I’m Mark Maxwell and this season I would like to help you achieve your goal of effective visual design.

A graduate of VanderCook College of Music, I taught for many years at Lexington High School in Ohio as well as teaching in Kentucky. I’m active in pageantry arts through visual design, as a clinician, instructor, and an adjudicator.

The successful writing I did early in my career for others, for my group at Lexington, and for bands now, has always been about creating an effective and achievable visual vehicle.  Great drill must be matched with an understanding of the performers, and their talents, to get the desired results.

Judging extensively in the fall, I'm reminded every weekend of how design mistakes dealing with coordination issues can hurt an otherwise fine production. By taking the time to understand your group from the beginning, I can save you valuable rehearsal time and let you focus on what is important.

I continue to actively adjudicate with the Central States Judges Association (CSJA) and Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA). I’ve also been a member of and judged with the All-American Judges Association and throughout the Midwest for Drum Corp International (DCI).

While teaching at Lexington I served as Department Chair and Director of the Marching, Symphonic, and Jazz Bands. These groups always rated Superior at State Finals. The Marching Band regularly earned Grand Champion at local competitions and set a state record with the most consecutive superior ratings in their class (A). The Jazz Band was one of only three groups to receive the top rating during the tenure of the OMEA State Jazz Adjudicated Event.

During my career I served as an OMEA District President and Large Group Contest Chair for many years. While serving OMEA, I led the effort to design an improved middle school large group adjudicated event in our district. Using immediate judges feedback to the groups it grew in participation by over 400%. It has since become a model of what can be done for students of this age, and is in demand by groups outside the district and by adjudicators.

In the Central States Judges Association I serve as the Editor of our International Newsletter - The Fanfare.

Professionally I play with various groups in and around the Ohio area. A long time member of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) I've been a member in both Chicago and Mansfield. I’ve served as conductor of both the AFM Local 159 Concert & Jazz Bands, and as Secretary-Treasurer of Local 159 in Mansfield.

Thanks for visiting!

Unlocking the potential of your band

© Mark Maxwell 2021