Veritas Cymbal Staff
Luigi Taupo : Cymbal Staff
Luigi Taupo is from Orland Hills, Illinois, and holds a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Saint Xavier University, along with minors in music and psychology. Luigi is currently pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) at Governors State University.
Luigi’s marching experience includes marching with Phantom Regiment on trumpet (2020-2023) and marching with Veritas (2023) and Music City Mystique (2024) on cymbals.
Luigi has taught at several marching ensembles in a variety of roles, ranging from visual, cymbals, and brass. Some highlights include Marian Catholic High School, Victor J. Andrew High School, Pi Percussion, and Music City Drum Corps.
Outside of the marching arts, Luigi enjoys videography/editing, gaming, and dancing. Luigi is looking forward to their 3rd year of teaching the ensemble and is excited to work with familiar and new faces!
Cole Strietelmeier : Cymbal Staff
Cole started his cymbal career at Center Grove high school in 2016 where he marched until he graduated in 2018. He then continued after high school to march Cap City World in 2019 and marched every year until his age out in 2022. Cole also dipped into the drum corps world and marched River City Rhythm in 2021 for his drum corps age out.
He started his teaching career at Edgewood high school as a cymbal technician in the 2019 season, then went to Center Grove high school as a cymbal technician for the 2020 season. He has taught there every year up to now, and this will be his 7th season as one of their cymbal techs. He also began teaching at Cap City in 2023 and taught there for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In 2026, he worked with Owen Valley Indoor Percussion and Veritas for the first time as a staff member!
Cole is currently working on his degree in Music Liberal Arts with a minor in Museum Studies at Indiana State University, and is excited to help out at Veritas for his 2nd year!
Hunter Valkema : Cymbal Staff
Hunter Valkema is coming on board for his first full year teaching cymbals at Veritas! He currently works with Veritas as well as the Morris Community High School Marching Warriors and Indoor Percussion programs as a Front Ensemble Technician. His previous teaching experience includes IP202 Indoor Percussion in Plainfield, IL (2024), Pi Percussion in Romeoville, IL (2024-26), Oswego High School Marching Band in Oswego, IL (2024), Romeoville High School Marching Spartans (2025), and Morris Community High School Indoor Percussion in Morris, IL (2026). Hunter’s marching experience includes the Shadow Drum and Bugle Corps (2019), Marching Illini Drumline (2020-23), Legends Drum and Bugle Corp (2022), and the Madison Scouts (2023).
Hunter is graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign this winter with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. When Hunter is not working or studying, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing video games, collecting vinyl records, and building model kits.