Know Your Brigade Staff

     The next staff member in the spotlight is Steve Lange - one of our percussion technicians.  Steve joined us in 2006, our championship year, and has been a terrific addition to our staff.  Steve can pretty much always be counted on to fix any type of drum using only a rubber band, stick of gum, a penny, or a toothpick!  Steve is an all around great guy and will also "River Dance" for you if you request it of him!  If you are ever having problems in math class - you can also ask Steve for some help!  Now on to my Q & A with Steve:

Name: Steve "MacGyver" Lange

Position:  Percussion Technician

Number of years on Brigade staff: 4

Marching Band/Drum Corps Experience:  14 performing seasons, 6 teaching seasons

Current Job:  Professional Nerd (aka math teacher)

College Degree:  Geographical Quantitative Techniques - UW-Whitewater

Main Instrument:  Kazoo

Home Town:  Atlantis, Lost City of

Birthday:  November 31

Favorite Food:  Gum

Top Five Favorite Movies:  Pulp Fiction, Seven,  The Godfather, Anchorman, Wayne's World

Top Five TV Shows:  South Park, Family Guy, Simpsons, Ali G Show, Ducktales

Book you are currently reading:  The Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

What song is currently playing on your iPod:  Don't own one......on CD - Stephen Lynch "Voices In My Head"

Favorite Sports Team:  Manchester United

Favorite Pig-Out Food:  Wings

Dream Vacation:  Baghdad

Worst Habit:  Kicking people in the shins randomly on the street

Hidden Talent:  I can drink a half gallon of Gatorade really fast with a sombrero on

Famous person you have met: Vladimir Putin

Famous person you would like to meet:  George Murisan

Favorite Quote:  "It seemed like a really good idea at the time"

Favorite Actor:  Kevin Spacey

Favorite Actress:  Jenna Jameson (yes, she was in House of Wax, I think)

Favorite Ride At Disney World:  Never been

Add Your Own Personal Thoughts About The Lighthouse Brigade:  Where else can a mean spirited individual get power, get paid for yelling, and have people thank him?!  Just kidding, I don't have any power!  The Lighthouse Brigade is the only teaching job I actually like.

Know Your Brigade Staff

     Our next staff member in the spotlight is none other than Matt Koscinski (aka "Satan").  In addition to being one of the funniest people on the planet - Matt has been involved with the Lighthouse Brigade for what seems like forever!  Matt was a marching member in the Junior Brigade when I used to direct it for crying out loud!

     Matt was our visual caption head last year and this year he and Danny Greenberg will be going out west to Oregon for a masters program.  However, he and Danny both agreed to help us out as much as possible until they have to leave!  It is always great to watch young people grow up and become professional musicians and teachers and it has been a true pleasure to have known Matt for so many years and be able to see his progress!  Now on to my Q & A with Matt:

Name: Matt Koscinski

Position:  Visual Consultant

Number of years on Brigade Staff:  9

Marching Band/Drum Corps Experience:  Lighthouse Brigade (5 years), UW Madison (5 years), Phantom Regiment (1 day!)

Current Job:  Director of Bands, Park View Middle School - Mukwonago, WI

College Degree:  Instrumental Music Education - UW - Whitewater

Main Instrument:  Trombone

Home Town:  Racine, WI

Favorite Food: Chipotle Burritos

Top Five Favorite Movies:  Primal fear, Mystic River, Anchorman, Rudy, Caddyshack

Favorite TV Shows:  Heroes, Lost, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, 30 Rock

Book You Are Currently Reading:  The Road

What Song Is Currently Playing On Your iPod:  What's an iPod?

