2019 Watchmen Educational Staff
Brass Staff
Paul Rendon was born in San Diego, California in 1973. He studied Music Composition at The University of Toronto (Ontario, Canada) and Music Education at San Diego State University. While at San Diego State University he was admitted membership into The San Diego State University ETA THETA Chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda, a national honor society, for his academic achievement and contributions to the SDSU School of Music and Dance. He was also granted a fellowship in The California Music Project! He received his credential from San Diego State University.
Paul is an active educator, composer, arranger and performer in Southern California. As a wind band composer, he was commissioned to compose a piece for The 2014 California All-State Music Education Conference for Rancho Buena Vista High School Wind Ensemble. In the same year, his transcription of Leonard Bernstein’s “Three Dance Episodes from “On The Town” for wind ensemble” was premiered at the San Diego Winds Composers festival. The second movement, “Lonely Town”, is still being performed today. In 2016 The Watchmen Drum and Bugle Corps from Riverside, California premiered his original show entitled “Goliath” during their competitive Drum Corps International season. Paul is very active in promoting the arts and arts education as well.
Paul has been a brass designer, brass caption head, Program Consultant and instructor at the World and Open Class levels of drum corps. His Drum Corps programs include The Kiwanis Kavaliers, Velvet Knights (World), The Watchmen, West Coast Sound, Bracken Cavaliers, Long Island Sound, Illusion and The Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets winter program. He has also designed wind band books for various high schools. Recent Marching Band include Rancho Buena Vista HS, Mission Hills HS, Steele Canyon HS, Point Loma HS, Serrano HS, Fallbrook HS, Wateska HS (Illinois), Las Vegas HS and numerous others.
Paul is very active in the community as a performer. A Trumpet and French Horn player, he has performed with numerous Orchestras and Wind Ensembles. His credits include The La Jolla Symphony, San Diego Youth Symphony, San Diego Wind Ensemble and Concert band, The San Diego Symphony as an ensemble, various woodwind/brass quintets and other college ensembles where he has studied. He was also in a national touring ska band and played Trumpet with Dave Wakeling of The English Beat/General Public. Paul was a member of the World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugles Corps from 1991-1993 where he played French Horn and Mellophone, was a section leader and soloist. As a member of SCV, he performed at DCI’s solo and ensemble competition where he earned third place against some very talented musicians. He attributes his parents and numerous other people in his life that have mentored and impacted him in arts education including SCV legends Gail Royer, Myron Rosander, and Rick South just to name a few.
Currently Paul is the assistant director of bands at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, California (North County San Diego). Since 2011 he teaches/conducts all 3 wind ensembles, marching band and other after school programs like Jazz, Theory, and composition. He also helps students with International Baccalaureate Music throughout the year. He is a music adjudicator and clinician for various circuits including SCSBOA and CMEA.
This is his 2nd year as brass arranger for The Watchmen. He currently resides in San Marcos, Ca.
Stephanie is a music educator and holds a Bachelor’s in Music Education from California State University Fullerton. While at Fullerton, Stephanie performed with multiple groups including the Brass Ensemble, Brass Quintet, and the Wind Symphony. She studied trumpet with Dr. Mark Garrabrant, then later with Barry Perkins, Principal Trumpet for the Pacific Symphony.
Before transferring to Cal State Fullerton, Stephanie attended Riverside Community College for three years and was involved with numerous performing ensembles which provided unique musical and educational experiences. These ensembles include the RCC Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Brass Quintet, Orchestra and the RCC Marching Tigers. Stephanie studied trumpet under Rich Chasin and Kevin Mayse while at RCC.
Stephanie is currently Director of Instrumental Music at Chaparral High School in Temecula. She recently completed her first year teaching at Chaparral High School and her fourth year as a high school music director. Stephanie was previously the director at Vista Del Lago High School in Moreno Valley. Stephanie was also, previously part of the Watchmen brass staff in the 2014 season.
