VORTEX PERFORMING ARTS

Keller Shelton, Co-Director

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Keller Shelton teaches middle school band in Central Square, New York, where he instructs concert bands, jazz bands, chamber ensembles, and the district parade band. He has also taught brass for several DCI World Class drum corps, including Music City, Spirit of Atlanta, and Colts. He currently serves as a Euphonium instructor at the Phantom Regiment.

Keller marched with the Phantom Regiment from 2013-2015, where he played the euphonium. He previously taught bands in Missouri and in his home state of Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri and Anderson University (South Carolina). 

Becky Fox, Co-Director

Becky Fox is a band director, teacher mentor, and arts department assistant for the Rochester City School District. She currently directs the Pride of Rochester Marching Band, a band composed of students throughout the RCSD. She started her competitive marching career at White Sabers in 2007 where she has since served as mellophone member, brass staff member, and business manager. Becky has taught several competitive marching bands in the NYSFBC, including directing Hilton to their highest score and placement in their history. She marched in the 2022 Rose Bowl Parade with the first ever Band Director's Marching Band, and looks forward to performing with them again at the Macy's Day Parade in 2024.

Becky marched her first year at Vortex in 2022 playing synth and is excited to return as a staff member!

Paris Graziano, Assistant Director, Movement/Dance Instructor​

Paris Graziano is a long-time colorguard instructor from Central Square, NY, with a performance and teaching career of more than a decade. The Central Square Varsity Winterguard was a four-time WGI World Championship Semi-finalist or Finalist during her time with the program. Paris also founded and directed Special Effects Colorguard, an ensemble for students with special needs. 

Paris was the drum major of the Central Square Redhawk Regiment in 2016 and 2017, and has spent six years on the band’s instructional staff after graduation. She also performed with AMP Open Winterguard in 2021. 

Paris is currently a 5th grade teacher in Mexico, New York, and is returning for her third year on the staff of Vortex Indoor Winds!

Michael Neubert, Visual Designer/Drill Writer​

Michael is a full time visual designer and program coordinator for marching arts ensembles in the US and overseas. His ensembles have consistently placed in finals at BOA, WGI Regionals and Finals, UIL Area and Finals, ISSMA, KMEA, OBA, OMEA, NYSPC and NYSBC. Michael has a wide range of design experience in the marching arts including winter guard, indoor drum line, indoor winds, marching band, and movement orchestras.

As an educator, Michael was a member of the visual educational team for the 7 time DCI World Champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2000-2009), primarily working with the marching percussion. Michael returned to The Cavaliers (2014-2017) serving as an assistant visual caption head. Michael has also served as a visual performance and visual effect judge for competitions in TX, KY, NY, IN, and OH. He has also served as a clinician and consultant for various marching bands and indoor groups around the country and abroad. Michael was a member of the horn line for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 1993-1995.

Kayla Crowley, Visual Instructor

Kayla Crowley currently teaches third grade special education at Jordan-Elbridge and was an instructor with the Jordan Elbridge Marching Band and Winterguard for 7 years. Kayla also taught dance in Marcellus, Port Byron, and Jordan-Elbridge through their PTO dance programs and was a member of the Inspire Dance Company for 3 years.

Kayla attended LeMoyne college where she received her Bachelors in Psychology with a concentration in Education, a minor in dance and her Masters in Childhood Education and Special Ed. In 2019 she was a member of the WGI World Championship Semi-Finalists Brigadiers World Winterguard.

Melissa Mesic, Visual Instructor

Melissa Mesic is a middle school band teacher in Central Square, New York. She previously taught elementary band in the Rochester City School District and was a percussion instructor with the Victor Marching Blue Devils and Victor Indoor Percussion Ensemble programs from 2019-2022. 

Melissa attended Nazareth University where she received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education in 2022. She is currently working towards her Masters in Music from Syracuse University. Her performance experience includes battery percussion for the White Sabers, Downbeat Percussion, and the Stampede Drumline for the Buffalo Bills. 

Evan Caggia​, Music Instructor

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Evan Caggia is a conductor and music educator from Cary, North Carolina. He holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education and a Jazz Certificate from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. During his time at App State, he served as principal saxophonist of the Appalachian Wind Ensemble, lead alto saxophone of Jazz Ensemble 1, and Co-President of the university chapter of the National Band Association.

Evan is currently living in Syracuse, New York, studying in pursuit of a Masters degree in Wind Conducting at Syracuse University where he is a Graduate Teaching Assistant with the university bands. With a passion for music in motion, Evan has extensive experience in the marching arts community as a performer with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, and as an educator and choreographer with local high school and independent pageantry groups in central North Carolina. Ensembles under his tutelage have been named BOA regional finalists and medalists and have earned class-championships and medals at WGI regional competitions and World Championships. He is more than excited for his first year with Vortex!

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