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Jason Nitsch - Music

Mr. Nitsch recorded his first film score in the summer of 2000, "Passing By", a film by David M. Chandler and G. Kent Rabalais. He has had three original compositions selected for Bandworld Magazine’s list of top 100 new publications for band: “Ferris Wheel” (2005), “On the Banks of the River Shannon” (2006) and “American Visions” (2008). Mr. Nitsch's commissions have also been featured at the 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2012 Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Conventions in Chicago, Illinois. In 2010 he composed the original score for the film documentary “The Library of the Early Mind,” directed and produced by noted author and filmmaker Edward Delaney and author Steven Withrow. Additionally his music appears on various state prescribed music lists for public school band performance.

Jason is currently published with C. Alan Music Publishers of Greensboro, North Carolina; the FJH Music Company, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Grand Mesa Music Publishers, Grand Junction, Colorado; and TRN Music Publishers, Ruidoso, New Mexico. His original compositions for marching band are published and distributed by Center X Music and David Herring Music. In 2009 he launched Suburban Zombie Music in order to promote and distribute his entire catalog of compositions.

 

 

 

Kent Summerour - Visual Design

Kent Summerour is a seasoned marching band drill designer, clinician, and adjudicator.   He is known for his unique approach and creativity in show production and design.  Kent understands the nuance of blending the elements of the music and visual to create an outstanding effect.  

Since 2001, Kent has worked with marching bands, winter guards, and indoor drum lines.  Using these show designs, bands and groups have competed at the Texas State Marching Contest, BOA, US Bands, TECA, TCGC and WGI finals...and some have gone to finals for the first time!  

For much of the marching season, Kent spends his time traveling each year across the country as an active clinician and adjudicator.

Kent is also the co-inventor and co-developer of the Field Dots system, a system for learning drill more efficiently and accurately.

Kent currently resides in Dallas with his beautiful wife, Pia, and their two daughters Maya and Aurora

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John Kammerer - Sound Design/Electronics

John Kammerer is a Seattle-based composer, sound designer, and computer musician.

John earned his MM in horn performance from the University of South Carolina, where he studied with JD Shaw. While at USC, his main focus was music for horn that utilizes electronics, machine learning, and human-computer interaction.

In 2015, John joined the Santa Clara Vanguard as their sound designer and live engineer. In addition to his work with SCV, John is in demand as a sound designer and audio engineer/technician for award-winning high school marching bands and indoor ensembles nationwide. 

John is the founder and artistic director of the ebb:flow music collective, an experimental new music ensemble dedicated to interdisciplinary artistic collaboration. During his time at USC, he had the opportunity to serve terms as both Vice President as President on the board of CICA (Collaborations In Contemporary Art), an organization focused on bringing music, art, video and dance to USC students and the Columbia community. 

John’s musical endeavors reside primarily within the realm of new, electronic, and digital music with an emphasis on human-computer interaction, experimental performance techniques, and the creation of new digital musical instruments.

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Stephen Seymour - Percussion Composition

Stephen Seymour is thrilled to continue teaching in Frisco ISD as he turns the page to become the Director of Percussion for Memorial High School. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Tarleton State University (2013) where he studied with Gary Westbrook and Michael Crawford, and his Master’s Degree in Music Performance from Baylor University (2015) where he studied with Todd Meehan.

 

Stephen has taught in the district for 2 years with the Independence High School Cluster, and is happy to help lay the foundation for yet another program centered on excellence. Before coming to Frisco, he was the Director of Percussion for Clear Creek High School in League City, TX where he ran all percussion activities and taught the AP Music Theory course.

 

Stephen served as a Teaching Assistant for the Baylor University Golden Wave Band, specifically instructing and arranging for the Drum Line. He now holds the position of Drum Line Coordinator for Baylor University, a position in which he has served since 2017.