Marc Whitlock
Ensemble Coordinator

Marc Whitlock has spent thirty years as a band director and is currently a school principal. As an music educator, his prior appointments include being a band director for Marian Catholic High School in Illinois, Hebron High School in Texas, and for Discovery Middle School and the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park in Michigan. During his time as a band director his bands earned consistent superior ratings at band festivals, commissioned several new band compositions, was awarded the Mark of Excellence from the Foundation of Music Education, earned the Texas UIL Sweepstakes Award, fourteen state marching band championships, eight Bands of America national class championships, and three times was named the Bands of America Grand National Champion. His bands were also selected for multiple performances at the Music For All National Concert Band Festival and for the Presidential Inauguration.

Mr. Whitlock was formerly the music manager for the Broadway production of Blast!, which won a Tony award and an Emmy award. He also served as the first Chief Judge for WGI Winds and for decades has been involved with many award-winning ensembles as an instructor, designer, and consultant.

Mr. Whitlock has been actively involved with many award-winning ensembles for over four decades and has been in demand as an educator/designer/consultant/ for many groups, including the Blue Stars, The Cadets, Carolina Crown, The Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Phantom Regiment, Santa Clara Vanguard, Star of Indiana, and the Troopers. Many of the drum corps he has worked with have been DCI Finalists, recipients of the Jim Ott High Brass Award, and have been crowned the DCI World Champions. Most recently, he served as the Music Coordinator and Brass Consultant for the Cadets.

Mr. Whitlock has also started his own company to service the design, consultation, and educational needs of bands and other marching ensembles.  His company, “On The Marc”, strives to help concert and marching programs reach that next level of achievement and is accepting clients for this upcoming season.

Marc is excited and honored to return to the staff for the 2026 edition of The Academy! 

Andrew Gregory
Ensemble Facilitator

Andrew Gregory
Visual Co-Caption Head & Ensemble Facilitator

Andrew Gregory was born and raised in the upstate of South Carolina. He is a graduate of Boiling Springs High School, and studied music education at the University of South Carolina. As a performer, Andrew was a member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from 2012 – 2015.

After graduating college and aging out of DCI, Andrew began teaching full time while designing and judging on the side. As an educator and designer, he has experienced success within Bands of America, Winter Guard International, Drum Corps International, and local scholastic circuits. Andrew has been on staff with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps since 2023.

Andrew is currently the Director of Bands at TL Hanna High School in Anderson, SC. Under his direction, the programs offered have grown rapidly and the marching and concert bands have had tremendous success. The TL Hanna marching band has been a consistent finalist in the South Carolina State Marching Contest earning the silver medal in 2021, the bronze medal in 2022, and the school’s first State Championship in 2023. The TL Hanna Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble have also experienced success earning consistent “Superior with Distinction” ratings at state concert assessments. In 2023, TL Hanna repeated their success on stage at the SC Concert Performance Assessment and received the “Outstanding Performance Award” for the first time in school history.

In addition to TL Hanna’s concert and marching bands, Andrew also leads one of the most awarded jazz bands in South Carolina, consults and designs for the school’s winter guards, and he designs for and instructs the Indoor Drumline who were 2022 WGI Open Class semi finalists.