Luke Shaffer is a conductor and percussionist from Big Rapids, Michigan, serving as Director of Bands at Du Quoin High School since 2020. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Instrumental Music Education from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Mr. Shaffer was previously an Assistant Band Director at Carbondale Community High School. He is a member of the National Band Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, and Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education.

In his current tenure, Mr. Shaffer has revitalized the Du Quoin band program by leading the marching band to its first regional field show competitions in school history, establishing color guard and winter guard programs, securing consistent District and Conference Honor Band selections, and returning Du Quoin to state-level success through IHSA Organizational and Solo & Ensemble contests. In 2022, Mr. Shaffer became a member of the consortium that commissioned a new piece for Wind Band in honor of the 2017 and 2024 total solar eclipses over Illinois, premiered in part by Du Quoin band students just before the 2024 eclipse. Mr. Shaffer's program was ranked 25th of 119 Illinois Class B schools in 2024.

As a lifelong percussionist, Mr. Shaffer's performance experiences include the Blue Lake Summer Arts Festival's live public radio broadcasts from Michigan, Southern Illinois University's Orchestras, Wind Ensemble, and Marching Salukis, and recurring performances with the Southern Illinois Music Festival, with a local jazz ensemble of band directors, and in pit orchestras for regional theatre companies and high schools' musical productions. 

Mr. Shaffer lives in Murphysboro, Illinois with his partner and color guard coach Maddie, four cats, and many fish. 

James "Ike" Minton is a composer and oboist from Du Quoin, Illinois, serving as Du Quoin Middle School's Band Director and Du Quoin "Swimming Indians" Head Coach since 2022. He holds a Master of Music in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Hawai'i in Manoa, Hawai'i, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory and Composition from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.

Mr. Minton came home in the midst of postgraduate studies and assistantship at the University of California Santa Cruz, where he created a new course, MUS81A "Survey of Rap and Hip-Hop Music". Mr. Minton taught over 400 students in 5 semesters and presented material at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2019. He also assisted in the instruction of collegiate bands and orchestras, and was a member of the UCSC Wind Ensemble.

As a composer, Mr. Minton has had original work performed by the Los Angeles-based "wasteLAnd," the San Francisco-based "The Wild Rumpus" and "sfSound," and at the Center 4 New Music. Mr. Minton's pieces performed by collegiate ensembles include Event Horizon (2014) by the University of California Santa Cruz Wind Ensemble, and Graffiti (2007) at Southern Illinois University. 

Mr. Minton lives in Du Quoin, Illinois with family.

Maddie Lilley is a Color Guard specialist and saxophonist from Smithton, Illinois, teaching 7th Grade Social Studies at Carterville Junior High School since 2021 and leading Du Quoin's Color Guard program since 2023. She holds a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University in Mill Creek, Utah, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois. Maddie is a member of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education.

Maddie started her flag and dance experience at Freeburg Community High School. She performed competitively both in Field Show and indoor Winter Guard contests, switching back to Alto Saxophone during Concert Band season. She was named a Captain in her Junior year. She continued performing at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville as a founding member of the Cougar Pride Color Guard indoor ensemble from her Freshman year until its dissolution after her Junior year season.

Maddie lives in Murphysboro, Illinois with Mr. Shaffer and four cats: Alton, Alice, Loki, and Ivy.