2025 Golden Triangle Classic

Saturday, October 11, 2025 • C.H. Collins Stadium • Denton, TX

We look forward to seeing you in 2026!

Band classification is determined by the number of wind players.

The earliest postmark receives the latest performance time in each class. The contest is open to the first 30 bands that register.

Feedback Survey

The Golden Triangle Marching Classic offers a unique contest experience, blending UIL and BOA scoring formats. It is an ideal opportunity for bands looking to transition into the BOA circuit. Additionally, the Golden Triangle Classic serves as an excellent Pre-UIL performance opportunity.

The GTC consistently features a judging panel composed of some of the finest adjudicators in the nation. We look forward to making this event truly memorable for all parents, students, and directors involved.

Venue

One of the highlights of the GT Classic is its venue: C.H. Collins Stadium, one of the most advanced football stadiums in Texas. Designed with input from a high school band director, it offers features tailored for an exceptional marching experience.
Conveniently located off Loop 288 in Denton, the stadium provides ample parking for both participants and spectators.
Detailed warm-up and performance maps will be provided to all participating bands.
2025 Judging Panel

Payton Grunzke
Van Henry
Kathy Johnson
Kris Quaale
Matt Quinlan
Pete Tolhuizen
Benjamin Ash

Scoring:

A panel of seven judges is used to evaluate each band. The judges are split into four categories:

Three (3) Music Judges
Two (2) Marching Judges
One (1) Percussion Judge
One (1) Color Guard Judge
The breakdown of each category and judge are listed below.

Music Judge

This adjudicator evaluates both the content and achievement of the music as well as the overall musical production. They listen for tone quality, blend and balance within the wind section, contrast of volume, intonation, phrasing, clarity of musical lines, steadiness of tempo, and rhythmic precision. They also assess the continuity and flow of the program, the variety of musical styles and tempos, and the overall impact of the performance. The musical arrangements are examined for difficulty, originality, and coordination, while attention to detail and overall musical effect are factored into the final evaluation.
Marching Judge

This adjudicator evaluates the visual and marching aspects of the performance, focusing on both individual execution and overall ensemble presentation. They examine the drill design for difficulty, originality, coordination with the music, and effective staging of visual elements, including the use of color guard or auxiliary groups. Attention is given to uniformity of stride, precise foot placement, leg position, posture, and instrument carriage, ensuring that the upper body remains steady while the feet strike the ground in unison. They also assess the alignment and spacing of forms, clarity of straight and curved lines, continuity and flow of the visual program, appearance of the uniform, and the overall visual impact of the show.
Percussion Judge

This adjudicator evaluates the entire percussion section from the press box mezzanine. Their primary focus is the rhythmic stability of the percussion section, uniformity in playing technique, and their overall contribution to the musical development. The score is also based on the difficultly of repertoire and execution by the performers.
Color Guard Judge

This adjudicator looks at any auxiliary group within the band (flags, rifles, sabres, twirlers, drill team, etc.) and evaluates the relationship of their movements to the music, the precision of these movements, the difficulty of the movements, and their technique. They also evaluate their position, movement of their feet, and any dance techniques that they might use. They also comment on the staging of these groups in the production, their uniforms, and the suitability of their equipment.

Payton Grunzke

Peyton Grunzke is a band director from Waseca, Minnesota. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Wind Conducting at the University of Houston with Mr. David Bertman. Prior to graduate school, Ms. Grunzke taught at Richland HS in Birdville ISD in Fort Worth, Texas from 2021-2024. During her time as an Assistant Band Director, Richland placed 9th in the Texas UIL 5A State Marching Contest and 10th in the 5A TMEA Honor Band Competition. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2020.

Ms. Grunzke is a Brass Technician, Drum Major Consultant, and the Summer Arts Camp Coordinator for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. The Bluecoats are perennial medalists in the Drum Corps International circuit and won the DCI World Championships in 2024. Ms. Grunzke also has extensive experience teaching student leadership, including as an instructor for university-sponsored camps and independent school district clinics across the country.

Van Henry

Mr. Henry has held the position of Director of Bands for the Elgin, Bastrop, and College Station ISDs. A native of Burlington, New Jersey, Mr. Henry earned a BA at Rider University, a BMed at Abilene Christian University, and a Master of Music degree at Southwest Texas State University (Texas State University). Bands under Mr. Henry’s direction have earned sweepstakes awards during his 20 years as a head director. His Elgin High School Band was named TMEA Honor Band in 1994, making this the first time an African American director earned this distinction in Texas. His bands represented Regions 18 and 8 at Area Marching Contests throughout his career.

