Directors

About Our Directors

Jamie Weaver
Director of Bands

Mr. Jamie Weaver is the Director of Bands at Liberty HS after serving for eleven years as Director of Bands at Creek Valley Middle School in Lewisville ISD (Hebron HS cluster) since the school opened in 2001. Before his tenure at Creek Valley, Mr. Weaver was the director of bands at Groesbeck Middle School in Groesbeck, Texas. While in Groesbeck, his middle school band was awarded the first UIL Sweepstakes award in the history of the school and was named a State Finalist in the ATSSB Outstanding Performance Series in 2000. He concurrently served as assistant director at Groesbeck High School where they were named State Finalist in the TMEA State Honor Band Competition in class AAA.

As founder of Front and Center Motivational Seminars, Mr. Weaver spends approximately 150 days each calendar year presenting leadership and team-building seminars for teachers and students around the United States. He has been on staff at the Music for All Summer Symposium since 1991 and became Director of the elite SWAG Team in 2002. He can be found “at-the-gate” each fall at many of the Bands of America Fall Marching Band Regional Championships as well as Grand Nationals Championships leading bands onto the field.

Mr. Weaver is one of only three to serve as drum major of the University of Kentucky “Wildcat” Marching Band for four years and has been an instructor with the nationally acclaimed George N. Parks Drum Major Academy since 1991. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Mr. Weaver studied trumpet with Vince DiMartino, Bob Thompson, and Terry Everson and was awarded honorary membership into the Theta Epsilon chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi.

Zack Anderson
Associate Director of Bands

Mr. Zack Anderson currently serves as Assistant Director of Bands, and Director of Jazz for Liberty High School. His duties include directing the Symphonic and Jazz bands and assisting with all other performing ensembles. Mr. Anderson is also involved at Fowler and Vandeventer middle schools, where he mentors sixth-grade classes, sections in each of the concert ensembles.

Mr. Anderson attended the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. While at the University of North Texas, he completed his Bachelor of Music with a concentration in French Horn. Mr. Anderson studied under Dennis Fisher, Nicholas Williams and Bill Scharnberg and has performed in ensembles and recorded as a member of the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra Opera, Concert Orchestra, and the Basketball Band. While at UNT, Mr. Anderson worked as a field technician and student assistant for UNT’s Green Brigade Marching Band (2010-2012).

Mr. Anderson has been an integral part of band programs across Texas including Guyer High School, Azle High School, Coppell High School, Wakeland High School, Dickinson High School, Cobb Middle School, Fowler Middle School, Harpool Middle School, Crownover Middle School and Renner Middle School. As a member of the educational staff, Mr. Anderson has helped assist these programs to attain state level achievements and continues to further the advancement of the arts in Texas. Mr. Anderson is also a two year Texas All-State musician.

Mr. Anderson is an avid teacher with Drum Corps International where he is currently on Brass Staff with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. Zack has also been an educational staff member with the Boston Crusaders (2013-14). He was also a member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps where he played Mellophone (2011). 

Mr. Anderson’s professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Mu Phi Epsilon, and the National Association for Music Education. Mr. Anderson currently resides in Frisco, TX where he spends his free time playing golf, writing/arranging music, and spending time with his beagle Bella.

Tyler Elvidge
Assistant Director of Bands

Mr. Tyler Elvidge serves as Assistant Director of Bands at Liberty High School.  His duties include directing the symphonic band, Jazz II, and assisting with all other ensembles. Within the cluster Mr. Elvidge assists at both Fowler and Vandeventer Middle School in beginner classes and the concert ensembles.
 
Mr. Elvidge received his Bachelor in Instrumental Music Education from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA.  Mr. Elvidge studied Trumpet with Thomas Hooten and Jennifer Marotta as well as the current professor of Trumpet, Dr. Douglas Lindsey, and has performed as a member of the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band, Trumpet Ensemble, and Parliament Brass Quintet.
 
Mr. Elvidge is a product of the Cobb County School District, where he studied with and learned from some of the nation's finest and most sought after music educators.  Mr. Elvidge has worked with a number of band programs in the North Metro Atlanta area including Harrison High School for four consecutive years.  Including 2013, when the Harrison High School marching band finished 7th at BOA Grand Nationals and swept class AAA.  Prior to coming to Liberty, Mr. Elvidge served as Assistant Director of Bands at Odessa High School.
 
Mr. Elvidge has been honored to have served on the brass staff of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps since the summer of 2015.  He was also a marching member of The Cavaliers in 2014 as a trumpet player.  His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha.

