2024 Adjudicators 

Parade Judges: 

Dr. Curran Prendergast, Truman State University
Dr. Curran Prendergast Curran Prendergast is the Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at Truman State University where he guides all aspects of the band and graduate instrumental conducting programs. He conducts Wind Symphony I and II, directs the Statesmen Marching Band, and teaches undergraduate and graduate music education and conducting courses. 

Scott Kuhlman, retired, Lee's Summit North High School
Scott Kuhlman recently retired as the Director of Bands at Lee’s Summit North High School, where he taught for the final 13 years of his 27 year teaching career. Prior to teaching in Lee’s Summit, Scott taught in the Blue Springs, Belton, and Springfield (MO) School Districts. Mr. Kuhlman’s bands consistently received exemplary ratings at the district and state level. In 2011, the Lee’s Summit North Symphonic Band performed at the Missouri Music Educators Association Convention. Mr. Kuhlman was a 2014 recipient of the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Teaching Award. Scott is active as a clinician and adjudicator in the state of Missouri, and served as the Band Vice President of the Missouri Music Educators Association from 2014-2016. Scott has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Methodist University in 1995 and a Master of Music Education from the University of Central Missouri in 2005. His professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, Missouri Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, and the Missouri State Teachers Association. Scott is a 1987 graduate of Hannibal High School, where he was a student of M. Craig Buck and Wm. Terry Boone. In retirement, Scott teaches private saxophone lessons, and is active on the adjudication circuit in the state of Missouri. He lives in Lee’s Summit with his wife, Jeanne. They are the proud parents of two sons, Christian and Nathan. 

Kallie Baker
Kallie Baker got her start in color guard in 1988, as a rifle line member of Trenton’s Golden Bulldog Marching Band! She continued her performance career at Missouri Western as a Griffette guard and dance team member, where she started doing some choreography for the team. She started her coaching career in Trenton and had the opportunity to write award-winning choreography for Trenton, Princeton, Lathrop and St. Joseph Central. Her family settled in Macon, MO, where she coached the award-winning Tiger color guard for 18 years, while continuing to write shows for schools across the area.

Field Judges:

Dr. Curran Prendergast, Truman State University (see above)

Dr. Mark Bonner, University of Central Missouri
Dr. Mark Bonner - Lauded as an energetic and musical conductor, Dr. Mark Bonner, Jr. is an accomplished musician from Memphis, TN. Serving as an assistant professor at the University of Central Missouri and Corps Director/Brass Caption Head for DCI during the summer, Dr. Bonner is in high demand as a musician, conductor, and has arranged for some of the most recognizable ensembles in the country including the World Youth Wind Symphony, UMKC Conservatory, Blue Springs Golden Regiment, the Penn State Band of Blue, and Louisiana State University. Dr. Bonner's music is performed worldwide, has been featured internationally on ESPN, showcased by the prominent cast members of "The Office,” and was recently part of a collection of works nominated for a Grammy Award in Music. 

During the year, Dr. Bonner teaches courses in graduate conducting, music literature, high school music education, instrumentation, and aural theory at the University of Central Missouri. Mark also makes music with the student musicians in the Symphonic Band and the music ensembles relating to the athletics program, including the Marching Mules and UCM Basketball Pep Band. Dr. Bonner has arranged 45 works for the ensemble at UCM, including the UCM Wind Ensemble and Orchestra. While at UCM, Mark has kindly been asked to guest concert on concert with the Warrensburg Community Band, UCM Orchestra, UCM Jazz Band, and UCM Wind Ensemble. 

Inspired by Steven D. Davis, his mentor during his Doctorate at UMKC Conservatory, Mark regularly spends his summers inspired by the students at the Interlochen Arts Camp (IAC). Mark has worked as an ensemble manager for the World Youth Wind Symphony and has conducted concerts with the IAC Intermediate Band (Middle School) and the IAC Junior Band (ages 9-11). At UMKC Conservatory, Mark had the opportunity to arrange multiple pieces for Wind Ensemble and Chamber Ensemble. As a guest conductor for the Conservatory Wind Symphony and Conservatory Wind Ensemble and principal conductor of the UMKC Saxophone Ensemble, Mark worked with some of the finest musicians in the country. 

