Van Mathews is Director of Bands at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst, Texas, and an active adjudicator, clinician, and consultant for pageantry organizations throughout the United States and Europe. Under his direction, the L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band has earned multiple Bands Of America Regional and Super-Regional Championship titles and advanced to the Grand National Championship Finals four times, with three top-three finishes. In Texas UIL competition his bands have twice finished as Texas 6A State Marching Contest silver medalists and once as bronze medalists. Van’s concert ensembles consistently receive the highest ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading contests and perform some of the most challenging literature in the wind band repertoire. Prior to L.D. Bell, Van instructed at Haltom High School, Lewisville High School and Lake Highlands High School in Texas. He is a continuing adjudicator for Bands of America Regional, Super-Regional and Grand National Championship events, along with numerous other local and national contests.

Van is excited to accept the position of consultant to the staff and members of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps. His experience with Drum Corps started in 1984, as a member of Florida’s Suncoast Sound. He aged out as a member of the Madison Scouts, continuing with them as an instructor and brass caption coordinator through 1999. Van served on brass staff for the Concord Blue Devils from 2000-2009 and returned to the Madison Scouts as consultant and Music Coordinator in 2016-2017. He feels fortunate to have been partnered with incredibly talented educators and brass performers throughout his drum corps career, having earned DCI’s Jim Ott Memorial Award on six occasions.

Van received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina and his Master of Science degree from the University of Illinois. While at the University of Illinois he completed all coursework for the Ed. D. in Music Education. His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Gamma Beta Phi. He lives in North Richland Hills, Texas with his patient and loving wife, Brenda, charming and talented daughter, Gabriella, and spirited firstborn son Derek.