Kent Summers
Kent Summers was a high school band director for 17 years. He taught concert band, marching band, and jazz ensemble in Missouri high schools and middle schools including Lathrop High School, Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, and Blue Springs. He then assumed the position of Assistant/Associate Executive Director at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) in Columbia, Missouri where he administered the district and state music festivals and numerous other activities for 14 years. Following his tenure at MSHSAA, he accepted the position of Director of Performing Arts and Sports at the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. At the NFHS, he administered all music activities and a variety of other areas including speech, debate and theatre, lacrosse and cheerleading. After a 10 year tenure at the NFHS, he retired and now resides in the Kansas City area. He remains active in music, performing with the Northwinds Symphonic Band, the Overland Park Civic Band and the Sounds of South Kansas City Concert Band.
Linda Huck
Linda Huck taught Instrumental music in the Farmington R-7 School District in Farmington, Missouri, for over thirty years, retiring in 2015. She served as Assistant Director of Bands from 1983 – 2012, and Director of Bands from 2012 -2015. Mrs. Huck is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, earning undergraduate degrees in Music Performance and Music Education, and a Master’s degree in Music Education.
Mrs. Huck served four years as President of the Missouri Bandmasters Association. She also served the Missouri Music Educators Association in the offices of State Band Vice President and President of East Central District #7. Mrs. Huck was the recipient of the Outstanding Music Educator Award in the MMEA East Central District #7 and was a recipient of the Charles Emmons Outstanding Band Director Award by the Lambda Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. In 2020, Mrs. Huck was inducted into the Missouri Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame and received Hall of Fame status in the Missouri Music Educators Association in 2023.
Instrumental ensembles under Mrs. Huck’s direction consistently earned superior ratings at the Missouri State Evaluative Festival. She has presented clinic sessions in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and the Midwest Clinic. Mrs. Huck maintains an active schedule as a conductor/clinician and is a certified adjudicator with the Missouri State High School Activities Association. She performs as the Principal Bassoonist with the St. Louis Wind Symphony and is an Adjunct Instructor with Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri.
Jared Brockmeyer
Jared’s background spans 25 years of teaching, performing, designing, and adjudicating in the marching arts, serving in various capacities with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, the 37th Kingswood Drum and Bugle Corps (Bristol, UK), the Truman State Marching Gamblers, and the Rockwood Summit High School Marching Band. Jared adjudicates movement and design on panels throughout the Midwest, and his visual designs have served high schools and colleges, including BOA Regional Finalists and Class Champions.
Jared lives in House Springs with his wife Sara and daughters Eliza and Fiona. He is a chess enthusiast, avid reader, and plays all the video games he can get away with.
Eric Sheffler
Eric Sheffler retired from the United States Army in June of 2017 after 34 years of service. He ended his career serving in the United States Military Academy Band, West Point, NY. While at West Point, he served as Drum Major of the Marching Band as well as Section, then Element Leader, of the Hellcats – a field music group comprised of piccolos, bugles, and drums.
Eric adjudicates Marching Arts competitions independently across the country as well as with USBands and the MCCGA indoor circuit. He adjudicates state solo and ensemble festivals in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Eric performs with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Lee’s Summit Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Wind Symphony, and Pinnacle Winds. He, his wife Jerrilynn, and their two 4-legged friends, Max and Suki, reside in Overland Park, KS.
Jonathan Hall
Jonathan Hall is a music educator from Fleming Island, Florida. He is an active drill designer for several high school bands across the country and has worked with many DCI groups including Teal Sound, Spokane Thunder, Revolution, Heat Wave, and the Colts. Jonathan has designed, taught, and consulted with many successful winterguard and indoor percussion ensembles in the FFCC, MCCGA, and WGI circuits. Additionally, Jonathan serves multiple adjudication roles in the marching arts, including music and visual captions in marching band, and is an active visual effect adjudicator for the Indiana Percussion Association. Jonathan is currently working on his dissertation in pursuit of a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University
Rob Springer
Robert (Rob) Springer retired from public education in Missouri in 2014 after a very successful career as a high school band director at Aurora High School, Aurora, Missouri; Ash Grove High School, Ash Grove, Missouri and Lebanon High School, Lebanon, Missouri. In each of these school districts, he established an award winning, innovative program of high musical quality. The Aurora High School Marching Band has always placed among the top marching bands annually in numerous marching band festivals competitions throughout the state of Missouri and recognized nationally with appearances in numerous bowl festivals and has consistently received 1St Division State Ratings at Missouri State Band Contest. Mr. Springer has been with the Aurora Band program since 1991 retiring in 2014.
Mr. Springer was also a Chief Warrant Officer 5, with the Missouri Army National Guard commanding the 135th Army Band since 1989. He also served as an Army FORSCOM Staff Bands Officer, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina for all Army National Guard Bands across the United States. In 2017, CW5 Springer was appointed Deputy Senior Bandmaster, National Guard Bureau, Alexandria, VA, retiring in 2019 after 30 years of service.
Mr. Springer graduated from Granite City High School North, Granite City, Illinois in 1976. Attended Southern Illinois University/ Edwardsville, 1977. College of the Ozarks, Pt Lookout, MO graduating in 1982 with a BA in Instrumental Music Education. Missouri State University Music Graduate Program in 1990. CW5 Springer is a graduate of the Advance Warrant Officer Course, US Army Element School of Music, Naval Amphibious Base, Norfolk, Virginia (2002), the Warrant Officer Staff Course (2015) and the Advance Senior Staff Course (2017), Ft. Rucker Alabama.
Mr. Springer taught for 32 years in the Missouri Public Education System, retiring from Aurora High School in 2014 after 23 years as Head Band Director, teaching all aspects of instrumental music education.
Mr. Springer worked as a School Educational Service Representative for Springfield Music Company, Springfield, MO for the past seven years.
Mr. Springer has been the recipient of numerous awards to include the Golden Houn ‘Dawg Teacher of the Year 2003-2004 and the Aurora Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year 2002. CW5 Springer’s Military awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation 5th award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal 9th award, National Defense Service Medal 2nd award, Armed Forces Reserve Medal 3rd award, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon 2nd award, Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon, Missouri Long Service Ribbon 5th award, Missouri State Emergency Duty Ribbon and Missouri Commendation Award.
Mr. Springer’s professional affiliations include the 135th Army Band, Missouri Band Master’s Association, National Music Educators Association, International Association of Jazz Educators and the Missouri State Teacher’s Association.
Mr. Springer and his wife Marlo resides in Aurora, Missouri.