SPIRIT WP - Key Persons
Dan Pfeiffer began his time at Spirit Winter Percussion as a member in 2006 at the age of 12. He marched with the group for a decade, aging out in the snare line in 2016. Simultaneously, he marched as a mellophone player from 2012-2015 at the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps where he served as section leader in 2015. Dan combines yoga, static stretching, interval training, and dance in his approach to movement technique and enjoys the intensely physical aspect of the marching arts.
Currently, he is studying Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music, and spending his weekends with Spirit working as a visual technician and audio system engineer!
Evan earned his bachelor's degree in Music Education from UMass Lowell in 2005. His marching career began with East Coast Jazz in 2001 where he marched until his age out in 2004. The following year, Evan joined the visual team for ECJ for the 2005 and 2006 season. In the 2007 season, he began working with the Citations Drum and Bugle Corps as Caption Head and visual instructor through the 2008 season. From 2009 to 2014, he was the lead visual instructor at the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps. Evan worked with Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps from 2015 to 2017 as interim Visual Caption Head, visual tech and visual coordinator respectively. The 2018 Drum Corps season will find Evan sharing his experience and passion for the marching arts with Cadets 2.
Evan has also written for multiple bands in Massachusetts. For the past 10 years, he has been the Assistant Marching Band Director for Belmont High School in Belmont, MA as the visual instructor, drill writer and music arranger. For 2016 and 2017, he was the drill designer for Hendrickson Hawks Indoor Percussion out of Pflugerville, TX. He is also enjoyed success in his first season *(2017) as the drill writer for Upper Darby Marching Royals out of Upper Darby PA.
Entering his 6th year with the program, Evan is excited to continue to work with the talented staff and members of Spirit Winter Percussion.
Ian Hale has been with Spirit of America Band and Spirit WP since 2007 first as a tech, then as Percussion Director and arranger.
He studied with Dr. Glenn Price at the University of Calgary where he received his BA in percussion performance, and received his MA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he studied with Eduardo Leandro and Thom Hannum.
He has studied marimba with Leigh Howard Stevens, Gordon Stout, and She-e-Wu. He has taught percussion for the Glassmen, the Magic of Orlando, the Madison Scouts, Carolina Crown, The Cadets, and is presently on staff with the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps.
Ian was also a music faculty member at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Assistant Director of Bands for the Calgary Stampede Showband. He currently teaches and arranges for numerous bands and percussion ensembles across the United States and Canada. Ian is endorsed by Vic Firth Inc., Remo Inc., and Zildjian Corporation.
James Sparling received his degree in Music Education with a minor in Architecture at Miami University. He has been heavily involved in the world music ensemble, Global Rhythms, where he served as Percussion Coordinator and Arranger (2004- 2006) and continues to perform with the ensemble annually.
James has taught percussion in various programs, serving as a Percussion Mentor at Tower Heights Middle School (‘07), Director of Percussion at Bellbrook HS/MS (‘07- ‘08), Assistant Band Director at Baker MS/Fairborn HS (‘10-‘11), Director of Percussion at Kettering Fairmont HS (‘09-‘13), Director of Percussion at Seminole HS (‘13), and is currently serves as the Director of Percussion at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park (‘14-Present). He served on the percussion staff for the Glassmen (‘03), the Madison Scouts (‘04-‘06), Carolina Crown (‘07-‘08), the Cadets (‘09-‘11), and Rhythm X (‘05-‘13). He has served as the visual designer for Madison Independent (‘11), Eastside Fury (‘11-‘13), and currently works with Spirit Winter Percussion (‘06-present). He has most been serving as the Caption Head and Arranger of the Madison Scouts (‘12-‘14), Infinity Percussion (‘13-present), and Redline Percussion (‘14-present). In 2015, he was also appointed as the Percussion Director for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. James is proudly endorsed by, REMO Drumheads, Pearl Drums/Adams, TreeWorks Chimes, Vic Firth Drumsticks and Mallets, and Zildjian Cymbals.
Job Titles:
- Front Ensemble Instructor
Jason Ihnat is an active teacher, performer, composer and arranger. He is a part-time lecturer of music theory at Eastern Michigan University as well as the percussion arranger and instructor for the EMU Marching Band. Mr. Ihnat performs frequently with the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, Michigan Philharmonic and Macomb Symphony Orchestra. His compositions and arrangements have been performed at universities and high schools in Michigan and across the country.
Jason was a member of The Cadets in 1998 and 1999, winning a DCI World Championship in 1998, and receiving a Distinguished Service Award when he aged out in 1999. Jason went on to serve on the percussion staff with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps for 15 consecutive years, receiving a Cadets Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 for his excellent work, commitment and positive attitude. He also was the director and co-founder of the Eastside Fury Percussion Ensemble from 2000-2014, and has taught the Americanos and Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. Currently, Jason is co-director of the Novi High School Winter Percussion Ensemble, on the percussion staff with the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, Spirit Winter Percussion Ensemble, and serves as the director and a performer with the NFL's Detroit Lions Drumline.
