Author Archives: Barbara-Scott Kolb

Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom Super Bowl Performance

This year, Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band received a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to participate in the Super Bowl, the most-watched television broadcast in America. A historic 123.7 million viewers tuned in to watch Super Bowl 58, … Read More

2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Marching Bands

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returned live November 23rd, 2023, providing millions of viewers and families hours of entertainment for the 97th annual Thanksgiving celebration. Watching the marching band programs that our team has developed relationships with participate in this … Read More

North Carolina State University Marching Band

Trombonists Wesley Simpson and Wes Parker met while performing on the 2002 BLAST! tour and formed a close friendship that would eventually lead to long lasting work relationship as staff members of the North Carolina State University Marching Band, widely … Read More

NFL Marching Bands

The month of September welcomes two beloved, highly anticipated seasons… Fall and the National Football League!   As excited as our Pyware Team is that the NFL is back, we are overjoyed that the only two marching bands in the … Read More

Pyware Custom Props at the DCI Finals

Congratulations to all the corps who performed and made history at the 2023 DCI World Championships! This year, our Art Director Jesse Mercer, fulfilled custom prop orders for several of the corps’ DCI performances. Following specific instruction from the designers, … Read More

Not on Version 11? Check this out!

Are you a Pyware user running an older version of the software? Curious what the latest edition is offering that you might not have? Here are some of the most popular features of Version 11 among the most respected directors … Read More

Brand-New Releases!

Our team is thrilled to introduce a catalogue of brand-new subscription options and mobile applications.   These subscriptions are purchasing options we have never offered before. For new and current Pyware users, a subscription will keep you on the most … Read More

Pyware Junior

Are you looking for a new way to get your students excited for band camp? With the new Pyware Junior, students can get familiar with your drill at home BEFORE they arrive at camp!       Pyware Jr. Performer … Read More

Happy Birthday, Dustin!

We would like to wish a Happy 40th Birthday to our amazing Application Systems Director, Dustin Merrell!   Pyware has been blessed to have Dustin as a member of the team since he was in high school. He truly epitomizes … Read More

Pyware 3D Mobile Editor

For the past 40 years, Pyware has kept pace with the ever-changing needs of music educators, while continuing to push the envelope of drill design. As the software has advanced, requests for a mobile application to not only view 3D … Read More

Baltimore’s Marching Ravens 75th Anniversary

Proud football fans of the Ravens may not realize just how much their city is indebted to one long-standing musical organization that helped the NFL stay alive in Baltimore. There are only two marching bands in all professional football, worldwide. … Read More

Wrapping Up 40 Years and Still Counting!

Historic, unforgettable, milestone… A few words to describe this incredible year for the Pyware Team. Throughout 2022, the celebration did not stop, as we marked our 40th year in business! Not only did we reminisce on the inception of the … Read More

2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Marching Bands

It has been an especially noteworthy year for our Pyware Team, as it marks 40 years in business. While celebrating this special anniversary, reminiscing on the company’s work up to this point, it has only inspired us to continue pushing … Read More

Kenny Goodson

As the son of a band director, Kenny Goodson inherited a love for music from his father. Growing up, countless Saturdays were spent at Tatum’s Music Company in East Texas, listening to his dad talk band with fellow directors. He … Read More

Pete ReHill & Phil Min – Pyware Ultimate Giveaway Winners

This year, to add to our 40-year anniversary celebrations, our team hosted the Ultimate Pyware Giveaway Drawing! The winners included two longtime friends and Pyware users, Pete ReHill and Phil Min!   First-place winner, Pete ReHill is a proud United … Read More

Pyware – From the Beginning

The moment Py Kolb heard the roar of the crowd during his first marching band performance, he was hooked. Oddly enough, he was first introduced to marching band per doctor’s recommendation. It was suggested that he play a brass instrument … Read More

Walt Lovell

Walt Lovell’s passion for music and the performing arts is reflected in an over five-decade-long career in the music industry. A successful history as a musician, educator, designer, consultant, composer, and adjudicator, comprise his lifetime’s work. After receiving both a … Read More

Mitch Rogers

The instant Mitch Rogers saw a computer program that was significantly improving the slow, tiresome process of writing drill by hand, he was captivated. This was in the early 1990’s, while Mitch was on the Cavaliers’ visual staff and working … Read More

Victor Neves

Victor Neves began writing drill in 1984 with very fundamental tools that could be found at any art or supply store. He drew forms with pencil on 2-step grid drill writing paper, finalizing them in ink. He sketched curves with … Read More

Jeffrey Smith

Jeffrey Smith is a gifted music educator, especially celebrated in Connecticut, with awards including two-time Connecticut Secondary Music Educator of the Year, the CMEA Student Affairs Commission Award recipient, and the Western Connecticut State University Alumni Band Director of the … Read More

Brantley Douglas

In the early 1980s, as an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying music education, Brantley Douglas had his first encounter with a computer. Witnessing the Apple IIe computer and plotter producing full-sized, color-coded drill charts for the first time … Read More

2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Ensembles

This year, the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return in all its traditional glory! The streets of NYC will once again welcome back spectators to celebrate the parade in its true form. Balloons, floats and performers are all back … Read More

Darryl Pemberton and Claudia Taylor Johnson Band

Claudia Taylor Johnson High School has built an exceptional music department over the years, specifically an award-winning marching band that is regarded as one of the top-rated programs state and nationwide. The entire design team for the band has worked … Read More

Randall Standridge

This pandemic has shifted the perspective of so many in the marching arts community, amplifying their passion for the activity and reminding them why they fell in love with band in the first place. The brilliant, Randall Standridge, discussed with … Read More

Smith Walbridge Clinics

In 1949, Smith Walbridge pioneered marching band clinics, and has been serving students and directors worldwide, ever since. Each year, one thousand participants across the United States, Canada and Mexico, attend various Smith Walbridge Clinics. Both high school and collegiate … Read More