Meet the X20 Winds Staff
Last but not least in our series of X20 staff announcements: the winds staff! Read their bios below.
It’s not too late to come audition for and learn from this incredible team of educators! Our second round of audition clinics is on Sunday October 6th at Centerville HS (OH). Learn more on the X Winds page.
In alphabetical order:
Designers & Director
Tim Fairbanks
Visual Designer
Tim has taught at Centerville HS since 1997 as both the Director of Percussion and currently as the Visual Designer for the marching band, Indoor Drumline and Winter Guard. Tim also currently serves on the WGI Board of Directors and is the Vice President on the WGI Executive Committee. In addition to this role, Tim serves on the WGI Percussion Steering Committee and represents Rhythm X (PIW) on the Percussion Advisory Board. Tim is an in-demand freelance designer, judge, instructor and consultant. He proudly endorses Pearl/Adams, D’Addario, Evans Drumheads, Sabian, and is a Signature Artist with Promark.
Andrew Markworth
Music Coordinator, Arranger
Andrew Markworth is a composer, arranger and consultant writing wind, front ensemble and battery percussion for marching bands, indoor drumlines and drum corps. Andrew currently resides in Centerville, Ohio with his wife Kara, their children Natalie and Brady, and Ralphie, the Westie. Previously, he was the Centerville High School Band Director from 2005-2008 before becoming a full-time writer. He is currently engaged as the full score arranger for Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps in addition to his role at Rhythm X, Inc.
Andrew endorses Yamaha Percussion, Evans Drumheads, and Zildjian Cymbals. He is a signature artist with Promark - having designed the Andrew Markworth Signature mallets, released in 2018. He is in-demand as a freelance consultant.
Steve Mason
Ensemble Director
Stephen Mason earned his bachelors degrees at Mars Hills College in North Carolina. Mr. Mason then went on to earn his masters degree in euphonium performance at the University of California at Los Angeles where he studied with Pat Sheridan and Gordon Henderson. Stephen began his teaching career at the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010. In 2011, Stephen joined the brass staff of the Carolina Crown, earning 3 Jim Ott awards for brass performance as well as a DCI world championship. He is a sought after clinician and has worked with programs from all over the United States, Japan, and Thailand. While working the Aimachi marching band from Nagoya, Japan, the ensemble took first place in the All-Japan Marching Band Competition in 2012. Along with his role at Rhythm X, Stephen is the brass caption head for the Crossmen in San Antonio, TX. Stephen currently resides in Miamisburg, OH.
Instructional Staff
Ian Caldwell
Music Staff
Ian Caldwell is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, KY where he received his Bachelor's degrees in Music Education and Music Performance in 2015. During his time at Northern Kentucky University, he was fortunate to perform at the KMEA, OMEA, Jazz Education Network and International Trumpet Guild Ohio Chapter conferences.
Ian’s marching experience includes performing with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from 2009 to 2012 along with Rhythm X Winds in 2016 and 2017. He has been an active teacher in the marching community since 2009, serving on multiple visual and music staffs in the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati area. Most recently, Ian was a member of the brass staff for the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps from 2016 to 2018. He is an alumni of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Music Fraternity and is an active member of The National Association For Music Educators.
Currently Ian is an active staff member with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, a performer with the Fillmore Wind Band, and is in his second year as the Director of Bands at Williamstown Jr. & Sr. High Schools in Williamstown, KY.
Ian is excited to be entering his third season teaching Rhythm X Winds!
Brian Dice
Music Staff
Brian Dice is a music and visual instructor from Indianapolis, IN. He marched in Rhythm X from 2017-2019, earning three consecutive world class champion titles. He began his teaching career at Martinsville High School in Indiana, teaching both woodwind music and visual. Currently, he is one of the band staff members for Franklin Central High School in Indianapolis. He has been a part of their staff since 2017, earning two ISSMA state semi-finalist titles with their marching band and two WGI World Class finalist titles with their indoor percussion. Other programs he has worked with include Mt. Vernon High School in Indiana and the Cincinnati Tradition Drum and Bugle Corps. Brian currently resides on the north side of Indianapolis and attends the Kelley School of Business for accounting and finance.
Emily Donovan
Music Staff
Emily is excited for her first year on staff with Rhythm X Winds. She spent the 2018 and 2019 season as a performer on both baritone and trombone. In addition to indoor, Emily performed with the Blue Star Drum & Bugle Corps along with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps on trombone and baritone. In the 2019 season she worked as a low brass technician for Music City Drum and Bugle Corps.