Victor began working in education in 1999 as a marching and brass coach for local high schools in the Southern California area. He is currently the Director of Instrumental Music at Bloomington High School in Bloomington, CA after being Music Director at Fallbrook High School located in North County San Diego. When he is not in the classroom, Victor teaches horn to his private studio and performing with local orchestras and wind ensembles. Working with young performers is a passion he has had since his time as a performer himself.
His work as a educator at Redlands High School where he played horn, mellophone in the band and marching bass drum for the winter drumline. After graduating he continued his playing with the Riverside Community College Marching Tigers and Drum Corps International. In 2008, he graduated from the University of Redlands with a degree in Music Education and Teaching Credential. He is currently working on finishing his graduate school.
While serving at his position at Fallbrook High School for six years, his ensembles have received high recognition and awards. The Marching band has found success in the Western Bands Association earning several 1st place awards. The Wind Symphony has earned Excellent and Superior Ratings at Festival. The Winter Drumline has won the Gold Medal (Novice Class – 2015), Bronze Medal (Scholastic B – 2016) at the American Drumline Association Championships. The Winter Color Guard has consistently competed at a high level earning a Gold Medal (Scholastic AAA – 2016) at the Winter Guard Association of Southern California Championships.
This is Victor’s Second season with the Watchmen and is excited for this new opportunity.
Robert is currently the Instrumental Music director at Grand Terrace High School; a position he has held since the school opened in 2012. This follows a 7-year tenure as the music director at Terrace Hills Middle School and two elementary schools beginning in 2005. Robert has also served as a low brass tech, brass caption head, and assistant director for a number of school band programs in Southern California including Serrano High School, Riverside King, Murrieta Valley HS, and John W. North Blue Star Regiment winning SCSBOA Championships in 2002-2003. He has also served as a guest clinician for a variety of high school and middle school band programs, university music ensembles, and regional honor bands.
Robert has been playing the trombone since 1991 and has an extensive background as a freelance musician performing with a number of Southern California ensembles and with several Grammy-nominated musicians. He is a low brass specialist with significant performance and teaching experience on Euphonium and Tuba in addition to Trombone. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from CSU San Bernardino in 2004.
This is Robert’s first full season with the Watchmen and is excited for this new opportunity.
Adam graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2015 and attended Mira Costa Community College in Oceanside, California from 2015-2018. During the summers of 2017 and 2018, he marched mellophone with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps. In his ageout year, he was the mellophone section representative and soloist in their 2018 production “Here’s to the Ones Who Dream”.
In September of 2018 he relocated from Fallbrook to Riverside and is studyingmechanical engineering at the University of California, Riverside.
Percussion Staff
This is Brandon’s second year working with The Watchmen after the 2014 summer season and has been involved with the marching activity since 2004. Brandon’s marching experience includes Yamato Drum and Bugle Corps, Velvet Knights, POW Percussion, RCC Fall Marching Band and the RCC Indoor Drumline as well as the Concord Blue Devils. He has worked with, taught and written for numerous programs in Southern CA including Canyon Springs High School, John W. North, Temescal Canyon, UCR, South Pasadena, Ayala, Incognito Drum and Bugle Corps, Pace Indoor Percussion and Dark Sky Percussion. He currently works with Western high school in Anaheim, Cypress high school and performs with Sidle entertainment. Moreover, he is pursuing a BM in Music Composition from California State University Fullerton with an emphasis in percussion.
Brandon Lives in Fullerton, CA.
This is Marcel’s second season as Front Ensemble Caption Head with the Watchmen.
His past teaching experience includes Martin Luther King High School, La Sierra High School, Moreno Valley High School, West Covina High School, Apple Valley High School, and Jurupa Valley High School. He is currently the Percussion Caption Head and Arranger for La Sierra High School. He graduated from Martin Luther King High School, and currently instructs the front ensemble and is the Head Sound Technician.
After high school, Marcel would perform with the RCC Marching Tigers, Watchmen Drum and Bugle Corps, Watchmen Indoor Percussion, and the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps.
