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Directors and Staff

 


Director of Bands:
 


Tom Finigan

 


Associate Director of Bands:

 

Nick Infinger

Assistant Director:


Gary Stroupe

 

Assistant Director:


Meredith Melven

 


Color Guard Instructor:


William Thomas

 



Additional Creative Staff

 


Drill Design:


Bob Buckner


Music Arrangers/Composers:


John Meehan
Frank Sullivan
Bill Locklear

 
 
Additional Student Support Staff

Low Brass/ Visual Tech:

Randall Williams

High Brass/ Visual Tech:

Thomas Finigan Jr.
Chris Green

Woodwind/ Visual Tech/Drum Major:

Casey Chubb

Visual Tech/ Drum Major Leadership:

Rickey Langdale

Percussion Tech:

Travis Smalls
Eric Ferugson Jr.

 

 

 


 
Tom Finigan
, is the Director of Bands for the Colleton County High School Band of Blue and coordinator of the Instrumental Music Program for the Colleton County Schools. He is a native of Walterboro, SC and is in his twenty-ninth year with the Colleton County Band Program. Mr. Finigan has been associated with The Band of Blue either as a student, staff member or director since 1976. He holds the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of South Carolina and the Master of Education degree in school administration and supervision from the Citadel.

His professional affiliations include Music Educators National Conference, National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu Honorary Band Masters Fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, Kappa Delta Epsilon, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, South Carolina Music Educators Association and the South Carolina Band Directors Association.

The Band of Blue under Mr. Finigan’s leadership has continued a tradition of excellence in our state. The Band of Blue has continued to perform engaging and innovative half time shows and have been named a top 12 finalist at state contest every year. The Colleton County High School Band been awarded the Outstanding Performance Award recently and has received Superior Ratings in Class V at concert festival. The Band of Blue was a featured performer in the 2008 Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, DC. and performed in the 2010 and 2013  Krewe of Endyminion Parade in the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, LA.

During Mr. Finigan's tenure as Director of Middle School Bands, The Walterboro Junior Band and The Colleton County Junior Band received the Outstanding Performance Award from the South Carolina Band Directors Association 16 years consecutively and a total of 18 times out of 19 years. The Junior Band under his direction performed at the 1992 South Carolina Middle School Association Convention and was a featured ensemble along with composer John O'Reilly at the 1993 South Carolina Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. Under Mr. Finigan, hundreds of students have received numerous excellent and superior ratings and region and all-state chairs at various SCBDA sponsored events.


Mr. Finigan is the past president of SCBDA. He served on the SCBDA Executive Board for the past 19 years.
He also served as the SCBDA State Marching Committee Chairman for eight years and is currently serving
as the SCBDA Historian. He is also active as an adjudicator and visual designer, having written
for many fine area bands.  Mr. Finigan was recently named one of the 2014 Conn-Selmer VIP Band Directors in the US. 

Mr. Finigan is married to the former Lorraine Cauley of Columbia. They have two sons, Thomas, 19 is
a sophmore Music Education Major at the University of South Carolina and William, 12 is in eighth grade and plays tuba.

 
Nick Infinger, is the Associate Director of Bands for the Colleton County High School Band of Blue and Director of the Colleton County Junior Band and Middle School Bands. Mr. Infinger is a native of Harleyville, SC is in his ninth year with the Colleton County Band Program. He holds the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in Education Administration from Grand Canyon University. He is a member of Music Educators National Conference, South Carolina Music Educators Association, The International Trumpet Guild, and the South Carolina Band Directors Association.

During Mr. Infinger's time at USC, he was a member of the USC Symphonic Band, USC Concert Band, USC Marching Band, USC Trumpet Ensemble and the USC Left Band Big Band. Mr. Infinger was a featured soloist with the USC Marching Band. He has performed for President George W. Bush and the past 3 South Carolina governors.

Mr. Infinger has taught at Spring Valley High School and at Gilbert High School. While at Gilbert High School, he was a brass instructor and visual tech. During that time, the Marching Indians, won two Class 2A Lower State titles and finish runner up at the 2A SCBDA State Championships. Mr. Infinger maintains a private studio, teaching young trumpet players.

Mr. Infinger is an avid golfer and loves to fish and hunt. He enjoys arranging and practicing his trumpet. He is also a “die-hard” GAMECOCK fan!!

  

Gary Stroupe,    is the assistant director of bands at Colleton County High School and Colleton County Middle School.   Mr. Stroupe is a passionate educator and music advocate, who enjoys inspiring and motivating students through the joy of studying music.  Mr. Stroupe recently restarted the Colleton County Winter Percussion and in their first year back in CWEA competition won the CWEA Novice Class Indoor Percussion Championship and also won the 2015 South Carolina Winter Ensemble Novice Class Indoor Percussion State Championship. 

Mr. Stroupe is a 2007 graduate from the University of South Carolina, where he earned his degree, Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Education, with the distinction Magna Cum Laude.  He was an active performer, on several instruments during his collegiate career.  In addition to studying Oboe professionally, Mr. Stroupe also performed Baritone and Alto Saxophone in the Carolina Band and English Horn in the Big Music Machine Orchestra.

Mr. Stroupe maintains professional affiliation with the South Carolina Band Director's Association, the Charleston County Band Director's Association, Music Educator's National Conference, International Double Reed Society and he is an alumnus of Kappa Kappa Psi.  

Mr. Stroupe often finds himself giving family and friends the same excuse, "I can't...I have band practice."  However, in his free time, he does enjoy cycling, reading, fishing, playing video games, and spending time with his family and friends.  Mr. Stroupe is an avid “Star Wars and Harry Potter” fan too!