Mark holds a Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting from Louisiana State University, where he studied conducting with Damon Talley and Dennis Llinas and euphonium with Joseph Skillen. As a member of the LSU Band Staff, Mark performed in the LSU Wind Ensemble during their 2019 CBDNA tour. Mark also had the responsibility of guest conducting on concerts presented by the LSU, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, and Symphonic Band. LSU's elite athletic band programs allowed Mark to arrange for and work with the Bengal Brass Pep Band and the Sudler-winning Golden Band from Tigerland. Mark also regularly performed with the LSU Brass Band, Tuba- Euphonium Ensemble, and the Four-Guys Tuba Quartet. 

Before attending LSU, Mark was the Director of Bands at Cordova High School and Cordova Middle School in Cordova, TN. He grew the band from 40 members to 220 and guided the program in receiving superior ratings at all concerts, marching, and jazz festivals. Mark served as a clinician, music arranger, and musician in the Memphis area as a member of Big Band Swing, Mt. Moriah East Gospel Choir, and the Memphis Wind Symphony on trumpet, trombone, and euphonium, respectively. 

Mark earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education at the University of Memphis, where he studied euphonium under Dr. Kevin Sanders and music education under Dr. Albert Nguyen and Dr. Armand Hall. While attending the University of Memphis, Mark was a drum major, trombone section leader, euphonium section leader, and student arranger for the Mighty Sound of the South Marching Band. Mark served as Vice President and a Founding Member of the Theta Lambda Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, as well as Fraternal Education Officer of the Theta Rho Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mark was a member of the Bottomline Tuba Ensemble as a euphonium soloist and music arranger on multiple CDs released on Spotify and iTunes. Mark was also a member of the “iTuba” Quartet, which competed as finalists for the International ITEA Chamber Ensemble Competition in 2012 and 2013. Mark holds membership in the National Association for Music Education, Tennessee Music Education Association, West TN School Band and Orchestra Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Tau Beta Nu. 

Scott Kuhlman, retired, Lee's Summit North High School (See above)

Kallie Baker (See above)

Indoor Judges:

Indoor Drumline - Shelby Shelton, Northwest Missouri State University
A native of Central Texas, Shelby Shelton is an active performer, composer, and educator living in Maryville, Missouri. She is currently serving as the director of percussion at Northwest Missouri State University and the front ensemble coordinator at Carolina Crown drum and Bugle Corps.  Shelby is also pursuing a DMA in percussion performance at James Madison University studying with Casey Cangelosi. 

Shelby received a Masters of Music degree in percussion performance and a post-baccalaureate degree in music education from Middle Tennessee State University. She attended Lindenwood University in St.Charles, Missouri for her undergraduate studies where she double majored in percussion performance and English literature. 

Shelby is passionate about all things marching arts and has worked with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps’ percussion section for the past five seasons. She has instructed many other groups including the Sacramento Mandarins, Madison Scouts, George Mason Indoor percussion, Music City Drum Corps, James Madison Marching Royal Dukes, Father Ryan High School, and Veritas indoor percussion. Shelby has performed three seasons as a member of the Tennessee Titans Blue Crew drumline.

Shelby Shelton is a member of the PAS marching committee and the PAS diversity alliance. Shelby proudly endorses Innovative Percussion, Pearl/Adams, and Zildjian cymbals.

Indoor Auxiliary - Bailey Ross, Warrensburg, MO

Bailey Ross is from Blue Springs, Missouri. She spun with the University of Central Missouri (UCM) from 2013-2015, during which the team advanced to WGI World Semis and took first place at WGI Regionals. Bailey began her coaching career in the fall of 2015 at Lone Jack High School. In the winter of 2015, she also became a weapon tech for her alma mater, Blue Springs South, while taking on the head coach role for Warrensburg High School Varsity and JV. Under her leadership, Warrensburg placed 3rd at the Kansas City Regional, won at state, and was promoted to a higher class. In addition to her ongoing role as Warrensburg’s head coach, Bailey served as the assistant coach for UCM from 2023-2024 and now proudly holds the position of head coach.