.

Kobe Sanders

Bass Instructor

This is Kobe’s first year on staff with the Blue Stars. Originally from Coachella, CA, and now based in Los Angeles, he is a dedicated percussionist and music educator in Southern California. Currently a fourth-year at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Kobe is pursuing a degree in Music Education while actively student teaching and working toward his single-subject teaching credential.

Since 2023, Kobe has served as a battery instructor at Palisades Charter HS, and in 2024, he was a guest instructor for the inaugural SoCal Bass Camp.

His marching experience includes performing with the UCLA Bruin Marching Band (2021-2023), Élan Percussion (2022), and POW Percussion (2023). In 2023, he served as Bass Section Leader for the Blue Stars and finished out his performance journey with Pulse Percussion and The Blue Devils in 2024.

When Kobe is not drumming, learning, or teaching, he can be found reading, cooking, café hopping, and exploring the hidden gems of Los Angeles.

Rita Acosta, LAT, ATC, EMT

Director - Medical Program

Rita Acosta is a certified, licensed Athletic Trainer with 5 years of experience in drum corps healthcare. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2021 with a minor in Functional Performing Arts. She furthered her education at Southeast Missouri State University with a Master of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Science.

Rita started her drum corps career at Spirit of Atlanta, where she served for 3 years as a member of the medical staff in 2018-2021. She then transitioned to Blue Stars, where she served as the Head Athletic Trainer in 2022 and 2023. Rita has assisted in creating medical policies and procedures, providing exceptional care to corps members and staff, and education on health and wellness for members and staff.

While creating her own minor during her undergraduate degree, Rita wrote multiple research papers on biomechanics of dance and COVID-19 policies for marching bands. In graduate school, she wrote her master’s thesis on the impacts of body composition on injury in dancers.

During graduate school, Rita worked in an athletic training clinic, serving the university’s conservatory of theater and dance. She is currently employed as a Clinical Athletic Trainer at TRIA Orthopedics in Minnesota. Additionally, she is a member of TRIA’s Performing Arts Medicine Team, which provides on-site medical services for many performing arts organizations within Minnesota, including Circus Juventas.

Adam Vernon-Young

Brass Ensemble Technician

Adam Vernon-Young is the Director of Bands Laing Middle School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Prior to becoming the head director at Laing in 2022, he served as an Assistant Director at both Laing and Cario Middle School since the 2019 school year. Adam received his Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of South Carolina, where he also previously received his Bachelors in Music Theory, as well as an Undergraduate Performance Certificate in Bass Trombone.

Under his leadership, the program at Laing has seen consistent growth over the past four years. Students from Laing regularly place highly in Region and All-State honor clinics, and earn Superior ratings at State Concert Performance Assessment and Solo and Ensemble. The Bands of Laing have performed most recently at the Charleston Music Festival, Carowinds Festival of Music, and the SCBDA Junior State Concert Festival. This year the Laing Symphonic Band has been invited to perform as a featured ensemble at the South Carolina Music Educators Conference in Columbia, SC.

During his time at Carolina, Adam accumulated numerous performance and teaching credits, including playing with the USC Wind Ensemble, conducting one of the University Bands, and serving as a Graduate Assistant for two seasons with the University’s Marching Band. Other performance credits include being a finalist at the American Trombone Workshop National Solo Competition, and two years marching baritone with Carolina Crown.

Adam is a regular instructor, consultant, adjudicator and guest conductor with various groups across the Southeast, working with high school marching and concert programs, as well as University ensembles. In addition to his duties at Laing Middle School, he serves on the staff of the Bands of Wando High School, assisting with their fall marching season. His professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, and both alumni and honorary membership in the Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity. He resides in Charleston, SC with his wife Natalie, and their cat Leopold.

Adam has been with the Blue Stars brass staff since the 2018 season, and is looking forward to continuing to work with the other fine educators and performers that make up the organization.

Anthony Cruddas

Brass Ensemble Technician

Anthony Cruddas currently serves as a brass ensemble instructor for the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps  from LaCrosse, WI. Previously, Anthony has been on the music education teams of the Boston Crusaders (Boston, MA), Crossmen (San Antonio, TX), Blue Knights (Denver, CO), Troopers (Casper, WY), Revolution (San Antonio, TX), Genesis (Austin, TX), and Trinity (Seguin, TX).

Anthony resides in Dallas/Ft. Worth where he works in management and business operations, and maintains an active schedule as an ensemble clinician and adjudicator for music programs in all classifications throughout the United States.

