2026 SOUTHERN INVITATIONAL JUDGES
BAND JUDGES:
FREDDY MARTIN
Freddy Martin was born and educated through high school in Cobb County, Georgia. Mr. Martin attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama where he received the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. Mr. Martin has done post-graduate work at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Mr. Martin is celebrating his 46th year in education. He has taught at South Cobb High School in Cobb County Georgia, with the Famed Spirit of Atlanta Drum Corps, for the Buford City Schools in Atlanta. He was the Brass Coordinator for the DCI Champion Phantom Regiment Drum Corps from Rockford Illinois. Since 2014 Mr. Martin has been Co-Brass Fundamentals Coordinator for the Cavaliers Drum Corps. Mr. Martin is the founding director of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps and continues to serve the Corps today as director emeritus. Mr. Martin’s son Chris is Principal Trumpet in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. His son Michael is fourth trumpet in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Martin is a member of the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame and Phi Beta Mu. He is in his sixteenth year as band director and brass specialist at The Westminster Schools. Mr. Martin has been an adjudicator and clinician for more than forty years and has adjudicated in thirty- five states and in England. Mr. Martin holds and honorary Doctorate in Music Education from Vandercook College of Music in Chicago.
Neil Ruby
Neil Ruby is the Fine Arts Coordinator of the Carroll County School System. He taught HS Band for 30 years in Carroll County, most recently for 24 years at Central-Carroll High School, in Carrollton, Georgia. Mr. Ruby received a B.M. Degree in Music Education from the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Georgia, and a M.M. Degree in Music Education from the Vandercook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois.
Mr. Ruby is the Immediate Past-President of the Georgia Music Educators Association. He also served four years as the GMEA State Band Chair, four years as the GMEA District Seven Chairman, and as a member of the Music Selection Committee, Nominations Committee, Marching Band Committee, All-State Committee, and as a Mentoring Teacher for the State of Georgia. He is also a GMEA-Certified Head Adjudicator for the Large Group Performance Evaluations. Mr. Ruby has received the prestigious National Band Association Citation of Excellence on six occasions. He is a Teacher of the Year recipient in Carroll County and was chosen as the STAR teacher of Central-Carroll High School on 5 occasions and has twice been chosen as the STAR Teacher for the Carroll County School System. Mr. Ruby was selected as the Teacher of the Year by the Wal-Mart Foundation and the STAR 94 “Teachers Make a Difference” recipient as a Georgia Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Ruby’s bands at Central-Carroll earned nothing but superior ratings, over 500 Class and Division Placement Awards, and 54 Grand Championships in 23 years. During his tenure, the CC Bands were two-time recipients of the Exemplary Performance Award from the Georgia Music Educators Association, and the Certificate of Merit from the National Band Association on four occasions. The Central-Carroll Symphonic Band performed at the GMEA In-Service Conference in Athens, Georgia, the Southeastern United States Honor Band Clinic in Troy, Alabama, and Janfest, at the University of Georgia.
Mr. Ruby is also the Instrumental Director at Roopville Road Baptist Church.
Dave McCarthy
Dave McCarthy is a native of Revere, Massachusetts and began his marching career with the 27th Lancers Drum and Bugle Corps and was then a four year member of The Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps . As a member of the Cadets, he was part of both the DCI World Championship, and High Percussion Award. Upon aging out, Dave taught the Boston Crusaders and The Marauders Drum and Bugle Corps. Over the years he has worked with and consulted for high school band programs in Massachusetts, Florida, Texas and Georgia.
Dave is currently a visual judge for Winter Guard International (WGI) Percussion Division. In addition to his adjudication role with WGI, Dave has judged nationally for many circuits including, SCPA, MAPS, SCGC, SAPA, IPA, FFCC, SFWGA and GIPA. In addition to the indoors judging, Dave judges nationally for a variety of marching band circuits and marching band invitationals.
From 1995 to 2001 Dave was part of the design team for King Philip Regional High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble. King Philip was a finalist in the WGI Scholastic World Class each year including the 2000 WGI PSW Gold medalist. From 1997 to 2006 and 2011 to 2019, Dave served as the Marching Caption Head for the two-time (1998 and 2002) BOA Grand National Champion Lassiter High School Marching Band of Marietta, Georgia.
CASEY EUBANKS
Mr. Eubanks recently retired after a thirty year career as a music educator. He holds a Master of Music Education from Troy University, a Bachelor of Music Education from Columbus State University, and is an active clinician and adjudicator. Mr. Eubanks began his teaching career as an elementary and middle school band director before becoming the Assistant Director of Bands at Houston County High School in his hometown of Warner Robins, GA. Mr. Eubanks has also served as the director of bands at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, GA, Temple High School in Temple Georgia, Sequoyah High School in Canton, Georgia, and as director of orchestras at Shiloh High School in Snellville, Georgia.
