Judges for the Capital City Band Expo
and
The Capital Cup

Dr. Scott Carter is the current Director of Symphonic Wind Ensemble & Concert Band at East Carolina University. Scott earned a D.M.A. degree from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, and M.M. and B.M. degrees from East Carolina University. He is the former Director of bands at Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC. Doctoral conducting associate at University of Cincinnati as conducting student of Eugene Corporon. At Cincinnati, Scott performed on two critically acclaimed compact disc recordings, Made in America and Hearts Music. Scott has extensive public school experience which includes teaching instrumental music in Rocky Mount, NC, where his marching band won Marching Bands of America Grand National Championship three times.

Mr. Doug Casteen is a graduate of NC State University. He has been judging marching bands and color guards for the last 20 years. His marching experience includes marching in DCI with Avant Garde from Saratoga Springs NY , the 27th Lancers from Revere , MA , and the Star of Indiana from Bloomington , IN. He has been active as an adjudicator for the USSBA, SCBDA, ISSMA, CIPA, and FFCC. He has instructed various marching bands, winterguards, and drum corps throughout the Southeastern US . He is currently the Chief Judge for the Atlantic Indoor Association (AIA). Mr. Casteen is entering his 9th year as a General Effect judge for Winter Guard International (WGI).

Mr. Tony Granados currently works as a freelance musician, director, and instructor in central North Carolina. Tony can be seen performing as a sub in the North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Symphony Brass Quintet, Carolina Brass Quintet, Wilmington Symphony and Roanoke Symphony. Tony performs in the orchestras for the Carolina Ballet and Opera Company of North Carolina, and is the Principal Tuba in the Tar River Orchestra and Symphonic Band. Tony serves as an adjunct Instructor of Tuba and Euphonium at North Carolina Central University, he maintains a large studio of high school and middle school students, and he regularly runs sectionals for school bands. Finally, Tony is the Director of the Triangle Youth Brass Band, widely considered the premiere youth brass program in the United States.

Mr. Benjamin Harloff holds two Bachelors Degrees from Indiana University: Music Education and Trumpet Performance. He is currently in his first year teaching at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Ben marched with the Phantom Regiment Cadets (1988-1989) and Star of Indiana (1990-1993). Ben then performed with the Star of Indiana Brass Theater for four years which eventually turned into Blast! During his time with Blast!, he was one of the trumpet soloists in both the London and New York City casts. Ben and his wife Cindy live in downtown Minneapolis.

Mr. Marty Spitzer is the Director of the UNCP “Spirit of the Carolinas ” Marching Band. As a member of the music faculty at UNCP he also heads up all athletic bands, teaches applied saxophone, and many music education courses at the University. Mr. Spitzer taught for many years at Bellbrook High School in Ohio where he was the director of bands and music department chair. The marching bands under his direction at Bellbrook won Class Championships at the BOA Grand National Marching Band Championships on 5 occasions and in 2000 was a BOA Grand National Finalist Band. Mr. Spitzer has served terms on the Bands of America Advisory Board, and as the Mid-States Band Association President. He has adjudicated marching band, concert band, color guard, and indoor drum line competitive events in Ohio , Indiana , Florida , Kentucky , Wisconsin , New Jersey , Connecticut , Oklahoma , and North Carolina . He has served as a clinician and instructor for several state, and regional marching band judges training and symposium sessions. Mr. Spitzer has also served as a guest conductor for All County / All District Honor Band events.

David Stroud, a native of Kinston, NC, received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1998 from East Carolina University. Following graduation, he taught beginning strings and instrumental music at Wintergreen Intermediate in Pitt County, NC. After a year at Wintergreen, Mr. Stroud moved to Carteret County where he taught instrumental music at Broad Creek Middle School. Currently, he serves as director of bands for Newport Middle School. At Newport Middle, Mr. Stroud had the honor of being selected as the 2003-2004 Newport Middle School Teacher of the Year. Mr. Stroud is also a National Board Certified Teacher.

Under his direction, his bands, concert and jazz, have received consistent and consecutive superior ratings with his separate seventh and eighth grade bands at the North Carolina State Band Festival. Mr. Stroud is an active guest clinician and adjudicator in North Carolina and Virginia, and he has the honor of being the conductor of the “Purple Band” at the East Carolina University Summer Band Camp in Greenville, NC.

Bob Thomas started playing a bugle at the age of 5. He continued playing both bugle and drums for the next 25 years. He has marched in both senior and junior drum and bugle corps. He attended Norwin High School where he both taught and marched in the drum line. His teaching experience extends of the past 35 years. He has designed and instructed numerous award winning Drum and Bugle Corps, marching bands majorette teams and winter color guards.

Mr. Thomas has been a clinician for many groups, including Carolina Winter Ensemble Guard Circuit, Seton Hill College Color Guard Camp, West Chester College Color Guard Camp, Penna. Federation of Contest Winter Guard & Band, Ohio Judges Association Winter Guard, Florida Federation of Judges Winter Guard, and South East Color Guard Circuit, to name just a few. He has just returned this year from Malaysia, where he judged the World Marching Band Championships. He is currently the director of education for Drum Corp Europe.