Favorite Sports Team:  UW Badgers

Favorite Pig-Out Food:  Chipotle Burritos

Dream Vacation:  Touring Europe

Worst Habit:  Saying the word, "Ridiculous"

Hidden Talent You Have:  Rock Star at Guitar Hero

Famous Person You Have Met:  Donald Driver

Famous Person You Would Like To Meet:  Barack Obama

Favorite Quote:  Amateurs practice until the get it right, professionals practice until they can't get it wrong   -or-  "It's simple.  Be better"  - myself

Favorite Actor:  Neil Patrick Harris

Favorite Actress:  Angelina Jolie

Favorite Ride At Disney World:  It would have to be around the world in EPCOT (is that even a ride?)

Add Your Own Personal Thoughts About The Lighthouse Brigade:  What can I say.  Where I am right now in life is directly related to my experience in the Lighthouse Brigade.  It's a great way to achieve something greater than yourself while having a blast.  There's a reason that I've stuck around forever.

Know Your Brigade Staff

     Our next staff member in the spotlight is Patrick Coughlin, our percussion caption head and all around great guy.  Patrick has had to deal with my continued razzing about his choices for food whenever the staff is at a restaurant.  Patrick has the unique ability to always choose the wrong food.  Example:  Staff at a steakhouse - Patrick will order some type of pasta dish.  Staff at a burger joint - you guessed it - Patrick is going for the grilled cheese!

     In spite of this major flaw in his personal makeup, Patrick is an amazing musician and teacher and the Lighthouse Brigade is very lucky to have him on staff.  Now, on to my Q & A with Patrick:

Name: Patrick Coughlin

Years on Staff: 6

Marching Experience:  University of Wisconsin Marching Band (2 years), Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (1 year)

Current Jobs:  Freelance musician; Director of the Green Bay Packer Tundra Drum Line; and multimedia staff at Borders Bookstore in Madison, WI

College Degree:  Percussion Performance - University of Wisconsin

Main Instrument:  Marching Bass Drum

Home Town:  Inukshuk, Alaska

Birthday:  July 14th

Favorite Food:  Corn Dogs

Top Five Favorite Movies:  Shawshank Redemption, Bourne Identity, Dark Knight, Lord of the Rings, Fight Club

Favorite TV Shows:  Mythbusters

Book you are currently reading:  Miley Cyrus autobiography

What is currently playing on your iPod:  4:33" by John Cage

Favorite Sports Team:  Whoever beat the Bears last week

Favorite Pig-Out Food:  Gatorade

Dream Vacation:  Europe.  Again.

Worst Habit:  Narcolepsy

Hidden Talent:  Jim Carrey impression

Famous Person You Have Met:  Donald Driver.  I threw him a pass.  He caught it.

Famous Person You Would Like To Meet:  Brian Urlacher.  I'd kick his butt.  I could take him.

Favorite Quote:  "Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken"  - Tyler Durden, Fight Club

Favorite Actor:  Jim Carrey

Favorite Actress:  Jim Carrey

Favorite Ride at Disney World:  The Lazy River

Add Your Own Personal Thoughts About The Lighthouse Brigade of Racine:  The best thing about Brigade is the booster dinners!

Know Your Brigade Staff

     Really?  Another Brigade staff member and their Q & A??  Really??  Of course this blog entry is on one of our visual consultants for this season - Danny Greenberg.  Danny joined the staff last year and we all really enjoyed his sense of humor and his teaching style and expertise.  We also all went back to our teaching gigs in the fall saying, "REALLY" way too much!  Danny and Matt Koscinski are going out west to Oregon for a masters program and will not be able to be with us for the entire season.  However, they have agreed to help us out as much as possible in the off-season and a part of band camp!  Now on to my Q & A with Danny:

Name - Daniel Greenberg

Position:  Visual Consultant

Number of Years on Staff:  2nd year

Marching Band/Drum Corps Experience:  Rancho Bernardo High School; Esperanza Drum and Bugle Corps; San Diego Alliance (staff); Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps; and Capital Sound (staff)

Current Job: Director of Bands at Merrill Middle School in Oshkosh, WI

College Degree:  Instrumental and General Music Education - UW-Whitewater

Main Instrument:  Tuba/Euphonium

Home Town:  San Diego, California

Birthday:  February 19th, 1983

Favorite Food:  Pasta

Top Five Favorite Movies:  Grumpy Old Men, Ace Ventura

Favorite TV Shows:  Boston Legal, CSI, Simpsons, Chuck, Saved By The Bell

Book You Are Currently Reading:  Reading.....isn't that why they make movies?