Jason's education includes a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Wayne State University, where he studied percussion under Keith Claeys, and a Master of Music Degree in Composition from Eastern Michigan University, where he studied with renowned composer Dr. Anthony Iannaccone and percussion with professor John Dorsey.
Jennifer Leseth is a Chicago native with 30-plus years of performance, instruction and design experience in color guard, drum corps and marching band. Her passion for the art grew from performing with color guards such as Destiny, Guardsmen, State Street Review, and Escapade. Naturally driven excel she challenged herself with marching with drum corps such as Phantom Regiment and The Cadets.
Jennifer came to Spirit of America in 2005 with more than nineteen years of performance, design, and instructional experience, and started her work with Winter Percussion in 2012. She travels globally to teach including England, Italy, Canada, Japan, Korea, South Africa, and Thailand. Her experience with drum corps includes serving as Color Guard Caption Head for Bluecoats, Crossmen, Phantom Regiment, Madison Scouts, Carolina Crown, and Santa Clara Vanguard. She has served as the color guard designer and director for the following High Schools; Marian Catholic (IL), Plymouth Canton (MI), Spring High School (TX), Winston Churchill (TX), LD Bell (TX) and Flower Mound HS (TX). She is currently the color guard designer for the Lincoln Way HS Marching Band
Karen began her career with Spirit of America in 1983 as a member of the concert and marching band Color Guard. Her passion, dedication, and leadership skills led her to become the Color Guard Captain in 1995, a position she held for the next ten years. In that role, she oversaw the growth of the Spirit of America Color Guard in movement, style, and precision of technique, leading them to the World Championships in Calgary, a multi-cultural tour of Australia, and throughout the United States. Subsequently as Color Guard Section Director, Karen's broader vision for the guard's development led to further dance studies and increased focus on weaponry. These skills directly contributed to the success of the guard and the band as a whole in South Korea, in both the WAMSB Championships and Instrumental Theater performances.
Karen became Administrative Director in 2006. Her responsibilities include overseeing staffing, personnel, schedules, budgets, and tours, as well as coordinating that all the parts of the show come together. Her love for young people and vision for the opportunity marching and field band bring to them, combined with her many years of experience, continue to inspire the band to attain new levels of artistic and technical performance.
Job Titles:
- Front Ensemble Instructor
Kirsti Pfeiffer began marching with Spirit Winter Percussion in 2004 at the age of 9, and continued to march with the ensemble for 13 years, aging out in 2017. She was the Front Ensemble section leader for 5 years, center marimba for 3 years, and has been a member of the Spirit Design Team from 2016-present. From 2013-2015, Kirsti marched with The Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps where they won the Fred Sanford High Percussion award in 2013, and where she was co-section leader of the Front ensemble in 2015. Kirsti performed in the Boston Premiere of John Adams Inuksuit with Kadence Arts in 2016. She has studied percussion with Ian Hale, Iain Moyer, Jason Ihnat, Michael Zellers, Colin McNutt, Keith Aleo, and Michael Burritt.
As a performer, Kirsti has traveled to Australia, South Korea, South Africa, Italy, and across the United States, performing and assisting in leading workshops with students in music and the marching arts. Outside of teaching Spirit Winter Percussion, she is a member of world-renowned Gloriæ Dei Cantores, one of the leaders of the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps, and is the Marketing & Communications Director for Spirit Winter Percussion and the Arts Empowering Life Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Front Ensemble Instructor
A seasoned veteran, Lindsey Kanaga brings her vast indoor experience to Spirit Winter Percussion's front ensemble. Lindsey marched 12 years with Spirit as a member of the front ensemble. She studied percussion privately with Ian Hale from 2007-2017, and has participated in master classes with Eduardo Leandro and Michael Burritt. She performed John Adams' Inuksuit with Kadence Arts for the Boston Premiere of the work in 2016, and has also performed with the UMASS Marimba band.
In addition to her experience as a percussionist, Lindsey's love of the arts and her diverse experiences as an artist, actor, administrator, and singer is an instrumental addition to the Spirit WP staff. Lindsey brings her theater experience as a member of Elements Theatre Company to Spirit WP. In 2015, her show design involvement began with painting the floor design for Spirit's gold-medal winning show, Tango: Frost on a Burning Rose, and is now an official member of the design team.
Outside of Spirit, Lindsey is a member of the world-renowned Gloriae Dei Cantores, and works at the Mount Tabor Centre, as well as the Development Office for Arts Empowering Life Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Front Ensemble Instructor
- Member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America
Mike Bishop is an experienced and active educator, designer, producer, musician, and international clinician. He arranges and produces for high school & university ensembles around the United States and Europe, including the West Chester University of Pennsylvania Incomparable Golden Ram Marching Band, European X indoor percussion ensemble of The Netherlands, and the Spirit of '52 drum corps from Rastede, Germany. Previously, Mike served as the Front Ensemble Coordinator of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps (2015-2017), the Front Ensemble Arranger of the George Mason University Indoor Drumline (2017), and on the Front Ensemble Faculty & Social Media Team for the Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps (2010-2014), capturing a Drum Corps International World Championship in 2013. Additionally, Mike has served as a member of the Front Ensemble Faculty of Rhythm X & The X Academy and on the Board of Directors as the head of Media & Marketing for Invictus World, Inc. - the first WGI Independent World color guard to be based out of Austin, Texas.
