Band Directors
Ms. Cheryl Lee
Director of Bands
Cheryl Lee is honored to be the Director of Bands for Blue Valley West High School. Cheryl is originally from the Tulsa, Oklahoma area and was an Assistant Band Director for the Union and Broken Arrow High School programs in 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively. Prior to these appointments, she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Kansas while earning a Master of Music in Conducting, studying with Dr. Scott Weiss and Dr. Paul Popiel. While at KU, she conducted the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, University Band, “Helianthus” New Music Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and athletic bands including the Marching Jayhawks. Cheryl was invited to join the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society as well as the Phi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society for maintaining a perfect grade point average and completing oral exams with an honors designation. The highlight of her two years at KU was conducting the KU Wind Ensemble with composers-in-residence Frank Ticheli, Steven Bryant, and James Barnes.
Prior to working on her Master’s degree, Cheryl taught in the Broken Arrow School District, serving as head director for Charles Haskell Middle School. Groups under her leadership received superior and excellent ratings at contests and had high participation at area honor band competitions. Cheryl also was an assistant director for the Pride of Broken Arrow Marching Band. While at Broken Arrow, she spent the summers as a visual instructor for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, focusing on both brass and percussion sections.
Cheryl’s Bachelor of Music Education degree is from Oklahoma State University. She participated in just about every musical performing group she could squeeze into her schedule, including the Symphonic Band, University Band, Jazz Ensemble, Cowboy Marching Band, Basketball Spirit Band, University Singers, and flute choir. She was active in lessons on both flute and trombone and also marched lead baritone for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in the summers of 2003 and 2004. Cheryl was drum major for the Cowboy Marching Band in 2002 and 2003 and was voted “Member of the Year” by the members and staff for the 2003 season.
Cheryl’s current teaching responsibilities include the Red and Silver Brigade, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble I & II, and Honors Music Theory. Her professional affiliations include KMEA, NAfME, and PASIC.
Director of Bands
Cheryl Lee is honored to be the Director of Bands for Blue Valley West High School. Cheryl is originally from the Tulsa, Oklahoma area and was an Assistant Band Director for the Union and Broken Arrow High School programs in 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively. Prior to these appointments, she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Kansas while earning a Master of Music in Conducting, studying with Dr. Scott Weiss and Dr. Paul Popiel. While at KU, she conducted the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, University Band, “Helianthus” New Music Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and athletic bands including the Marching Jayhawks. Cheryl was invited to join the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society as well as the Phi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society for maintaining a perfect grade point average and completing oral exams with an honors designation. The highlight of her two years at KU was conducting the KU Wind Ensemble with composers-in-residence Frank Ticheli, Steven Bryant, and James Barnes.
Prior to working on her Master’s degree, Cheryl taught in the Broken Arrow School District, serving as head director for Charles Haskell Middle School. Groups under her leadership received superior and excellent ratings at contests and had high participation at area honor band competitions. Cheryl also was an assistant director for the Pride of Broken Arrow Marching Band. While at Broken Arrow, she spent the summers as a visual instructor for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, focusing on both brass and percussion sections.
Cheryl’s Bachelor of Music Education degree is from Oklahoma State University. She participated in just about every musical performing group she could squeeze into her schedule, including the Symphonic Band, University Band, Jazz Ensemble, Cowboy Marching Band, Basketball Spirit Band, University Singers, and flute choir. She was active in lessons on both flute and trombone and also marched lead baritone for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in the summers of 2003 and 2004. Cheryl was drum major for the Cowboy Marching Band in 2002 and 2003 and was voted “Member of the Year” by the members and staff for the 2003 season.
Cheryl’s current teaching responsibilities include the Red and Silver Brigade, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble I & II, and Honors Music Theory. Her professional affiliations include KMEA, NAfME, and PASIC.
Mr. Spencer Merryfield
Assistant Director of Bands
Spencer Merryfield is the Assistant Director of Bands at Blue Valley West High School. He directs the Spirit of Blue Valley West Traditional Marching Band, conducts the Symphonic Band, assists with Jazz Ensemble I and Jazz Ensemble II, Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, The Red and Silver Brigade, as well as all other aspects of the band program. In addition, he is the Beginning Band Director at Lakewood, Liberty View, and Sunset Ridge Elementary Schools.
Spencer is a native of Shawnee, Kansas. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s in Music Education; in his time there, he performed as a member of The Marching Jayhawks, KU Jazz Ensemble I, KU Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, KU Men’s Basketball Band, and the KU Trumpet Ensemble. After graduation, he picked up his wife and moved Austin, Texas where he taught at Murchison Middle School. In his time there, his concert ensembles earned UIL “Sweepstakes” ratings both years, and he was constantly involved in all things band grades 6 through 8.
Previously, Spencer was a member of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps and was part of the brass staff for multiple word-class DCI organizations. He is kept sane by his wife Jacquelyn, his first-favorite pet, Chief, and his second-favorite pet, Kitten.
Assistant Director of Bands
Spencer Merryfield is the Assistant Director of Bands at Blue Valley West High School. He directs the Spirit of Blue Valley West Traditional Marching Band, conducts the Symphonic Band, assists with Jazz Ensemble I and Jazz Ensemble II, Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, The Red and Silver Brigade, as well as all other aspects of the band program. In addition, he is the Beginning Band Director at Lakewood, Liberty View, and Sunset Ridge Elementary Schools.