Christopher Agwu

Brass Team

Christopher Agwu is music educator, conductor, and clinician from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex currently pursuing his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory and working as Interim Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas. Christopher recently served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for his teacher and mentor Steven D. Davis. Prior to attending UMKC, he received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of North Texas where he studied trumpet with John Holt and Keith Johnson and his Master of Musical Arts at Texas Tech University where he studied conducting with his teacher and mentor Dr. Sarah McKoin. 

Between receiving his Bachelor’s degree and his Master’s degree, Christopher taught in the North-Texas area at Plano Independent School District and Lewisville Independent School District. Christopher has stayed active in the marching and pageantry arts since marching with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003 and the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 2006 and 2007. The ensembles he has worked with or led have been finalists and/or champions in WGI, BOA, and DCI regional and national competitions. 

Christopher strongly believes in the power that music has in creating community among people from all walks of life. Through this belief, he strives to use his love for creating music with others as a way of positively developing himself, developing the ones he creates music with, and developing the ones who get to experience music as audience members. 

Dr. Joseph Gray

Brass Team

Dr. Joseph Gray is the Associate Director of Bands and trumpet instructor at the University of North Alabama. Starting in Fall 2025, Dr. Gray will become the trumpet professor at Mississippi State University. Before coming to UNA, he served on the music faculty at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and as a noncommissioned officer and senior instrumentalist with the U.S. Army Music Program. During his military service, Dr. Gray was a member of the Army Material Command Band at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, and the Maneuver Center of Excellence Band at Fort Moore, Georgia.

Dr. Gray is principal trumpet with the Shoals Symphony Orchestra and performs regularly with the Alabama, Huntsville, and Chattanooga Symphony Orchestras. He has performed with numerous orchestras across the country, including the New Mexico and Madison Symphony Orchestras, and held the position of Principal Trumpet with Opera Southwest in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Some of Dr. Gray’s recordings can be heard on the Beauport Press and Naxos labels and his performances have been featured on the nationally syndicated radio program “Performance Today”.

He has been involved in the drum corps activity for 30 years. As a performer, he was a member of the Velvet Knights and Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. As an educator, he has served as the brass caption head of Esperanza Drum and Bugle Corps and as an educational staff member for the Academy and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.

Dr. Gray completed his DMA in trumpet performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music where he was a recipient of the Eugene M. Bolz Fellowship. Dr. Gray completed his Master of Music at the University of New Mexico and his Bachelor of Music at the California State University, Long Beach.  

He currently resides in Florence, Alabama with his beautiful wife, Michelle, and their three children, Mia, Emmet, and Abigail. Dr. Gray is a vintage motorcycle enthusiast and avid home coffee roaster.

Alex Askew

Brass Team

Alex currently serves on the brass staff as a brass technician. He was born and raised in Greensboro and attending Ragsdale High School. Afterwards, he attended UNC Greensboro and received his undergraduate degree in music education in 2016. He taught at Cuthbertson High School from 2016-2018, East Forsyth High School from 2018-2024, and currently works in Needville ISD as a band director. He currently lives in Beasley, TX with his wonderful wife, Emily AsKew.

Alex has performed in many different kinds of groups- collegiate orchestras and bands, brass quintets, chamber ensembles, brass bands, and marching bands. He performed with the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle corps from 2010 to 2013, and won back to back DCI Championships with the Concord Blue Devils in 2014 and 2015. He also worked at High Point University with the marching band, conducted the Triad Area Medical Orchestra, conducted the Wachovia Winds Youth Wind Ensemble, and conducted the Winston Salem Community Band. Alex is also a regular brass and visual clinician, judge, and honor band clinician around the United States.

Caleb Brigham

Brass Team

Caleb Brigham is currently the Assistant Director of Bands at Roy J. Smith Middle School in Killeen, Texas. He teaches the Symphonic Band, beginning brass classes, and the jazz band.  Before he was at Roy J. Smith Middle School, he was the assistant director at Kitty Hawk Middle School in San Antonio, Texas, where he taught for 2 years.

Caleb graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelors in Music Education. Caleb started and aged out his DCI marching years with the Boston Crusaders from 2016 to 2019. He taught Visual with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 2021-2022.

Caleb is excited to return to the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps for his 4th year on the brass staff. 

Jacob Carpenter

Brass Team

Jacob Carpenter is a native of the Cincinnati, OH area. Carpenter graduated from the University of Kentucky with his degree in Music Education. While in Lexington, he spent several years as marching band instructor for several Central Kentucky bands. After his time in Lexington, he moved back to the Cincinnati area and spent 3 years as a band director with the Milford Exempted Village School District. While in Cincinnati he played horn in the Fillmore Wind Band (a performing ensemble at the 2017 Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, IL).

