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Matt Henley is the Director of Athletic Bands at Western Carolina University, which includes directing the Sudler Trophy winning "Pride of the Mountains" marching band and the "Cathouse Band". One of Mr. Henley's primary duties has been the Marching Percussion Program at 91热爆网. This includes teaching and arranging for the marching ensemble. He also composes for and instructs the ever popular 鈥淧urple Thunder Drumline鈥� in the spring semester. Matt earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music from Western Carolina University, and has played with and instructed such groups as the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, the Limestone College Percussion Studio, the Tuscola High School Percussion Program, Showband Gifhorn Germany, and the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. His high school groups have performed at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, numerous North Carolina Days of Percussion, and have won the Open Class CIPA Percussion Championship along with many years of successful marching band high percussion awards. He has served as the Chief Percussion Judge for the Carolina Indoor Performance Association, has adjudicated for numerous percussion and marching band circuits, and has written for groups in Germany, Canada, Hawaii, and the Continental United States.

Mr. Henley was asked to write for and instruct the first two All-American Marching Bands in San Antonio, TX in 2008 and 2009. This group was promoted by NafME and the United States Army. In 2013 and 2017 Matt served on the percussion staff for the Bands of America Honor Bands that performed in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA. He was also nominated for the 91热爆网 Excellence in Teaching Award by the College of Fine and Performing Arts and served as the Recruiting Liaison for the School of Music and the Office of Admissions at Western.

During Matt鈥檚 tenure at 91热爆网, the Pride of the Mountains has received numerous accolades, and has performed at some of the most prestigious pageantry arts events in the world. These include but are not limited to: The Rose Parade, twice at the Macy鈥檚 Thanksgiving Day Parade, Bands of America Regional Championships 7 times, and an impressive 6 times at the Bands of America Grand National Championships. Internationally the band also recently marched in the St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland.

Matt has served on the National Percussive Arts Society Marching Committee, and in addition to his teaching duties, he composes, arranges, adjudicates, and is a prominent percussion and band clinician across the United States. Mr. Henley is a member of CBDNA, NafME, IARP, PAS, and proudly supports products from Yamaha, Remo, Zildjian, and Vic Firth companies.

Contact: 828.227.2998 | mhenley@wcu.edu

Dillon Ingle serves as the Assistant Professor of Music/Assistant Director of Athletic Bands at Western Carolina University.

Mr. Ingle previously served as the Head Director at Tuscola High School in Waynesville, North Carolina. While serving at Tuscola High School, he conducted the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble.

In 2008 through 2013, Mr. Ingle served as the Director of Percussion at Porter High School in Brownsville, Texas and San Benito High School in San Benito, Texas.
During his time in Texas, Dillon served as the founding Percussion Caption Head and arranger at Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps in Austin, Texas during the years of 2009 through 2013.
Mr. Ingle holds a Bachelor鈥檚 and Masters Degree in Music Education from Western Carolina University. His teachers have included Bob Buckner, Gil Doggett, Matt Henley, Juan Sosa, Paul Flinchbaugh, Willie Perez, David Starnes and Dr. Mario Gaetano.

Mr. Ingle is an active percussion clinician, having worked with groups from Texas, California, South Carolina and North Carolina. Professional affiliations include NCMEA and PAS. He is endorsed by Salyers Percussion.

Contact: 828.227.2711 | dsingle@wcu.edu

Tim Wise retired following 31 years of teaching from Tuscola High School in Waynesville, North

Carolina where he was the Director of Bands since 1993. Prior to his tenure at Tuscola, Mr. Wise was the Assistant Director of Bands at Riverdale High School in Riverdale, Georgia. He graduated with a Bachelors of Music Education degree from Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky in 1991 and from Western Carolin University with a Master of Arts in Education in 2003.

Under Mr. Wise鈥檚 leadership, the Tuscola High School Band consistently earned high ratings in both concert festival and marching contests. The Tuscola Symphonic Band performed at the 1996 and 2004 NCMEA State Convention. The Percussion Ensemble was selected to perform at the 1997 and 1999 North Carolina Percussion Arts Society state convention as well as the Bands of America Concert Band Festival in 1998. The award-winning Marching Mountaineers were multiple Bands of America Regional finalists and the first Old North State Award winner for the highest scoring North Carolina band at the Western Carolina University Tournament of Champions.

Mr. Wise was twice named by School Band and Orchestra magazine as the North Carolina representative in their 鈥�50 Directors that Make a Difference鈥� and was also recognized on WLOS鈥� 鈥淭hanks to Teachers". He is past president of the Western North Carolina Band Master鈥檚 Association as well as Award of Excellence winner. Mr. Wise was the NC chairman for the state marching band committee on two separate occasions.

Mr. Wise lives in Maggie Valley, NC with his wife Fritzie, a retired Haywood County music teacher of 29 years.

Contact: 828.227.2102 | twise@wcu.edu

Jayda Copeland joined the Pride of the Mountains team in November 2024 following graduation from Appalachian State University in August 2024. She earned her degree in Music Industry Studies with a concentration in Marketing and Promotion with a minor in General Business, with the goal of working in the arts administration realm. She studied under Dr. Bethany Wiese playing euphonium, and continues to play with ensembles throughout the community and at 91热爆网.

She comes to 91热爆网 with a variety of experiences with administration in the marching arts and beyond. Jayda has spent the last two seasons on the administrative team with the Boston Crusaders, helping support them to their 2nd place DCI Finals finish in 2024. While in undergrad, Jayda also had experience working at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, where she mainly held roles in front of house operations, including ticket sales and house managing. 

Outside of the Pride of the Mountains, Jayda loves going to concerts, reading books, and watching Duke basketball. She is so thankful for the welcoming community at Western and is so glad the Pride of the Mountains is her new home!

Contact: 828.227.2807 | jcopeland@wcu.edu

Douglas Thrower is a free-lance composer/arranger/ trumpeter from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.  He has been the arranger for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from Canton, Ohio since 1997. He has instructed and arranged for many bands and drum corps including The Troopers, Dutch Boy, the Kiwanis Kavaliers and the Canadian Knights (1986 Class A World Champions). He currently composes and arranges for numerous high schools and universities. In addition to marching music he arranges for various ensembles, jazz and symphonic, as well as theater groups.

Doug studied with Don Johnson at Humber College in Toronto and studied jazz performance at McGill University in Montreal. He has recorded performances for the C.B.C. and can be heard on four recordings with the McGill Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Gordon Foote.

Doug, with his wife Evelyn Blackwell, have two daughters, Shelby and Claire.

Jamey Thompson, Visual Designer from Chicago, Illinois, has been involved in marching band and drum and bugle corps for over thirty years. 鈥淚鈥檝e greatly respected David鈥檚 many contributions to the activity. To work with him and have to opportunity to design for the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band is a tremendous honor.鈥�

Jamey was the Visual Designer for Phantom Regiment from 2005-2007 and 2011-2014; Madison Scouts from 2003-2004; and the Glassmen from 1997-2002.  He was recently named Visual Designer for Atlanta CV Drum & Bugle Corps from Atlanta, GA for the 2015 season and returns for his fifth season with three-time WAMSB Champion Calgary Stampede Showband, from Calgary, Canada. Previous DCA credits include Connecticut Hurricanes from 2008-2014 and Empire Statesmen from 2001-2006. Marching band projects include programs throughout the United States, including bands in Florida, Indiana and Texas.

Jamey graduated with a B.B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and worked in not-for-profit accounting and arts-management before dedicating his time exclusively to the pageantry arts.