In this season finale of the Copper State Marching Podcast, hosts Aaron Vogel and Mark Veach celebrate the end of another incredible Arizona marching season. From surprise fireworks at championships to heartfelt reflections on community, growth, and resilience, the duo recaps highlights from every division—1A through 5A—spotlighting the champions, memorable performances, and moments that made 2025 unforgettable. They also discuss the power of Arizona’s band family, coming together through triumph and tragedy, and look ahead with optimism for the next generation of music educators.

Tune in for laughs, gratitude, and a reminder that the spirit of Bandtober lasts all year long.

In this episode of the Copper State Marching Podcast, hosts Aaron Vogel and Mark Hodge sit down with two of Arizona’s most respected visual educators, Dan Hoffman and Sierra Rogers, for an inspiring conversation on the do’s and don’ts of teaching visual performance.

Dan shares his journey from West Genesee High School in New York to the Arizona marching scene, drawing on his experiences with the Boston Crusaders, Oregon Crusaders, and Madison Scouts. He talks about the importance of building trust with students, focusing on process over product, and prioritizing rehearsal culture before technique. Dan’s advice for educators? Teach with empathy, move slowly and intentionally at the start of the season, and don’t mistake lack of skill for lack of effort.

Sierra, an Arizona native, ASU alum, and veteran of The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, brings fresh perspective on making visual learning fun and accessible. She emphasizes creativity, comfort, and body awareness, reminding instructors that students need space to explore before they can refine. Her biggest “don’t”? Don’t start with the elite-level movement vocabulary you just did in drum corps—start simple, build confidence, and then layer complexity.

The conversation also covers: 🎯 How to teach rehearsal etiquette from day one 🧠 The importance of understanding the “why” behind every exercise 💪 Effective cleaning strategies and knowing when to simplify drill 🎶 Incorporating music and creativity to keep visual warmups engaging 📈 Evolving design trends in the marching arts—from the high-drama visuals of the 2010s to a return to strong, purposeful drill

The episode wraps up with heartfelt shoutouts to the mentors who shaped both educators’ careers and a reminder that when you build culture, excellence follows.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Sponsored by the Arizona Marching Band Association and our incredible partners: MVP Apparel, Vic Firth, Band Shoppe, Encore Gifts, Synced Up Designs, Milano’s Music, IMC, Music for All, Mack Pack, Music Celebrations International, School Funder, the Arizona Cardinals, Bravwell Video Creations, and Yamaha.

In the debut episode of In the Lot, Mark Hodge takes the Copper State Marching Podcast on the road to the Eval show at Perry High School. This on-site episode captures the energy, humor, and community spirit of Arizona marching band culture with spontaneous interviews from directors, judges, and staff members across AZMBA.

Mark first chats with Joshua Simmons, band director from Cactus High School, who shares excitement about their 2024 production Spy School Musical and why Cactus returns to AzMBA every year. Then, listeners meet the dedicated and entertaining Perry High School band staff, who introduce themselves and even join in some fun impressions of their band director’s famous sayings.

The conversation continues with heartfelt discussions about:

• What people love most about AzMBA competitions
• The support for small and rural bands in the circuit
• Why the on-field judge experience makes AzMBA unique
• Favorite marching band memories
• The worst (and funniest) mishaps on the field—sax bells crushed, tuning slides launched, and even a tuba bell disaster turned choir solo!

Later, Mark talks with Jeff Quamo, AZMBA field judge and Chandler High School director, who explains the educational benefits of on-field judging and reflects on his philosophy, humorously known among students as “The Book of Quams.”

Mark wraps up with a preview of upcoming content, including interviews with visual designers Sierra Rogers and Dan Hoffman, along with calendar updates and season coverage.