After his time in Cincinnati, he returned to graduate school full time to pursue his Master’s Degree in Music Education at Bowling Green State University. During his time there he served as one of the graduate assistants with the band program. He now lives in Kingsport, TN and is the Assistant Band Director at Dobyns-Bennett High School. 

In addition to his scholastic achievements, Carpenter began his drum corps career with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps from LaCrosse, WI in 2010 as a member of the mellophone section. He continued as section leader and aged-out as Drum Major in 2014. He joined the corps as a brass and visual instructor for the 2015 season and has remained on staff since.

Jordan English

Brass Team

Jordan is in his 7th year teaching public school high School band. He is the Director of Bands at Amon-Carter Riverside High School in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jordan is a graduate of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX where he received his Bachelor's degree in Music Education. While at WTAMU Jordan performed with the WT Symphonic band at the TMEA State Convention in 2016 and the CBDNA National convention in 2017.

As a performer, Jordan was a member of the Blue Knights in 2014 and The Cadets in 2016. In the summer of 2022, the Carter Riverside Band Placed 7th at the TMEA State Honor Band Contest for class 4A under the Direction of Jordan English.

Jordan looks forward to his third season working with the Blue Stars Brass!

Cora Gilreath

Brass Team

Cora Gilreath (she/her) is a freelance music educator and marching arts designer based in Fort Collins, Colorado. She spends part of her time teaching private tuba & euphonium lessons at Loveland and Fossil Ridge High Schools, as well as serving as the Visual Caption Head of the Loveland High School Crimson Regiment, a perennial Colorado State Champion and BOA Regional Medalist. Cora also coordinates shows, writes drill, and choreographs for multiple bands in the Colorado Marching circuit.

During the winter season, Cora serves in the Visual Caption Head and Lead Educator roles at the Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble. In addition to her teaching experience with the aforementioned groups, her performance experience as a member of the Phantom Regiment (2013-16) and Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps (2017) keeps her in high demand as an educator of the marching arts.

Cora holds degrees from Iowa State University (B.M. Tuba) and the University of Texas at Austin (M.M. Tuba). Her primary teachers are Christian Carichner, Charles Villarrubia, Steve Vaughn and Benjamin Vasko.

Ian Hoffman

Brass Team

Starting his musical journey singing with the Dreaming Summit Honor Choir in the 4th grade and the Arizona State Choir the very next year, Ian has a deep seeded connection and passion for music and the arts.

He has been a trumpet player through and through from his first day of middle school band. Fast forward to the present, he now has over a decade’s worth of trumpet playing experience and going on six seasons instructing winds at AzMBA Grand Champion and two time division 4A high music award winning Millennium High School, as well as the Millennium and Sandra Day O’Connor Jazz Bands, he has a plethora of knowledge and experience in the areas of jazz, marching brass, and trumpet pedagogy respectively.

As a performer, Ian spent two summers with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps as a multiple year soloist and section leader in 2022. He has had the opportunity to share the stage with world renowned trumpet players such as Wayne Bergeron, Jens Lindemann, Michael Martin and José Sabaja and carries this experience into his teaching endeavors.

Ian maintains a private trumpet studio in Phoenix and continues to teach brass sections across the state. He is the director of consecutive WGAZ Champion, Foreword Winds, the premier independent winds group in Arizona as well as serving as WGAZ Winds Advisor. He is starting his first year as assistant director at Millennium High School and plans to help take the program to new heights.

He is looking forward to getting after it with the Blue Stars Brass!

Calvin Householder

Brass Team

Calvin Householder is an Assistant Band Director at Lockhart Junior High School. He teaches the Concert Band, as well as the beginning trombone, tuba, and trumpet classes. He is also a visual instructor at Lockhart High School.

Calvin graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelors in Music Education. During his undergraduate studies, Calvin served as baritone section leader, and drum major for the Cowboy Marching Band. He performed in the OSU Wind Ensemble as the principal euphonium, and was the President of the Delta Tau Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Calvin marched with the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps as a member of the baritone section from 2018 to 2019, and as a Drum Major from 2020 to 2021. During his last year with Boston, he received the Michael J. Woodall Leadership Award. In 2022, he was a brass instructor with the Boston Crusaders. 

This will be Calvin's first year teaching with the Blue Stars, and he is so excited to join the drum corps for its 60th anniversary season.

Jared Kaufman

Brass Team

Jared is a native of Atlanta, GA and is currently serving as the Associate Director of Bands at Alpharetta High School in Alpharetta, Ga. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Brenau University as well as a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of Florida. 

He has been involved in the drum corps activity since 2002, starting as a performer with Court of Honor Drum & Bugle Corps, Alliance Drum & Bugle Corps, and The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. Jared has since been an active eductor in the activity serving on staff with Music City Drum & Bugle Corps, Alliance Drum & Bugle Corps, and Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps where he served as the Assistant Visual Caption Head, Brass Caption Head, and ensemble coordinator among a number of roles with the organization over 5 years before joining the brass faculty at the Blue Stars.

