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STAFF
Elizabeth Heath - Choreography/Instructor
Elizabeth is 22 years old and a graduate of Mississippi State University,
with a BA in Biological Sciences and French. She began her color guard
career in middle school and carried on at Bartlett High School where she
graduated in 2003. While a member of Bartlett High’s color guard the unit
won numerous first place overall awards at marching contests across TN and
had an undefeated season in 2001. In 2002 she joined the Bartlett winter
guard program winning SCGC gold medals in Scholastic A National in 2002 and
Scholastic Open in 2003. The unit also gained national recognition as a WGI
Scholastic A finalist in 2002. Elizabeth also marched in 2004 with the SCGC/WGI
independent group, Amalgamation, winning a bronze medal at SCGC and a
finalist position at WGI in San Diego. Elizabeth was awarded an SCGC
scholarship in both 2003 and 2004 for maintaining a high level of academic
performance and leadership while competing in the color guard activity. In
2005 Elizabeth earned a spot with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps that
placed 5th at DCI World Championships with its highest scoring in the corps
history. Elizabeth was the captain of the colorguard at Mississippi State
University and held the position for three years. She has choreographed work
for numerous programs including Millington High School, Bartlett High
School, Cordova High School, Cordova Independent Winterguard, Mississippi State University,
as well as Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps Colorguard, during their 2007
World Championship season. She is currently one of the colorguard
instructors for DeSoto Central High School. Elizabeth is looking
forward to another season with Capella, and to competing within the
Independent Open class.
Sara
Abramson - Choreography/Instructor
Sara Abramson began her colorguard career at Cordova High School, where she graduated in 2004. Sara was a member of the 2004 WGI World Finalist, Independent A Winterguard, Amalgamation. Also, in 2004, Sara was selected as a member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps Colorguard, in which she marched for three years. She aged out in 2008, with The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. Sara attended the University of Mississippi from 2004 - 2005, after receiving Art, Academic, Colorguard, and Clarinet scholarships, where she was a member of the Pride of the South Marching Band and the Pi Beta Phi Sorority. She transferred to the University of Kentucky in 2006, to continue to work towards a BFA in Graphic Design. She is now back in Cordova, attending the University of Memphis and will graduate in the spring of 2008. Sara has worked with the Henry Clay High School Winterguard, Dexter Middle School Winterguard, and Cordova High School Colorguard/Winterguard, as a visual designer, writer, and instructor. She, along with Elizabeth Heath, Andrew Solomonson, and Emily Abramson, formed the 2007 Cordova Independent A Winterguard, which eventually became what is now, Capella. She is one of the current Colorguard instructors for Desoto Central High School, and was a Colorguard Technician for the Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps' World Championship season in 2007. She looks forward to the new season as choreographer for the Capella Winterguard and their debut in the 2009 Independent Open classification.
Drew Solomonson - Visual Design / Program Coordinator
Drew is a native of
Morton, Illinois, and brings years of experience to the Capella
Winterguard.
Drew began his marching career with the Phantom Regiment Drum
and Bugle Corps in 2001. A member of the euphonium section, he
marched a total of four seasons in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005.
After his last season, Drew spent the next two winters working
on the visual staff for Phantom Regiment. In 2007, Drew was
named as the Visual Designer and Visual Caption head for the
Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps from Memphis, Tennessee. The
corps won the 2007 DCI Division III World Championship, and was
presented with the Best Visual Performance award for Division
III. Drew is currently a member of the DCI World Champion Phantom Regiment's
visual staff. As a designer, Mr. Solomonson has written for several
groups across the country, among which include Cordova High
School, Clarksville High School, and Virginia High School. He is
in high demand in both the marching band and winterguard
communities. He began his winter design career in 2006 with the Cordova
Independent Winterguard, and he has been the visual designer for
the unit through its transition to Capella Winterguard. He
looks forward to the second season of Capella, and the debut of
the unit into the Independent Open Class. In addition to his teaching and
design, Mr. Solomonson also serves as an adjudicator in several
states within the Tennessee area.
Emily Abramson - Administrative Director
Emily Abramson has been involved in the sponsorship and organization of youth performance groups since 1997. She was introduced into the world of colorguard through her two daughters. She fell in love with the activity and has been hooked ever since. In 2007, Emily and her staff formed Cordova Independent in order to offer a performance avenue for members outside of Cordova High School, at the same time, helping to raise the proficiency level of the Cordova members. For the 2008 season, the unit changed their name to Capella Winterguard and earned the WGI Independent A Bronze Medal, and the SCGC Independent A Gold Medal. The unit enters the 2009 season with a promotion to the Independent Open Class.