Currently the drill designer for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, Mitch began his

career as a high school marching band trombonist and continued at the University of

Illinois, where he performed in concert and marching bands. Mitch performed with The

Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps in the early 1980s.

After graduating from UI with a bachelor of science in computer engineering, he began

instructing the Cavaliers and various Illinois and Texas high school bands in his spare

time. In 1991, Mitch became the visual caption head of the Cavaliers and assisted the

corps to two consecutive DCI visual caption awards and the 1992 DCI World

Championship. In 1994 he wrote the Cavaliers' drill. In 2002, Mitch continued his drum

corps experience as the program coordinator for the Santa Clara Vanguard. He has been

with the Bluecoats since 2003.

Mitch now works full-time as a drill designer, marching instructor and show design

clinician. Mitch is the drill designer for many fine high school bands including Stephen F.

Austin High School Band and Angels Dance Team from Sugar Land, Texas, Centergrove

H.S. Band from Greenwood, IN, Cypress Falls Marching Band from Houston, TX,

Ronald Reagan H.S. from San Antonio TX and many others.

From 1992 to 2003, Mitch was the drill designer for the trend-setting Plymouth-Canton

(Michigan) Educational Park Marching Band, a perennial BOA Grand National finalist

and Michigan state champion. In 1999, Plymouth-Canton was the BOA Grand

Champion. He also instructed the 1992 BOA Grand National Champion Spring H.S.

Marching Band from Spring, Texas. As an instructor and designer, Mitch has been

associated with high school bands throughout the United States including Westfield H.S.

(Spring, TX,) Langham Creek H.S. (Cypress TX,) Reeths-Puffer H.S. (Muskegon MI,)

and many others.

Beginning in 1992, Mitch has been drill designer and visual caption head for the colorful

and inventive Aimachi Marching Band and Color Guard of Nagoya, Japan. He travels to

Japan each year to instruct Aimachi. The band won the All-Japan Championship in 1998,

2000, 2001 and 2003.

In 2001, Mitch also had the honor of spending five weeks in Thailand teaching one of his

designs to the St. Paul Convent School Marching Band of SriRacha, Thailand, winner of

the prestigious 2001 Yamaha Marching Band Competition. Mitch continues to write for

various bands in Thailand. He returns to the Bluecoats in 2008 for his 6th year as the

Bluecoats' Visual Designer.