Director of Bands
Rossi DiBenedetto
Rossi DiBenedetto is the Director of Bands for Mandeville High School. Prior to Mandeville, Mr. DiBenedetto received his master’s degree in Percussion Performance at Southeastern Louisiana University. While attending Southeastern, Mr. DiBenedetto was the graduate assistant. His duties included Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Basketball Band, Percussion Methods, and World Music. Prior to Southeastern, Mr. DiBenedetto taught instrumental music for four years in Ohio at Newark High School and Mount Gilead Schools. In Newark, Mr. DiBenedetto’s bands went to state in all areas and received a superior rating in the state marching band finals. Prior to Newark, Mr. DiBenedetto was the Band Director for Mount Gilead Schools and taught grades 6th-12th. While at Mount Gilead his marching and concert band programs reached the state level. The marching band won Best Overall and Grand Champion awards many times during those years.
Mr. DiBenedetto received his Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Akron. While at Akron, Mr. DiBenedetto was the percussion instructor for three “AA” bands in the area. All percussion sections won best percussion awards throughout these years.
Mr. DiBenedetto is in charge of the Mandeville High School Skipper Marching Band and Concert Programs. He also teaches Jazz Band and Percussion Class. Mr. DiBenedetto was selected by fellow teachers as the 2017-2018 Mandeville High Teacher of the Year. His marching band and concert bands have one numerous awards. His concert bands have received straight Superior ratings the last 10 years.
Mr. DiBenedetto is a member of NAFME and LMEA. He is currently Band Association District IX Treasurer. He is a member of the Louisiana Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. He is also a proud member of LMAA - Louisiana Music Adjudicators Association and serves on the State Board as A Member at Large.
Baritone Instructor
Jayden Dorsett
My name is Jayden Dorsett and I geaux to school at Louisiana State University. I am from Mandeville, LA. I am a member of The Golden Band from Tigerland and previously Bengal Brass and Symphonic Band. I am excited to work with young musicians during such a special time. Geaux tigers and I'll see y'all at Band Camp!
Band Camp Staff
Faculty
Tuba Instructor
Colby Rich
Colby Rich is a Mandeville High alum neon is current pursuing a degree in Music Education at UL Lafayette. He is a member of the Pride of Acadiana Marching Band as well as the university Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Tuba-Euphonium Quartet. Go Cajuns!Colby Rich is a Mandeville High alum neon is current pursuing a degree in Music Education at UL Lafayette. He is a member of the Pride of Acadiana Marching Band as well as the university Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Tuba-Euphonium Quartet. Go Cajuns!
Jordan is a Mandeville Alum and was a member of the marching band and wind ensemble. He currently is studying for a Bachelor’s in Music Education at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville. He is also a member of the Pride of the Southland Marching Band and will be a part of the leadership team in the upcoming season. Jordan participates in many musical ensembles at the UTK College of Music including the UT Saxophone Ensemble and his very own Tennessee Valley Sax Quartet that has had the opportunity to perform on many stages and even places in a competitions.
Music Arranger
Cody Hebert
Cody Hebert is an arranger/composer living in Lafayette, Louisiana. He has written for more than twenty high school band programs across the state of Louisiana. He has also written for “The Pride of Nicholls” and “The Pride of Acadiana” marching bands, arranging some of their halftime shows.
Cody was a horn line member of the 2012 Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corps of Toledo, Ohio. He is a founding staff member of the Louisiana Stars Drum & Bugle Corps of Lafayette, Louisiana.
In 2017, he was appointed Assistant Brass Arranger for the corps, then became the Brass Arranger for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. For the 2022 season, Cody joined back on design staff for the Louisiana Stars as Music Coordinator..
In 2019, Cody musically designed and arranged the indoor winds production “Houston, We Have A Problem” for the St. Charles Parish RiverWinds indoor winds ensemble. The group traveled to Dayton, Ohio, to place 5th in the nation in classification Scholastic A Winds.
In his spare time, Cody enjoys going fishing, staying in shape, buying way too many watches, and spending time with his 2 dogs, Nola and Jolie, and his soon to be wife, Nicole.
Guard Instructor/Guard and Band Body Coach
Maci Burt
Maci Burt is an alum to Mandeville High School and was a member of the color guard and winter guard. After graduating from MHS and NOCCA in 2016, she chose to go to Northwestern State to receive a BFA in Dance. She was a member of the dance line serving as co-captain and captain for a year each. She was also a member of the pom line, the NSU Dance Company, and a member of Tri Sigma Alpha Zeta. Maci received an award for “Most Outstanding Student in Dance” before graduating in 2021. She also attended the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive in New York City, she has performed with JPAS in the Nutcracker, and currently teaches dance at Danceworks in Slidell. She most recently choreographed the MHS Drama Club’s production of SpongeBob the Musical and loved working with everyone.
