The 31st Annual Invitational
Friday, March 7 & Saturday, March 8, 2025
2025 Judging Panel
Caroline Edgeton
CAROLINE EDGETON is the Director of Choirs at Ankeny Centennial High School in Ankeny, IA. There, she directs the most advanced curricular choir, Concert Choir, and is the director of the varsity mixed show choir, Spectrum.
Caroline received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Drake University and has been a director, clinician and adjudicator of show choir and solo contests for over 10 years. She is married to another vocal music educator, Jon Edgeton, who is the assistant director of choirs at Urbandale High School, in Urbandale, IA. Together, they have two wonderful children and the sweetest pitbull in the world.
Jon Edgeton
JON EDGETON is a music educator from Urbandale, Iowa. He is a graduate of Drake University, and has a Masters in Music Education from Morningside College. Jon has taught vocal music around the Greater Des Moines Area for the last 12 years spanning kindergarten through collegiate level courses. He currently directs the 80+ voice bass choir and auditioned treble choir Inspira at Urbandale High School, as well as the JV show choir, Vitality.
Jon has served as clinician and guest conductor for various curricular, extra-curricular, and community choirs around the state. He is also a common adjudicator for solo and ensemble contests, show choir competitions, and the Iowa All-State Jazz Choir competition. Jon and his wife, Caroline, are both vocal music teachers in the Des Moines Area, and they have two children, Leo (7) and Magnolia (4).
Andrew Jacobson
ANDREW JACOBSON is the Head Choir Director at Lincoln Southwest High School. He is in his 15th year at Southwest teaching Vocal Music. He is director for Varsity Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Echo Show Band, Ambience Show Choir and Resonance Show Choir. He received his undergraduate in Voice-Music Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is an active adjudicator and clinician for Show Choirs and Show Bands across the Midwest. As well as directing Show Choirs, he spends his summers arranging for Show Choirs in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Virginia and Texas. When he’s not working for High School Choral programs, Andrew spends his time golfing, being with his nieces and nephews, and traveling as much as he can. (Especially to Husker activities and other sporting events!)
Samantha Robilliard
SAMANTHA ROBILLIARD is a graduate of the University of South Dakota where she received her Bachelor of Music Education. In her twenty years of teaching she has taught high school vocal music at Webster City, Rock Valley, and Johnston. She is currently in her fifth year at Pella Community Schools.
Throughout her career all programs under her direction have maintained a reputation for excellence. Her concert choirs have consistently received division I ratings at IHSMA State Large Group Contest and her show choirs have received numerous first place finishes across the Midwest. Samantha has been a guest conductor for honor choirs, 2020 Opus conductor, adjudicated numerous festivals throughout Iowa, and is an instructor at the Wartburg All-State Camp. In her free time, she enjoys flower gardening, home projects, and spending time with her husband, Jeff, and their children, Halle, Nate and Maddie.
Ben Schrank
BEN SCHRANK is a nationally recognized choreographer, show designer, and adjudicator with over 20 years of experience. His show choirs have received frequent Best Choreography, Best Show Design and Grand Championship awards. Ben is a past recipient of the Fame Aspire award for Best New Choreographer. He has also directed and choreographed various musical theatre productions, winning regional awards for Outstanding Stage Direction in 2010 and 2013. In 2011, Ben was inducted into the Jerry Awards Hall of Fame at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI. He brings performance experience as a former member of the Wisconsin Singers at the University of Wisconsin, and multi-show performer at Six Flags Great America. Ben has served on staff at The Southern Experience Show Choir Camp (MS), Shell Lake Show Choir Camp (WI), Westside Edge Show Choir Camp (NE), and Show Choir Camps of Central Iowa (IA). He has also been honored to choreograph the Mississippi and Nebraska All-State Show Choirs. Ben resides in Davenport, Iowa with his beautiful wife Emily, his amazing daughter Harper, and their dogs Pacey and Frankie.