Emily is from Columbus, Ohio but currently resides in Dayton, Ohio where she teaches Lakota East's and Kettering Fairmont's marching band programs.
Danielle Marquardt
Movement
Danielle, originally from Kentucky, began her marching arts career in high school and continued through college. She attended EKU and participated in their Dance Theatre program and studio classes. Her performance career also includes Expressions WG (‘09, ‘10), Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps (‘09, ‘10), Lexis WG (‘12, ‘13), Zydeco WG (‘14), and most recently at Juxtaposition WG (‘18).
She has taught several high schools in Kentucky and Ohio, including but not limited to: Lafayette (KY), Bellbrook (OH), & Centerville (OH). Danielle has also shared her love for all things pageantry at Colts Drum & Bugle Corps (‘13-‘17), Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps (’18) and Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps (’19). She began instructing drumline/visual at ConneXus (’17, ’18) and for a few seasons with the Rhythm X drumline and winds program. She looks forward to continuing her time with the organization and exploring new opportunities!
Katie McIlraith
Movement
Katie has been involved in the color guard activity since 2007. A native of Cobb County, Georgia, Katie graduated from Pope High School. Since then, she has been a performing member of the Paramount World Winter Guard program for 5 seasons ranging from 2012-2017. Katie was also a member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. She completed her performing career with the Mason Entertainment Group’s 2017 production of “Blast! The Music of Disney”.
Katie had been teaching various high school programs in the Southeast including Milton HS (GA), Hillgrove HS (GA), and Kennesaw Mountain HS (GA), as well as choreographing for various colorguards throughout the United States. Katie has worked with independent organizations including Reverie Independent (GA), The Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps (TX), Equinox Percussion (GA), Cincinnati Tradition (OH) and Rhythm X Percussion and Winds. She moved to Ohio in 2018, and currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, as the director of the Williamstown HS colorguard. Katie is presently a choreographer for multiple colorguards and marching bands in the Dayton and Cincinnati area. This winter she will be working with Bellbrook Winterguard, Springboro Winterguard, and Juxtaposition Winterguard.
In 2015, Katie earned her B.S.N., R. N. from Kennesaw State University with a specialization in Trauma and ER. She will be working within the Children’s Healthcare system come November 2019.
Jeremy Oliver
Visual Staff
Originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan, Jeremy currently resides in Miamisburg, Ohio where he is an active visual designer, and educator for the marching arts. Jeremy was a founding member of Rhythm X Winds where he performed from 2015 through 2017 on tuba, and euphonium. Since concluding his performance career, Jeremy has continued to be involved with Rhythm X as a visual instructor.
In addition, Jeremy is currently the visual caption head at Kettering-Fairmont High School, the visual designer for Divergent Performing Arts and a member of the visual staff at the Seattle Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps. This past summer, Jeremy was given the opportunity to lead the visual caption at the Cascades, and assisted in completing the drill design and choreography.
Outside of the Marching Arts, Jeremy is a classroom aide at Greenmont Elementary School in Kettering, Ohio. In his spare time he enjoys cooking, and spending time with his cat, Willow. Jeremy is excited to be returning for his sixth season with Rhythm X!
Matt Osborn
Visual Staff
Matt currently lives in Miamisburg, OH. He recently completed his fifth season on visual staff at the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps and will be with Rhythm X for his 6th season. Matt also works with bands in the Cincinnati/Dayton area including Centerville High School and serves as the Visual Caption Head at Lakota East High School.
In addition to his teaching experience, Matt was also a performer at a high level. He started his performing career in DCI with the Glassmen in 2010 and 2011 as a member of the hornline. Matt then marched his age out of drum corps with Carolina Crown in 2012. Following his drum corps experience, Matt was a founding member of Rhythm X Winds in 2015 and was a performer in both 2016 and 2017 before joining the staff in 2018.
Keith Tye
Music Staff
Keith’s experience within drum corps includes serving as the Blue Knights Assistant Caption Head in 2018, and serving as a Brass Technician with the Arizona Academy Drum & Bugle Corps. As a marching member, Keith performed with the Blue Stars and the Carolina Crown form 2013 through 2016.
In addition to his drum corps experience, Keith was a member of the Rhythm X Winds and has also served as a brass instructor with the 4-time world champion organization.
Keith also has considerable background working with several high schools in the Indianapolis, Dayton and Cincinnati areas including Lawrence Township High School, Carmel High School and Kettering Fairmont High School.