Spirit of Atlanta Announces Veteran Design Team for 2023
September 7, 2022
Spirit of Atlanta is excited to announce its design team for the 2023 season, as the corps looks to return to DCI competition. Once again, the team will be led by DCI, WGI, and Spirit of Atlanta Hall of Famer Sal Salas who returns for his seventh year as program coordinator and artistic director. Joining Salas will be veteran program manager Gilles Ouellete, renowned drill designer Jamey Thompson, brass arranger and brass caption supervisor and Spirit Alum Michael Martin, percussion arranger and caption head Adam Wiencken, and front ensemble caption head, arranger and audio designer and caption head Matt Filosa.
Sal Salas returns to Spirit for his seventh year as program coordinator and artistic director. For over 50 years, Salas has been an icon in the marching arts designing programs for world-renowned corps such as the Madison Scouts, Glassmen, and the Santa Clara Vanguard. Salas first led Spirit in the '80s as a drill designer writing the corps' visual programs from 1983 to 1990. During that time Spirit of Atlanta would win two color guard caption awards at the DCI World Championships (1985, 1987). Salas is also distinguished as a hall of fame member of the Winter Guard Association of Southern California, Midwest Color Guard Circuit, and Spirit of Atlanta.
Gilles Ouellette (Program Manager) is one of the premiere visual designers and adjudicators in the marching arts with design experience in Winter Guard, Winter Percussion Ensembles, College and High School Marching Bands, and Drum and Bugle Corps. Gilles has been the Visual Designer for the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps from 2002-2007. Gilles is a past assistant director for the Boston Crusaders and Visual Designer for the Glassmen (2008-2009).
Jamey Thompson (Drill Designer) returns to Spirit of Atlanta for his fourth season and has been a fixture in the DCI community for over three decades designing for corps including the Phantom Regiment, Madison Scouts, Glassmen, Empire Statesmen, and Connecticut Hurricanes. Jamey holds a bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Loyola University.
Michael Martin (Brass Arranger and Brass Caption Supervisor) stays home to Spirit of Atlanta as its brass arranger for his fourth season. A distinguished Spirit Alum, Martin is an accomplished trumpet player in the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops. The son of corps founder Freddy Martin, he attended Northwestern University, where he received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in trumpet performance. He has performed with orchestras worldwide, including the Atlanta, Baltimore, and Chicago symphonies. Michael has worked with several corps, including the Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, and The Academy.
Adam Wiencken (Percussion Arranger and Caption Head) returns to lead the Spirit of Atlanta percussion team for a fourth season. He is the Director of Percussion and Battery Arranger for the Pride of Broken Arrow Marching Band, a frequent Bands of America (BOA) Regional Champion and Grand National Finalist. His drum corps credits include stints with the Blue Stars, The Cadets, Santa Clara Vanguard, Troopers, and Crossmen. Adam is an alumnus of the Madison Scouts and The Cavaliers.
Matt Filosa (Front Ensemble Caption Head, Arranger, and Audio designer) returns for his fifth season. Matt is a freelance percussionist, composer, and arranger currently residing in Fort Worth, Texas. Co-owner of the marching arts design company Synced Up Designs, Matt writes, designs for, and teaches marching bands and indoor percussion groups all over the country. Matt is the sound designer and front ensemble arranger for several WGI and DCI finalist groups, most notably PIW group Music City Mystique (co-arranger) and the Cadets (Sound Design). Matt earned his bachelor's in Percussion Performance from the University of Florida (2007), a Master's in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas (2009) and his DMA from Florida State University (2019).