Meet Nick Gonzalez!

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1. What is your hometown? City, State.

  • Fort Wayne, IN

2. Where did you go to high school? Where did you go to college and when did you/will you graduate?

  • North Side High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • 2016 Graduate of Indiana University – Bloomington

3. What is your major/degree?

  • Major – Telecommunications with minors in Business and Music, and an Arts Administration Certificate.

4. What is your musical background? This could be instruments you play and involvement in musical activities such as choir, DCI, theatre, winter guard, ect…

  • I started playing music as a sophomore in high school. I joined the marching band because my best friend at the time convinced me to do it! I learned to play the tuba during marching and concert season, and simultaneously the bass trombone during jazz season. Since then, I have been heavily involved. In college, I participated in many ensembles including the IU Marching Hundred, All-Campus Band (on tuba, trombone, euphonium, percussion, and french horn), All-Campus Jazz, Big Red Basketball Band, Crabb Band (soccer band), Bloomington Community Band, the Bloomington Brass Band, and Hoosier Pops Orchestra.

5. What are you most looking forward to in your internship this spring?

  • I am looking forward to working in an arts organization and finally putting to use the knowledge I learned as an undergrad. Working with arts and arts education is something I strive for. I also look forward to the connection and opportunities that await me here!

6. What is an interesting fact about you?

  • This past summer I spent the semester studying abroad in Ireland, London, and Austria. It was a great time and from it came one very eventful story. Between my programs, I did some vacationing/photography in Scotland. I then planned out a bus route from Inverness, Scotland all the way to Graz, Austria. If everything went to plan, I would leave Thursday at 6 a.m. and arrive at 3 p.m. on Saturday. But of course, I didn’t. My bus ended up being four hours late in London. Then we got to Border Patrol and there was another four hour wait. Some of the other passengers and I went to the store and got dinner. When we came back, the bus had left and we had to chase after it. Eventually I made it to my transit stop at 6 a.m. in Bonn, Germany. Since I missed my transit time, I had to wait until the next bus to Munich, which wasn’t until 10 a.m. Two buses came between 10 and 12, but they said I couldn’t get on because I didn’t have the appropriate bus ticket. Around 12:30 p.m., I managed to convince the 3rd bus that came to let me on. Finally, I was on the home stretch. I made it to my last stop in Salzburg, Austria at 2 a.m. and had to wait until my last bus to Graz at 7 a.m. I made it safely to my school at noon on Sunday. It was a very long and stressful time, but at least I came out of the summer with a fun story!

7. Who are your top three favorite artists? This could be any genre of music.

  • Melanie Martinez
  • Post Modern Jukebox
  • Earth, Wind and Fire

Meet Conlon Griesmer, our Events Intern!

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1) What is your hometown?

  • Nashville, TN

2) Where did you go to high school? Where did you go to college and when did you/will you graduate?

  • Father Ryan H.S. (Go Irish!)
  • The University of Tennessee, Knoxville – Fall 2017 (Go Vols!)

3) What is your major/degree?

  • Human Resources Management: Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management

4) What is your musical background?

  • I played the trombone in middle school, and then I played baritone and tuba in high school. I played sousaphone in colege marching band and just finished a summer internship with DCI.

5) If you could march any BOA show, which show would it be and why?

  • Broken Arrow H.S. 2009 “The Rite of Raptor” because I loved the music, and they made velociraptors cool before Jurassic World!

6) What are you most looking forward to in your internship this fall?

  • I am super excited to get to interact with the performers and their families!

7) What is an interesting fact about you?

  • My first name is actually my mom’s maiden name. In fact, one of my life goals is to meet another Conlon!

8) Who are your top three favorite artists?

  • I pretty much listen to whatever is on the radio…

Meet Maddie Fitzgerald, our Participant Relations Intern!

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1) What is your hometown?

  • Lenexa, Kansas

2) Where did you go to high school? Where did you go to college and when did you/will you graduate?

  • Olathe H.S./Butler University 2016

3) What is your major/degree?

  • Bachelor of Science in Arts Administration with a concentration in music.

4) What is your musical background?

  • I played the french horn and mellophone in band orchestra and athletic bands. I was also a part of Kappa Kappa Psi and Pi Kappa Lambda.

5) If you could march any BOA show, which show would it be and why?

  • Hard to say because I’ve never marched a BOA show, but probably one in Indy because I love Lucas Oil Stadium.

6) What are you most looking forward to in your internship this fall?

  • Experiencing BOA for the first time while traveling all around the country.

7) What is an interesting fact about you?

  • I traveled with Butler’s Basketball Band to NYC for the Big East Tournament in 2014 and 2015.

8) Who are your top three favorite artists? This could be any genre of music.

  • Sara Bareilles
  • Bastille
  • Walk the Moon

Meet Bryant Sharpley, our Events Intern!

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1) What is your hometown?

2) Where did you go to high school? Where did you go to college and when did you/will you graduate?

  • High School-Avon High School 
  • College-University of North Alabama

3) What is your major/degree?

  • Bachelor of Science in Music Education

4) What is your musical background?

