Wind Coordinator
Amy is currently a beginning band director for the Lakeville Public Schools. Prior to this Powers served as the director of bands at Henry Sibley High School from 2012-2020. During her tenure at Henry Sibley, she founded the Equity Project, which ignited her passion for equity. Powers is devoted to fostering an environment of lifelong learning, self-development, musical excellence, leadership skills, and an understanding of equity in her students. While at Sibley she more than doubled the size of the band program and quadrupled the participation rate in the co-curricular activities in Sibley Band.
The Henry Sibley Wind Ensemble was one of three high school bands invited to perform at the 2020 Minnesota Music Educator’s Conference. Her Wind Ensemble also consistently earned Superior Ratings at Large Group Contest. Under Powers, the marching band, “The Little Band That Could,” climbed from the lower end of the competitive rankings to being Grand Champions at the Vikingland Band Festival in 2018 and 2019. In 2019 the Henry Sibley Marching Band was undefeated and had a record breaking season!
Prior to coming to Henry Sibley, Powers served as a middle school band director at Rosemount Middle School and Black Hawk Middle School in ISD 196. She was also the color guard caption head at Sun Prairie, Rosemount and Eastview Marching Bands. While in college, Powers was the orchestra director at the University of Minnesota at Morris. She has also been active as a color guard instructor and designer for more than 20 years.
Powers is active as a clinician and adjudicator for bands and the marching arts and throughout the country. She grew up in Wisconsin where she was fortunate to be a part of her father’s incredible Sun Prairie High School Band Program. Powers earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Music Education and Bassoon Performance from the University of Minnesota at Morris. She also holds a Master’s in Education from Saint Mary’s University.
During her free time, Amy loves to spend time with her family and friends and has a love for interior design. Amy lives in Eagan with her husband, Chris, their children, Max and Ellie, and their three loud, crazy, and very adorable Goldendoodles; Archie, Charlie, and Rocky.
Percussion Coordinator
Joel has been the program coordinator for Minnesota Brass since 2002 and percussion caption head since 1998. Under his leadership, the corps has won the DCA Open Class Championship (2011) and been a silver medalist five times, as well as winning four DCA percussion titles. He is the program coordinator for the Minnesota Brass Indoor Drumline and has been the head instructor of the Sköl Line, a drumline for the Minnesota Vikings NFL franchise, since 2008. He is highly regarded as an arranger, drill writer, clinician and adjudicator. He is an alumni of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, member of both the Minnesota Percussion Association and Minnesota Brass Hall of Fame, and a 2012 inductee of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame. He has been the director of instrumental music at Highland Park Senior High School in St. Paul since 1997.
Color Guard Coordinator
Wil’s experience in the marching arts spans more than 25 years. His wealth of teaching experience includes St. Cloud All-City Marching Band, Park Center High School, Rosemount High School, Eastview High School and has served as Color Guard Director of Minnesota Brass Drum Corps and Winter Guard since 2011. The organization has earned numerous awards and accolades during his tenure including the 2011 DCA World Championships title and top Color Guard and 2017 WGI World Championships IA Class silver medalist.
He currently serves as Vice-President on the North Star Color Guard Circuit board of director and is an adjudicator with the
Tri-State Judges Association.
In his professional life, Wil works in Marketing with some of the world’s top brands. He also is a freelance graphic designer and develops custom flag, floor and costume designs for a range of marching programs.
