The Madison Scouts are pleased to announce their 2019 design team led by Artistic Director James Elvord and including Mike Hardiek (visual designer), Ralph Pace (visual designer), Michael Turner (visual designer), Derrick Shannon II (battery arranger/composer & sound designer), Chris Murphree (front ensemble arranger/composer), Chuck Naffier (brass arranger/composer), and Lorenzo Medrano (creative consultant).

“I am very excited about the composition of this design team,” said Artistic Director James Elvord. “It combines a thoughtful balance of experience and wisdom alongside a new generation of writer and arrangers.”

Mike Hardiek

Mike has spent the past 33 years immersed in the marching arts beginning with the Glassmen where he oversaw the visual caption as the corps rose to become a perennial DCI Finalist. Most recently Mike was the drill designer for the Crossmen from 2014-2016. Mike spends his fall seasons writing for multiple ensembles all over the country from Florida to Nevada. Most notable he has spent 29 years with the Homestead Spartan Alliance Marching Band in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Spartan Alliance has won 6 Indiana State Championships and never placed below fourth during his tenure. During the winter months, he has served as the director and visual designer for “Plan B” indoor percussion ensemble, a 3-time WGI Indoor Percussion medalist.

Ralph Pace

DCI Hall of Famer Ralph Pace has been involved with the marching arts since 1965. He has designed and taught for historic drum corps such as Blue Rock, the Reading Buccaneers, and the 27th Lancers. His work has continued with contemporary groups such as the Crossmen, Spirit of Atlanta, Cavaliers, and Phantom Regiment. Ralph’s design philosophy is “to constantly entertain throughout every portion of the production by creating the unexpected and making sure an audience member sees whatever the music is saying visually.”

Michael Turner

For 18 years, Michael worked with the two-time World Champion Madison Scouts, serving as Color Guard Choreographer and Visual Coordinator. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Michael served as Dance Master and Choreographer for the six-time World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard. Michael has adjudicated for Winter Guard International (WGI), Bands of America (BOA), and Drum Corps International (DCI), and continues freelance judging for marching bands, drum corps, and color guards throughout the world. Trained in ballet, jazz, and modern dance, Michael was one of the early color guard pioneers to introduce dance and movement to the marching arena.

Derrick Shannon II

Derrick Shannon is currently the Director of Percussive Arts at Plainfield Community Schools and recently the percussion caption head for the Phantom Regiment. He received his Bachelors in Music Education at the VanderCook College of Music and his Master’s in Music Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He is the founder of Percussive Soundscapes which offers a variety of services to the marching arts community including custom arrangements for band and winter percussion ensembles.

Chris Murphree

Chris Murphree is a freelancing percussionist and arranger currently working in Indiana with Brownsburg and Plainfield High School percussion programs and formerly with Goshen High School’s percussion program. He received his Masterʼs degree from Indiana University and a Bachelorʼs degree from Middle Tennessee State University, where he also served as an Adjunct Professor of Percussion in 2014.

Chuck Naffier

Chuck has been involved in the marching arts activity for close to 40 years as a performer, instructor, arranger, composer, and program coordinator. He holds a Bachelor’s of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Colorado and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Music Education at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. An accomplished jazz musician, Chuck is an active performer and arranger/composer in the jazz idiom. He is an active music adjudicator and clinician throughout the U.S. and he currently serves as the band director at Hawthorne Middle School South in Vernon Hills, IL.

Lorenzo Medrano

Lorenzo is a professional dancer and theater performer with numerous production credits to his name. He studied at DePaul University and the Hubbard Street Dance Studio in Chicago. As a former drum corps member, the marching arts continue to play a creative role in his adult life while working for high school groups in Plymouth Canton (MI), Lawrence Central (IN), and LD Bell (TX) as well as the Dutchboy, Bluecoats, Mandarins, and the Santa Clara Vanguard drum corps.