Design Staff
Key Poulan
Brass Composer/Arranger
Key Poulan is a composer and arranger with an expertise in the marching arts. He has written for the world’s most famous drum corps including the Santa Clara Vanguard, Mandarins, Glassmen, Spirit of Atlanta, Cascades, Spartans, Sunrisers, Hurricanes, Caballeros, Raiders, Millennium (Italy), Juliana (Netherlands), Siamyth (Thailand), Star United and the Mass Brass Mini Corps. He is the wind arranger for the World Champion Chromium Winds (The Cavaliers). As the owner of Key Poulan Music, he has been recognized as one of the country’s top arrangers and composers in the area of contemporary marching band, has several concert band works to his credit. His marching band arrangements have won several national titles at the Bands of America Grand Nationals Championships. His works have won many state titles throughout the United States and have been performed around the world. His transcription of “The Promise of Living” from Copland’s “Tender Land” was extremely well received at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival and his original works “Carnegie Fanfare and Dance” and “A Fortune in Steel” were premiered at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
Formal Education Key Poulan graduated from Marshall High School in Marshall, Texas in 1980 after starting band in Lindale Texas. Key received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from East Texas State University (currently Texas A & M – Commerce) in 1985 and had the opportunity of studying under many fine educators including: Gary Hill, Dave Ward, Dr. Robert Houston, and Dr. Gene Lockhart. Key studied trombone under the late Dr. Neill Humfeld and composition with Dr. Ronald Yates and Dr. Margaret Wheat at ETSU. Key also credits his success to his mentors: Philip Geiger, Bill Watson, Eddie Green, Dr. Lawrence Sutherland, Dr. Gary Gilroy, Dr. Jerry Payne, Melvin Reddic, Hubert “Butch” Almany and the person who started him on trombone in the 5th grade – Jasper Huff.
Drum Corps Experience Key was fortunate enough to audition for the Concord Blue Devils and be selected to the baritone line in 1983. As a fan of Wayne Downey’s electrifying writing style, Key spent time studying Wayne’s work and assisted him in lifting tunes during the 1983 Blue Devils’ season. Since 1985, Key has become an integral part of the Drum Corps International and Drum Corps Associates community. This is Key's 2nd Season writing for Arsenal.
Dan Bryan
Percussion Arranger
Dan Bryan teaches music for the Stanislaus Union School District. Prior to this appointment, he held positions at Los Banos High School, Grace M. Davis High School, and Joseph A. Gregori High School, where he founded the music department in 2010. Additionally, he works with CSU Stanislaus as a student teacher supervisor in the Teacher Education Department. He acts as an adjudicator throughout the United States, and has served as judge for Drum Corps International. Currently, he serves on the design teams for Genesis (TX) and Raiders (NJ) and Arsenal (TX) Drum and Bugle Corps. His also the Percussion Caption Head for Genesis (2020).
He is an eight time Winter Guard International World Championship Medal winner (and seven-time WGI Finalist) as an instructor/composer; additionally, he is published internationally through Key Poulan Music and GPG Publications. His music has been performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, as well as the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Some of his recent projects include the CSU, Fresno Bulldog Marching Band, Nor Cal Indoor (2017 WGI World Championship Percussion Finalist), and Clovis North HS Marching Band (2017 Midwest Clinic performer).
He is a graduate of Modesto Junior College and CSU Fresno, and holds his Master’s Degree in Band Conducting from Sam Hoston State University. He has served on the boards of the California Band Directors Association, Stanislaus County Music Educators Association, and the Central Valley Guard and Percussion Circuit. He is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor throughout California, and has presented at the California All State Music Educators Conference, Southern California Band and Orchestra Association, and Cazadero Music Camp (Conductor). This is Dan's 2nd Season with Arsenal.
Dan is co-owner (with his wife, Lindsay) of Pitopia Percussion, is a teacher/endorser for Innovative Percussion, and is the proud father of his favorite little tornado, Kate.
Shawn Glyde
Percussion Arranger
Shawn Glyde is a U.S. based musician, drummer, author, recording artist and marching percussion arranger, writer and instructor. In 2016, Shawn released his brand new method book series, Quick Start Drums, for drum set and drumline studies. He has recorded three solo jazz/fusion albums to date which have been highlighted in Modern Drummer Magazine. He spends most of his time working on band and indoor percussion show designs. His original compositions and arrangements for marching band and indoor marching percussion have won numerous honors including 2010 and 2011 WBA AA Champions (percussion Champions 2010, 2012, 2013) and 2013 WBA AAA Grand Champions. He writes for several band and percussion programs yearly and has an extensive catalog of indoor marching percussion and marching band shows to his credit. There are an estimated 150 competitive programs per year performing his musical arrangements. Shawn’s related affiliations include Music Team 7 - film scoring and sound design (credits include: Burn Hollywood Burn 2000, Actor - A Documentary 2012, Red Skies At Night [Trailer] 2012, Red Skies At Night 2015, Fleur 2017), Concord Blue Devils A Corps drum set arranger/consultant (2009-present), BDB Corps drum set arranger/advisor (2018-present), Clovis North High School marching percussion arranger and show designer (2007-present), Drum Set arranging for RCC Indoor Percussion (2018-present), electronic specialist and drum set arranger/writer for Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps (2019-present), batterie percussion arranger for Arsenal SoundSport Team (2019-present) and staff arranger for show-designs.com, xtremepercussion.com, keypoulanmusic.com, gpgmusic.com and related organizations (U.S. / Int’l.), private drum lesson (drum set and drumline) studio teacher (Clovis, CA). This is Shawn's 2nd Season with Arsenal.
