JW Koester

J.W. Koester, a long-time educator, consultant, adjudicator, pageantry professional & percussionist since 1971, has many years of management experience behind him.

Koester has performed with such groups as the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps (during which time the Corps won 3 DCI World Championships & 5 Best Percussion Section Awards), the San Jose State University Marching Band, and the West Valley College Wind & Percussion Ensembles, as well a numerous Community Theater Musical Productions.

In his 27 years as a designer, instructor & consultant he has worked with several top Drum & Bugle Corps, including the Santa Clara Vanguard, the Glassmen, and the Vanguard Cadets, as well as numerous Marching Bands, Winter Guards & Winter Percussion Ensembles in California, Nevada & Hawaii. Koester has over 20 years experience as an adjudicator of Marching Band, Drum & Bugle Corps, Winter Guard and Winter Percussion Festivals & Competitions throughout the Western United States (including the State Championships for Arizona & Colorado).

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the management team of The Phantom Regiment for 2007. I hope that my drum corps experience will be a bonus for the organization and I look forward to meeting all of the staff, management and corps members,” said Koester.

He has also served in the capacity of Director or in management of such well-known pageantry organizations as the 6-time World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps (including the 1999 DCI World Championship Corps), the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, the multi-time DCI Division II Finalist Vanguard Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps, and the 6-time World Champion San Jose Raiders Winter Guards. Recently he was serving as Drum Corps International Division II & III National Coordinator.

Koester currently works for Symmorphix, Inc in Sunnyvale, CA as a Senior Electro/Mechanical Technician. He lives in San Jose, CA with his wife Roxanne, 17 year old daughter Laura, and 5 year old son Joshua.