Staff
Chris Burkhart, Director of Bands
Chris Burkhart (B.M. Temple University '10; M.M. Boston University '17) has been the director of bands at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE since 2013. Chris conducts the Cape wind bands, jazz ensembles, athletic bands and percussion ensemble. He also teaches music technology and music theory. In Chris’s time at Cape the instrumental program has added a second wind band, a second jazz band and a percussion ensemble along with a chamber music program and AP Music Theory course. Cape music ensembles regularly perform at concerts and festivals throughout Delaware and the wider Mid-Atlantic region. Cape Jazz I was selected to perform for the NAfME Eastern Division Conference in Rochester, New York in 2023.
Chris has been a member of the faculty at New England Music Camp since 2016 where he leads the Jazz Band and teaches in the jazz studies program. He previously held the position of Concert Band conductor at the camp. In addition to teaching, Chris performs as a freelance trumpet player in the Mid-Atlantic region. His prior positions include serving in the 78th Army Band where he was the musical director of the jazz band and played in the unit brass quintet and as a director on the American Music Abroad Bronze Tour. Chris has studied jazz and classical trumpet performance with Sean Jones, Roger Sherman, John Thyhsen and Rodney Marsalis. He has previously held teaching positions at elementary and middle schools in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Chris lives in Milton, DE with his wife, Jenna, and their dog Acadia. Chris and Jenna grew up in Springfield, PA (Delaware County) and graduated from Springfield High School. In addition to musical pursuits, Chris enjoys cooking, disc golfing, powerlifting and is an avid Philadelphia sports fan.
Elly Rolfes, Assistant Director of Bands
Elly Rolfes is the new Assistant Director of Bands here at Cape High School. She is a recent graduate of the University of Delaware, receiving a Bachelor’s of Music in Instrumental Music Education and a minor in Psychology. In her time in school, she was an active percussionist in the University of Delaware’s Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, World Percussion Ensemble and Advanced Steel Band. She will lead the Percussion Ensemble along with teaching beside Chris Burkhart in the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, Music Technology, and assist in teaching the piano course.
Brian Mahoney, Assistant Marching Band Director
Brian Mahoney (B.M. Salisbury University, M.M. Southern Utah University) has been the band director at Mariner Middle School in Milton, DE for 9 years, where he conducts 3 different grade level ensembles. Since Brian began at Mariner, the instrumental program has added a jazz band and pep band that performs regularly at various academic and community events. Mr. Mahoney is the Assistant Marching Band Director at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, DE and drill writer for the Pride of the Cape Marching Band. Before that, he was the music teacher and choir director at Milton Elementary School, where he started The Little Vikings a cappella choir ensemble. He has been performing regularly with the band The Stims for the last 15 years up and down the East Coast.
Kelci Atkins, Dance Team Instructor
coming soon
Marley Enright, Uniform Manager
Marley Enright is the Uniform Manager for the marching band at Cape Henlopen High School, her alma mater. She is currently pursuing a degree in History Education at the University of Delaware. At the University of Delaware she plays clarinet in the Fightin’ Blue Hens Marching Band where she also serves as the bands Uniform Manager. She is very excited for this season and can’t wait to see the show out on the field!
Nicholas Greeson, Marching Band Staff
Nicholas Greeson (BMus '04 West Chester U. of PA; MMus '13 American Band College at Sam Houston State U.) is currently the Elementary Band Director for the Cape Henlopen School District. He has been engaged in the marching arts as a performer, adjudicator, and instructor for over 20 years. As a performer, he was a mellophone soloist with the WCU Golden Ram Marching Band and was a member of the Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2002 and 2005. He has instructed and directed marching bands at competitive and non-competitive levels in Northern and Central New Jersey, the Philadelphia suburbs, and here in Sussex County. Mr. Greeson began his career as a marching band adjudicator in 2011 with Tournament of Bands and currently serves as the Ensemble Music Caption Supervisor for NJA/TOB and is also an active adjudicator for Drum Corps Associates. Remaining active as a performer, Nicholas is a member of Delaware Winds, Rehoboth Concert Band, and currently serves in the rank of Master Sergeant in the 78th Army Band - US Army Reserve. He has presented sessions at the Delaware and New Jersey Music Education Conferences and at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic.
Kait Kresse, Drumline Instructor
Kait Kresse (B.M. ’17 Temple University, M.Ed ’21 University of Delaware) currently teaches chorus and general music at Mariner Middle School. Ms. Kresse played percussion in high school and marched bass drum in Temple University’s Diamond Marching Band. She has been Cape Marching Band’s percussion instructor since 2017 and has also directed the pit orchestras for Cape Henlopen’s theatre department for Mamma Mia, Grease, and Matilda. Prior to teaching at Mariner, Ms. Kresse was the elementary general music teacher at Love Creek and then Milton Elementary schools.
