About Our Experts
Check back regularly to see our panel of judges for the 2025 event!
Nancy Beley - Color Guard Judge
Nancy Beley has a wide-range of experience in the performing arts activity. From teaching, directing to adjudicating for numerous marching bands, drum corps, and indoor ensembles throughout Canada, Washington, Oregon and California. Nancy enjoys guiding the performing experience while sharing knowledge of percussion, colorguard and dance.
At a competitive level, Nancy began marching in Canada as a percussionist with the Alberta All Girls then states side with the Seattle Imperials. She directed winterguard in Canada for 10 years, then taught and directed the Northwest Passage Performing Arts Organiztion from 1993 to 1997, San Jose Raiders Winterguard 1998 to 2004 and the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps from 1998 to 2002.
Nancy continues to adjudicate today at marching band and winterguard contests in California, Canada and Utah. She is an early childhood education teacher and speech language therapy assistant.
To all the performers and to your creative and support staff..Enjoy the competition day!!!
We welcome Nancy to her second SFOB!
Sascha Burckhardt - Drum Major Judge
From concert halls to mainstages and clubs, Sascha Burckhardt can be found all around the Pacific Northwest as a trombonist, teacher and bandleader. Fueled by the love of all music, Sascha is unbound by style or genre and has played many styles including classical, jazz, rock, pop, funk, and latin. His technical virtuosity and clear musical voice has been heard as a featured soloist, an ensemble musician and in the recording studio.
Sascha’s trombone journey started late at age 16, and after high school he attended Central Washington University, where he received his Bachelor’s of Music studying trombone. Sascha continued his studies at DePaul University in Chicago, where he pursued his master’s degree.
As a teacher, Sascha works with students of all ages, and has worked with students as young as 6th grade up to professionals. His students have been accepted into honor groups including All-State, All Northwest and State Solo and Ensemble competitions. They have also received scholarship entry into music programs including Central Washington University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has been on the coaching staff for numerous high schools across the state of Washington, and was a teaching assistant at 2018 Vancouver Trombone Week in Vancouver, British Columbia. Sascha’s diverse and extensive experience informs his teaching.
Help us in welcoming Sascha to his first Sunset Festival of Bands!
Meredith Heinzmann - Music Effect Judge
Meredith Heinzmann is a local music educator who has taught High School Band in Washington State for a decade. As a former teacher in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, she is thrilled to be a member of the judge team for this year’s Sunset Festival of Bands. Two of her favorite things about Marching Band are the sense of community that comes with being a member of a performing ensemble and the rapid learning that happens between the Preliminary Round and the Finals Round.
Ms. Heinzmann is also an active performer in the region, most prominently with Formation Wind Band. When she is not teaching or performing, Ms. Heinzmann enjoys spending time with loved ones and pursuing creative hobbies.
This is Meredith's first appearance as a judge at Sunset Festival of Bands!
Jeff Ray - Music Ensemble Judge
Jeff Ray is in his 37th year of working in public education, and is currently the director of the Olympic View Middle School Band from Mukilteo, WA. This group has won events all over the Pacific Northwest and California. They were the first middle school in the United States to perform at a division one NCAA Bowl game, performing with Destiny’s Child. Prior to entering education, Mr. Ray spent 25 years in drum and bugle corps as a member, instructor, and as a director. His affiliations include the Percussionaut Patriots, Renaissance, Freelancers, Imperials, Marauders, Argonauts, Spartans, and Cascades Corps. Mr. Ray also keeps a very busy performance schedule as a lead trumpet player and plays in several bands in the North Puget sound area.
Jeff has been with us for every single Sunset Festival of Bands!