  • I marched clarinet in high school at Avon. After that, I marched euphonium in college for six years at North Alabama. I was a leader in the symphony and wind ensemble. While working on my masters, I accepted a job teaching band and orchestra in Carmel, which lead me to moving back to Indiana.

5) If you could march any BOA show, which show would it be and why?

  • I’m going to go home team and say Avon 2013. When it comes to marching arts, I love louder, faster, and higher; and this show looked crazy fun. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I love Lawrence Central 2001. It was executed and designed with a subtle artistic quality that has rarely been touched before or after.

6) What are you most looking forward to in your internship this fall?

  • As much as I love the administrative side of things, it’s hard to beat a free trip to Long Beach

7) What is an interesting fact about you?

  • Before I decided on music education, I wanted to be a dentist or a biochemist, but there’s nothing like seeing kids’ faces light up when they finally “get it” or have the performance of their lives!

8) Who are your top three favorite artists? This could be any genre of music. 

  • Panic! At the Disco
  • Celine Dion
  • Adele

Meet Hannah Carlson, our Participant Relations – Tournament of Roses Intern!

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1) What is your hometown?

  • Tallahassee, FL

2) Where did you go to high school? Where did you go to college and when did you/will you graduate?

  • Lincoln H.S. 2012, Furman University 2016, Butler University 2018

3) What is your major/degree?

  • Bachelor’s in Music Education from Furman University, Master’s in Percussion Performance and Instrumental Conducting from Butler University

4) What is your musical background?

  • I started playing Clarinet in 2002, and switched to percussion my senior year in high school. I was in marching band for 8 years, including 3 years as Drum Major at Furman. I have played in Percussion Ensemble, Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble at Furman and Butler. This summer, I played in the John Psathas recording project with Omar Carmenates.

5) If you could march any BOA show, which show would it be and why?

  • Avon HS 2010 “Iconoclash,” because the musical combinations are unbelievable – who would have thought that a mashup of Led Zeppelin and Beethoven would work so well?!

6) What are you most looking forward to in your internship this fall?

  • Getting to know directors and students from around the country, and seeing the Honor Band march in the Rose Parade!

7) What is an interesting fact about you?

  • I was almost in the Jeopardy! College Tournament last fall, but the taping was in Los Angeles on the same day that I had a concert at Furman, so I had to stay and play the concert, which turned out to be really great!

8) Who are your top three favorite artists? This could be any genre of music.

  • I can’t pick just 3, but I’ll try… Leonard Bernstein (Chichester Psalms), Ben Folds, Gustav Mahler (Sym. 2), and a special shoutout to Elliott Cole forHanuman’s Leap

Meet Lyndee Stisher, our Events Intern!

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1) What is your hometown?

  • LaPorte, IN

2) Where did you go to high school? Where did you go to college and when did you/will you graduate?

  • LaPorte H.S. – 2011/Purdue University – 2015

3) What is your major/degree?

  • Bachelor’s in Health & Human Sciences, with my major being Hospitality and Tourism

4) What is your musical background? 

  • With my father being a band director, along with his involvement with DCI, ISSMA, and various other music organizations, that is what provoked my interest in music. I played the clarinet in concert bands and was in guard for 6 years.

5) If you could march any BOA show, which show would it be and why?

  • Broken Arrow H.S. 2013 show “Utopia.” I love the music! But can I please be in Tarpon Springs or Carmel’s guard? #goals

6) What are you most looking forward to in your internship this fall?

  • I am most excited to make so many connections in an industry that has the same passion that I do. Most of all, I cannot wait to help make these events possible!

7) What is an interesting fact about you?

  • My first name is my parent’s middle names put together! Mom: Teri Lynn + Dad: Mickey Dee = Lyndee!

8) Who are your top three favorite artists? This could be any genre of music.

  • One Republic
  • Ben Rector
  • Disney Instrumental

Meet Claire Albrecht, our Marketing Intern!

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1) What is your hometown?

  • Franklin, TN

2) Where did you go to high school? Where did you go to college and when did you/will you graduate?

  • Franklin H.S., TN / University of South Carolina, 2018

3) What is your major/degree?

  •  Major: Journalism and Mass Communications, Minor: Business Administration

4) What is your musical background? 

  • Flute from 6th to 12th grade. Drum Major for Music City Drum Corps 2014 and 2015. Drum Major for The Cadets 2016.

5) If you could march any BOA show, which show would it be and why?

  • L.D. Bell H.S. 2007, “Transcendents”. Transcendents was beautifully haunting. That program impacted the audience in such a unique way. I will never forget the first time I watched it; I just wish I had been able to watch it live. I think getting to perform that show would certainly  be a memorable experience.

6) What are you most looking forward to in your internship this fall?

  • I am very excited to travel to shows! I am looking forward to covering the events and watching all of the different programs this season.

7) What is an interesting fact about you?

  • I have been to 39 states and 17 countries!

8) Who are your top three favorite artists? This could be any genre of music.

  •  The Head and The Heart
  •  The Mowgli’s
  •  Nat “King” Cole