What song is currently playing on your iPod:  Lost! - Coldplay

Favorite Sports Team:  Wisconsin Badgers

Favorite Pig-Out Food:  Dots!

Dream Vacation:  Australia - just to see if the toilet water flushes the other direction.

Worst Habit:  Cracking my knucks

Hidden Talent You have:  Poop master extraordinaire

Famous Person You Have Met:  Jason Alexander

Famous Person You Would Like To Meet:  Kate Walsh

Favorite Actor:  Jim Carey

Favorite Actress:  Kate Walsh

Favorite Ride at Disney World:  Space Mountain

Add Your Own Personal Thoughts About The Lighthouse Brigade:  Really!!!!

Know Your Brigade Staff

     Our next staff member in my "Know your Brigade staff" is our color guard technician - Danielle Birkholz.  Danielle marched in the Lighthouse Brigade from 2002-2006 and was not only rookie of the year in 2002, but aged out a champion in 2006 with our MACBDA victory and high color guard trophy!  Danielle as a marching member was always one of the hardest working students on the practice field.  She NEVER coasted through rehearsals and the staff and myself would often be amazed at how she performed 100% of every second  of rehearsal.

       I remember telling Todd Neuenschwander (our color guard caption head) during his first year on staff to just watch Danielle if he wanted to see how his color guard work should look when performed.  It was a very easy decision to add Danielle to the staff in 2007 and we are all very happy that she shares her talents with us!  Here is my "Q & A" with Danielle:

Name:  Danielle Birkholz

Position: Color Guard Technician

Number of years on staff:  3

Marching Band Experience:  7 years total with Junior and Senior Lighthouse Brigades

College:  Music education, UW-Stevens Point

Main Instrument:  Voice

Home Town:  Racine, WI

Birthday:  May 20th  1988

Favorite Food:  Gyros

Top five favorite movies:  I don't really have a concrete list, but here are a few:  Fight Club, Sweeney Todd, Boondock Saints, Silence of the Lambs, Memento

Favorite TV shows:  House, CSI, One Tree Hill

Book you are currently reading:  A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

What song is currently playing on your iPod:  Le Temps des Cathedrales from Notre Dame de Paris

Favorite sports team:  The Packers of course!

Favorite pig-out food:  I can pig out with the best of them, doesn't matter what kind of food!

Dream Vacation:  I've studied Greek and Roman art and architecture and I would love to actually visit and experience the beauty of it first hand.

Worst habit:  I run my hands through my hair all the time - it actually gets quite  obnoxious I'm told.

Hidden talent you have:  I can kick some butt at judo!

Famous person you have met:  Wynton Marsalis

Famous person you would like to meet:  I would LOVE to meet Stevie Wonder!

Favorite quote:  "The only thing better than singing is more singing".  - Ella Fitzgerald

Favorite Actor:  Anthony Hopkins

Favorite Actress:  Angelina Jolie

Favorite ride at Disney World:  Aerosmith's Rockin' Rollercoaster!!!

Add your own personal thoughts about the Lighthouse Brigade:  Honestly, I have no idea what to say here.  In short, so far I've dedicated ten years of my life to this organization, both performing and teaching.  I wouldn't have stuck around this long if it wasn't all worth it in the end.

Camp Update

Update from the third Brigade camp of the season:

Horn Line - continuing working on breathing exercises; warm ups; and technique - worked on the parade tune, "Battle Hymn" and the opener, "Incantation and Dance" - will be starting work on "Variations on a Korean Folk Song" in a few weeks!!