Spencer is a native of Shawnee, Kansas. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s in Music Education; in his time there, he performed as a member of The Marching Jayhawks, KU Jazz Ensemble I, KU Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, KU Men’s Basketball Band, and the KU Trumpet Ensemble. After graduation, he picked up his wife and moved Austin, Texas where he taught at Murchison Middle School. In his time there, his concert ensembles earned UIL “Sweepstakes” ratings both years, and he was constantly involved in all things band grades 6 through 8.
Previously, Spencer was a member of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps and was part of the brass staff for multiple word-class DCI organizations. He is kept sane by his wife Jacquelyn, his first-favorite pet, Chief, and his second-favorite pet, Kitten.
Staff Members
Percussion Staff
Matt Arnet has been involved in rudimental percussion as a performer, arranger and clinician for over 20 years. Matt spent 4 seasons (1997-2000) performing with Carolina Crown from Fort Mill, SC, where he studied with Paul Rennick, Joe Fant and Jeff Queen, among many others. In 2001, Matt became the percussion director at Blue Valley West, contributing to the tradition of excellence that continues to the present. In 2009, Matt was approached by the Kansas City Chiefs to found the Chiefs "Rumble" Drumline, where he currently serves as director and arranger/performer. Matt proudly endorses Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets, and is an Innovative Percussion Educational Artist.
Johnathon Westcott Johnathon Westcott is currently completing a Master of Music degree with emphases in Music Theory and Percussion Performance at the University of Kansas. At KU, he has studied classical percussion with Dr. Michael Compitello, Ji Hye Jung, and Lee Vinson, drumset with Brandon Draper, and West African Drumming with Dylan Bassett. His thesis adviser is Dr. Brad Osborn, and his research focuses on pitch-rhythm isomorphisms and the music and writings of composer Steve Reich. Prior to studying at KU, he earned Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Percussion Performance from the University of Kentucky. His primary teacher at UK was James Campbell, and he also studied drumset with Paul Deatherage and Korean percussion with Donna Kwon. At KU, Johnathon had the privilege to serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant under the supervision of Dr. Compitello and Dr. Paul Popiel, teaching a Percussion Methods course and private lessons, coaching chamber ensembles, and coordinating percussion equipment and facilities. Johnathon currently performs with Fofo Jackson as part of the percussion duo FOJO. He has also been a member of the Blue Steel Caribbean Ensemble in Lexington, and the Heights Concert Band in Harker Heights, TX. He has performed both with school ensembles and individually at two Percussive Arts Society International Conventions, two College Band Director’s National Association National Conferences, an International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest, multiple PAS Days of Percussion, multiple Music Educators Association In-Service Conferences, and an opening ceremony to the FEI World Equestrian Games, as well as at the Kauffman Center for the Arts and Carnegie Hall in NYC. His professional affiliations include the American Musicological Society, the Percussive Arts Society, and the Society for Music Theory. |
Visual/Music Staff
Eric Banks is a music teacher in Olathe elementary schools and at Mission Trail Middle School. He has been a music director at Farmington High School in Michigan, Lee’s Summit North High School, and Olathe Northwest High School. A graduate of the University of Michigan and UMKC Conservatory, he holds a master's degree in Conducting (with Steven D. Davis), and undergraduate degrees in Music Education, and Tuba Performance (with Fritz Kaenzig). While at UMKC, Eric served as coordinator for the Wind Band Teaching Symposium and the Midwest Honor Band Festival where he interacted with conductors: Craig Kirchhoff, H. Robert Reynolds, Michael Haithcock, Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Rodney Winther, Ray Cramer, and composers: Michael Colgrass, Michael Daugherty, Chen Yi, Paul Rudy, Frank Ticheli and Jim Mobberley. He has performed with the Fountain City Brass Band, the University of Michigan Symphony Band, Symphony Orchestra, Marching Band, and Euphonium/Tuba Ensemble, and the UMKC Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble. Working with the Blue Valley West Bands since Summer 2010, he is excited to continue with this great program. |
Color Guard StaffKate Anthony is the Color Guard Coach at Blue Valley West. Prior to her arrival at West, Kate had been a color guard and winter guard coach for multiple award winning programs throughout the state of Missouri. Over the last 14 years, she has worked with Bolivar High School, Willard High School, St. Charles West High School, Francis Howell Central High School, and Brentwood High School. She has also been on staff with the Missouri Lion’s Band, Band’s Alive, and the National Avenue Winter Guard at Missouri State University.
Kate graduated in 2002 with a Bachelors Degree in Housing and Interior Design from Missouri State University. While attending Missouri State, she marched in The Pride Marching Band and Fall Guard (4 years), where she was able to participate in the 2001 Macy’s Day Parade. During the winter, she participated in the National Avenue Winter Guard and the Pride of Missouri State Winter Guard. Of the four years she performed in winter guard at the university level, she was a WGI Independent A Semi-Finalist, a WGI Independent A Finalist, and a WGI Independent Open Finalist. During her senior year at the university, she was the Saber Captain for The Pride. Kate is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Iota, Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Eta Sigma. |