Meet the 2023 Visual Staff
David Caravella – Visual Caption Head
David Caravella is a lifelong resident of Paramus, NJ and graduate of Paramus High School in 2002. There, he performed with the PHS Marching Spartans on clarinet as well as serving for 2 years as the drum major. During his undergraduate years, he studied euphonium with Dr. Mary Ann Craig and Mr. John Palatucci and is a graduate of Montclair State University Class of 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. David is a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity.
David’s drum corps performing career includes national and international touring ensembles such as the Raiders 2001-2003, the Cadets of Bergen County 2004, and the Concord Blue Devils 2005-2006.
After aging out, David returned to the field as a visual and brass field technician for the Raiders in 2007-2009, also as visual caption head in 2013, and visual designer in 2014. Other drum corps instructional experience includes the award winning visual team at the Reading Buccaneers from 2010-11 and 2015-16, as well as The Cadets2 2012 brass staff. Dave was the visual caption head of the Buccaneers from 2017-2019, during which they earned an undefeated three-peat of visual and overall DCA championships.
David is an avid drill designer for many high school marching bands and drum corps in the tri-state area. Some accolades include Montville Township HS 2011- USBands Group 3 Open National Champions, and the Bushwackers Drum & Bugle Corps 2013-14.
In addition to directing the Kearny High School marching band, he is the full time director of bands at Lincoln Middle School in Kearny, NJ. Dave is also an adjudicator of marching band contests for USBands and the NJ Marching Band Directors Association.
Michelle Parrino – Visual Tech
Michele Parrino is returning to the Caballeros for her sixth season on visual staff. Michele started her drum corps career as a mellophone player in 2008 with the Syracuse Brigadiers where she marched for 2 years before moving on to the Caballeros where she was a member of the Phone Co. from 2010-2014. Since 2007 Michele has been a visual tech for numerous marching bands across New York and New Jersey including the Hackettstown Tiger Marching Band and the Madison Marching Dodgers. She has been the Visual Caption Head for the Ramsey Big Blue Marching Band in Ramsey, NJ since 2015 winning 2 TOB New Jersey State Championships and 3 TOB Region 10 Championships. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Potsdam in Psychology, a Master’s degree in School Counseling and Educational Leadership from the University of Rochester, and most recently an Associates of Applied Science in Ophthalmic Science from Raritan Valley Community College. Michele is a licensed optician and optical store manager in Ramsey, NJ. She currently lives in Ringwood, NJ with her husband Joe, stepson Frank, and 2 dogs, Champagne and Sadie.
Max Oh – Visual Tech
Max’s career as a performer began with the Caballeros, where he marched for seven seasons (2006-2011, 2013) as a member of the baritone line. He has also enjoyed performing with the Hanover Wind Symphony and served as the principal euphonium player at the College of New Jersey, where he performed in their premier Wind Ensemble in addition to the Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Brass Ensemble. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 2013.
As an instructor, Max taught the marching band at Pequannock Township High School in Pompton Plains, NJ, from 2009-2012, where he served as a field tech, helping the band amass numerous accolades alongside a state championship and a top-three finish in regional competition. After a lengthy hiatus from the marching arts, he returned in 2017 with the Bushwackers, where he spent three seasons on the field staff, one of which was as a visual lead. He then served as a visual and brass tech for Fusion Core in 2022, where he helped guide the corps to a 1st Place finish in DCA Class A competition, achieving a sweep of all captions.
Max currently resides in Brooklyn with his dog, Ina (the goodest girl), and works as an IT engineer in the NYC area. His favorite drum corps show is the 2010 Phantom Regiment production “Into the Light.”
Armon Neil Raygani – Visual Tech
Armon Raygani is a Music Educator living in Central Pennsylvania. Armon holds his Bachelor of Science degree in Music from Towson University as well as his Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from West Chester University. 2023 will be Armon’s third full season with the Hawthorne Caballeros.
Armon spent five summers with The Cadets2, spending the last three as drum major of the corps and leading the corps to earn its first World Championship title. Armon has also spent three years as drum major of the Towson University Marching Band where he taught marching fundamentals and had the opportunity to learn from Gino Cipriani and John Miliauskas. During his graduate assistantship at West Chester, Armon worked with the marching band aiding in show design, logistics, and leading rehearsals. Armon had the pleasure of joining the Cabs Visual team in the Fall of 2019 and had the opportunity to serve as Visual Caption Head in 2022 with the greatest team ever, winning the Jim Costello award for high visual for the second year in a row.
Armon is currently the Director of Bands at Camp Hill Middle & High School, where he directs the High School Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Middle School concert bands, and two Jazz Bands in addition to working as a drill writer during the fall season. Armon has also worked with the Perry Hall High School and Downingtown East marching bands, Fusion Core (DCA), and judges during the fall season. Armon lives with his wife Taylor and their three cats in Camp Hill, PA.
Ryan Mitchell – Visual Tech
Ryan Mitchell is a Music Education Major at West Chester University of Pennsylvania where he studies trumpet with Dr. Robert Skoniczin
Ryan has worked with the Midland Park Marching Band as a Music/Visual Consultant since 2019 and started in 2022 with the Pottsgrove Marching Band as a Brass/Visual Instructor
His marching experience includes Fusion Core 2016-2018, and 2021; Reading Buccaneers 2019-20; The Cadets 2022; Bushwackers 2022.
Quamel Francis – Visual Tech
Quamel is a marching and movement instructor based out of Downingtown Pennsylvania. Currently, he is a member of the visual staff for The Marple Newtown Tiger Marching Band and is a movement instructor for their Indoor Color Guard and Drumline.
Quamel started his marching career in 2010 when he joined Excelsior Drum and Bugle Corps based out of Troy NY (his hometown). Having spent two summers with the corps he then went on to join The Hawthorne Caballeros in 2012 as a member of the baritone section.
Quamel was a member of The Spirit of Stony Brook Marching Band based out of Stony Brook, NY from 2013-2018. During this time he was a member of the baritone section and served as Drum Major for three years. The experience Quamel gained from all three groups led him to audition for The Bluecoats in 2016, where he was a contracted member of the Baritone/Euphonium section. Quamel returned to The Caballeros the following summer and served as section leader and Horn Seargent for the corps. Quamel has been a staff member of the organization since 2020 and is excited to return for another summer with the corps!
Bruno Mayoria – Visual Tech
Bruno is returning to the Caballeros visual staff for his fifth year. He started his marching career at Elizabeth High School in 2005. The subsequent summer was his inaugural year of drum corps at the Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps. He marched 2006-2010 on both mellophone and trumpet. Bruno is currently a music educator in northern New Jersey.
He has been working with the Pequannock Township High School Marching Band, where he has been Assistant Band Director for the past six years. During his tenure, the marching band has won Best Visual in a majority of their State and National Championships within the US Bands Circuit. He has also served as a Mellophone Tech at the Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps from 2014-2015.