Matt Harloff - DCI Hall of Fame

Matt Harloff

Inducted in 2025

That Crown sound! It’s often taken for granted that Carolina Crown is going to be in the hunt for the Jim Ott High Brass Award at the DCI World Championship every year. 

Consistent excellence like that doesn’t just happen. It’s learned. The master teacher has been Matt Harloff, who joined the Crown brass staff in 2003.

Harloff started in drum corps with the Colt Cadets (1985-86) and Phantom Regiment Cadets (1987-88). At age 17, he went to Star of Indiana where he learned under the tutelage of DCI Hall of Fame Member Donnie VanDoren. 

“He had high expectations of himself and those around him, and led by example,” VanDoren said. “As a result, Matt became Star’s drum major in 1993 and continued on as the conductor of ‘Brass Theater’ which toured the U.S. with the Canadian Brass from 1994-1997.”

Harloff then joined The Cadets’ brass staff and pursued his masters degree in music education. In 2003, Carolina Crown came calling. Harloff found his drum corps destiny.

You have to have a certain drive to play in a Matt Harloff horn line, says DCI Hall of Fame member Jay Bocook.

“I have known and worked with Matt since 1998, and I am amazed at his passion and dedication to total musical excellence,” Bocook said. “He is relentless in his drive to this end, and his brass sections reflect his commitment to perfection. The sound of a Matt Harloff horn line doesn’t just aim for your face, it wraps its arms around your whole body and gives you a huge hug.” 

In 13 of the last 14 years, Carolina Crown has placed first or second in brass performance at the DCI World Championships. After winning brass in 2011 and 2012, in the third year of their three-peat, Crown received a perfect score in brass performance in Indy in 2013 on their way to a DCI World Championship title. It’s estimated that more than 150 former Crown brass players are now teaching the next generation of band students and corps members.

Now the director of bands at Avon High School in Indiana, Harloff has amassed a similarly successful record over a lengthy career. Avon was 2024’s Bands of America Grand National Champion.

Harloff will be the first to tell you that his time in drum corps formed the bedrock of his success; a notion seconded by mentor Donnie Van Doren.

“One of my greatest joys as a teacher is having a student become the master,” Van Doren said. “Matt’s commitment to his ensembles and more specifically to his students is second to none. As he did when he was a kid in Star, he continues to lead by example through role modeling. He comes to every rehearsal and every show warmup with a written plan demonstrating to the students his preparation and desire to get better.”

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