In March, while many of the Jersey Surf’s 2019 color guard and percussion performers will be competing with their indoor units, the members of our brass section will be back at the “Vokie” to continue learning and refining their 2019 repertoire. During rehearsal camp weekends and throughout the summer, veteran members Justin Bogen, Evan Chown, and Will Kelley will be leading the brass as the low brass, mellophone, and trumpet section leaders, respectively.

JUSTIN BOGEN is a four-year baritone vet from East Windsor, New Jersey. He first started marching at Hightstown High School and continued his marching career in The Carolina Band at the University of South Carolina. Justin says his favorite thing about Surf “is the commitment to improvement from the members and the staff. I’m looking forward to marching the best show I’ve ever marched this summer.”

Trumpet section leader WILL KELLEY is also excited about the upcoming summer. He said he’s looking forward to “being with people who share my love for DCI and performing” as well as “getting good reactions out of the crowd.” The 2019 season marks Will’s second year marching with the Jersey Surf. He first became interested in the corps when his high school band director told him about Surf’s Virginia Experience Day. As a student at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, VA, the experience day was only a few minutes away from his house, so he went, and the rest is history. Will will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison this fall.

EVAN CHOWN, also from Virginia, first heard about Jersey Surf from the previous drum major, Chris Pennington. After seeing the corps perform in Atlanta in 2016, he knew it was the corps for him, and now he is in his third year. He says it is the “family atmosphere that the staff creates” that keeps him coming back. Evan attended Landstown High School in Virginia Beach. He is currently attending Tidewater Community College and will be transferring to Virginia Tech for mechanical engineering. As the mellophone section leader, Evan hopes to “help push the corps to the achievement level I know it can attain.”

Look for leadership announcements for the color guard and percussion sections over the next few newsletters!