Meet Our Artistic Team

Laura Blake

Pep & Marching Band

2013 - Present

Laura has been a member of the Pride of Indy Bands since 2005 when she was part of the first Board of Directors.  She has served in many roles including Marketing Chair and webmaster, Artistic Director, Operations Manager and Membership Chair. ​Laura was most recently the co-Artistic Director for the Jazz Band from 2013-2015.
 
Laura graduated from Butler University, and is currently working at Music for All as their Manager of Events. 
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She served on the board for the Lesbian and Gay Band Association and was most recently the Artistic Director for Gay Games 2015 in Cleveland.  She has also been the Assistant Artistic Director for LGBA's participation in the 2013 Inaugural Parade.  was the Artistic Director for the 2012 March on Washington and the co-chair for this organization’s 2010 conference in Indianapolis and a committee chair for the 2015 conference.  Additionally, she sits on an alumni board for Kappa Kappa Psi.

Chris Forsythe

Concert Band

2013 - Present

Chris Forsythe

Concert Band

2013 - Present

Chris Forsythe

Concert Band

2013 - Present

Growing up, Chris played tuba in the Avon High School Band.  He studied music education at the University of Louisville and Ball State, completing a Bachelor in Music Education.

He served as the Director of Bands at Lone Oak High School and Assistant Director of Bands at Pendleton Heights High School.

Chris continues to be active in the Indianapolis music scene as a member of the Indiana Wind Symphony and Hendricks Symphony Orchestra. He also works on staff with the Franklin Central High School. From drum corps to bike riding to college basketball, Chris’ interest are diverse. Chris was most recently the co-Artistic Director for the Jazz Band from 2013-2015

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David is a native of Indianapolis and brings with him an abundance of musical knowledge and experience. He has arranged music, wrote drill, choreographed color guard routines and adjudicated for marching ensembles across Indiana and Ohio. Even though David still instructs groups in the marching ensemble world, his true heart is in Jazz and his credentials there are just as impressive.

He has toured Europe with bands at IU and BSU, and he was the recipient of the top jazz soloist award at the Elmhurst Jazz Festival He has been in bands lead by Larry McWilliams, Dominic Spera, Brent Wallarab, and Arturo Sandoval. He has performed with great local musicians like Monica Herzig, Rob Dixon, Mark Buselli, Jimmy Cole and Steve Allee along with national Jazz musicians like Jon Faddis, Freddie hubert, Jim Pugh, Wycliff Gordon and the late great Louis Bellson just to name a few.

David has been with the Pride of Indy Bands since the spring of 2014 and we are ecstatic to have him leading our Jazz program to see what else he can add to our great organization.

David Grider

Jazz Band

2015 - Present