Lisa Kinworthy - Band Director

I grew up in central Missouri--Tipton and California MO--to be exact. Attending California High School, I started marching band in the 8th grade as one of only five 8th graders allowed to march. I marched snare drum for 5 years at California. I also was in choir, drama, played volleyball, ran track and played basketball. I was a member of the Missouri All-State Choir in 1990 and 1991 and went to Europe with the Sound of American Honor Choir in Band as one of 2 students from Missouri. We spent 3 weeks in France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium giving performances and touring the countries. My favorite spot was the Medieval Torture Museum in Rothenberg Germany. It gave me many ideas for effective discipline :)

After high school I attended Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State) and took a leisurely 6 years to complete an undergraduate degree of a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, Instrumental and Vocal Certification. While you may be thinking that took too long, I knew I had my entire life to work and I got to go to Disney World EVERY YEAR, perform and attend the Percussive Arts Society's International Convention, The 76th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade. I've traded 4's with Louis Bellson and played with John Pizarelli, Clark Terry and sang back up for Barry Manilow and was on the Kenny Rogers Christmas Special. I got to attend the International Thespian Festival playing percussion for an original musical: The Red House and performed with the Flute Ensemble at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Convention in Chicago (NOT as a flute player).

After graduation in the fall of 1997, I substitute taught for a semester and got my 1st band director job at Washington Junior High in the Mehlville School District. After one year I was asked to move to Oakville High School as the Assistant Band Director. Not a good fit--that brought me to Parkway where I have been since the fall of 2000. During my time here, I have adopted the percussion class and turned it into a program, earned a Master's Degree in Music Education from UMSL (while pregnant), had a baby (who is now 20) and completed 30 more hours of continuing education to get as far as I can go educationally that will still do me any good. With any luck, I will be here for a minimum of 11 more years--its up to you to decide whether that would be good luck or bad luck.

Favorites:  My primary instrument is percussion and to specialize further, I LOVE timpani. If I wasn't teaching music, I would be doing something with college basketball, I can't seem to give this up. I am a "never say die" Mizzou fan and and unreasonably loyal Duke fan. I avoid movies if I can, I'd rather read a book. I love trips because I can read forever.

My favorite part about teaching is the wide variety of people you meet whether it be students or their parents. I get to share music with them and the comraderie from the different backgrounds that comes together at a festival just warms my little heart.

Matt Wall - Assistant Director

Originally from St. Charles, MO, I started playing trombone in the sixth grade.  Throughout high school I performed with the marching band as a sousaphone player and drum major, jazz band, and concert band.  I was selected for the Missouri All-State Jazz Band my senior year and had the opportunity to perform at the Missouri Music Educators Convention and Midwest Band and Orchestra Convention.  After a few transfers and major changes I received my degree in music education from the University of Missouri - Columbia in 2006 (Go Tigers!)  During my time at Mizzou I served as drum major of Marching Mizzou for three years and also participated in the MU Trombone Choir, Jazz Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Symphonic Wind Ensemble.  

Upon graduation I moved to Massachusetts where I taught general music and beginning band for the Cambridge Public Schools for two years.  I then went back to school and earned a masters degree in Sound Recording Technology from the University of Massachusetts - Lowell. Before returning to teaching, I spent a few years as an intern and assistant engineer at Q Division Studios in Somerville, MA where I worked on session for local bands as well as major label artists including the Dropkick Murphys and Ed Sheeran.  In 2013 I began teaching audio and video production at Franklin High School in Franklin, MA.

Having recently returned to the St. Louis area with my wife, three kids, 2 cats, and a dog, I’m incredibly excited to be teaching band and music technology at Parkway South High School.

Alyssa Thompson - Color Guard Director

I have been the Color Guard Director at Parkway South since 2018. My favorite marching band show at PSH is Press Start (2021) and winter guard show is Eunectes Murinus (2020). South is the first school I’ve taught at and it’s been an extremely rewarding experience so far.

I started performing with the Parkway North HS Color Guard in 2011. The color guard visited my 8th grade year and I was immediately intrigued. I went to a clinic with my group of friends and fell in love with the activity. I was also involved in technical theatre, orchestra, APs, and many clubs. It’s hard but totally possible to manage marching band with school and other activities! 

I studied Chemistry at Saint Louis University. After a brief break from color guard, I continued my performance career with Music City Drum Corps (2017) and Mizzou’s Ionic Independent Winter Guard (2018-2019). During college I was also involved in quite a few clubs, orchestra, worked odd jobs, and a charter member of SLU’s Phi Mu. I graduated in 2019 with my Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. 

After college I performed with La Voûte Performance Ensemble (2020) during their inaugural season. Currently I serve on La Voûte’s Board of Directors. I luckily found a job with my degree during my last semester of college at a pharmaceutical testing laboratory in downtown Saint Louis where I am now a supervisor.

Color guard and marching band taught me many life skills including time management, communication, budgeting, and leadership. I have made several lifelong friendships from the ensembles I have performed with. This activity is not easy at all, but you become such a better person because of it. It is 100% worth the time and financial sacrifice.