Jim Rice - Music Individual Judge
Jim Rice is University Intern Coordinator for students entering the music teaching profession at Western Washington University. Rice retired from public school music teaching in June 2018 after 40 years as a successful instrumental music teacher, most recently at Inglemoor High School in the Northshore School District. He earned a BA from CWU and a MA from the UW. Rice has served as president of WMEA, the Washington Music Educators Association and NAfME: The National Association for Music Education’s Northwest Division. He was organizing chair of the 2007 NAfME Northwest Division Conference, coordinating chair of the 2005 NAfME All-Northwest honor groups and the 2002 WMEA All-State honor groups, as well as the organizing chair of the 1997 NAfME All-Northwest Orchestra and the 1990 WMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble. Rice is a sought after orchestral and band clinician and adjudicator
Rice is a member of the WMEA Hall of Fame and Northwest Bandmasters Association, was a candidate for NAfME national president and in 2010 was named a CWU Outstanding Alumni. In 2011 he was awarded the NAfME Northwest Division Distinguished Service Award. He also has served as congregational chairman, elder, music committee member and choir member at his church. He and his wife, Donna, enjoy their grandchildren Ellis, Abner, Amos, and Eden, and are proud of their daughter, Rachel, Music Specialist at Snoqualmie Elementary School and son-in-law Tom, Student Ministries Pastor at Church on the Ridge, and daughter, Rebecca, Music Specialist at Timber Ridge Elementary School, and son-in-law Stephen, who is Lead Student Ministries pastor at Church on the Ridge in Snoqualmie.
Jim is joining us for his third Sunset Festival of Bands!
Nick Molenda - Percussion Judge
Nick Molenda studied music at the University of Washington in Seattle and has been performing & educating for over 20 years.
As a performer, Nick spent years behind the drum kit, holding the drum chair with such artists as HARPS, Allen Stone, Headwaves, & Megan Wilde, Nick has toured extensively, performing at venues of all sizes. Presently, Nick can be heard performing with Seattle Rock Orchestra & alt/Indie artist Brittany Danielle.
As an educator, Nick is well-respected in the northwest music community from a 7-year stint coordinating the University of Washington Husky Drumline. In 2013, Nick led the Seattle Cascades Drum & Bugle Corps to their highest percussion score on the DCI tour in several years. Nick also served as a front ensemble & sound design supervisor for the award-winning Kamiak High School (Mukilteo, WA) WGI Winter Percussion Ensemble during their undefeated run in the NWAPA regional circuit. These days, Nick maintains engagement teaching privately, consults with various groups, & regularly adjudicates for marching band, drumline, and solo & ensemble competitions all over the west coast. Nick proudly endorses Pearl Drums, Remo Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals, & Vic Firth Drumsticks
Nick is welcomed back to the Sunset Festival of Bands for the fourth time!
Maximilion Logan - Visual Effect Judge
A Portland native, Maximilian is an active designer, adjudicator, clinician, and servant leader in the Pacific Northwest’s athletic arts activities. Maximilian became educated and certified as a Pharmacy Tech but has left that profession behind to pursue his passion of pageantry design. Founding and operating his company; Melody Productions LLC, Maximilian now provides design and educational services to many scholastic and independent ensembles. He was a member of the Oregon Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps from 2008-2012, then was on visual staff there from 2013-2015. Maximilian became involved with the Seattle Cascades Drum & Bugle Corps in 2017 on the visual team, then as Caption Supervisor for 2018. He joined the IMPACT Percussion visual team in 2022 and continues to lead and design in that capacity. Maximilian shepherded the WGI Winds presence in the Pacific Northwest in an elected position on the NWAPA Board as Vice President-Winds for two terms.
Max is here for his first SFOB!
Ron Maier - Visual Enemble Judge
A native of Bremerton, Washington, Mr. Maier has performed in the Titans Drum and Bugle Corps, the Seattle Imperials Drum and Bugle corps and Winter Guard, the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and the State Street Review Winter Guard. He has designed for and taught many groups across the United States and Canada, including the Phantom Regiment, of Rockford, Illinois, The Thunderbolts of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, the Marauders of Longview, Washington, Les Eclipses of Montreal, Quebec, and numerous high school bands and winter guards. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Washington, a master’s degree in integrated arts from Lesley University and is a national board certified music educator. Mr. Maier was director of bands at Finn Hill Middle School in Kirkland, Washington, for 32 years and is now enjoying retirement. He also serves as judges coordinator for the Pacific Performing Arts Association.
We welcome Ron to his ninth SFOB!
Nick Maupoux - Visual Individual Judge
We welcome Nick to his third Sunset Festival of Bands!
