The Jersey Surf World Class Drum Corps is very pleased to announce the creative program design staff for the 2018 season and next summer’s Drum Corps International Tour.
Dr. Andrew Yozviak
Returning to the Jersey Surf for his fifth season, Musical Director and Arranger DR. ANDREW YOZVIAK is the Director of Bands at West Chester University, where his primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds, directing the Golden Rams Marching Band, and teaching graduate and undergraduate conducting classes.
As a composer, Dr. Yozviak has accepted commissions to compose and arrange music in a variety of genres. He has composed commissioned works for winds, chorus, jazz ensemble, and a variety of chamber ensembles. Dr. Yozviak’s work as an arranger has yielded more than one hundred fifty marching band shows for some forty high schools, eight universities, and five drum and bugle corps.
Mitch Rogers
The Jersey Surf is very pleased to welcome MITCH ROGERS to the team as Visual Designer. A widely-respected drill designer, marching instructor, consultant and clinician, Mitch has worked with a virtual “Who’s Who” in the marching band and drum corps universe, with an impressive list of clients in the United States, Japan, Thailand and Singapore.
In 1991, Mitch became the visual caption head of the Cavaliers and assisted the corps to two consecutive DCI visual caption awards and the 1992 DCI World Championship. In 1994 he again wrote the Cavaliers’ drill. In 2002, Mitch continued his drum corps experience as the program coordinator for the Santa Clara Vanguard. Mitch was the drill designer for the Bluecoats from 2003-2008 and he wrote the drill for The Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2007-2010. Mitch returned to as visual designer for the Cavaliers from 2013-2015. Since 1992, Mitch has been drill designer and visual caption head for the colorful and inventive nine time All-Japan Champion Aimachi Marching Band and Color Guard of Nagoya, Japan. He travels to Japan each year to work with Aimachi.
Thomas Kershaw
Another new member of the Jersey Surf creative team, serving as Program Coordinator this season is South Jersey native THOMAS KERSHAW. Mr. Kershaw currently serves as Director of Instrumental Music at West Deptford High School in West Deptford Township, New Jersey where he also serves as the Department Chairman for the Visual and Performing Arts. Mr. Kershaw teaches all aspects of instrumental music including directing the concert, jazz and marching band programs and he also teaches AP Music Theory.
Under Mr. Kershaw’s direction, the West Deptford HS marching band has become a perennial competitive finalist in the Tournament of Bands (TOB) marching band circuit. The West Deptford HS Marching Band has won the Tournament of Bands, Atlantic Coast Championships seven consecutive times (2010-2016) including many awards for best overall music & best overall visual. Mr. Kershaw is a professional trumpet player, playing throughout the area in many venues. In 1995, Mr. Kershaw toured and performed as a member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, Illinois playing soprano bugle.
Rob Watson
With a career spanning more than 18 years, Color Guard Designer ROB WATSON has remained highly engaged in many facets of marching arts performance and education. In addition to his contribution as a new member of the Jersey Surf’s design team, Rob will be returning to his role as Color Guard Caption Head for the fifth consecutive season at the very popular Morris County, NJ-based DCA-member Fusion Core Drum and Bugle Corps. In addition, Rob is the Caption Head and Supervisor for Fusion Winter Guard, returning to the winter floor and competing in Independent Open Class in both the MAIN and WGI circuits.
Rob has taught and consulted with numerous high school, college, drum corps, marching band and winter guard ensembles all around the country, receiving numerous accolades, with units including Southern Regional HS, Middle Township HS, Toms River East HS, West Orange HS, and Washington HS (MO).
Rob also serves as a national color guard and visual performance adjudicator for several marching arts and winter guard associations around the country. In 1999, Rob was named among the “Top 10 Performers in the World” by Field & Floor Magazine.
Joe Costable
Digital Sound Designer JOE COSTABLE is an in-demand audio mix engineer and Surf alumnus from Milford PA. His impressive discography and career spans just about every area of the audio production and recording industry, from major record labels, to independent artists to foreign films. Joe possesses multiple gold and platinum albums for his work and is also a voting member of The Recording Academy. The 2018 season will be his seventh season bringing his talents to the Jersey Surf design team.
Christopher Lawlor
Returning to the Surf team for his fourth season as Percussion Director and first as Percussion Arranger is East Bridgwater, MA native CHRISTOPHER LAWLOR. Prior to his current role with the Jersey Surf, Chris enjoyed tours as an instructor with several DCI teams, including the Troopers battery in 2010, the Blue Stars in 2011 and 2012, and The Cadets quad line in the 2013. He has taught in multiple Massachusetts high schools Everett, Mansfield, and Norwood. Chris has also worked with the Avon Indiana High School Percussion program in 2011/2012. He more recently spent from 2013-2015 arranging and teaching the The Boston University Band. He now works closely with and arranges for Burlington and Wakefield High Schools in Massachusetts.
As a performer, Chris was a member of the percussion section of the East Coast Jazz Drum & Bugle Corps from 2002 through 2005. Chris also performed in The Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps from 2006 until aging-out in 2009. He spent the 2005 WGI season in the quad line of the Boston University Winter Percussion Ensemble and performed with RhythmX in 2009 and 2010.
Bobby Scott
Rounding out the team as Percussion Arranger is another newcomer to the Jersey Surf, BOBBY SCOTT. A resident of East Longmeadow, MA, Bobby is a prolific arranger, composer and engaged educator. He attended school at UMass Amherst, where he refined his craft under the tutelage of DCI Hall of Famer, Prof. Thom Hannum among numerous others. During summers there, Bobby was a performer with the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, including their DCI World Championship season in 2011. He has written and instructed groups that have performed at the highest levels of scholastic and independent marching arts, including participation in the NESBA, WGI, and Bands of America circuits as well as Drum Corps International. Bobby was also a member of the staff that brought the Cadets percussion section to first place during the 2013 DCI Season, capturing the Fred Sanford High Percussion Award.
Recently, Bobby has served as a member of the instructional staff at the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps as well as WGI Independent World Finalist Northcoast Academy Percussion.