Award-Winning Drill Design for Marching Bands, Drum Corps, and Indoor Groups

Jeffrey Fackler grew up in Boise, Idaho, where his creative instincts emerged early—first through drawing, almost as soon as he could hold a crayon, and later through music. His musical journey began in sixth grade when he picked up the clarinet, but it was the first time he saw his high school marching band that ultimately shaped his future, sparking a lifelong passion for pageantry with a particular emphasis on drill and visual design. Jeffrey served as drum major in both high school and college and studied secondary music education at Boise State University and Northwest Nazarene University. His early development as a visual designer was influenced by extensive study of the work of Jeff Wroblewski, Bob Buckner, Jack Chambers, Myron Rosander, Marc Sylvester, Steve Brubaker, and Michael Gaines, as well as by a rigorous, hands-on approach to learning the craft—spending hundreds of hours in high school meticulously transcribing drill by hand. That dedication led to his first professional drill design opportunity in the summer of 1994, immediately following high school graduation.

By 1997, he was designing drill full-time for bands across the country. Since that time, Jeffrey has written more than 1,000 marching band, drum corps, and indoor percussion and guard shows. His work has been represented at the highest levels of state, regional, national, and international competition, including BOA, WGI, DCI, Drum Corps Japan, Drum Corps Europe, and World Association of Marching Band Championships. His client list includes Rancho Bernardo High School (CA), Wando High School (SC), Edmond Santa Fe High School (OK), Fayetteville High School (AR), Saratoga High School (CA), Rowlett High School (TX), Collierville High School (TN), Boiling Springs High School (SC), the University of Oregon, Colorado State University, Georgia State University, the University of Texas at Arlington, Denham Springs High School Winter Guard (LA), Inflections Percussion, Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, Yokohama Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (Japan), and Millennium Drum and Bugle Corps (Italy).

In addition to design, Jeffrey is trained in visual adjudication, having studied under Curtis Costanza and Myron Rosander, and remains deeply committed to the ongoing growth and evolution of the marching arts. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys cheering on his son's performances with the Carmel Marching Greyhounds, snow skiing, visiting art museums, attending concerts, and traveling whenever possible. His hobbies include collecting vinyl records and vintage typewriters, and he draws inspiration from visual artists such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Mark Rothko. His musical interests range from The Beatles and Miles Davis to Lana Del Rey and Sufjan Stevens, with Leonard Bernstein and Philip Glass among his favorite composers. A professional baseball fan, he is an unapologetic and devoted supporter of the Chicago Cubs.

Jeffrey resides in Carmel, Indiana, with his wife Bethany, a special education teacher for Carmel Clay Schools, and their children: Claire, a proud alumna of the Carmel High School color guard, and Samuel, who continues the family’s involvement in the program as a sophomore percussionist at Carmel.