Sun City Open design Staff
CALEB TULLIUS / Director
Caleb Tullius is a proud El Paso, TX native musician. A graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, he earned a Bachelor's in Music Education and a Master’s in Music Performance in Conducting. He is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Education from UTEP. While in his collegiate studies, he performed in the UTEP Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Bands, Mariachi Los Mineros, and the Marching Miners. He studied brass pedagogy abroad at the Domaine Forget Academy in Saint-Irenee, Quebec, Canada. He marched with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Caleb is an avid supporter of the marching and musical arts. He has been a high school visual caption head for five years and has been a marching technician for seven. He is currently a band director at Eastlake High School, where he lead the marching band to the UIL State Marching Band contest for the third time. He has also lead several Eastlake chamber ensembles that performed at the International Trumpet Guild Conference, the International Tuba Euphonium Association Conference, and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Caleb is also on the music staff at the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps as a brass technician.
Caleb created and is on the board of Sun City Musical Arts, a nonprofit organization that supports the local marching circuit. He is happy to be a part of the growth of marching and musical arts in the Sun City.
Brandon Johnson / Music composer & arranger
Brandon Johnson was born and raised in Southern California and currently resides in New York City. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in music composition at NYU. His marching career includes The Concord Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps, RCC Winter Drumline, RCC Marching Tigers, POW Percussion, Yamato Drum Corps, and Velvet Knights Drum Corps. Since 2008, Brandon has taught and written for various high school and independent drumlines including Del Norte HS, Chaparral HS, Ayala HS, Pace Percussion, Dark Sky Percussion, Watchmen Drum Corps, and Southwind Drum corps.
This is Brandon’s second year designing for Sun City.
Jonathon Probst / visual designer
Jonathan Probst is a highly regarded individual known for his skills in visual design and choreography. Starting in 2023, he has taken on the role of visual designer for POW Percussion, showcasing his talent and expertise in the field. His invaluable contributions have also played a crucial part in leading the Chino Hills Winter Drumline ensemble to WGI Finals, resulting in the achievement of two silver medals. In addition to his work with POW Percussion and Chino Hills HS, Jonathan also collaborates with various other scholastic and independent winter drumline ensembles across the country, providing them with customized drill design, captivating visual choreography, program coordination, and educational consultation. Through his unwavering dedication to excellence and innovation, Jonathan crafts performances that are truly unique and tailored to the strengths and needs of each ensemble he works with.
Jonathan Probst is also an accomplished professional in the field of music education, currently serving as the Assistant Director of Instrumental Music at Chino Hills HS. With a Masters Degree in Education emphasizing Critical Thinking, and a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education, Jonathan blends both his knowledge of music and visual arts to create a well-rounded and cohesive learning experience for his students. Jonathan has worked with both the Pacific Crest and Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps. Jonathan's commitment to fostering musical/visual excellence and cultivating critical thinking skills has earned him a reputation as a dedicated and influential figure in music education.
Manny Castañeda / Designer + consultant
Manny Castañeda is an active music educator and performer in west Texas and the southwestern United States. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Manny has had a varied career as a performer in the percussion realm spanning from his time as member of the Troopers (snare), and Bluecoats (front ensemble) Drum and Bugle Corps, to his time as a member of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, The El Paso Wind Symphony, Star City Percussion Ensemble, as a freelance musician in the greater Los Angeles/southern California and west Texas areas where he can be found playing anything from orchestral, rock, metal, funk, alternative, hiphop, pit work/musicals, session and touring work.
As an educator, Manny has been the program/music coordinator and music caption head for Sun City Indoor Percussion, and now serves the ensemble as a designer and consultant. He was formerly the front ensemble caption head/coordinator at Elan Indoor Percussion, battery manager and tenor tech for Watchmen Drum and Bugle Corps, tenor and front ensemble tech for Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps, a battery and front ensemble tech for Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps.
Scholastically Manny has served as a staff member/consultant for several SoCal and west Texas programs, and has been previously involved with several highly successful southern California (Workman, El Segundo, Charter Oak, and Diamond Bar High Schools), Las Vegas (Coronado High School), and west Texas (Eastwood, Eastlake, and Bel Air High Schools) area percussion and university programs. In addition, he is an active clinician and lecturer in the southwestern United States covering orchestral and marching percussion, drum set, and music business aspects.
Manny proudly endorses Ludwig Drums/Musser Percussion, Aquarian Drumheads, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Balter Mallets, and Zildjian Cymbals.