Marcel currently resides in Riverside, CA, and is studying Percussion Performance under Jason Goodman and Steven Schmidt. Marcel has had the pleasure to study under Sandi Rennick, Lauren Teel, Brennan Davis, Stephen Symank, Chris McWilliams, and Brian Dinkel, through his years in the marching activity.
This is Whitley’s first season as Front Ensemble with the Watchmen.
Her teaching experience includes Vista Murrieta High School, Murrieta Valley High School, Chaparral High School and front ensemble caption head for the Velvet Knights in 2012. Whitley played with almost every ensemble at Riverside City College has to offer including concert percussion, jazz and marching percussion. She’s has also completed the music theory courses and is the principal percussionist in the orchestra and the wind ensemble. I will be graduating from RCC in June 2018.
Color Guard Staff
Maritza Ramirez comes to us from Southern California where she has been a part of the color guard community since 2005 having 13 years of performance experience.
She has performed at the middle school, high school, and college level. With groups like Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, RCC Marching Band, RCC All-stars Band and the world famous winter guard Fantasia. Maritza’s teaching credits include Palm Middle School, Lakeside Middle School, Vista Verde Middle School, Canyon Springs High School, Patriot High School and Rancho Verde High School.
She has also gone on to study at the University of California, Riverside where she has received her undergraduate degree and is currently using that degree to work in the Moreno Valley Unified School District and the Val Verde Unified School District. This will be Maritza’s second year with the Watchmen Drum and Bugle Corps.
Samantha is from Northern California, she moved to Southern California to go to school at RCC and be in the RCC Marching Band. She has been involved in of the world of color guard pageantry since 2006. Before color guard Samantha studied ballet from a young age, and for 6 years was a member of the Crocket Dean Dance Company, Sacramento Ca.
Samantha’s performance credits include such groups as Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, RCC Marching Band, RCC All-stars Band and Fantasia Winter Guard. Samantha’s teaching credits include: RCC Marching Band Color Guard Captain, Grand Terrace High School, Banning High School, and West Valley High School.
Visual Staff
Ryan H. Turner brings a rich history in the marching and pageantry arts activity that covers over 35 years of experience as a performer, designer, instructor, administrator, and adjudicator.
Ryan graduated from Pasadena High School in 1984 after a successful high school music career, performing on trombone, euphonium, and tuba, and serving as drum major and marching instructor for the marching band. He moved on to Pasadena City College, where he served two years as the drum major for the PCC Lancer Marching Band as well as the world-renowned Official Tournament of Roses Honor Band. During those same years, Ryan began his three-year stint with the very popular Drum Corps International World Class Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps from Anaheim, California, serving one year as a lead baritone in 1985, and then the next two years as drum major. He was also a member of the highly regarded California State University at Long Beach “Big Brown Music Machine” Marching Band for two years. In his performing career, Ryan has performed in multiple idioms of music with over sixty performance ensembles as a specialist in low brass with some of the top names in southern California music education and entertainment.
Ryan’s love of drill design is evidenced in the over 225 shows he has designed since 1984 for high school and collegiate marching bands, drum and bugle corps, winter guards, and indoor drum lines across the country, garnering awards and praise in multiple judging circuits. He has instructed and designed as well for both DCI and DCA corps, including the Velvet Knights, Anaheim Kingsmen, Pacific Crest, Impulse, Capital Sound, City Sound and So Cal Dream All-Age Drum and Bugle Corps.
Administratively, Ryan served as Vice President of Contests for the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC) from 1990-1994, and was part of the Executive Management team that propelled the WGASC to its current status as the top “local” winter guard circuit in the world. After two years on the Board of Directors with the Pacific Crest and So Cal Dream Drum and Bugle Corps’, he served on the Board of Directors for the Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps in a public relations role as well as on the Executive Steering Committee for So Cal Dream. He has worked both with the WGASC as a Contest Director, and the Marching Band Open Series (MBOS), a division of the WGASC, assisting the organization with management, strategic planning, and promotions.
