Marching band Staff

Mr. Austin Tripp currently holds the position of Director of Bands at Grand Blanc High School, a role he assumed in June 2023. He possesses a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Michigan Flint, where he completed his student teaching under the guidance of Mr. Scott Pries in Imlay City.

Before joining the staff at Grand Blanc, Mr. Tripp was the Choir and Band Director, and Fine Arts Department Chair at Powers Catholic High School from January 2021 to June 2023. During his tenure at Powers, he consistently emphasized student growth and fostered enriching experiences within the Powers Catholic High School Band and Choir Programs. In this capacity, he effectively led various ensembles, including the Chargers Marching Band, Pep Band, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Orchestra Pit.

Having once been a student of Grand Blanc High School himself, Mr. Tripp has previously served as a Visual Staff Member for the Grand Blanc High School Marching Band from 2016 to 2019, prior to assuming a role as Visual Caption Head at Fenton High School in 2022.

Beyond his professional commitments, Mr. Tripp enjoys engaging in activities such as basketball, music arranging/composing, and collaborative performances with his peers and colleagues.

Bio Coming Soon... 

Garrett Sitko is a Grand Blanc, Michigan-based visual designer and choreographer. Graduating from the University of Michigan-Flint in Winter 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science (Physical Therapy concentration), Garrett has been deeply involved in Michigan's competitive marching arts since 2017. He currently coordinates and designs for Grand Blanc High School's Marching Band, Indoor Percussion, and Winter Guard, and also contributes to the visual team at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park. His instructional and choreographic experience extends to various Michigan band programs, including Troy Athens HS, Linden HS, and Walled Lake Central HS. 

Nationally, Garrett serves as a visual instructor with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (since 2022) during the summer and continues visual design and instruction for indoor percussion and wind groups in the winter. He also instructs cymbals for Grand Blanc High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble (since 2018) and is a visual instructor for Cap City Percussion in Ohio (since 2023). 

Garrett's performance background includes marching baritone with Legends Drum and Bugle Corps (2016-2018) and the Boston Crusaders (2019), as well as cymbals with Genesis Indoor Percussion (2018) and Cap City Percussion (2020-2022). 

Hello! My name is Amanda and I am the Woodwind Caption Head. I graduated from Grand Blanc in 2023 and am currently attending Eastern Michigan University for Music Education as a flute primary!

Mr. Darren Maschino is an alumnus of the Grand Blanc High School Instrumental Music Department and graduated from GBHS in 2015. After High School, Mr. Maschino spent two seasons (2017 and 2018) performing with Legends Drum and Bugle Corps, where he was the baritone soloist for the corps. Also, during his time with Legends, he earned the “Brass - Rookie of the Year award.”

Mr. Maschino received his education from Mott Community College, where he was honored to be one of three students selected for the Music Fellowship program. At Mott Community College, he received the “Outstanding Sophomore Student of the Year” Award. Mr. Maschino is continuing his education at The University of Michigan - Flint, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in

Music Education. Along with the University performing ensembles, he is also a member of the Genesee Wind Symphony, one of the premier wind bands in the state. Mr. Maschino has been teaching music since 2017, spending numerous seasons with Grand Blanc High School. He is also the marching band director at Powers Catholic High School in Flint, MI, and continues to teach across Michigan. In addition to this, he participates in instrumental music clinics and teaches private low-brass lessons.

In his free time, Mr. Maschino enjoys a quality cup of coffee and reading novels alongside his wife and cats, Willow and Cascara.