Front Ensemble - Patrick was unable to be at camp, however, the pit members worked on various exercises as well as starting work on the opener!  The front ensemble will be eight people strong this season!!

Battery - continuing work on various exercises as well as the parade tune and the opener.  Work on the second half of the show will begin next camp!

Guard - continuing work on warm ups, dance technique, flag technique and various tosses - all of the girls were also spinning rifle at camp and the guard began to work on actual show routine!!

All in all, I thought this was a very productive camp and I am still impressed with the talent level of the members this year (both rookies and veterans!!).  Drum major tryouts will happen next camp - which is the first weekend in April.

- Rex out

Know Your Brigade Staff

          The next staff member to be thrust into the spotlight for my "Know Your Brigade Staff" posts is one of our percussion technicians - Tony Holm.  I had the pleasure of having Tony as a band student at Mitchell and it was a true joy to see him go through the Lighthouse Brigade experience for five years as well.  

     Tony was a part of some of the best drum lines MACBDA has ever seen and it was no surprise to me when he made the snare line with the Madison Scouts - where he marched for the last two years.  I am thrilled to have Tony back on staff for this season for what promises to be a very strong year for Brigade - especially the drum line.  Now - on to my Q & A with Tony:

Name:  Tony Holm

Position:  Battery Technician

Number of Years on Staff:  2 full (4 being involved)

Marching Experience:  Junior Lighthouse Brigade (3 years), Lighthouse Brigade (5 years), Racine Kilties (1 year) and Madison Scouts (2 years) 

College/Major:  University of Wisconsin (biology)

Main Instrument:  Snare Drum

Home Town:  Racine

Birthday:  January 24th, 1987

Favorite Food:  Italian

Top Five Favorite Movies:  No order, and there are a ton more, but this is what comes to mind:  Blow, Ghandi, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Boondock Saints, Super Troopers

Favorite TV Shows:  South Park, Colbert Report, The Office, Planet Earth

Book You Are Currently Reading:  I Am America (And So Can You) by Stephen Colbert

What song is currently playing on your iPod:  Definition by Black Star

Favorite Sports Team:  Green Bay Packers

Favorite Pig-Out Food:  Grapes or chips and salsa (good salsa, though - not that Pace garbage)

Dream Vacation:  Travel the world

Worst Habit:  Tapping

Hidden Talent You Have:  Playing Jurassic Park

Famous Person You Have Met:  A bunch of drummers who are famous by drum corps standards - Ralph Hardimon, Scott Johnson, Roger Carter, Casey Brohard and Jeff Queen

Famous Person You Would Like To Meet:  Ghandi

Favorite Quote:  "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today"

Favorite Actor:  Johnny Depp

Favorite Actress:  Megan Fox

Favorite Ride At Disney:  Soarin'

Add Your Own Personal Thoughts About The Lighthouse Brigade:  The Lighthouse Brigade is an organization that not only educates you musically but it also helps form friendships with people that will last you a lifetime.  I have performed with and have been a part of many organizations and can honestly say the best times of my life were spent with my friends during Brigade seasons.

A Change.....

     I am very sad to announce that Brian Braatz, who was set to be our visual caption head, will be unable to be with us this season due to personal reasons.  Brian first joined the Brigade staff in 2004 and was a huge reason for our winning numerous marching trophies.  I will personally miss Brian and would like to thank him on behalf of myself, the rest of the staff, and the members for all of the hard work, great teaching, and excellent memories he brought to us.

     On a much more positive note - I am thrilled to announce that our new visual caption head for this season is Matt Reichardt.  Matt has been with Brigade since 2007 and is someone I respect and trust to continue our tradition of excellence with our visual program and bring it to new levels of performance in 2009!

     Remember that our next camp is Saturday, March 21st and Sunday, March 22nd.  At 5:15 on Sunday we will continue to do our "show-and-tell".  Parents are more than welcome to come and check out all of the terrific things that are happening with Brigade so far this year!

- Rex out