More details and insight can be viewed at http://www.shawnglyde.com.
Edwin Parker-McConnell
Show Design/Choreography
Edwin Parker-McConnell is a New Mexico based music educator, colorguard instructor, choreographer, show/program designer and founding staff member of Arsenal. 2020 marks, Edwin's 4th Season with the Bombsquad. He has taught and written for various schools within the southwestern states, and has been a clinician for other schools within the country. Back at home, he has worked with a slew of high school programs and instructors. He first experienced drum corps in 2010 with the Troopers, which proved to be an invaluable learning experience. Since then, he’s spent his time spreading his love of colorguard wherever he’s been able to. Edwin believes that guard is not just about the competition, choreography, and other tangible elements that come along with it. It’s also about the passion, joy, and love that one develops for doing the activity that makes it so wonderful. This is at the foundation of all of his teaching.
Currently, Edwin resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he is the Assistant Director of Bands at La Cueva High School and the Orchestra Director at Roosevelt Middle School. He serves as the colorguard director for the La Cueva and Volcano Vista High Schools.
Chris Johnston
Drill Writer/Designer
Chris is currently the music teacher at Jo Byrns Elementary School in Cedar Hill, Tennessee. He graduated from Austin Peay State University in 2011 with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. Chris marched with the Memphis Sound Drum & Bugle Corps as a trumpet soloist in 2005. He then joined the Phantom Regiment (Rockford, IL) in 2006 and marched through the corps’ 2008 World Championship season as a soloist and section leader. From 2012-2016, Chris had the distinct honor of performing as a soloist and lead trumpet player for the 12-time defending DCA Mini Corps Champions, Star United Drum & Bugle Corps (Indianapolis, IN). Chris maintains an extremely active schedule as an adjudicator, designer, and clinician in the Southeastern United States. As a program coordinator and co-drill writer, Chris helps guide the design and instructional process for the WGI Percussion World Class ensemble, Audio Theater and has also worked with WGI World Class Finalist, Palmetto Percussion. Chris has had the pleasure to serve in a variety of instructional and drill design roles with drum corps such as: The Academy, Memphis Sound, Music City, Music City Legend, The Colts, Arsenal, and The Cadets. Chris is an alumni member of the Austin Peay State University chapter of Phi Mu Alpha (Theta Tau ’05). He also holds memberships in the National Association for Music Education, National Education Association, Tennessee Education Association, and the Tennessee Music Educators Association. This is Chris' 2nd Season with Arsenal.
Andrew Gaskill
Drill Writer/Designer
Andrew graduated from Austin Peay State University in 2008, earning his Bachelors of Science in Music Education Summa Cum Laude. In 2011, he completed his Masters in Instrumental Conducting, with honor, from APSU. He was principal euphonium of the Wind Ensemble, drum major of the Governors Own Marching Band, and president of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia men’s music fraternity. He currently holds memberships in the Middle Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association, The National Association for Music Education, National Education Association, Tennessee Music Educators Association, Tennessee Bandmasters Association, and International Tuba Euphonium Association. Since 2011, he has served as band director at Sycamore High School in Pleasant View, Tennessee. In 2014 was recognized as the State of Tennessee’s “Most Distinguished New Educator”. As a performer, Andrew played euphonium with Phantom Regiment in 2004 and 2006. He performed with the 11-time DCA Champion Star United based out of Indianapolis, IN from 2011 to 2016. He is the director of Clarksville Youth Performing Arts Association, a non-profit music association that operates Audio Theater, a WGI Percussion Independent World percussion ensemble. He serves as the ensemble’s director and as a designer. He stays active as a designer and clinician for bands and indoor programs throughout Tennessee and Kentucky. As an educator, he has previously taught with Spirit, Music City Legend as Co-Visual Caption Head, was the Visual Caption Head for Music City Drum Corps, visual staff with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps in 2015-2016 and the Cadets from 2017-2019. This is Andrew's 2nd Season with Arsenal.