Flute

Anna Kate Zimmer​

Anna Zimmer, voted Northshore’s Best Music Teacher in 2024 and 2025 and a nominee for St. Tammany Woman of the Year 2026, is the visionary founder and owner of Middle C Music, the Northshore and Southshore’s Leading In-Home Music School and Performing Arts Studio located in Covington, Louisiana. A classically trained flutist who studied at Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory and refined her artistry in Paris, France, Zimmer brings world-class training and a transformative approach to every student she teaches.

Since 2019, Zimmer has built Middle C Music into a thriving school for music education, offering private lessons, group classes, performance workshops, masterclasses, and community programs. Celebrated for her hands-on leadership, mentorship of professional instructors, and commitment to inclusivity, Zimmer empowers students of all ages to develop discipline, confidence, and a lifelong love of music, cementing her reputation as one of the region’s most respected and influential music educators.

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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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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 2026

Trumpet

Ryan McCue

Ryan McCue is a doctoral student in music at Louisiana State University, where he also serves as a graduate assistant with the LSU Bands program. His academic and musical work engages with performance and ensemble collaboration, contributing to the university’s active band and concert ensemble tradition. As a developing scholar and musician, he is pursuing advanced study while supporting large ensemble operations and student musicians at LSU

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baritone

Jake Lodato​

Jake Lodato fell in love with music when he picked up the trombone in middle school, but it was the energy of his high school jazz band that turned a hobby into a calling. Now a junior at Southeastern Louisiana University majoring in Music Performance with a concentration in trombone, Jake is refining his skills as both a performer and an educator. His approach to teaching goes beyond technique, as he believes that a foundational knowledge and respect for the origins of jazz are an essential part of molding musicians of future generations. 


Jake has his sights set on building a career in the greater New Orleans area. When not deep in his studies, he can be found performing with funk band Pocket Chocolate and brass band The Brasshearts, as well as providing instruction to local area high school marching bands.

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​Na’imah Harley is a graduate of Mandeville High School (class of 2024). She is an accomplished clarinetist who has performed with the District IX Honor Band, LMEA All-State Concert Band, LMEA All-State Orchestra, the Honors Performance Series Honor Band (Carnegie Hall) and Symphonic Orchestra (Royal Festival Hall). Ms. Harley is currently attending George Mason University pursuing a major in Music Technology (with recording emphasis) and a minor in music performance.

In addition, she has performed with the George Mason University Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony. In that time, Ms. Harley had the opportunity to play a variety of pieces like Symphony in B-Flat” (Paul Hindemith), Forward Still (Omar Thomas), Dope (Katahj Copley), Danzon No.2 (Arturo Marquez) and more.

An avid clarinet player, Ava Woodruff is a student at Louisiana State University, where she studies Music Education. An honor graduate of Archbishop Chapelle High School (℅ ‘23) in Metairie, LA, she prioritizes academic, as well as musical excellence. While in high school, she was able to gain various ensemble experiences from participating in Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Marching Band. Ava’s accolades include being selected to the LMEA All-State ensembles all four years of high school, receiving Archbishop Chapelle’s 2023 Music Excellence award, and the 2023 District VI Outstanding Woodwind award. 

At LSU, Ava is a member of the LSU Wind Ensemble. In the past year, the Wind Ensemble has premiered new works, and welcomed many guest conductors. In her first year at LSU, she had the amazing opportunity to perform with the LSU Symphonic Winds, under the direction of Dr. Simon Holoweiko, at the CBDNA Conference in Memphis, Tennessee. 

Outside of her clarinet studies, Ava enjoys practicing wind conducting skills, listening to many different genres of music, reading, and playing with her two bulldogs. 
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Tuba

Rylan Frank​

Rylan Frank is a freshman music performance major at Southeastern Louisiana University and a recent graduate of Mandeville High School (2026). As a tubist, Rylan has studied for five years under Robert Nuñez, Principal Tuba of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and New Orleans Opera, where he learned and applied the philosophies of Arnold Jacobs, Gene Pokorny, Richard Erb, and Neal Tidwell. As a student at SELU, Rylan studies under Dr. David Johansen and appears in the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, Marching Band, and Basketball Band.

During his time at Mandeville High, Rylan appeared in the District IX Honor Band, earning first chair 4 times, the SELU Honor band 4x, the LMEA All-State Concert Band, the LMEA All-state Orchestra 2x, the Loyola University Honor band, the Northwestern Natchitoches Honor band, and the William Carey University Honor Band. Rylan is a recipient of the John Philip Sousa Band Award.

In 2026, Rylan performed the first movement of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Concerto in F Minor for Bass Tuba” with the Mandeville High Symphonic Winds under the direction of Rossi DiBenedetto. 

Rylan is excited to return to MHS as an instructor to foster music education and the growth of young musicians.