 

 

Meredith Melven, is excited to be joining the Colleton County Bands for the 2015 – 2016 school year as Assistant Band Director of Colleton County Middle School and Colleton County High School. Ms. Melven received a Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental) from the University of South Carolina in 2014, with the distinction Magna Cum Laude and a Performance Certificate for Clarinet. While attending USC, she was a member of the USC Wind Ensemble and participated in the performances for CBDNA and SCBDA conventions as well as concert tours in Washington D.C. and China. She was a part of two of the Wind Ensemble’s most recent CD recordings, including “Music of Leonard Bernstein” released in 2011. She also participated in the Carolina Marching Band as a four-year member of the Coquettes Dance Team, and held the leadership role of Captain for her junior and senior years.

Ms. Melven completed her first year of teaching here in Colleton County, as the general music teacher at Cottageville Elementary School. She recently earned the Rookie Teacher of the Year Award for CES. Ms. Melven has a passion for teaching and inspiring students of all ages through music.  She is excited to continue her music education career in Colleton County, in a new capacity. She looks forward to seeing elementary students’ involvement in music continue as they progress to Colleton County Middle.

Ms. Melven is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, where she spent her childhood and attended Irmo High School. She comes from a family of musicians, with two younger brothers who both play trumpet and parents who formerly played in the Irmo High School Band as well. While music has always been a prominent part of her life, her parents encouraged her to be well rounded and so she also has twenty years of dance experience. She continues to teach dance for the Universal Dance Association (UDA). She also enjoys biking, kayaking, and spending time with her family. She maintains professional membership with the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), the South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) and the International Clarinet Association (ICA).



 
William Thomas   is in his second year with the Band of Blue visual staff. 
Mr. Thomas is a jack of all trades in the guard and drum corps world!   He heads our Visual and Marching Instruction for 2015.  Mr. Thomas has been an integral part of the Colleton County Guard Program has helped the guard compete in Class A at CWEA Championships.

Mr. Thomas performed in the 2012 Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps Color guard and performed with 2015 Aria Independent Open Winter Guard from Greensboro, NC.  Aria Winter Guard earned the distinction of World Finalist at WGI.  Through this experience, Mr. Thomas has performed for thousands at Drum Corps International's World Championship Finals, at Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, IN and at Winter Guard International Championships in Dayton, OH.

Mr. Thomas comes to us from nearby Hampton County.  He attended Charleston Southern University, performing Tenor and Baritone Sax in the Buccaneer Marching Band, Jazz Band, and Wind Ensemble.  At Wade Hampton High School, he served as Drum Major for two years and marched Alto Sax and Mellophone.  

 


 

 

Travis Kenny Smalls   is in his second year with Band of Blue percussion staff.  Mr. Smalls is from Varnville, SC.   Mr. Smalls studied instrumental performance at Newberry College with Kevin Flowers and also Anderson University with Rodger Whitt. He currently performs throughout the US as an independent percussionist with various ensembles. 


 


Chris Green, originally from Walterboro, SC.  Mr. Green has his degree in Music Education from the College of Charleston and is a former Band Captain of "The Band of Blue"

 

 
Rick Langdale, is a native of Walterboro, SC who is a graduate & former Drum Major of Colleton County High School. Mr. Langdale is the Director of Bands for Easley High School.  He is a clinician for the Band of Blue staff as Leadership & Visual Instructor.

Upon graduating from CCHS, Mr. Langdale worked for Fred J Miller, Inc as a Drum Major/Student Leadership Instructor for the summers of 05 & 06 in Dayton, Ohio.  As well as Rock Hill High School's "Band Of Distinction" serving as Drum Major Instructor in Fall of 05,06,& 07; also assisting in low brass instruction.  He has served as the Leadership Instructor for Colleton County High School Band of Blue since 2005 and most recently assisting in the visual caption area.

Mr Langdale is attending the Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC were he is pursuing a BME in Music Education.  While at WU he has performed with the Winthrop Symphonic Band, Winthrop Chorale, & Winthrop Glee Club: which perfomed in 2005 at Carnegie Hall in NY under the direction of famous composer John Rutter.  

 

Mr Langdale is a member of Music Educator's National Conference and former Treasurer of the Winthrop Chapter. 

When he is not teaching or performing, Mr Langdale enjoys playing RockBand, going to the beach, traveling, and spending time with family. 



 

Casey Chubb   is a familiar face to the Band of Blue.  Mr. Chubb has been a drum major and leadership instructor and adjudicator for the band for past several years.
As a recent graduate from the College of Charleston in 2013 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology and Minor in Theater, Mr. Chubb balances his time working as an Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Department Technician within Colleton County to serve the Band of Blue musicians in any and every way possible. Alumnus of Colleton County High School Band of Blue, he lead chaired the alto saxophone line and served in multiple officer positions. He performed all four years in the school's symphonic band. He served as a Drum Major his senior year and has consistently returned year after year to assist with the Drum Major Leadership Camp, which he now serves as lead instructor. He has also returned to help woodwind sections and aid in visual techniques during the Summer Band Camps. Mr. Chubb has also served as a Drum Major Caption Judge for previous competitions. He plans to devote himself to helping the Band of Blue excel until leaving to attend medical school in the future.


 


Randall Williams, originally from Walterboro, SC.  Mr. Williams is an advisor and mentor to our band.  He has worked band camps for a number of years and is an original Band of Blue member.  He is a former Band Captain of "The Band of Blue"   

 


 

 

 

 Link to Mr. Bill Young's Biography page

 


 

 

 

 

 

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