In preparation for DrumLine Battle Welland, Ontario at the Drumline Ontario 2015 Provincial Championships, we would like to present the three DrumLine Battle judges:

Ted Mascari

Ted Mascari has been involved in all aspects of percussion since 1980 as a performer, educator and arranger and is considered one of the top marching percussion minds in Upstate New York.

He graduated from Cicero-North Syracuse High School in 1988 where he started his teaching career soon after graduating. Over the past 24 years, he has directed and arranged for several marching band and indoor percussion programs in NY, most recently, the quality programs at Oswego, Webster, East Syracuse-Minoa, Marcus Whitman and Victor High Schools. He is very proud of the many students from these high schools who have gone on to march in top Drum Corps drum lines and is often sought out for private instruction and consultation.

Ted’s drum corps instructional career began in 1993 with the Syracuse Brigadiers. From there, he moved on to the Rochester Crusaders till 1996. In 1997 he began teaching the Empire Statesmen, where he helped win 2 DCA World Championships including the high percussion title. He left in 1999 to join the staff of the Rochester Patriots Jr. Drum and Bugle Corps (1999 DCI high percussion and division II champions). In 2002, Ted returned to the Empire Statesmen and is going in to his 11th year as percussion coordinator.  Ted also took over the battery arranging responsibilities in 2009. In 2010, He assisted the Kidsgrove Scouts, DC United Kingdom and DC Europe Champions, during their USA Tour to the DCA World Championships and is on staff as a percussion advisor again for 2012.  Kidsgrove will return to the USA in September for the DCA World Championship in Annapolis. In 2012 Ted will join the ranks of the percussion staff at the Glassmen Junior Drum and Bugle Corps. He is also an endorser for, and on the educational team of Innovative Percussion, Dynasty Percussion and Sabian Cymbals.

Ted resides in Webster, NY with his wife Sara and their 8 year old twins Christian and Mason.

Jim Allen

Jim Allen has designed for and consulted with numerous bands, drum and bugle corps, and color guards over the past 35 years. He served as the judge coordinator for the New York State Field Band Conference from 1998- 2001 and also served as the Northeast Regional Director for Winter Guard International (WGI) from 1998-2001. Additionally, Jim has been a member of the New York Federation of Contest Judges since its inception in 1975. During that time, he has served in several capacities with the Federation—President, Visual Caption Coordinator, and Marching Band Caption coordinator. He has served as an adjudicator for WGI, DCI, DCA and marching band festivals and championships throughout the United States.

From 1997-2007, Jim served as a consultant, visual tech and caption head for the Syracuse Brigadiers Senior drum and bugle corps—the 1997 and 1999-2002 DCA World Champions. In 2008, he served as a consultant and visual tech for the Empire Statesmen and was visual coordinator from 2009- 2013. Jim is also the Assistant Band Director of the University of Buffalo Athletic Bands (marching band and pep band), a position he has held since 2000. In 2011, Jim was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

Mr. Allen is an economic development consultant and directs an economic development agency in Amherst New York. Additionally, Jim is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Architecture and Planning and the Law School of the State University of New York at Buffalo where he teaches courses in economic development, urban design, strategic planning and land use law. Mr. Allen is also a Policy Fellow with the University’s Institute on Local Governance and Regional Growth, specializing in economic policy and strategy.

Mr. Allen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning.

Paul McGarr

Paul McGarr is currently teaching in Toronto at the prestigious Upper Canada College where he has been the Director of Bands at the Preparatory School since 2007. He has over 24 years of teaching experience throughout southern Ontario from the Director of Jazz Studies and Concert Bands at Toronto’s Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, Director of the Jazz Program at Westdale Secondary School, and Five years with the Toronto Catholic District School Board, to 15 years as musical director, composer, arranger and consultant to many prominent Drum Corps throughout Ontario. His Education consists of Majoring in Jazz Performance studies (trumpet) with a minor in composition at the University of Toronto and an Honours Degree from Mohawk College’s Applied Music program, including the Gold Medal Award (Mohawk College’s highest Accolade) and the Dr. Mitminger Award for combining Athletics and Academic Excellence. He is currently a member of the OBA and CBA.

Paul is also in high demand as an adjudicator and clinician working all over North America for such sanctions as Drum Corps International, Bands of America, Drum Corps Associates, Fiesta-val and Heritage music Festivals, to name a few, having the pleasure of adjudicating the Drum Corps World Championships and the United States National Championships 15 times in recent years. He is also the former Judge Administrator for the Ontario Drum Corps Association. He, his wife, Jackie, with sons, Joshua, Mitchell and Andrew, and daughter, Jordyn, reside in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.