JoHnathOn Jadvani
Director of Percussion Studies

Johnathon Jadvani received his B.A. in percussion performance from the Jordan College of Fine Arts at Butler University under the instruction of Professor Jon Crabiel.

Johnathon received a Graduate Assistantship with the University of Miami starting in 2006, and completed the program while studying under Dr. Wan Chun Liao, Shannon Wood, Dr. Ney Rosauro and Ted Atkatz (former principal of the Chicago Symphony). Johnathon received his Masters of Music degree with high academic honors from the University of Miami in December 2007 and was adjunct faculty as the Director of Percussion for the University of Miami Band of the Hour from 2007 to 2012.

In 2003 Johnathon was a co-winner of the esteemed Butler Concerto Competition and in 2005 was deemed the co-winner of the Florida International University concerto competition.

Johnathon has performed as a freelance artist throughout Indiana and South Florida and has toured with many ensembles, performing across the nation and in Japan. These travels include a Carnegie Hall World Premier of Wolf Rounds by Grammy-winning composer Christopher Rouse along with the University of Miami Frost Wind Ensemble, marching Drum and Bugle Corps with the Wabash Crusaders, and serving as the unit section leader of the WGI Independent Drumline Finalist "Stryke Percussion." 

Johnathon has written and arranged for percussion sections of several Indiana State Championship and BOA Finalist bands, as well as, writing and arranging for many Indiana and Florida WGI Championship Level percussion ensembles.

In recent, Johnathon spent the past 3 years as the Director of Bands with Cypress Bay HS, where the program experienced great successes and received division 1 ratings marching band/concert band, and winter percussion/winter guard were well represented at WGI finals in Dayton, OH.

Johnathon now lives in Frisco, TX with his wife Allison, 3 year-old son Charlie, and their 2 cats (Djembe and Snickers) and 2 Dachshunds (Peanut and Baxter).  He currently serves as Percussion Director/Assistant Band Director at Liberty HS.

Kolby Kelly
Assistant Director of Percussion Studies

Mr. Kelly received his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma.  While enrolled at OU he studed under Dr. Lance Drege and Dr. Stefan Ice.  He participated in the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band, the University Symphonic Band, the University Wind Ensemble, the OU Basketball Band, teh Percussion Ensemble, the Percussion Orchestra, and the University of Oklahoma Steel Pan Band.

Mr. Kelly has had many wonderful performing experiences with different drum and bugle corps and independent indoor drumlines including the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, the Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps, the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, the Surround Sound Indoor Percussion Ensemble, and the Vigilantes Indoor Percussion Ensemble.  Mr. Kelly has also had the opportunity to perform abroad many times with the Network Percussion Group in Australia, Spain, England, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

As an educator, Mr. Kelly has taught some very successful programs in the DFW area, including Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas, Boswell High School in Saginaw, Texas, the Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Vigilantes Indoor Percussion Ensemble.  

Mr. Kelly's professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association and the Percussive Arts Soceity.  During his free time Mr. Kelly LIkes to travel, scuba dive, and play golf.  Mr. Kelly is very excited to be working with the students at Liberty High School and Vandeventer Middle School and is looking forward to a great year!  

Scott Mills
Director of Guards

Mr. Scott Mills, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, serves as the Color Guard director for Liberty High School. Scott has worked with various ensembles throughout Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas. Some of these schools included Parkview High School, Deep Run High School, Cleveland High School, Marcus High School, Allen High School, Pattonville High School, and Green Hope High School.

Mr. Mills graduated from Pattonville High School, where he was an active member in the marching, concert, and jazz bands. As a senior, he served as the Drum Major for the Pride of Pattonville marching band. He then went on to march in the Missouri State University Pride Color Guard (2007-2010). Since then, he has performed in several other ensembles including National Avenue Winter Guard (2008), The Pride of Missouri State Winter Guard (2009-2011), First Flight Winter Guard (2012-2014, 2016), and CGT Dallas Winter Guard (2017). Scott was also able to spend three summers (2008-2010) marching with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps.

As an instructor, Mr. Mills has helped marching bands and color guards achieve positions in both Bands of America Grand National Semi Finals, as well as Winter Guard International Finals. He also acted as the Assistant Caption Head/Technician for the Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps (2013-2016). As a member of the Carolina Gold staff, he acted as one of the charter staff members for the Independent A class Legacy Independent presented by Carolina Gold Winter Guard.