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Flute Instructor
Mickey Hogan
Mickey Hogan is a Junior Flute Performance major and a member of the studio of Dr. Katherine Kemler at Louisiana State University School of Music in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has previously been a member of the Golden Band from Tigerland piccolo section for seasons 2022 and 2023. Mickey has also held leadership positions in his previous ensembles, such as the Drum Major for the Pride of Vidalia High School Marching Band in 2021 and Principle Flute of the Louisiana State University Symphonic Winds concert ensemble in the Spring of 2024 season.
Clarinet Instructor
Ahmad Porter
Ahmad
DIRECTOR OF JAZZ STUDIES
Jonathon Lyons
Jonathan Lyons is a native of Ponchatoula, LA. Mr. Lyons continued a family tradition in music by pursuing a career as an educator and performer. A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, Mr. Lyons is continually pursuing excellence both in and out of the classroom. In 2016, Mr. Lyons was a recipient of the LMEA Young Educator of the Year award and since then, his Concert and Jazz Ensembles have consistently recieved Superior ratings at adjudicated events. Mr. Lyons has had the distinct honor to serve as guest clinician for Parish and District honor ensembles throughout Southeast Louisiana. As a saxophonist, Mr. Lyons is a frequently performing and recording musician in the New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Gulf South Region and has performed with internationally acclaimed artists including The Temptations, Marc Broussard, and Marcus Printup of The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Mr. Lyons currently serves as Band Director at Mandeville Junior High School and resides in Hammond, LA with his wife Sarah and daughter Eliza
Percussion Caption Head/Visual Design
James Kennedy
James Kennedy is percussion educator and drill writer bases out of Mandeville, Louisiana and an alum to Mandeville High School. He has been working with the Mandeville High School Band since 2017. He has worked and written for multiple High Schools along the Gulf Coast, as well as multiple independent percussion ensembles. In 2003 he worked with St. Martin Independent Percussion as a battery and visual instructor for their show "Retrospect". St Martin Independent would travel to Dayton, Ohio for WGI world finals where they place 2nd place in the nation in the Percussion Independent A Class.
James started his professional marching career when he was 16, performing with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps for their 2016 season. In 2018 he marched with the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps during the 2018 season. He also performed with Elite Independent Percussion for their 2016, 2017, and 2018 season. In 2019 James auditioned and was cast in Cap City Percussion, a world class percussion ensemble based out of Columbus, Ohio. He would spend the 2019 Indoor season living in Centerville, Ohio and performing with Cap City Percussion. They would go on to compete at WGI World Class Finals in Dayton, Ohio where they would place 13th in the world.
James is currently pursuing a BS in Accounting at Southeastern Louisiana University and hopes to be a CPA candidate soon.
Ah’ Mad is a clarinet player originally from Raceland, Louisiana. He is currently seeking a bachelor's degree in music education from Louisiana State University. Throughout his career, he has performed on many stages such as the International Clarinet Association festival, the College Band Director National Association convention, and more. He also has just as much teaching experience ranging from working with high school bands, private lessons, and he is currently one of the section leaders for the LSU Golden Band from Tigerland. Ah’ Mad is deeply committed to harnessing his passion for music as a powerful tool for positive change in the world.
Asst. Director of Bands
Peyton Johnson
Peyton Johnson is excited to begin his teaching career as Assistant Director of Bands at Mandeville High School, where he has worked with the program previously as a trombone and marching instructor. He recently earned his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Louisiana State University, where he participated in many of the offered ensembles, including the Symphonic Winds, Wind Ensemble, Trombone Choir, Undergraduate Brass Quintet, Bengal Brass Basketball Band, and the LSU Marching Band. our paragraph here.
Low Reed instructor
Jordan Cannon
Ahmad
Front Ensemble Caption Head/ Music Arranger
Tyler Hanson - Sideline Percussion Instructor/Sound/Music Arranger
Tyler is an audio engineer and percussionist based out of Covington, Louisiana. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Music Media from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2016, under the instruction of Troy Breaux, Danny Devillier, and Chris Munson. During his time at ULL, he has performed with and served as section leader for the Pride of Acadiana Drumline. He was a member of the ULL Ragin Brass Basketball Band, UL Symphonic Band, UL Wind Ensemble, and the UL Jazz Ensemble. As a member of the UL Jazz Ensemble, he has performed with Grammy-winning jazz artists Paquito D'Rivera and Dianne Schuur.
Tyler was a member of the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, having played snare in 2014 and drumset in 2015. He also played drumset for Voodoo Independent Percussion in 2013. He is currently a sound engineer for Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. Tyler is also a professional live sound and studio engineer, currently working freelance in the New Orleans area and around the country. Currently, he is the Front-of-House engineer for The Iceman Special. He has also worked with many popular local acts, including Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffins, and Soul Rebels Brass Band. He has also had the opportunity to work with many national touring acts, including Smash Mouth, Bryan Adams, Candlebox, The Doobie Brothers, Kehlani, Larry Fleet, Better Than Ezra, and many others.
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