Our Band Directors
Mr. David Wyss
Director of Bands | Marching Band Director | Symphonic Band Director | Jazz Ensemble Director
314-729-2400 ext. *1686
David Wyss is the Director of Bands at Lindbergh High School. His responsibilities include directing the Symphonic Band, the “Spirit of St. Louis” Marching Band, and the Jazz Ensemble. Additionally, he assists with the Freshman Band and three sections of Sperreng and Truman Middle School Band.
Mr. Wyss learned from many great mentors- Bob Spiegleman, Jeff Fuchs, Terry Martinez, Ken Drury, Alexander Pickard, Fred Hemke, Dale Lonis and Sterling Redfern. He received a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2000 and a Master of Education from Southwest Baptist University in 2009.
The Lindbergh Band Program has a tradition of excellence dating all the way back to the 1970's under the direction of Lowell Bruner when they were known mainly for their outstanding symphonic program. In 1993, Bob Spiegelman began his 18 years as Director of Bands at LHS, where he catapulted the program into a balanced band program known for excellence in symphonic, jazz and marching band as well as attracting a large number of students to participate in band. Wyss started teaching in 2001 and came to LHS in 2006 mainly due to the appeal of teaching with his high school band director (Bob) and his brother, Brian, who is the Middle School Director of Bands. Wyss took over as Director of Bands in 2011. The Lindbergh Band Program continues to thrive due to the tireless effort, talent and care of a very dedicated staff- Brian Wyss, Dan Arana, Jeremy McMahon, Chelsea Silvermintz, Tim Linsenbardt, Alec Patton, Jamie Hutson, Jillian Skouby, Kayla Rivera and Adam Spirk.
Mr. Wyss is a member of NAfME, MMEA, MOAJE, MBA and NEA. He is very grateful for the love and support of his family.
Mr. Brian Wyss
Director of Middle School Bands | Sperreng/Truman Jazz Ensemble Director | Sperreng/Truman Jazz Band | Assistant Marching Band Director
314-729-2400 ext. *2359
Brian Wyss, Director of Bands at Sperreng and Truman Middle School, has been a member of Lindbergh Schools since 2000. Mr. Wyss directs grades 6-8 bands, Jazz Band, Jazz Ensemble, and assists with the Lindbergh High School “Spirit of St. Louis Marching Band.” A native of St. Charles, Missouri, Mr. Wyss began his band experience under the instruction of Ken Drury at Jefferson Middle School and continued on to St. Charles West High School under the direction of Bob Spiegelman. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1998, and his Master’s in Education Degree from Southwest Baptist University in 2002. Upon completion of his Music Education Degree, he began his teaching career at Fort Zumwalt North High School as the Assistant Director. Mr. Wyss is a member of Phi Beta Mu, JEN and NAfME.
Mr.Wyss lives in Saint Peters with his wife Jennifer and their two children Drew and Addie.
Mr. Dan Arana
Percussion Instructor, Sperreng and Truman | High School Drumline Instructor | Middle School Drumline Instructor
314-729-2400 ext. *2154
Dan Arana has been a full-time band director in Lindbergh since 2000. Mr. Arana is the percussion director for all middle school bands at Sperreng Middle School and Truman Middle School. In the spring, summer and fall he directs the battery section of the LHS Drumline. In the winter and spring, he co-directs the Lindbergh Middle School Drumline with Mr. Tim Linsenbardt. Mr. Arana assists with the Middle School Summer Band where he works with the Advanced Band, the rhythm section of the Jazz Band, and the Beginning Percussion Class.
Mr. James Hutson
Assistant Marching Band Director | High School Color Guard Director | Winter Guard Director
314-729-2400 ext. *2165
Mr. Hutson has been teaching choirs in the St. Louis area since 1999. He enjoys the challenge of developing the adolescent voice, and the opportunity to impact the whole student through music. Jamie joined the Lindbergh team in 2006 as choir director for Sperreng Middle School, and Color Guard Instructor for the Lindbergh District.