Mr. Eubanks has been listed in Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers and has been awarded the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence on five occasions. He has also been inducted into Phi Beta Mu Honorary Music Fraternity. In 2022 Mr. Eubanks was selected as Star Teacher at Sequoyah High School. Mr. Eubanks has served as the coordinator of both the GMEA District 9 Band and Orchestra Large Group Performance Evaluations as well as the coordinator and host for the GMEA District 9 1st round all-state auditions. In 2024 Mr. Eubanks was named GMEA District 9 “Music Educator Of The Year”.
Bands and orchestras under Mr. Eubanks’ direction have consistently earned superior ratings at the Georgia Music Educator’s Association Large Group Performance Evaluations as well as class and grand championships at regional marching competitions. Mr. Eubanks’ ensembles have performed in New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and at The Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.
Invitational performances under Mr. Eubanks' direction include The Southeastern United States Band Clinic at Troy University, the University of Alabama Honor Bands, and the Georgia Music Educator's Association In-Service Conference. Mr. Eubanks currently resides in Woodstock, Georgia.
PATRICK ERWIN
Patrick Erwin is a veteran music educator and adjudicator who spent 17 years as the Director of Bands at Hillgrove High School in Cobb County, Georgia, where he led one of the Southeast’s largest high school band programs. He holds graduate degrees in Music Education from the University of Georgia and Auburn University and has been recognized with honors including the George N. Parks Leadership in Music Education Award and the Symetra Hero in the Classroom Award. Patrick has also presented nationally on leadership, student engagement, and building positive cultures.
Today, he serves as Director of Curriculum at Growing Leaders, developing resources that equip students and educators with practical leadership and life skills.
-PERCUSSION-
ALEX SHIVE
Alex Shive is Director of Q2. A native of Opelika, Alabama, Mr. Shive is a graduate of Auburn University where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education.
In addition to his responsibilities with the Quest organization, Mr. Shive serves as the Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Percussion at Cass High School, the Percussion Caption Head of Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps, the Battery Instructor for the Macy’s Great American Marching Band in New York City, and percussion consultant/clinician for multiple schools and universities including Auburn University, Georgia Tech, and Point University.
Mr. Shive holds professional affiliations with the National Association for Music Education (NAFME), Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA), Percussive Arts Society (PAS), National Band Association (NBA), and is an Innovative Percussion, and Sabian educational artist.
-COLORGUARD AND AUXILLARIES-
ANDRIA FOERCH
Andria Foerch is the co-founder and director of Paramount Winterguard from Decatur, Georgia, and has participated in the pageantry arts for more than 25 years.
Andria has taught various successful programs such as Tarpon Springs High School, Seminole High School, Kiski Area High School, Westfield High School, Harrison High School, Phantom Regiment Winterguard, Georgia State University and Paramount Winterguard, where she currently serves as co-director alongside her husband Rick Subel. She has spent her summers working with programs such as Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Bluecoats, Crossmen and most recently Carolina Crown.
Andria received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Mercer University and her undergraduate from the University of South Florida. She currently works at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as the Manager of Patient Digital Experience.
Andria is passionate about developing strong colorguard performers and assisting students through the many challenges they face as performers and as young adults. She demonstrates her leadership and organizational skills through mentoring young instructors and guiding instructional teams through the process of developing strong management and planning skills, as well as helping develop effective teaching strategies and communication skills.
-DRUM MAJOR-
JESSE MADDEN
Jesse Madden is a resident of Valley, Alabama, where he was born and raised. Jesse went to high school at Valley High School and then went on to college at the University of Alabama; in Tuscaloosa, AL to work on his B.S. in Music Education. While at the University of Alabama, Jesse was one of the drum majors for “The Million Dollar Band.” His principal instrument is percussion and voice. Outside of the busy schedule for the university activities, he also spent time working and teaching local middle school and high school bands, and local church choirs.
After finishing at the university, Jesse went on to serve as Director of Bands at Alabama Christian Academy in Montgomery, AL; then to Beulah High School in Valley, AL. Later, went on to Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL as Assistant Director of Bands. Jesse has worked since the age of 16yrs old as a Director of Music at church, and served in that role in a few churches throughout Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia.
Over the years, Jesse has taught local areas bands, choirs, drum majors, percussion, and many areas continually. Jesse has performed, conducted, and led in many capacities teaching many music camps, choir workshops/clinics, and even taught music lessons one on one.
Currently, Jesse is a certified music educator and will complete his Masters in Secondary Education Degree, with a focus in Music, at the University of Phoenix; in Phoenix, AZ. The graduation date is set for December of 2025. Jesse is currently the Director of Bands at Russell County High School in Seale, Alabama. He also currently serves as Director of Music for his home church at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Valley, AL and Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church in Salem, AL, and assists within music areas for the Auburn District Baptist Church Association in Opelika, AL.
Jesse serves in many areas of music and leadership. Jesse is currently one of the Drum Major Coordinators for “Spirit Camp” (www.spiritcamp.com), where he has taught for over 24 years. Jesse travels throughout the Southeast to work with band and drum majors. Jesse adjudicates yearly throughout the south, judging drum majors, percussion, and bands at Band Competitions, and other musical events. Jesse is one who considers himself as a true servant, and loves all aspects of music and glad to be a part of opportunities to serve.