Illinois Bands Staff

Joy McClaugherty serves the Illinois band program as communications specialist, event coordinator, and office manager. Joining the Illinois Bands staff in 2015, Ms. McClaugherty handles the logistics for the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival, the Illinois Band Conductors Symposium, and other Illinois band events. She also oversees the editing, layout, and production of all performance and event programs and marketing materials, and assists with the Illinois Bands website and content development. Prior to joining the University of Illinois, McClaugherty served as area manager of the meetings and exhibits department of the American Oil Chemists Society. She also has a strong background in marketing and communications, having worked as an associate creative director, director of creative services, and senior copywriter for FCB Healthcare West, Penta Corporation, and Campbell Mithun advertising agencies, respectively.

Aaron Kavelman is a percussion educator, clinician, performer and composer who grew up listening and performing jazz alongside his father, an accomplished jazz pianist. Growing up in a musical family, Aaron watched his four older sisters in the high school band program. Inspired by the local marching bands, Aaron would tape a set of bongos onto a chair and choreograph drill in the backyard, thus the beginning for his love with the marching arts.

With twenty-two years’ experience teaching private lessons and twenty years teaching drumlines throughout Illinois, Aaron brings a wealth of experience and passion to whomever he teaches. Regardless if it is on a competitive field or in support of athletics, he demands top effort from each group. Aaron also has numerous compositional and arranging credits throughout the Midwest from a variety of percussion programs.

Aaron has a bachelor of music and a master of music in percussion performance from Illinois State University where he studied with Dr. Tom Marko, director of jazz, and served as the teaching assistant to Dr. David Collier, head of percussion. Aaron is currently working on his doctor of musical arts in jazz performance with professor Joel Spencer, along with a cognate in North Indian classical music under Dr. Christopher Macklin at the University of Illinois. He currently serves as the drumline instructor for the Marching Illini and continues an active writing, playing and independent clinician schedule.

Graduate Conducting Assistants

Beau Bujol is a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Wind Band Conducting. He was born and raised in the New Orleans area in Louisiana. Beau earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Louisiana State University, where he served as the Drum Major for the Louisiana State University “Golden Band from Tigerland.” After graduation, Beau served as an Associate Director of Bands at John Paul Stevens High School (Northside ISD) in San Antonio, Texas.

Beau earned his Master of Music degree in Band Conducting at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. While at Baylor, he served as a Graduate Associate, assisting with all aspects of the band program and undergraduate conducting curriculum. Beau served as a guest conductor for all concert ensembles, and as a graduate staff member for the Baylor University Golden Wave Band and all other athletic band related activities. Most recently, Beau performed as a flutist with the Baylor Symphony Orchestra at the 2025 American Choral Directors Association National Conference, and with the Baylor Wind Ensemble at the 2024 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic and Convention, and the 2025 College Band Directors National Association Conference.

Beau’s primary conducting teachers include Dr. Eric Wilson, Dr. Isaiah Odajima, Dr. Stuart Ivey, Dr. Dennis Llinás, and Dr. Kelvin Jones. He studied flute with Dr. Katherine Kemler and Dr. Charlotte Daniel. Beau is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Pi Kappa Lambda – National Music Honor Society, as well as an alumni member of Kappa Kappa Psi – National Honorary Band Fraternity.

Pablo Elias-Rodriguez is graduate teaching assistant at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, pursuing a Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting. A Florida native, he taught high school music in the public schools of Osceola and Brevard Counties for eleven years prior to pursuing graduate studies. Most recently, he spent seven years as the Director of Bands and Orchestras at Bayside High School in Palm Bay, FL, where he taught three concert bands, two jazz bands, two string orchestras, marching band, and AP Music Theory. The Bayside IMP achieved numerous milestones over this period, including increased student participation in All State Band, All County Band, and Solo and Ensemble Festival, and consistently earning Superior ratings at Music Performance Assessments in marching band, jazz band, concert band, and orchestra. The Band program was awarded the Otto J. Kraushaar award for the first time in school history for earning Straight Superior ratings from all adjudicators at all District and State MPAs in the 2021-22 school year, and the Wind Ensemble performed twice at the Music for All UCF-Orlando Invitational Festival. Pablo’s focus was creating a family-centered culture in the program based on servant leadership, where students prioritized supporting each other and their fellow musicians from other programs around the school district and state.

While in Florida, Pablo was active as a tuba player with the Southern Winds, Central Florida Winds, and Brevard Brass. He also served as an adjudicator and band clinician across the state. He served the Florida Bandmasters Association as the All-State High School Honor Band Coordinator and the District 10 Secretary and Mentor Liaison, and was a supervising teacher for university student interns and a mentor to new teachers while at Bayside.

Pablo graduated Summa Cum Laude with his Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Florida State University, where he also fulfilled the requirements for a Performance Certificate in tuba. He studied conducting with Richard Clary and Dr. Patrick Dunnigan and tuba with Paul Ebbers, and was a member of the Florida State University Marching Chiefs and Symphonic Band. His primary mentors in FBA are PL Malcolm, Ian Schwindt, Jim Matthews, Jennifer Zahn, and Charles Watford. Pablo is passionate about inspiring students to become the best versions of themselves through experiences with music making.

Kristina La Marca is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting with a cognate in saxophone performance at the University of Illinois. She earned her Master’s degree in Wind Band Conducting from the University of Michigan and her Bachelor of Music Education in instrumental music education and saxophone performance from Indiana University.

Kristina studied conducting with H. Robert Reynolds, Stanley DeRusha, and Jason Fettig. She was an H. Robert Reynolds Conducting Fellow at the 75th Midwest Clinic and her studies have been supported by several accolades, including the Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship Grant, the CBDNA Mike Moss Conducting Grant, and the WASBE Conducting Scholarship, learning from renowned global conductors such as Paavo Järvi, Mark Heron, Bjørn Sagstad, and Miguel Etchegoncelay. As an advocate for new music, Kristina frequently collaborates with living composers while dedicating her platform to projects that advance global inclusion and soft diplomacy through the arts.

Prior to pursuing graduate studies, Kristina taught for 11 years at the middle and high school levels in Indiana, Texas, and abroad, most recently serving as the Director of Instrumental Music at The American International School of Muscat, Oman. During her tenure, her students garnered recognition in regional and international honor bands across the United Arab Emirates, India, Scotland, Switzerland, and South Africa. Her jazz ensembles have collaborated with esteemed artists, including Emmet Cohen, Joey Tartell, and the Metta Quintet through JazzReach.

In the marching arts, Kristina’s ensembles have consistently been recognized as Bands of America Grand National, ISSMA state and UIL Area Finalists. She has also collaborated with various collegiate, DCI and WGI ensembles, including the Michigan Marching Band, Boston Crusaders, Oregon Crusaders, Rhythm X Winds, and System Blue leadership workshops, while actively serving as an adjudicator throughout the United States.

As a dedicated saxophonist, Kristina performs with diverse jazz and chamber ensembles and enjoys teaching at the Interlochen Arts Academy saxophone intensive. She has been influenced by notable mentors including Otis Murphy, Timothy McAllister, and Walt Puyear.

Beyond her musical pursuits, Kristina is a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and a dedicated technical diver with Global Underwater Explorers.

Athletic Bands Graduate Teaching Assistants