We are pleased to announce the judges for SoundSport Bowling Green, held at Bowling Green State University on Sunday, June 28th, 2015:

Musical Performance: Chester Phillips


Chester Phillips Photo

A native of Newnan, GA, Chester B. Phillips is in his sixth year as associate director of bands and director of athletic bands at Georgia State University. His primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Orchestra, establishing and directing the University Marching Band, teaching conducting and overseeing all facets of the Athletic Bands. In 2013, Dr. Phillips was presented the Dean’s Early Career Award by the College of Arts and Sciences for his outstanding work in teaching, service and professional development.

With over 20 years of marching band experience, Dr. Phillips is well versed in all aspects of the activity. He is a guest clinician for concert bands throughout the Southeast and a visual designer and consultant for marching bands around the country. He serves as an adjudicator for Music for All, Band of America, Drum Corps International, and Festivals of Music. In 2013, Dr. Phillips traveled to Yokohama, Japan to judge for Drum Corp Japan. He was a member and soloist with the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps and remains an active private trumpet instructor and freelance performer in the Atlanta area.

He is affiliated with professional organizations that include the National Band Association, College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, and Georgia Music Educators Association. Dr. Phillips currently lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife, Megan, their two daughters, and their dog, Bella.

Visual Performance: Michael Gray

Michael Gray Photo

Michael Gray’s career in the visual and pageantry arts spans more than three decades. His paintings are collected worldwide and his classes on impressionism and plein air painting are are perennial favorites with aspiring and established artists nationwide. Gray has participated in the highest levels of DCI, WGI and BOA as a designer, instructor, clinician and judge. He has served as the program coordinator for the Bluecoats Drum Corps, the Ensemble Caption Facilitator for Winter Guard International, a DCI judge. He is currently judging for DCI again in 2015 and continues to judge for BOA. He is has been the visual coordinator for the 2 time BOA Grand National Finalist, Wando High School Band and is in his 5th year as a uniform designer for DeMoulin Bros. and Co. Michael is a resident of Charleston, SC and maintains the Michael Gray Gallery on Broad St.

Overall Impression: Nola Jones

Nola Jones Photo

Dr. Nola Jones is the Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tennessee. Her duties include instructional supervision of four hundred professional arts education specialists, curriculum planning, and implementation of Music Makes Us. Music Makes Us is a public/private partnership among Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, and music industry and community leaders in Nashville. Its purpose is to ensure Metro Nashville Public Schools is a worldwide leader in music education, bringing the resources of the Nashville music community together to enable participation and foster student success for all of its 81,000 students. Dr. Jones maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician for concert bands, marching bands, and honor ensembles. She has appeared nationally in 38 of the United States and internationally in Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, and Singapore. At the request of NAfME, she was Director of the 2010 and 2011 US Army All­American Band, performing at the NBC televised US Army All­American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas and served on its Blue Ribbon Committee to write National Standards for Marching Band. She has judged for WGI, Bands of America and Drum Corps International and currently serves on the DCI Judge Liaison Team for the music caption. Dr. Jones received the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Mississippi State University and the Master of Music Education degree from Mississippi College. She received her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of South Carolina where she was a student of Dr. William J. Moody.

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