Judges

Music Performance: Robin Christian

Music Performance: Vincent Sneed

Vincent Sneed has been a music educator in Georgia for the past 21 years. He has served as the band director for Denmark High School in Forsyth County, Heritage High School in Rockdale County, Hardaway High School in Muscogee County, and Albany High School in Dougherty County. His groups have earned consistent superior ratings in concert and marching bands. His marching bands have earned grand champion, as well as numerous best in class and division awards. Sneed's bands have performed across the country including in Los Angeles and Orlando. He is currently teaching music theory and piano at the Central Gwinnett High School of the Arts. He was selected as the Teacher of the Year for the Muscogee County School District in 2012 and STAR Teacher in 2013. Sneed is also an active adjudicator having judged concert, marching, and jazz evaluations across Georgia. He was a featured TEDx speaker at Northwestern University in 2024. Sneed speaks internationally and has spoken or been invited to speak in Germany, France, Cyprus, Hawaii, Washington DC, Ohio, Illinois, Arizona, Virginia, Pennsylvania, as well as other US states. He received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, his Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of Florida, and his Educational Specialist in Teacher Leadership and School Improvement from the University of Florida.

Visual Performance: TBD

Music Effect: Dr. Kent Morrow

Dr. Kent Morrow has more than 30 years of teaching experience, having served as a band director, choral director, and percussion instructor and arranger. He is an adjudicator for Bands of America, Drum Corps Associates, and the Central States Judges Association, where he serves as Education Director, Percussion Caption Head, and as a member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Morrow is active in the indoor genre judging for numerous regional circuits throughout the country. He attended the 2014 WGI Percussion Judges Academy and has completed Levels One and Two Certification for the Marching Roundtable Judges Academy. Dr. Morrow is a band director in the Atlanta metro area and previously served as the Fine Arts Coordinator for Henry County Schools in South-metro Atlanta. He holds an Ed.D. from the University of Phoenix and an M.M. in Music Education and a B.M.E. (Percussion) from Troy University.

Visual Effect: Patrick Nolen Kava

Patrick began his color guard career in 2011 as a performer in UAB Marching Blazers Color Guard and Amor Winter Guard.

Since, he has gained over 10 years of experience directing, teaching, and performing in the color guard and marching band community. Previously, he founded and directed Divenire Winter Guard – two-time WGI Finalist – and was Co-Director of Thompson High School Winter Guard – 2021 WGI Virtual Finalist and 2022 SA Finalist. He has played a crucial role in Winter Guard International and local circuits, working with programs across the southeast. Patrick has performed with Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps for 5 years (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) – winning two high color guard awards. Additionally, Patrick served as Program Coordinator for DCI Open Class Bronze Medalist, Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps.

Currently, Patrick is the co-director of Pope High School, the 2025 WGI Scholastic A World Champion. He continues to design and stage programs across the South while serving on the Advisory Board for the SAPA Circuit and as a Color Guard Designer for Atlanta CV.

Percussion: Nick Garofalo

Originally from the Metro-Boston area, Nicholas A. Garofalo completed his bachelors of music education at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga in May of 2006. Mr. Garofalo has arranged, adjudicated and instructed many high school bands in the Tennessee and Georgia region including: East Ridge High School, Notre Dame High School, Red Bank High School, The McCallie School, Warren County High School, Model High School, Northview High School, and Hixson High School.

After graduating from The University of Tennessee, Chattanooga; Nicholas became the Assistant Band Director and Percussion Specialist at Chattahoochee High School and Ocee Elementary School in Alpharetta, Georgia. After numerous budget and financial situations Nicholas recently became the Director of Bands and no longer teaches at Ocee Elementary.

In 2006 Nicholas was the Front Ensemble Director for the Chattanooga Independent Percussion Ensemble based out of Chattanooga, Tennessee placing 4th at Winter Guard International World Championships for there inaugural year. After his work with Chattanooga, he became an instructor for Atlanta Quest Indoor Percussion ensemble from Atlanta, Georgia with yet another World Finalist title in W.G.I. In the summer of 2007 Mr. Garofalo joined the instructional staff of the Alliance Drum and Bugle Corps. During 2008 he assumed the Music Director position for the drum corps leading the ensemble to a Gold Medal in the “A Class Division” at the Drum Corps Associates Championships.

Mr. Garofalo is a currently a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Georgia Music Educators Association, Winter Guard International, Member at Large for the Southern Association for the Performing Arts and The Music Educators National Convention. Nicholas is a percussion and music ensemble adjudicator through the United States Scholastic Band Association and is also a Vic Firth Educational Team Member.

Drum Major: Trenton Strickland

Trenton Strickland, a graduate of Jacksonville State University, currently serves as the band director at Dodge County Middle School in Eastman, Georgia.

During his time at Jacksonville, he was a multi-year drum major for the world-renowned Marching Southerners. Trenton served as a conductor for the 2019 and 2021 Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps. Strickland continues to share his expertise as a part of the drum major staff at Spirit Camp, founded by Freddy and Linda Martin. He is expanding his conducting experience by guest conducting with the Brewton-Parker Baptist College Orchestra.

Auxillaries: Rebekah Chadderdon

Currently residing in Atlanta, GA, Rebekah brings over 23 years experience within the marching arts. She has worked with many WGI, DCI and BOA programs including The Cadets, Madison Scouts, Speakeasy, Everybody, Jinx, Braddock, Paramount, Lassiter, Pickens, South Forsyth, Ponderosa, River Ridge, Cooper City, Taravella, Father Ryan, East Coweta, and many more.Whether performing, teaching or designing, Rebekah loves the arts and has dedicated many years studying Dance and Movement under Kim Robards, Stanley Knaub, Cleo ParkerRobinson, GTTP and the Atlanta Ballet.

Rebekah currently resides on the steering committee for the Southern Association of Performing Arts (SAPA), enjoys her time spent as a clinician andloves consulting with a variety of programs. She has been adjudicating both locally in Atlanta and the Denver metro areas for over 10 years. Outside of “band hours”, Rebekah is a brandstrategist and creative director for a boutique agency and loves hiking, yoga, and cooking.

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