After more than five years living in Austin, TX, Mike has returned to his hometown of Philadelphia, PA with his wife, Kelsey. While in Austin, Mike served as the Front Ensemble Coordinator of the Cedar Park HS Timberwolf Band. Since joining the team in 2011, he and his colleagues have captured two UIL Texas Marching State Championships, a PASIC Marching Championship with Best Front Ensemble Caption, and a Lone Star Classic Drumline State Championship. Previously, Mike lived in the Dayton, OH area as the Percussion Director for Bellbrook HS from 2009- 2011.
As a performer, Mike has over 30 combined seasons of performance experience with scholastic and independent groups in the pageantry arts including Riptide Percussion (2002), the Jersey Surf Drum & Bugle Corps (2002-2005), United Percussion (2003-2008), Carolina Crown (2006-2008), and a Winter Guard International World Championship with Rhythm X (2009). He also has been in performances for the NASCAR All*Star Drumline (2008), the Q-Stix™ Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball Drumline (2009), and Aerial Experience Productions (2010).
Immediately following his drum corps age out, Mike joined the staff of the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps (2009) before joining the Carolina Crown's Front Ensemble Faculty in 2010. In the WGI scene, Mike was on the staff of Redline Percussion (2010), European X (2014, 2017-2018) in The Netherlands, and Rhythm X (2015-2016).
As a producer, Mike is experienced in creating soundtracks for short films, dance teams, and color guards, including the 2018 WGI Scholastic World Finalist Miamisburg High School (OH), 2015 WGI Scholastic A Finalist Manor High School (TX), Invictus (TX), The Black Watch (NJ), as well as samples and sound effects for the pageantry arts. He has composed and arranged hundreds of works for various scholastic, independent, and corporate programs.
Mike is a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, a Yamaha Artist, and a proud endorser of Vic Firth sticks & mallets, Zildjian Cymbals, and Remo drum heads. He has given clinics at Music For All's Bands of America Summer Symposium and throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Richard K. Pugsley began working with Spirit of America in 1993. The Spirit Winter Percussion ensemble was instituted under his tenure, and he led the group to their gold medal win at the WinterGuard International World Championships in 2012, the bronze medal in 2013, their advancement into Open Class in 2014, and their gold medal win in the Open Class in 2015. He has led Spirit of America on tours and conducted workshops in schools around the world, including cultural and musical exchanges in South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and the United States. He founded the annual Day of Percussion on Cape Cod, a music education event that draws students from across New England for a free day of percussion clinics and performances by world-class artists. He received his Bachelor of Music degree, with a minor in Community Music, from Oberlin Conservatory.
Classically trained but also skilled in contemporary drama, Sr. Danielle earned her Master of Arts Degree from England's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the University of London. She also studied voice, acting, and writing with Joanna Weir at Central School of Speech and Drama (London, England);David Male of Cambridge University (Cambridge, England); and Shakespeare & Company (Lenox, MA); and studied Shakespeare at the Stella Adler Studio in New York City. Sr. Danielle is the Artistic Director of Elements Theatre Company and helps Spirit to express the drama inherent to their shows.
Job Titles:
- Front Ensemble Instructor
Steve Ballard lives in Manassas, VA with his wife Samantha and daughter Crystal. He has been an elementary school band director for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia since 2003. He is also the winter percussion director and asst. marching band director for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, VA. His marching arts involvement spans over 20 years of performing, writing and teaching, most notably with Thomas Jefferson HS (since 2003), Carolina Crown ('07-'13, '16), United Percussion ('09-'14) and Spirit Winter Percussion (since '14), as well as several other world class DCI, DCA and WGI ensembles. He has also served as a board member for the Atlantic Indoor Assoc. and judge for US Bands in the fall.
Steve is a frequent performer with the Fairfax Wind Symphony and also a member of the Vic Firth Education Team and the National Association for Music Education. He received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Percussion Performance ('01) as well as his Master of Music in Music Education ('03) from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY.
Ted Sullivan is originally from Centerville, MA. He started playing drums at age 12, and graduated from Barnstable High School in 2006. He attended UMass Amherst, where he was a member of the marching band under the direction of Thom Hannum and George Parks. While at UMass, he completed his bachelor's degree in Jazz and African American Music studies. Today he is a full-time musician and teacher working throughout Massachusetts.
Winter Guard International (WGI) Sport of the Arts provides a venue for young people to achieve the extraordinary through performance and competition. Founded in 1977, WGI Sport of the Arts is the fastest growing activity in the world of pageantry arts and is the world's premier organization producing indoor color guard, percussion ensemble, and most recently, wind ensemble competitions. As a non-profit youth organization, WGI serves as the leading governing body of the winter guard and indoor percussion activities. It is called the Sport of the Arts because it brings music to life through performance in a competitive format. This activity continues to evolve and grow, becoming very popular throughout the US. There were more than 36,000 participants at the regional level, and more than 12,000 participants at the World Championships in Dayton, Ohio last April.