From a Bluecoats press release: The Bluecoats are proud to announce the addition of longtime instructor, adjudicator, and designer Don Hill to their instructional staff for the 2005 season. Hill will work with the corps as a special consultant to the brass section, as well as the music ensemble. Hill has had a long and varied career in drum and bugle corps. He began by marching with the Des Plaines Vanguard from 1971 to 1973, and finished his marching experience with the La Crosse Blue Stars in 1975. Hill then taught the Blue Stars horn line for six years, eventually assuming arranging duties as well. Soon afterward he began his judging career, a career which included the honor of judging finals three times, and culminated in being named brass and music general effect caption head for DCI, a position he held for seven years. Don then returned to arranging as part of the Cadets design team, serving as the brass arranger for their 2002 and 2003 seasons. Hill has been active in the band field as well. He has held the position of director of bands at Plantation High School in Plantation, Fla., as well that of associate director at Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Fla. Hill has had marching band arrangements published by Hal Leonard, Inc., and has arranged for many top-level high Florida school competitive marching bands, including Plymouth - Canton Educational Park, Center Grove, The Woodlands, L. D. Bell, and Ben Davis. He has also judged extensively in the United States and Japan. Hill has been a member of the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) since 1994, and four times has received recognition from the ASCAP special awards panel for his original works. His concert band pieces have been performed throughout the United States as well as in Japan and Australia. He was recently honored as a featured composer at the University of South Florida, and this spring had his latest commission premiered by the El Toro High School Wind Ensemble at the California Music Educators Association Conference. He is published by Great Works, Inc. and Ludwig Music Publishing Company. DHill is extremely excited about his new relationship with the Bluecoats. "I was really honored when I was asked to be involved," Hill ssid. "I have great respect and admiration for the staff and have always been impressed and affected by the level of performance the corps achieves every year. As a consultant, I will hopefully be able to draw upon all of my experiences, from marching to teaching, designing and judging. I'm just here to help, and can't wait to get started!"