Alto Saxophone

Claire Timphony​

Claire Timphony is currently a junior Music Education student at Southeastern Louisiana University. As a saxophonist, she studies with Professor Brina Faciane and is active in many of the ensembles in the department. She is the principal saxophonist in the Wind Symphony, plays Lead Alto in the Jazz Band, and performs in one of the saxophone quartets. Additionally, she is one of the members of The Spirit of the Southland Marching Band, and one of the student conductors for that ensemble, as well as the Basketball Band. This past year, she took on the role as one of the Undergraduate Assistants to the Marching Band. Recently, she participated in the 2025 CBDNA Louisiana Intercollegiate Band. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity. As an educator, she has worked with the Northshore High School Marching Band this past fall. An alum of Mandeville, she is looking forward to working with their program this coming summer.

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Visual Design

Mark Rivero

Mark Rivero has been a color guard and visual designer for over 35 years, staging and choreographing numerous scholastic and independent programs both on the field and indoor venues throughout the U.S.  He is former member of the 1981 DCI Class A Champion Louisiana Southernaires, Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corps, and the 1986 WGI Class A Champion, Final Analysis Winter Guard.  He was a charter member of the GCGPC West Division (Currently LMCGPC) and served on the Board of Directors of the LCGPC, acting as Executive Director for 3 years.  Mark is currently a associate member of the Gulf Coast Judges Association as a Design Analysis Judge.  In his life away from pageantry, Mark is a Compliance Officer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Full Year Staff

Battery Instructor

Luke Walker

Luke Walker is an Mandeville alumni from the University of Lafayette, Louisiana He is a part of UL’s marching Band, symphonic concert band, percussion ensemble, and jazz combo band. He also is a gigging producer and dj hoping to use his skills to produce for Grammy winning artist one day. 

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Band Camp Staff 2025

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

Guard Instructor

Aylse Taylor

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Low Reed instructor

Jordan Cannon

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Band Camp Staff 

Faculty

Percussion Caption Head/Front Ensemble

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.

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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.

Trumpet Instructor

Michael Martinez

​​​Michael Martinez is a freelance trumpet player and educator based in New Orleans and the North Shore area. A graduate of New Mexico State University, Michael earned his Bachelor's degree in Music Performance before continuing his studies at Southeastern Louisiana University, where he completed his Master's degree in Music Performance in May of 2025. Michael's versatility as a musician allows him to perform across a range of genres, from classical to jazz and everything in between. He is an active member of multiple musical ensembles in the New Orleans area and regularly performs with various groups throughout the region.

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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. He also serve as an adjucator for USBands which is a national organiziation. 

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Tuba Instructor

Colby Rich

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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!​

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​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. 

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

Elizabeth Dore

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