Ryan’s adjudication skills have taken him nationwide, and he is currently certified as a visual performance and effect judge for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), the Southern California Judging Association (SCJA), the American Drumline Association (ADLA) and US Bands (formerly the United States Scholastic Band Association–USSBA). He is a sought-after leadership consultant for drum majors and student leaders in the southern California region, and has taught at the acclaimed California Leadership Academy with nationally-renowned leadership expert Dave Kuhns. As well, he has offers his own “Dynamics of Leadership” workshops to great reviews, working with the Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps and several marching band programs across the country.
Often referred to as the “Voice of Southern California”, he has served as announcer and Master of Ceremonies for a multitude of drum corps, marching band and winter guard shows across the southwest region over the past 30 years. He has announced for DCI, WGI, SCSBOA, and WGASC, as well as having the honor of announcing for the 2007 DCI Division II/III World Championships in Pasadena, California and for the Anaheim Kingsmen Alumni Corps’ semi-finals performance at the 2007 DCI World Championships in the Rose Bowl.
While Ryan’s love is in the marching and pageantry arts, he also serves in a very rewarding career in public safety and has been recognized for contributions in the public safety emergency communications and management industry during his 25+ year career. He is currently the Senior Fire Communications Supervisor of Education and Training for the fourth largest fire department in California, the Orange County Fire Authority, in Irvine, California. He assists in managing a workforce of 26 full-time 911 dispatchers and supervisors in a state-of-the-art Emergency Command Center. He resides in Brea, California, with his wife and three children.
Israel has been with the Temescal Canyon High School marching band as the visual caption head since the fall of 2007. He has worked as a marching tech with the Vista Murrieta Golden Alliance in 2005.
He marched contra with the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2005, euphonium with RCC Marching Tigers from 02-04, and tuba with the Santa Ana Winds Youth Marching Band.
John Cross has teaching marching and visual instruction in Southern California since 1994. Starting out with the Grossmont School District at Helix High School and then with Rancho Buena Vista High School. He moved to Orange County was started working with El Dorado High School and then with Mission Viejo High School for the last 6 years.
He is planning to move to Riverside and this last year worked with Ramona High School & Martin Luther King High School. John started his drum corps experience with the Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle corps back 1980 – 1982, he then joined the Impulse Drum and Bugle staff in 1997 – 2002 and then was elected to the Board of Directors for a couple of years.
Wanting to still perform he has performed with the San Francisco Renegade Senior Drum and Bugle corps for the last couple years and is also on the Board of Directors. John is excited to work this year with the Watchmen group after seeing their performances last year, it is going to be a great year. John is currently living in Riverside, CA.
Michael has a long history in the marching arts, starting back in 1973 as a member of the Chevaliers of Waterloo, Iowa which later became the Royal Chevaliers in 1975. In 1976, Michael moved on to march with the Osage Precisionaires of Osage, Iowa. Michael moved to the west coast and found a home with the South San Francisco Conquistadors, marching with them in the 1979 and 1980 seasons.
After a long hiatus from the activity, he resumed his marching career with the San Francisco Renegades Senior Corps in 1998 and performed for three years with them. In 2002, he was part of the management team that started the all age SoCal Dream Drum and Bugle Corps. Michael served in many roles for several years for this successful organization, including President of the Board, Corps Director, Visual Tech, Tour Manager, and a member of the hornline.
Michael has taught all levels of drum corps and high schools. He served as a visual tech for the St. Paul Scouts (1979), Logan High School (1984-85), Impulse (2000-2001), SoCal Dream (2005-2006), Renegades (1998) Gabrielino High School (2006-2007), Norco High School (2010-2011), and Los Amigos High School (2014). Visual Caption Head for the highly successful Dynasty Marching Band of Ramona High School in Riverside, CA. (2016-2018)
Michael resides in Huntington Beach, CA with his wife of 35 years and has a great career in the automobile industry.