The Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps is excited to announce the return of Brent Montgomery as percussion caption head and Seth Adams as director of the front ensemble program, and the addition of Tom Aungst as lead percussion consultant for the 2009 season.

Brent Montgomery and Seth Adams are familiar to people who have followed the Blue Stars in recent seasons, as they return for their 4th and 3rd years, respectively. Tom Aungst may be new to the Blue Stars, but he is certainly well known to anyone who has followed drum corps over the past three decades.

"Tom and I have been friends for many years, and I'm excited that, at long last, we get the opportunity to work with each other," said Montgomery. "Having Tom at the Blue Stars is a tremendous development for our players and the drum corps. He will be an integral part of the design process and also heavily involved in ensuring the best possible ensemble cohesion for the percussion and drum corps."

"I am very excited to be working with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps," said Aungst.  "As anyone can see from the last few years, they are a corps that has made great progress.  With the talented staff that has been put together, the 2009 season should prove to be one of their best ever."

"I could not be more thrilled to have Tom's influence and expertise as part of the Blue Stars' percussion program," said Corps Director Howard Weinstein. "He will not only be an incredible addition to the percussion staff, but will also have an impact on the organization as a whole, based on his many years of experience and success in the activity. Tom Aungst is the epitome of professionalism, and a true innovator in the drum corps activity."

Also returning to teach the Blue Stars' percussion program in 2009 are instructors Jesse Willis, Brian Blume, Eric Thompson, Justin Alvis, and ensemble consultant Nick Angelis.

About Brent Montgomery
Brent Montgomery is in his fourth season as the Blue Stars Percussion Caption Head. Prior to joining the Blue Stars, Montgomery spent the 1991-1993 seasons with Star of Indiana, working with percussion ensembles that some consider among the best in the history of the activity.

Since 1993 Montgomery has focused primarily on commitments outside the activity, though he has served as an advisor to three other corps. "The Blue Stars opportunity was one I couldn't pass up," said Montgomery. "To have a chance to work with an organization with this much heritage and tradition is a gift. I'm really looking forward to being able to contribute to the corps and give back to the activity."

Montgomery received his Master's Degree in Music from the University of Massachusetts. He currently lives in Indianapolis, IN and works nationally as a percussion arranger, consultant and clinician.

About Tom Aungst
Tom Aungst has been involved in the drum and bugle corps activity for almost thirty years. Tom started marching in 1979 with the Reading Buccaneers Senior Drum Bugle Corps. In 1981, he became a member of the Garfield Cadets and continued to march with the corps until his age-out year in 1984. Aungst became the lead percussion technician for the Cadets from 1985 until 1989. From 1989 through 2008 Tom was the Director of Percussion and Arranger for the Cadets. In his 27 years with the Cadets, Aungst has been involved with winning nine DCI World Championships, six Fred Sanford High Percussion Awards, and nine runner-up titles. Tom was inducted into the Cadets' Hall of Fame in 2004 and the DCI Hall of Fame in 2006.

Aungst is currently the Percussion Director for the Dartmouth Public School System in Dartmouth, MA. His position includes teaching percussion students from fourth grade through high school. He also carries with him great success on the Winter Guard International Percussion circuit with Dartmouth High School capturing 3 World Championships in 1998, 1999, and 2008, and placing in the top three every year since.

Aungst has a Bachelors in Music Education from West Chester University in PA, and a masters in Jazz Performance from Rutgers University. Tom lives in New Bedford, Mass., with his wife Darcie and his two Sons, Alan and Noah.

About Seth Adams
Seth Adams returns to the Blue Stars for his third year as the director and arranger of the front ensemble program. Seth holds degrees in Music Education and Percussion Performance from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he studied arranging and composition with DCI Hall of Fame inductee Thom Hannum and Canadian composer Dr. Carl Wiens. As an arranger, Seth has shared writing credit for drum corps and marching band shows with Thom Hannum, Colin McNutt, Michael Klesch, Wayne Downey, Daisuke Okamoto and Jay Bocook, among others. Seth was the arranger and director of the Carolina Crown Front Ensemble for the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

Currently residing in Boston, Seth is entering his second year as music director at Saint Mary of the Hills School in Milton, MA. Seth works with the Norwood High School Marching Band and is a contributing arranger for the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band. Seth is also an avid bass player, having performed and recorded with a number of artists of numerous genres throughout the Northeast.

2009 Auditions
Auditions for the 2009 Blue Stars will be held November 28, 29, and 30 in Indianapolis, Indiana; December 6 in Minneapolis, MN (brass and percussion); and December 13 in Los Angeles, CA (guard). For more information on becoming a part of the Blue Stars, visit www.bluestars.org.