Mr. Kaufman holds membership in the Mu Phi Epsilon Music Honors Fraternity, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, and the National Association for Music Education.  

Dr. Jason Rinehart

Brass Team

Dr. Jason Rinehart is currently a Customer Service Supervisor for American Airlines in Pensacola, FL.  Previously he has served as the Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Alabama and the University of Louisiana-Monroe.  Prior to his appointment at USA, Dr. Rinehart taught at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music, Benedictine College, and St. Louis Community College.  

Jason received his Doctorate in Conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He also holds degrees from Texas Tech University (Bachelor of Music Education) and Southern Methodist University (Master in Conducting). In addition, Dr. Rinehart studied conducting with David Effron and Gunther Schuller at the Brevard Music Center.

Professional ensembles under his leadership include the Fountain City and St. Louis Brass Bands, Monroe (LA) Symphony Orchestra, Atchison (KS) Symphony, and the Kansas City Ballet, in addition to numerous collegiate wind ensembles and orchestras, as well as conducting over forty-five main stage opera and musical productions.  An avid lover of the stage, Jason has conducted over 40 operas and musicals and he has also been the stage director for such musicals as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Les Misérables.  

Dr. Rinehart is in demand as a clinician and has worked with ensembles in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, California, Ohio and Illinois. Jason is in his thirteenth year as third horn with the Monroe (LA) Symphony Orchestra and has played with numerous orchestras in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri.  

Dr. Rinehart has been involved with the drum and bugle corps activity for over 25 years beginning as a marching member with the Sky Ryders and Phantom Regiment and has previously taught with Pioneer, Capital Regiment, and The Cadets.  He was Assistant Brass Caption Head for the Boston Crusaders, and was the Brass Caption Head for the Glassmen and Spirit of Atlanta.  He has also served as an adjudicator for Drum Corps International .

He holds memberships in the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Alabama Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. 

Stefan Roose

Brass Team

Stefan Roose, a dedicated musician and educator, hails from Indianapolis, IN. Currently, Stefan holds multiple prestigious roles, including Director of Bands at Lawrence North High School, Director of the Marching Pride of Lawrence Township, Principal Tuba Player for the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest, and Director of Elevate World Winds.

Beyond his professional commitments, Stefan finds joy in running with his dog Niko (a husky), as he diligently trains for his second half-marathon. He also has a penchant for savoring a good cup of coffee and crafting delicious trail mix blends.

Stefan's musical journey has been enriched by his experience in the Drum Corps International (DCI) community. He proudly marched with The Cadets and Music City Drum Corps, and later shared his expertise as an instructor at the Madison Scouts and Music City Drum Corps. As a classically trained musician, he also substitutes on tuba for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra Kentucky out of Bowling Green. With a decade of experience in teaching marching bands, Stefan continues to inspire and shape the next generation of musicians.

In his personal life, Stefan is happily married to Stacy and cherishes the adventures of parenthood with his energetic 3-year-old son, Jasper.

Austin Cilone

Brass Team

Austin Cilone moved to Arizona in 2006 where he attended Mountain Pointe High School and went on to receive both his Undergraduate Degree in Music Education and Masters Degree in Instrumental Conducting from Northern Arizona University.

Throughout his time at NAU, Austin maintained principal positions in the schools top ensembles, held consistent placements in the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and also won the Northern Arizona Concerto Competition in 2018. During his masters degree, Austin was granted the opportunity to serve as the interim director of athletic bands for the University.

A true lover of everything education and marching band, Austin Cilone has committed time to Arizona’s premiere DCI group (where he marched), The Academy, as a brass technician from 2015-2020, the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in 2022, and the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2023. Austin is now proud to return for another season with the Blue stars as a brass technician for corps.

Previously, Austin Cilone worked in Mesa teaching at Franklin at Alma Elementary, Johnson Elementary, Pomeroy Elementary, and the Assistant Band Director at Dobson High School alongside Band Director Jennifer Howard. Now the band director of Sandra Day O’Connor High School since 2020, Mr. Cilone has maintained the high expectation of the O'Connor Band Program by focusing on building great humans and musicians. The Concert program has received Superior with Distinction at festivals and the Marching Band continues to receive top placements in the competitive Arizona circuits and a finalist at Bands of America Arizona Regional competiton. Austin Cilone is also a current performing member of the Tempe Wind Ensemble, Salt River Brass, principal horn for the Arizona Wind Symphony, and has performs with many chamber and small ensemble groups including the Phoenix Brass Collective.