Two nationally recognized instructors and designers will help Pacific Crest shape its future.
At the Pacific Crest awards banquet on September 20th, Excecutive Director Stuart Pompel announced that Gordon Henderson and Gene Monterastelli would be joining the design and instructional teams for the 2010 season. "This is a first for us. " explained Pompel. "Gordon and Gene have a combined 75 years experience in the activity, and I was pleased to learn that they were interested in our future."
Henderson will be the corps' Program and Performance Consultant. He will work closely with Program Coordinator Dale Leaman and the 2010 design team to bring an engaging production to the field next season. He will also work alongside Music Coordinator Mark Gunderson, and Brass and Percussion Caption Heads, Brad Davis and Matt Altmire, as they continue to develop a unified approach to Pacific Crest's musical performance and effect.
Monterastelli will play a multi-faceted role with the Organization. He and Pompel have already begun working together. "I am impressed by his knowledge and years of experience and confident that Gene will impact Pacific Crest both on and off the field." In addition to advising the leadership and management team, Gene will work as a visual instructor with Visual Caption Head Chris Cowling, assisting him with the coordination and development of the marching staff.
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GORDON HENDERSON is the Associate Director of Bands at UCLA. He directs the 250-member Bruin Marching Band, and under his direction, the Band has appeared at five Rose Bowls, two Cotton Bowls, two Sun Bowls, the Las Vegas Bowl, the Aloha Bowl, the Freedom Bowl, the Silicon Valley Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. In 1993, the Band received the prestigious Sudler Trophy, presented each year by the John Philip Sousa Foundation to recognize excellence and innovation. Professor Henderson also teaches music technology courses for Music Education students and D.M.A. Performance students. Professor Henderson has served as Head Brass Instructor or Brass Arranger for three Drum Corps International Champions: the Santa Clara Vanguard in 1989 and 1999, and the 1992 Cavaliers from Rosemont, Illinois. In 2003 and 2004, he was a member of the brass staff for the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, and since 1990, he has been the Arranger for the Tenrikyo Aimachi Marching Band in Nagoya, Japan, the six-time All-Japan National Champions Professor Henderson was an Assistant Director and Drill Designer for the 736-member Olympic All-American College Marching Band that performed at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. He has composed and arranged music for motion pictures including In the Line of Fire, Little Nikita, Fatal Instinct, Legends of the Fall, and Road Trip. |
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GENE MONTERASTELLI has taught or judged in the drum & bugle corps activity for over 50 years, and is a respected instructor, administrator, and judge. He worked with the Troopers from 1966-1975, serving as a visual instructor and assistant director. Gene then served as a visual judge from 1976-2001 before returning to the field as a visual instructor for Southwind (1999-2000), Phantom Regiment (2002-2004), and Santa Clara Vanguard (2005-2006). Most recently, he spent three years with the Bluecoats. He was elected to the DCI Hall of Fame in 1993. Gene has also been active in the Central States Judges Association since 1966, and was elected to the CSJA Hall of Fame in 2000. In "real life", Gene is a State Farm Insurance agent, and lives in Casper, Wyoming, with his wife, Roxcy. He also has three children, Gene David, Greer, and Laney. |
