Visual Staff
Visual Designer - Rick Morey
Visual Caption Head - Sean McDermott
Visual Technician - Stephen West
Visual Technician - Michael Zerhusen
Visual Technician - Amanda Chuboff
Visual Technician - Steven C I Wright
Visual Technician - Joshua Pier
Rick, who lives in Utica, NY with his wife Barbara, has worked in the pageantry activity for decades with various winter guards, marching bands and drum and bugle corps and as an adjudicator.
Rick established the New Hartford Winter Guard and served as a designer and instructor for them for almost 30 years. He continues to be very active as a designer for marching bands in New York, New Jersey and New Mexico. He has a longtime involvement in both DCI and DCA as a designer, program coordinator and consultant. His DCI affiliations have included Pioneer, Magic of Orlando and the Colts. In DCA, Rick has worked with the Steel City Ambassadors, Brigadiers, Bushwackers and Empire Statesmen.
As an adjudicator, Rick has judged for DCI, WGI, DCA and BOA, as well as numerous marching band contests across the country. A past President of the New York Federation of Contest Judges, Rick has also served as a clinician in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. A retired high school counselor who was named New York State Counselor of the Year in 1996, Rick now works in the pageantry activity on a full time basis. He is excited to be the 2012 Visual Designer for both Pioneer and the Empire Statesmen Drum and Bugle Corps.
Sean McDermott is a designer and visual instructor living in Los Angeles. A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Sean began his corps experience in the brass line of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, later moving to the Garfield Cadets.
Sean is the visual caption head and designer for several award winning and championship high school marching ensembles in Southern California, as well as independent organizations in DCI.
Some of the groups he has had the opportunity to work with are: Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps, Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, Mystikal Drum and Bugle Corps, El Dorado HS (Placentia, CA), Palisades Charter HS (Band and Indoor Percussion), Arroyo HS, Monrovia HS, Los Osos High School, Crescenta Valley HS, John F Kennedy HS, Santa Monica HS (Indoor Percussion), Pacifica HS, La Puente HS.
When not teaching, Sean escapes the city for the quiet peak of the nearest mountain and travels the planet with his wife Hynden.
Mr. Stephen West will be returning for his fifth season as an instructor for Pioneer.
He marched with the 1996 Division II Silver Medalist Pioneer before entering the U.S. Navy. From 1996 to 2005, he was an Air Traffic Controller in the Navy, serving both at sea and on land.
While stationed in Southern California, Steve performed with the SoCal Dream Senior Drum and Bugle Corps from 2003-2005, serving on the Brass Staff in 2005 as well.
In 2010, he graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. While at the university, he had the privilege of performing with concert, marching, and jazz ensembles and served as a staff member of the marching band.
Steve returned to Pioneer in 2007 on the visual staff and taught the corps again in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
He teaches Kindergarten through 5th grade music in Newcastle, Wyoming.
Michael Zerhusen joins our visual staff this year, having been a Pioneer alumnus and an instructor for several competitive bands in Kentucky. Mike started his drum corps career in 1994 at Pioneer, and after marching two Division II World Champion seasons in 1994 and 1995, continued performing on baritone with the corps until his age out year in 1998. Without pause, he became an instructor within the drum corps activity with the Bandettes (1998-2002) and several marching band programs in Kentucky. Throughout his 14 years instructing, his groups have gone on to be Kentucky state champions and finalists, Regional finalists, and semifinalists at Band of America Finals in Indianapolis. Mike is employed by 5/3 Bancorp in Cincinnati, OH and in his spare time is the world biggest Xavier Basketball fan and fan of the Cincinnati Reds.
Amanda Chuboff is an alumnus of Pioneer, having marched the 2009 and 2010 seasons. During her time at Pioneer, Amanda was Baritone section leader and received ‘Rookie of the Year’ and ‘Best Baritone’. While continuing her studies in the veterinary assistant program at Oakton Community College and Harper Community College, Amanda has assisted the low brass and visual at Rolling Meadows High School. A low brass performer in trombone, tuba, and baritone, Amanda plans to continue pursuing teaching and performing in music as she pursues her studies and career as a veterinary assistant.
Steven is 22 years old and is from Sheffield, England. He attended the Sheffield College of Music from 2008 to 2011 studying and earning a Bachelors in Music Technology and Film Production. He is a Pioneer alumnus, having marched for three years on soprano. During the 2011 and 2012 seasons Steven was the Brass Sergeant for the corps, as well as a soloist. During the 2013 season he will be teaching both brass and visual throughout the season, as well as assisting with other duties around the corps.
Steven began his drum corps experience at the age of 10 where he played with corps called Concord and marched with them for 9 years. During his time with Concord he has won 4 DCUK titles, came 21st in the World Show Band Championship, won DCUK I&E competitions and has toured Europe. Once he had finished competing in 2009 he then turned his attention to teaching and helped form a junior corps called Concord Allstars. With the Allstars Steven has written and co ordinated the shows since their very first season of competition and in doing so helped them to a second place finish in 2012. He has helped with many different aspects of the corps from helping teaching brass & drums, going to local schools to help with recruitment and general week to week background work.
As well as his drum corps background Steven has played in many different ensembles which includes; Big Band, Jazz Combos, Musicals, Wind Orchestras, Funk/Ska Bands, Ceremonial Fanfare Teams & Brass Bands.