Dr. Brad McDavid is in his 16th year as Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Washington. His primary duties as director of the 240-member Husky Marching Band includes principal field conductor, show coordinator, and program administrator. In addition to serving at the helm of one of the most comprehensive athletic band programs in the country, Dr. McDavid also holds a lecturer position in the School of Music and serves as conductor of the university’s Symphonic Band
A native of Centerburg, Ohio, Dr. McDavid has previously taught at the elementary, middle school and high school levels in the public schools of Central Ohio and Tempe, Arizona. Dr. McDavid received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from The Ohio State University and his Master of Music Degree from Arizona State University. In 1999 he received his Ph.D. in Music Education also from The Ohio State University School of Music. He has also received additional graduate studies while serving as graduate assistant director for the Purdue University Band Department. Dr. McDavid is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor and has led the Husky Marching Band on performance tours of Australia and China and Scandinavia. In October 2005, the band will travel to Japan to perform in the renowned Midosuji Parade in Osaka. In addition to being a life member and former district governor for the national band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi, McDavid is also a member of MENC and WMEA as well as the Washington state chair for CBDNA and Northwest chair for the National Band Association. Brad also serves on the selection committees for the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Trophy and Sudler Shield recognizing outstanding high school and collegiate marching bands throughout the world.

Eric M. Smedley is in his third year of a Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting degree at the University of Washington, where he serves as a Graduate Assistant Director for the Husky Marching Band and Concert Bands. Eric holds Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Eric comes to the UW after three years as the Associate Director of Bands/Director of Athletic Bands at Western Kentucky University. During his time at WKU, Eric directed the Big Red Marching Band, the Big Red Basketball Band, the Symphonic Band, and assisted with the Wind Ensemble. Eric also taught various music education and general education courses. During his final semester at WKU, Eric served as Acting Director of Bands. Eric's public school experience includes: Cocoa Beach High School in Cocoa Beach, Florida; Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica, California; and Lincoln Middle School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Eric's major trumpet teachers include Allen Vizzutti, David Gordon, Ed Cord, and Harry Herforth - with additional lessons and masterclasses from Vincent DiMartino, Justin Emerich, Mark Eichner, and Marvin Perry. His major conducting teachers include Tim Salzman, Ray Cramer, Stephen Pratt, and Robert Porco - with additional lessons and masterclasses from H. Robert Reynolds, Jerry Junkin, Allan McMurray, Craig Kirchoff, Richard Clary, Richard Floyd, Robert Carnochan, and Scott Hanna. Eric credits Dave Woodley and Brad McDavid as his athletic band mentors. Eric is a member of the College Band Director's National Association, Music Educator's National Conference, Washington Music Educator's Association, National Band Association, International Trumpet Guild, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Kappa Kappa Psi. He is an active arranger, clinician, and trumpet performer. Eric lives in the Wedgwood area of Seattle with his wife Jessica and their Bedlington terrier Ainsley.

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Gary Brattin is in his second year of study in the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting program at the University of Washington where he serves as a Graduate Assistant Director for the Husky Marching Band. Gary comes to the UW after serving for two years as Assistant Professor/Director of Symphonic Winds, Athletic Bands and Brass Choir at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas where he also taught the low brass studio. Previous to his appointment in Kansas he served as Director of Bands at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand and at Northglenn High School in Denver. Gary lived in Taiwan for ten years where he was Principal Tuba of the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, the Taipei Sinfonietta & Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Wings of the Angels Symphonic Wind Ensemble. While in Taiwan he also served as Director of Bands at Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo, Ching Mei Girls, and Chung Shan Girls Sr. High Schools, and as Music Director/Conductor of the Sirens Symphonic Winds. Gary continues to serve as Principal Conductor of the Yuetao Symphonic Wind Ensemble in Taipei, Taiwan. Gary has performed on tuba, presented clinics, guest conducted, and adjudicated internationally in Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore, as well as throughout the U.S.A. The recipient of Bachelor and Masters Degrees from the University of Northern Colorado, Gary has studied conducting with Tim Salzman, Kenneth Singleton, John Bell and Dick Mayne and tuba and bass trombone with Bill Clark, Jim Sparrow, Paul Brooks, Jack Robinson, Benedict Kirby, and Chris Olka.

Vu Nguyen is a graduate teaching assistant for the wind band program at the University of Washington where he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in instrumental conducting. He received a Master of Music in instrumental conducting from the University of Oregon, where he was a graduate teaching fellow, and a Bachelor of Music in music education from the University of the Pacific. His primary conducting teachers have been Robert Ponto and Wayne Bennett. In addition to his UW responsibilities, Vu is a Captain and Commander/Conductor of the Air National Guard Band of the West Coast, stationed at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, CA. He received his commission from the Academy of Military Science finishing as a distinguished graduate in April 2005. The ANG Band of the West Coast is responsible for providing public concerts and musical support throughout Northern California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Vu taught public school for six years in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District prior to his arrival in the Pacific Northwest. He has been guest conductor with regional honor bands in northern California, several music camps, and the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West. He is a past recipient of the California Music Educators Associations Gilbert T. Freitas Award for Achievement in Music Education.

Kirsten G.M. Cummings is in the second year of the Master of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting degree at the UW, where she serves as a Graduate Assistant Director for the Concert and Campus Bands. Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Pacific Lutheran University. Kirsten comes to the UW after two years as the Director of Bands at Ashland High School in Ashland, Oregon. She also co-taught 7th/8th grade bands at Ashland Middle School, played clarinet in the Rogue Valley Symphonic Band and was a woodwind sectional coach for the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon. Kirsten studied clarinet with Deborah Colyn and Craig Rine and conducting with Jeffrey Bell-Hanson and Scott Taube. She is a member of the Music Educator's National Conference and the National Band Association and is a 2008-2009 Rachel Royston Scholarship recipient.