Mr. Hutson received his Bachelor of Music Education from Murray State University in Murray, KY. He has been active as a guest conductor, clinician, soloist, and adjudicator for choral, instrumental, and pageantry events in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois.
Along with the chorale program at Sperreng Middle School and Truman Middle School, Mr. Hutson serves as the instructor for the LHS Spirit of St. Louis Color Guard and Lindbergh School Winter Guard.
Tim Linsenbardt is an assistant director of bands at Lindbergh High School. He began his teaching career as the Director of Music for Mater Dei Catholic High School in Breese Il in 2008 where he taught concert band, jazz band, marching band, general music and choir. A graduate of Jefferson City High School, Linsenbardt was a student of Steve Eubanks, Mike Sestak, Gene Kirkham, Sean Abel, Kelly Leech and John Wilson. He earned his BA in Music from Truman State studying under Dr. Michael Bump and Dan Peterson as well as his Master of Music Education from the University of Oklahoma studying under Dr. Lance Drege, Dr. Michael Raiber and Brian Britt.
At Lindbergh, Mr. Linsenbardt team teaches the Symphonic Band, Freshman Band and the 200-member "Spirit of St Louis Marching Band." He also is the teacher of percussion ensembles, AP Music Theory and Music Technology. He is a member of NAfME, MMEA and PAS. He lives in South County with his wife Christy, their son Peter and daughter Lily.
Jeremy McMahon has been teaching in the Lindbergh School District since 2002-2003. Jeremy received his bachelor degree in 1999 from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. He received his Master’s Degree in 2008 from Missouri State University. Mr. McMahon is a member of the Music Educators National Conference and the National Education Association.
Mr. McMahon is an assistant director at both Sperreng and Truman middle schools and Lindbergh High School. At the middle schools Mr. McMahon assists with 7th and 8th grade bands and is the flute instructor for the 6th grade band. At Lindbergh High School he assists with the marching band and directs the third jazz band.
Mr. Alec Patton
Assistant Marching Band Director | Concert Band | Jazz Lab Director
314-729-2400 ext. *1433
Alec Patton joined the Lindbergh Band Staff at the start of the 2011 school year. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Director at Rockwood South Middle School for three years. Mr. Patton teaches band at all three secondary schools in the Lindbergh School District. At Lindbergh High School Mr. Patton is an assistant with the Spirit of Saint Louis Marching Band, Director of the LHS Concert Band, Director of the LHS Jazz Lab, and instructs Music Technology I & II. He also assists with the Lindbergh Middle Schools as an instructor of 7th Grade Band and 6th Grade Trumpet.
Mr. Patton was a trumpet student at Missouri State University where he received his undergraduate degree in Music Education. During his time at MSU, he was a Drum Major of The Pride of Missouri State University and a performing member of the MSU Wind Ensemble and MSU Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Patton has also been a member of the St. Louis Brass Band, Gateway City Big Band, University City Summer Band, and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. His professional affiliations are with Missouri Music Educators Association, Missouri Bandmasters Association, and Missouri Association for Jazz Education. Currently, Mr. Patton is completing his Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Northwest Missouri State University.
Like all band directors, Mr. Patton has several colleagues and mentors in his life who have helped shape him into the person/teacher that he is today. He would like to thank the following individuals: Angie Albrecht, Dr. John Bell, David Bertman, Jared Brockmeyer, Jeff DiLallo, Ken Drury, Jeff Fiedler, Jerry Hoover, David Libby, Kent Lineberry, Terry Martinez, Jeff Patton, Dr. Grant Peters, Dr. Belva Prather, Bob Spiegelman, Mike Steep, and the current Lindbergh Band Staff. A special thank you goes out to his parents Mitchell Patton and Roe Ann Walker. He resides in the Compton Hill Neighborhood of St. Louis with his lovely wife, Maria, and sons, Walker, Kai, Cooper, and daughter Elena.