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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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Clarinet

Na'imah Harley​

​Ava Woodruff

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Band Camp Staff 

Faculty

Alto Saxophone

Claire Timphony​

"Claire Timphony is currently a senior Music Education student at Southeastern Louisiana University. As a saxophonist, she studies with Instructor Brina Faciane and is active in many of the ensembles in the department. She performs in the Southeastern Wind Symphony, Jazz Ensemble, a saxophone quartet and has previously collaborated with the orchestra. Additionally, she was a member of The Spirit of the Southland Marching Band and one of the student conductors for that ensemble, as well as the Basketball Band. For the past two years, she has taken on the role of Undergraduate Assistant to the Marching Band. She participated in the 2025 CBDNA Louisiana Intercollegiate Band. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity. As an alumna of Mandeville High, she is excited to be working with their group this 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

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.

Director of Bands

Rossi DiBenedetto​

Rossi DiBenedetto
Director of Bands | Music Educator | Percussion Specialist
Mandeville

Professional Summary
Accomplished high-school band director and percussion specialist with extensive experience leading award-winning marching, concert, and jazz bands. Proven track record in mentoring student musicians and developing competitive programs. Experienced music educator with leadership roles in Louisiana music organizations, including District IX LMEA Director and LMAA Board Member.
Education
Master of Music in Percussion Performance
Southeastern Louisiana University – Graduate Assistant for marching band, symphonic band, basketball band, percussion methods, and world music.
Bachelor of Music
University of Akron – Percussion instructor for award-winning “AA” marching bands.
Professional Experience
Director of Bands – Mandeville High School, Mandeville
Dates: 2011-Current
Leads marching band, concert band, jazz band, and percussion programs.
Ensembles consistently earn Superior ratings, Sweepstakes awards, and captions for percussion, guard, and overall band.
Mentors student musicians for state and regional competitions.

Instrumental Music Teacher – Newark High School, Ohio
Directed bands achieving Superior ratings at state marching band finals.

Band Director – Mount Gilead Schools, Ohio
Directed grades 6–12 bands; ensembles reached state competitions and won Grand Champion awards.
Awards & Recognition
Teacher of the Year (2017–2018) – Mandeville High School
Multiple Grand Champion and Superior rating awards with school band programs
Professional Leadership & Memberships
Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) — District IX Director
Louisiana Music Adjudicators Association (LMAA) — Board Member
National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity
Additional Roles:
Music adjudicator for USBands marching competitions.

Award-winning music educator with decades of experience, recognized for developing highly competitive and consistently superior-performing band programs, mentoring students, and serving in leadership roles that shape Louisiana’s music education community.

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Front Instructor

Skylar Murray

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Drum Majors/Marching Tech

Ky Bergeron​

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DIRECTOR OF JAZZ STUDIES

Jonathon Lyons

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​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

Asst Guard Instructor

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Trombone

Kristan Boyll​

​"Kristian Boyll is an alumnus of Covington High School and is currently a senior Music Performance Major at Southeastern Louisiana University. As a bass trombonist, he studies with Dr. David Johansen and performs in the Southeastern Wind Symphony, Jazz Band, and Orchestra. Additionally, he plays sousaphone with the recently formed Southeastern Brass Band. He has worked as a student conductor and undergraduate assistant for the Spirit of the Southland Marching Band in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 marching seasons after having previously played trombone and sousaphone for the Spirit of the Southland. Outside of Southeastern, Kristian has performed with the Louisiana Intercollegiate Band and the CBDNA Intercollegiate Band in 2025. Kristian is a band instrument repair technician and owner of Northlake Instrument Repair where he does work for schools and professional musicians across the southeastern Louisiana area."

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Fall Student Teacher

Ariel Toll

Ariel Toll is a music ed student and clarinetist at Loyola University New Orleans. She grew up in Jefferson, Louisiana, where she attended Riverdale high school. She was in the Scottish Brigade for all 4 years of high school, being section leader and eventually drum major her senior year. Ariel loved working and encouraging others in music, which led her to pursue a music education degree. The past few years, she has studied clarinet with Mr. John Reeks, and music education with Dr. Edward McClellan. As she is finishing up her degree, she Is very excited to be a student teacher at Mandeville High school for the 2026 Fall semester. 

Asst Guard Instructor

Aylse Taylor

Alyse Taylor is a Mandeville High School alumna (Class of 2025) who spent four years as a dedicated member of both the color guard and winter guard programs. Currently, she is pursuing a degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with minors in Dance and Kinesiology. Alyse continues to pursue her passion for performance as a member of the ULL Color Guard. Beyond her academic and coaching commitments, she has dedicated over three years to the nursery department at Church of the King. After four incredible years as a Skipper, Alyse is honored to return to the sidelines to give back to the program that shaped her and to help the next generation of performers grow.

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