Brian Wilt
Corps Director in Perpetuum
Brian brought the Corps back from near death in 2016. Under his leadership we quickly rebuilt, grew in size, and improved in quality. He set us on a course to thrive and succeed. The Corps respected and loved him as much as he loved this activity.
Tragically, Brian passed away September 29, 2023 after a 4 year battle with cancer. He left behind his wife (and drum corps partner), Stacy, and his adoring son, Aiden.
Brian was the 9th person to hold the title "Corps Director" in this organization and he will be the last. We decided that he should retain it forever. Going forward, a Corps Manager will assume that role. Our prayers and thoughts continue to be with his wife Stacy and son Aiden as they rebuild their lives without Brian. All of the Drum & Bugle Corps activity is a family... and they will never be alone
Previous Corps Directors:
Jay Blanchard (Sound Star)
Bill Ridings (BCB)
Paul Chaffee (BCB)
Mike Palmquist (BCB)
Roque Haines (BCB)
Jason Rose (GCS)
Tom Huntley (GCS)
Corey Mark (GCS)
Brian Wilt (BCB)
Contact us: Director @ BayouCityBlues . com (Remove Spaces)
Chris Parmeter
Corps Manager
Chris Parmeter bills himself as a third-rate 2nd Euphonium player, but he’s actually pretty good. More importantly, he’s the Corps Manager and oversees all Corps operations while guiding BCB into the future.
A native Houstonian and Klein ISD alum, Chris first heard about drum corps in 1981 from a fellow high school band member, who just happened to become the Garfield Cadets drum major a few years later. Chris was lead Euphonium for the Houston Nighthawks in 1982-83, thinking that was the end of his drum corps career due to school, work, and family obligations. He did sneak back to perform with Sound of Long Island in Hicksville, NY in the summer of 1989.
Chris stumbled into a Bayou City Blues rehearsal in the winter of 2016, where once he figured out which end of the horn had the mouthpiece, he was allowed to stay.
Jason Rose
Music Director
Jason first joined BCB in 1998 while home on leave from the Marines. He has been with the Corps full time since 2000. He got his first taste of arranging music by writing the finale for the 2000 program that was performed at the DCA Championships. Immediately after hearing the hornline perform something he wrote, he found a new passion and hobby. Since 2002, he has been deeply involved in designing, arranging, and writing every show the Corps has performed, as well as a good portion of the concert music.
From 2002 – 2010, Jason served as the Corps Director (and Executive Director) for Gulf Coast Sound. In addition, he was a member of the 2002 DCA Champion Syracuse Brigadiers Drum & Bugle Corps (Contrabass). He regularly plays Bass Trombone and Tuba in the Spring Baptist Church Celebration Orchestra with his wife, Michele (French Horn). Incidentally, when the Roses were married, an ensemble from GCS played the wedding service on G Bugles.
When BCB was reformed in 2016, Corps Director Brian Wilt asked Jason to write the music. He enthusiastically accepted. When Brian began to battle cancer in 2019, he had to step into Brian’s roll of Brass Instructor. The 2020 show was designed and written by Jason, then he taught both the music and the drill. In his words “I don’t ever want to do that again. We got it done and it worked out pretty well, but it about killed me. It’s really exciting to have the dedicated and professional instructors we have today. Their passion and expertise is going to drive us into the future and deliver some amazing results.”
Jason wants to continue writing for the Corps, but is excited to pass-the-baton to the next generation in the coming years.
Angel Morales
Brass Caption Head
As an active performer, Mr. Morales enjoys playing horn with many bands, orchestras, and chamber groups in the greater Houston area. The ensembles he has contributed to include the Woodlands Symphony Orchestra, Conroe Symphony Orchestra, Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra, Houston Civic Symphony, Baytown Symphony Orchestra, The Woodlands Concert Band, Spring ISD Alumni Band, Sugar Land Winds, Fort Bend Brass, and Texas Brass. As an avid performer Mr. Morales has repeatedly performed at the Midwest Clinic, Texas Music Educators Association, and Texas Bandmasters Association on multiple occasions.
While earning his Bachelor’s of Music Education degree from Sam Houston State University, he was a dual member of the SHSU Wind Ensemble and the SHSU Symphony Orchestra in addition to being a section leader for the mellophones in the Bearkat Marching Band. Mr. Morales has taught private lessons and masterclasses for Aldine ISD, Willis ISD, Huntsville ISD, Spring ISD, Galena Park ISD, Magnolia ISD and Conroe ISD. Many of his students were successful at Region Band/Region Orchestra auditions, some even gaining acceptance into the American Festival For the Arts. Mr. Morales has a passion for empowering young musicians.
Ærin Gray
Percussion Caption Head
Ærin Gray is an active composer, arranger, percussionist, vocalist, and music educator in the greater Houston area. He regularly composes and produces programs for pageantry arts (marching band, winter percussion, winter color guard) programs all over the country. Ærin holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music composition and theory from Sam Houston State University studying under Drs. Kyle Kindred and Brian Herrington.
Ærin has programmed for marching bands, indoor drumlines, and colour guards in Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. His shows consistently achieve best-in-show and superior ratings in their respective competition circuits. With experience in performance, design, arrangement, and composition, Ærin can help any group put their best foot forward in the pageantry arts.
Carole Thronburg
Color Guard Caption Head
Carole Thronburg has been in the band world since birth with her Father being a Band Director who started her love of music and the performing arts from a very early age. She started dance at the age of 3 and is classically trained in ballet, tap, and jazz. Joining the Jody Grant Dance Company enabled her to study in New York at Steps on Broadway. Ms. Thronburg received her Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from Texas A&M University where she worked as a student Athletic Trainer. She then received her Masters in Counseling from PVAMU. During her band career, she has marched with her High School Band (French Horn and Color Guard) as well as with Gulf Coast Sound All-Age Drum and Bugle Corps in the guard, pit, and as a mellophone player, and is currently with Bayou City Blues as a guard member and dances with Sahira's Shimmy Babies. She has been in education for 29 years with 18 of them being at Stovall Middle. Ms. T started the Color Guard Club at Stovall Middle School 9 years ago.