Mr. Henry has served as TMEA Region Band Chair for Region 18 and TBA Representative for Region 8. He has served on the Texas Textbook Committee, UIL Music Sightreading Committee, and UIL Music Realignment Committee. In demand as a clinician and adjudicator, Mr. Henry has presented clinics at TMEA and TBA in Regions 2, 18, 13, and 20, and has adjudicated bands in Great Britain, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Maryland, Illinois, Washington, Idaho, and Texas. He has also conducted All-Region Bands in Regions 2, 8, 13, 4, and 18.

Kathy Johnson

Kathy Johnson has led a distinguished career of 42 years teaching music education in Texas. A highly respected clinician, adjudicator, and conductor, Mrs. Johnson serves as Artistic Director of the Dallas Winds Honor Band and is the UIL Region 2 Executive Secretary. Dedicated to music education and developing the individual young musician, Mrs. Johnson co-authors Musical Mastery for Band and the forthcoming Student Teachers Workbook.

Bands under the direction of Kathy Johnson have been selected as TMEA Honor Band, performing at the Texas Music Educators Conference, and have performed at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago on multiple occasions. They have been UIL State Marching Band Champions multiple times, received the Outstanding Band Program Award by the Texas Chapter of the American School Band Directors Association, and were selected as an Exemplary High School Band Program by the Texas Bandmasters Association.

A member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, Mrs. Johnson serves on both the Ostwald and Educational Committees. Her other professional affiliations include Phi Beta Mu International Band Fraternity, the Texas Bandmasters Association (where she has received the Meritorious Achievement Award), the Association of Texas Small School Bands, Women’s Band Directors International, and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. She has also been selected as a UIL Sponsor of Excellence. Most recently, Mrs. Johnson was honored with induction into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame.

Kris Quaale

Kristopher Quaale is the Director of Operations for Bell & McCoy Integrated Solutions, a luxury consumer electronics marketing agency. Mr. Quaale taught band in the Texas public school system for 9 years and holds a Master of Music degree with a specialization in wind conducting from the University of North Texas as well as a Bachelor of Music Education degree in instrumental music from Texas Christian University. He was involved with Drum Corps International (DCI) for eleven years, where he was on the visual staff for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. Before teaching for The Cavaliers, he was a marching member of the Santa Clara Vanguard (2003) and The Cavaliers (2004-2006). Mr. Quaale is active as a clinician and adjudicator in the United States and internationally.

Matt Quinlan

Matt Quinlan has been actively involved in music education for 25 years. His students have gone on to become successful people, music educators, and performers. His workshop, Percussion Gone Global, has been seen by over 18,000 students this last year alone. Matt loves to travel and spread his message of cultural education using percussion instruments. Music is a universal language that brings us all closer together globally and shows how much we share as humans.

Matt earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Iowa State University and a Master of Music Degree from The University of North Texas with Ethnomusicology as his related field. He was a participant in the Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar and holds a Texas All Level Music Education Certificate. Mr. Quinlan has studied and worked with: Roger Cichy, Eugene Corporan, Joseph Christianson, Ron Fink, Mark Ford, Dr. Barry Larkin, Dr. Jeffrey Prater, Paul Rennick, Sandi Rennick, David Resnick, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Ed Smith, Ed Soph, and Leigh Howard Stevens.

Matt has taught at Clear Lake High School in Houston, Mansfield High School and spent eleven years at Flower Mound High School building a nationally recognized program. With his guidance his students earned five Grammy Signature School Gold awards and played at the Midwest Convention and Clinic three times. He led the percussionists to win the Percussive Arts Society Marching Division Championship for the two consecutive years of 2006/2007. The Flower Mound HS drumline was awarded the Fred Sanford award in 2007 for outstanding musical achievement at the PASIC festival in Ohio.

Mr. Quinlan now serves as a clinician, adjudicator, consultant, writer and performer throughout the United States. He is founder of Percussion Gone Global, a service-based percussion company that brings music to seniors and students of all ages. His professional affiliations include: the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Band Masters Association, the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, Innovative Percussion, and Pi Kappa Psi.

Pete Tolhuizen

Pete Tolhuizen retired in 2012 after 38 years of teaching in Michigan and Texas. After retirement he has been in constant demand as a clinician, lecturer, adjudicator, and mentor to young teachers. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University. In his teaching career he spent 29 years in the Richardson Independent School District and 6 years in the Plano Independent School District. He is a proud member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Phi Beta Mu- Honorary Band Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha-Sinfonia and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi. In 2025 he was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Cheri, have two children who are both educators.