Michael Gaines Design

Michael Gaines is a San Francisco based designer who creates drill, staging, and artistic visual projects for various performance groups around the world. Marching bands, winter color guards, indoor percussion ensembles, baton twirlers, and theatrical stage performers are among those groups. Michael is also an international adjudicator, teacher, and design clinician.

About Michael

Being born and raised in Dayton, Ohio was instrumental to Michael’s development and career. Not only has Dayton been the headquarters for WGI Sport of the Arts for several decades, but the close proximity to Indianapolis and Bands of America further encouraged his love of the marching arts.

A musician from an early age, Michael continued his pursuit of music at Carroll HS in Dayton, OH by his involvement not only in the marching band, but every band and musical class that was offered. He continued his involvement after high school and began his teaching career by instructing the band and guard at Carroll. Michael was the guard director and a designer for Carroll HS from 1990 to 1995, and continued to design the band’s drill for many years after. In 2010, Carroll HS inducted Michael into their Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.

It wasn’t until after high school that his passion for visual artistry began to evolve. He performed with Pride of Cincinnati winter guard, won a WGI World Championship with State Street Review, and performed with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps for four years in the color guard.

While teaching and performing, Michael earned a degree in Business Administration, with a major in Finance from the University of Dayton. His business career was short lived, however, and in 1992 he made the decision to become self employed doing what he loved in the marching arts.

1992 was a pivotal year for Michael’s career. He started Escapade, an independent world class winter guard that brought audiences to their feet during their four years of existence, was on the design team of Bands of America National Champion Centerville HS, began writing for multiple high school bands, and helped design the drill for The Cavaliers’ first Drum Corps International World Championship.

1997 showcased a couple of important milestones as well. Michael began attending the San Francisco Academy of Art University, earning a Fine Arts degree in Computer Arts/New Media. This was also the year that he returned to Pride of Cincinnati: this time as a designer. This relationship continues to this day.

From 1998 to 2011, Michael Gaines was the drill designer and visual coordinator for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, and served on the design team for all 7 of their Drum Corps International World Championship titles. He currently writes for some of the top high school marching bands and winter color guards in the world. His designs have been featured by several high school Bands of America National Champions, the most recent being the Carmel HS, as well multiple time WGI World Champion, Pride of Cincinnati, and multiple time WGI Scholastic World Champion, Carmel High School. In addition to the United States, Michael continues to design indoor shows for Aimachi, from Nagoya Japan.

In 2017, Michael designed several productions for the Japan tour of “Blast! The Music of Disney,” and returned to drum corps by becoming Creative Director at Vanguard Music and Performing Arts. In 2018, he designed the visual program for Santa Clara Vanguard who would go on to win the DCI World Championships. 
 
Michael currently resides in San Francisco, CA.

It wasn’t until after high school that his passion for visual artistry began to evolve. He performed with Pride of Cincinnati winter guard, won a WGI World Championship with State Street Review, and performed with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps for four years in the color guard.

While teaching and performing, Michael earned a degree in Business Administration, with a major in Finance from the University of Dayton. His business career was short lived, however, and in 1992 he made the decision to become self employed doing what he loved in the marching arts.

1992 was a pivotal year for Michael’s career. He started Escapade, an independent world class winter guard that brought audiences to their feet during their four years of existence, was on the design team of Bands of America National Champion Centerville HS, began writing for multiple high school bands, and helped design the drill for The Cavaliers’ first Drum Corps International World Championship.

1997 showcased a couple of important milestones as well. Michael began attending the San Francisco Academy of Art University, earning a Fine Arts degree in Computer Arts/New Media. This was also the year that he returned to Pride of Cincinnati: this time as a designer. This relationship continues to this day.

From 1998 to 2011, Michael Gaines was the drill designer and visual coordinator for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, and served on the design team for all 7 of their Drum Corps International World Championship titles. He currently writes for some of the top high school marching bands and winter color guards in the United States. His designs have been featured by several high school Bands of America National Champions, the most recent being the 2012 BOA Grand National Champion Carmel HS, as well as 4 time WGI World Champion, Pride of Cincinnati, and 2 time WGI Scholastic World Champion, Carmel High School.

Michael currently resides in San Francisco, CA.

Awards

what to expect

Schedule a Consultation

Get in touch to schedule a consultation and tell me more about your program and its unique needs.

Collaborate on a Custom Design

I will collaborate with you to create a sophisticated and innovative custom design that perfectly fits your program.

Watch Your Program Come to Life

After the design is complete, I will work with you to implement it into your program, whether you need a large scale drill or a smaller stage performance. Watch as your program comes to life in an unforgettable way.

International Accolades

In addition to his work in the U.S., Michael has had the opportunity to design for groups internationally, including two time WGI Bronze Medalist Aimachi Color Guard, and three time WGI Bronze Medalist Aimachi Percussion Ensemble from Nagoya, Japan. He has been an adjudicator and the featured clinician at events around the US, Japan, Thailand, The Netherlands, China, Malaysia, and Colombia.

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