Ms. Kresse lives in Milford with her fiancé Drew, her dog Pepper, and her one-eyed cat, Madeye Moody. When she’s not teaching chorus, marching band, or private lessons, she might be reading, walking Pepper, camping, or sleeping, but probably sleeping.
Maysi Salt, Drum Major Coach
Maysi Salt (B.M. University of Delaware ‘22) has been the Elementary General Music teacher at Lewes Elementary School for the past year. Maysi is entering her second year at LES. Maysi is currently responsible for grades kindergarten through 5th grade, and she conducts the 5th grade chorus at Lewes. Maysi cannot wait to grow the program at Lewes Elementary in the years to come! Maysi is also the Drum Major Coach for the Pride of Cape Marching Band for the Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, Delaware. Prior to joining the staff at Cape, Maysi served as Drum Major for the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hen Marching Band, under the direction of Heidi Sarver. Maysi started her marching career at UD playing sousaphone in the UDMB’s “Blue Thunder.”
Maysi currently lives in Milford, Delaware with her fiance Jacob and their dog Banjo. Maysi is originally from Toms River, NJ. Outside of all things music, Maysi enjoys crocheting, taking trips to the beach, and working at Surf Bagel!
Jacob Tims, Band Staff
Jacob Tims has been involved in various marching band organizations for the past 11 years. An alumni of Newark High School (‘16) and the University of Delaware (‘20), Mr. Tims started his marching journey as a freshman trumpet player with the Newark Yellowjacket Marching Band. He credits his enthusiasm for band to the outstanding leadership that inspired and encouraged him since the first day of band camp. Outside of marching band, Mr. Tims has played in various ensembles such as the Delaware All-State Band and the Newark Community Band. As a senior in high school, Mr. Tims led his band as co-drum major. Mr. Tims went on to march at the University of Delaware where he shared his passion for band with his trumpet section as Rank Leader.
Mr. Tims graduated from the University of Delaware with a double Bachelors of Science in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, and a minor in Advertising. By day, he works from home as a Digital Marketer for a small consulting firm. Mr. Tims is engaged to Maysi Salt, who introduced him to the Cape Henlopen community in 2022 when they moved downstate. Since then, he has helped in whatever capacity is necessary to create a positive learning environment for the Cape band students.
Beth Wharton, Color Guard Instructor
Beth Wharton is a School Psychologist with the Woodbridge School District, working at the Early Childhood Education Center. She assists with the Cape Henlopen marching arts program as the color guard instructor. She has connections to Cape High School through her husband, Travis Wharton (math teacher).
Mrs. Wharton grew up in New Castle County and attended Thomas McKean High School. She participated in the marching band and was a color guard member all four years. She served as captain her senior year. Mrs. Wharton then went on to attend the University of Delaware, where she also participated in the marching band program. Mrs. Wharton was a proud member of UDCG for four seasons. In addition to her participation with the Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band, Mrs. Wharton also competed for three seasons with Delazure- UD's indoor color guard program. Throughout this time, she assisted on and off with the McKean High School color guard.
Mrs. Wharton graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She then attended Millersville University for graduate school, where she graduated with a Masters in School Psychology. Mrs. Wharton is happily married with a two-year old daughter, Rachel. She hopes that Rachel will one day take an interest in the activity that brought her parents together- whether that's spinning a flag or playing an instrument!
Travis Wharton, Marching Band Staff
Travis Wharton is a math teacher at Cape Henlopen High School and assists with its marching arts program in a jack-of-all-trades role. Mr. Wharton grew up in Sussex County and was a trombonist in Sussex Tech's marching band. He continued this role in college with the Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band at the University of Delaware. Mr. Wharton graduated from UD with a degree in secondary mathematics education and became a high school math teacher upstate at McKean High School where he remained for four years. He then traveled south to Polytech High School for two years and finally to Cape where he is beginning his sixth year as a Viking. Every year as an educator, Mr. Wharton has been involved in his school's marching band program, and this year, he celebrates his twenty-first consecutive year in marching band as either a performer or a staff member.
Mr. Wharton is married to Beth Wharton, Cape's color guard instructor. They met while both working with the McKean marching band ten years ago and just celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary. Together, they have a daughter, Rachel, who is two-and-a-half years old; she is Mr. Wharton's mini-me and his favorite part about being alive.