Judging Panel
Jeff Bradford - Marching/Music
Mr. Jeff Bradford is a graduate of Texas A&M-Commerce. While attending Commerce, Mr. Bradford played French horn in the marching band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, brass quintet, woodwind quintet, and the North East Texas Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Bradford began his teaching career in February of 2001 at Cooper Jr/Sr High School as a part time band director, with an enrollment of 52 students. Mr. Bradford graduated from Texas A&M-Commerce in May of 2001 and was appointed Director of Bands for the Cooper ISD two days later. Under his direction, the Mighty Maroon Band grew to 160 students in grades 6-12 and was recognized as the top 2A band in the state by winning the 2004 TMEA Honor Band State Championship. The Mighty Maroon Marching Band was a two time State Marching Band participant, finishing 13th in 2001 and 2nd in 2003. The Mighty Maroon also finished top five in the state in 2003 when they competed in the Outstanding Performance Series, and was awarded State Champion in 2004 in the concert selection series. Mr. Bradford was named the Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Young Bandmaster of the Year in 2004, the youngest in the history of Texas. After three straight years of Sweepstakes awards, Mr. Bradford assumed the position of Director of Bands for Sherman ISD in the fall of 2004. Under his direction, the Sherman High School Wind Ensemble was honored by numerous Best in Class finishes, Grand Champion of the Lone Star Invitational, and two straight years of UIL Sweepstakes Awards. The Bearcat Marching Band was named Best in Class at three different festivals and was a 3rd place Bronze Medalist at the 2005 Texas State Marching Band Championships.
Currently, Mr. Bradford serves as Director of Bands for the Lake Highlands High School Band Cluster and Fine Arts Coordinator, in the Richardson ISD. Assuming this position in the summer of 2006, Mr. Bradford has led the Wildcat Marching Band to numerous AREA C Finals appearances, Grand Champion of the Midlothian Marching Festival, and a finalist at every marching contest attended. The Lake Highlands Wind Ensemble has earned three straight years of UIL Sweepstakes awards and has been a competitor in the TMEA honor Band process.
Mr. Bradford is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, Kappa Alpha Order, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Texas Music Adjudicators Association. He has also been named to the prestigious Who’s Who in America’s Teachers for the past 7 years.
Jim McDaniel - Marching/Music
Mr. McDaniel is beginning his 15th year as the Executive Director of Fine Arts for the Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD. Prior to this position, Mr. McDaniel was a band director for Skyline High School, Bowie High School, Martin High School and Texas A&M University and was selected as the first Supervisor of Fine Arts for Bryan ISD.
Mr. McDaniel’s symphonic bands were consistent Sweepstakes winners in UIL as well as numerous competitions in Texas, Florida, Colorado and Oklahoma. His marching bands were selected 3 times to the Texas State Marching Contest, and his jazz bands won numerous Festivals and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
Jim received both his Bachelor and Masters degrees in Music Education from Texas Christian University where he was the graduate assistant to Dr. Jim Jacobsen. He has also received Principal Certification and Supervision Certification from Texas A&M University. Mr. McDaniel is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Administrators Conference, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and Phi Beta Mu National Honorary Bandmasters Fraternity.
McDaniel has served as President of both TMEA Region 5 and 8, President of the Texas Music Administrators Conference and is the current Executive Secretary for UIL Region 24. He has been selected as Teacher of the Year at Martin High School, inducted into the Texas Christian University Band of Fame, and was named the Outstanding Administrator of the year for 2009-2010 by the Texas Music Administrators Conference.
Brian Merrill - Marching/Music
Brian Merrill is starting his fifth year as Adjunct Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Music Education for the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. Before coming to SMU, Mr. Merrill taught for 23 years at Duncanville High School and for 7 years in the Irving ISD. He has Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education from the University of North Texas. Mr. Merrill has twice been recognized with both the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association and the Leadership and Achievement Award from the Texas Music Educators Association. Under his direction, the Duncanville Honors Band earned twenty one consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Awards and eleven Best in Class Awards at music festivals in Texas, Illinois, Florida, and Washington D.C.
Mr. Merrill served as co-conductor of the Duncanville Wind Ensemble from 1988 to 2006. During this time, the Wind Ensemble was twice named as the TMEA 5A Honor Band and was also presented the Sudler Flag of Honor by the John Phillip Sousa Foundation as a nationally exemplary concert band. The Wind Ensemble performed for the Music Educators National Conference, the Texas Music Educators Convention, the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic and the All Japan Band Directors Conference. Mr. Merrill also played an integral part on the staff of the Duncanville High School Marching Band. The Marching Band won UIL State Championships in 1986, 1990, and 2002.
