Bryan Harmsen
Owner / Music Designer
Bryan Harmsen is the owner and primary music designer of Visaudio Designs. He is currently the lead music composer and sound designer for Monarch Independent, having also served on the design teams with The Mandarins Drum Corps and The Colts Drum and Bugle Corps. He was the Chief Creative Officer of Virtual Arts, where we was the lead music designer and program coordinator for various projects—most notably the Virtual Drum & Bugle Corps. Bryan has designed for ensembles around the world, with his designs helping ensembles earn 18 WGI medals and many finalists and regional winners. This is in addition to numerous local circuit medals and many BOA Regional Finalists.
Bryan was also the creator of Virtual Drumline: Demystified, a tutorial series for Virtual Drumline from Tapspace Publications. He proudly endorses Pearl/Adams instruments, Innovative Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, and Remo Drumheads, and resides in Carrollton, Georgia with his wife Emily and their pack of dogs and cats.
Bill Castillo
Operations Assistant
Bill Castillo is a percussion instructor and composer from St. Louis, Missouri. He is also an in-demand judge for marching contests in the fall and winter seasons. Having taught camps at Truman State University and given percussion clinics across the country, he has also performed with various ensembles in the St. Louis area.
As owner of Messy Desk Music, a company specializing in music writing, engraving, and recording, Bill has worked with many prominent publishers in the march arts and music publishing industries. He has also presented clinics on Virtual Drumline, Sibelius, and Finale software.
Bill is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a professional music fraternity for men, and is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion, Pearl/Adams instruments, and Remo Drumheads.
He is married to his wife Lori and they have three boys together.
Richard Kearns
Designer / Consultant
Richard Kearns serves as Percussion Director at Burleson Centennial High School, as well as a designer and clinician for many ensembles in the marching arts. The Burleson Centennial Percussion Program has established itself as one of the top World Class Ensembles in the country, with multiple Top 10 Finalist appearances at the WGI World Championships, as well as being named the 2017 WGI PSO World Champions. Richard was previously the Battery coordinator at Tyler Jr. College, Percussion Director of Palestine High School (TX), and Percussion Dierector and Azle High School, garnering many accolades and achievements at the local and national level with those programs.
Richard’s passion for the activity goes well beyond teaching percussion. As a conceptual and visual designer for Marching Band and Indoor Drumline, he has produced many crowd-pleasing productions, including the 2016 WGI PIO Gold Medalists, Vigilantes Indoor Percussion, 2017 PSO Gold Medalists, Burleson Centennial High School (TX), and the 2022 PSO Gold Medalists, Sherwood High School (OR).
Richard serves on the WGI Advisory Board, as well as the NTCA (North Texas Colorguard Association) Executive Board. He was selected by WGI as one of the top designers from around the world to be part of WGI’s 1on1 consultation program, a platform geared towards ensembles receiving online feedback and guidance on how to improve their percussion program throughout the year.
Richard currently resides in Burleson, Texas with his wife Stacie and daughters Sam & Lennon. When he is not teaching, you can usually find him on the golf course. He is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion, Pearl/Adams, Remo Drumheads, and Zildjian Cymbals.