Raiford and Kusmierczak join Bluecoats Staff
The Bluecoats are proud to the announce the addition of Michael Raiford and Lindsay Kusmierczak to the Bluecoats design and instructional teams. Michael will serve on the design team in the role of Scenic Designer, and Lindsay joins the instructional staff as Guard Caption Head. Scenic Designer Michael B. Raiford is a freelance artist based in Austin, Texas. He has designed, staged, and choreographed for DCI, BOA and WGI ensembles for over 30 years. In drum corps, he has been instrumental in the success of many DCI finalist corps including Suncoast Sound, Magic of Orlando, The Cavaliers, Academy, Glassmen and Troopers. He currently designs for the excellent high school marching band programs at the The Woodlands High School in Texas, Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma and more . Michael was also instrumental in the success of the 5-time WGI World Championship Fantasia Winter Guard. Outside of the marching arts, Michael works as a professional scenic designer for theater, opera and dance. Career highlights include work with Blast: The Music of Disney, The New Victory Theatre NYC, The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Ford’s Theatre Washington, DC, Cleveland Playhouse, Ballet Austin, Opera Boston, Central City Opera,and Austin Lyric Opera and more. In his role with the Bluecoats, Michael’s primary focus will be on set design.
Guard Caption Head Lindsay Kusmierczak has been involved in the pageantry arts for over 20 years. She has taught several top drum corps, including: Southwind, Glassmen, Blue Knights, Phantom Regiment, as well as Millennium, located in Northern Italy. She served as the Color Guard Coordinator for Phantom Regiment in 2017. In addition to teaching drum corps, Lindsay has also been a staff member with Paramount World Winter Guard, from Atlanta, Georgia, as well as BOA & WGI finalist, Harrison High School, from Kennesaw, Georgia. Lindsay currently serves as the Guard Director at Prosper High School in Prosper, TX and is a member of the staffs at Broken Arrow HS, L.D. Bell HS, and Flower Mound HS. Lindsay is excited to work with Guard Designer, Choreographer and Supervisor Jim Moore to lead a staff of new and returning instructors.
Michael and Lindsay join a consistent group of outstanding designers and instructors responsible for the Bluecoats unprecidented levels of artistic and competitive success in recent years.
Program Coordinator Dean Westman and Artistic Director/Visual Designer Jon Vanderkolff will continue to lead the Bluecoats Design Team in 2017. Vince Oliver returns as Composer/Electronics Designer and will also serve as the corps' Music Coordinator in 2017. Composers Doug Thrower and Tom Rarick will return as Composer/Brass Designer and Composer/Percussion Designer, respectively. Aaron Beck returns as Audio Systems Designer. Jim Moore continues as Guard Designer, Choreographer and Guard Caption Supervisor, and Greg Lagola returns as Costume Designer and Choreographer.
Caption Supervisor Dave Mackinnon and Caption Head Derek Gipson will again lead the Bluecoats Brass program. Ryan Kilgore will continue as Music Ensemble & Staff Coordinator, again assisted by Matt Jordan. Roger Carter returns as Percussion Caption Head, and in his sixteenth year with the Bluecoats, Brad Palmer returns as Front Ensemble Coordinator. Mike Fanning returns for his fifth season as the corps’ Visual Caption Head. Erik Kosman will again serve the Bluecoats as Lead Sound Engineer.
Stay tuned for more exciting announcements regarding the Bluecoats 2018 season in the days and weeks to come.