Mr. Merrill sits on the Board of Directors of the Texas Bandmasters Association serving as the Immediate Past President. He also belongs to the Texas Music Adjudicators Association and the Texas Music Educators Association and has served as Band Chairman, College Division Chair and Region President for Region Twenty. He is an active adjudicator and clinician and has served as guest conductor for the Metropolitan Winds and the Blast of Brass Ensemble.
Bill Watson - Marching/Music
Bill Watson is in his 31st year of music education. He is currently Director of Fine Arts for the Lewisville Independent School District. Previous positions include Director of Bands at Richland High School, Director of Bands at Spring High School, Associate Director of Bands at Westfield High School, and Director of Bands at Wells Middle School. During his tenure, the marching bands at his high schools have won numerous marching festivals, including 5 Texas UIL State Championships, 9 Bands of America Regional Championships, and the 1993 Bands of America Grand National Championship.
Concert bands under Mr. Watson’s direction have been named a TMEA Region Honor Band each time they were entered dating back to 1981, advancing to the TMEA state competition on 8 occasions. The 1984 Wells Middle School Band was the TMEA Class C Honor Band, and bands from Spring and Richland High Schools have earned 5 appearances.
Mr. Watson has 16 years of drum corps experience as a brass and music ensemble instructor. He worked for the Sky Ryders from 1991-1992, the Cavaliers’ from 1995-1997, and the Santa Clara Vanguard from 1998-2003. Mr. Watson has taught with 8 top five corps and 2 D.C.I. World Champions.
Mr. Watson has served on the Bands of America Advisory Board for the past 10 years. He has also served as the Texas Music Adjudicators Association Marching Band Vice-President. He serves as a judge and clinician throughout the United States. Professional affiliations include TMEA, TBA, TMAA and Phi Beta Mu.
Jim Yakas - Percussion
Jim is currently a full time Instructor of Percussion at the University of Texas at Arlington. He teaches applied lessons and is Assistant Director and Percussion Coordinator of the UT Arlington Marching Band. Jim is currently pursuing a Doctoral of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas. He also holds a B.M. in Music Education from the University of North Texas and a M.M. in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy from Northern Illinois University.
Jim’s diversity in percussion education and performance has led him to many unique opportunities. He spent a total of twelve
summers in the drum corps activity spanning from performing as a snare drummer with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps to being a staff member and arranger to eventually becoming their Percussion Coordinator in 2003. Jim is also an active performer on steel drum having traveled to Trinidad/Tobago and Korea as a member of the prestigious Northern Illinois Steel Band. He also has studied hand percussion with Michael Spiro and Orlando Cotto.
Jim has been a clinician at the Percussive Arts Society International Conventions, Texas Music Educator's Association Convention as well as many Percussive Arts Society State Conventions. He is an active Yamaha Artist/Endorser as well as a Vic Firth Stick and Mallet endorser. Jim also endorses Sabian Cymbals and Remo Drumheads.
Ted Wemhoff - General Effect
Wemhoff has been involved in the pageantry arts in drum corps, marching band and winter guard for over 25 years as a performer, instructor and judge. Most recently Mr. Wemhoff and his wife were the directors of the Frisco HS Colorguard for Frisco, TX as well as board members of the North Texas Color Guard association. Mr. Wemhoff has been a general effect judge for the Texas Color Guard Circuit judges association since 2001 and a judge for Winter Guard International since 2003.
Doug Henderson - Guard
Doug Henderson is an instructor, designer, and adjudicator with over 20 years of experience in the competitive pageantry activity. He received his Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science/Economics from Tougaloo College and his Masters of Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi. Mr. Henderson has performed with a variety of performing ensembles including Florewood Winterguard, Final Analysis Winterguard, and the colorguard of the SkyRyders Drum and Bugle Corps.
Mr. Henderson has taught colorguard for several years all over the United States and served as a clinician for the Eastern Front Auxiliary Camps, Mid-America Music Association, and designed for the State of Mississippi Lion’s Band, as well as several high school and college bands throughout the nation. His career as an adjudicator spans several years and with several organizations including the Texas Color Guard Judges Association where he serves as Vice President of Adjudication, the North Texas Colorguard Association, Florida Federation of Colorguards, South Florida Winterguard Association, Indiana High School Colorguard Association, and Winter Guard International. He currently resides in Frisco, TX, where he is Strategic Consultant with Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. of Dallas, TX.