Kayla Rivera joined the Lindbergh Band Staff at the start of the 2021 school year. Mrs. Rivera is an Assistant Band Director at both Sperreng and Truman Middle School specializing in brass, and assists with the Spirit of St. Louis Marching Band at Lindbergh High School. Prior to that, she was an Assistant Director at Francis Howell North High School. In 2019, she received her Bachelors of Music with Certification in Instrumental Music K-12 from Lindenwood University. She is a graduate of Fort Zumwalt North High School.
Mrs. Rivera is an active educator and musician around the St. Louis area. Over the last six years she has enjoyed teaching private brass lessons as well as volunteering at local schools. Ms. Nogle actively pursues her love for playing music by regularly performing with the Genesis Jazz Project along with participating in musical productions such as Catch Me If You Can, In The Heights, and Mary Poppins. She is currently a member of the National Association for Music Educators, The Jazz Education Network, and the Missouri Music Educators Association. She currently resides in St. Charles County with her husband Greg, and their two dogs.
Mrs. Chelsea Silvermintz
Assistant Marching Band Director | Freshman Band Director
314-729-2400 ext. *1683
Chelsea Silvermintz has been a band director in the Lindbergh School District since 2008. She currently teaches high school students in the Freshman Band, Concert Band, Woodwind Choir, Spirit of St. Louis Marching Band, and pit orchestra for all LHS musicals. Mrs. Silvermintz also teaches beginning clarinet players and works closely with woodwind students at both Sperreng Middle School and Truman Middle School.
Mrs. Silvermintz received a Bachelor of Music from The University of Texas at Austin in 2007 and began her teaching career in Hondo, Texas. Following her relocation to St. Louis and concurrent to her work at Lindbergh, Mrs. Silvermintz earned a Master of Music and the Kurt Engbretson Music Education Award from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2014. A five-year member of the Texas Longhorn Band, Mrs. Silvermintz studied trumpet with Ray Sasaki and participated in the 2005 National Trumpet Competition. Since 2016, she has served on the board of the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association, and currently serves as Past-President. She also served as the Band Vice-President for the Missouri Music Educators Association from 2020-2022. Mrs. Silvermintz is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, Missouri Music Educators Association, Missouri Bandmasters Association, National Education Association, and Phi Kappa Phi.
Mrs. Silvermintz resides in Chesterfield with her two sons, two dogs, and husband Ben, who is the choir director at Parkway Central High School.
Ms. Rachel Pavelka
Assistant High School Color Guard/Winter Guard Director
This is Miss Pavelka’s second year working with Lindbergh Bands and fourth year working with the district winter guards. She is a Lindbergh graduate and alumni of the Spirit of St. Louis Marching Band. She was a color guard and winter guard member during her high school years.
Miss Pavelka graduated from Missouri State University in 2018 with a degree in Elementary Education in 2018. While at Missouri State, she spun with the Pride Marching Band, as well as National Avenue and Pride of Missouri State Winter Guards. Both winter guards were WGI finalists while she was a member.
As a member of the Lindbergh Schools family, Miss Pavelka primarily works as a permanent substitute for the district. Her home school is Dressel, but she also subs in the other elementary schools around the district. Color guard remains a large part of Miss Pavelka’s life and she loves sharing her knowledge and passion with the students at Lindbergh!
Adam Spirk joined the Lindbergh School District as a band director in 2021. He team-teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade woodwinds as well as assisting with the high school marching band. Prior to his appointment at Lindbergh, Mr. Spirk taught band in the Mehlville School District at Oakville Middle School, Bernard Middle School, and Oakville High School. He was also previously a band director in the Grain Valley School District where he built a comprehensive Jazz program and assisted with the marching band, which was consistently a Bands of America Super Regional Finalist and performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and NBC’s The Today Show.
Mr. Spirk is an alumnus of the Lindbergh Band Program and was a student of Bob Spiegelman, as well as many of the band directors he is now proud to call colleagues and friends at Lindbergh. He received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education in 2015 and his Master of Music in Music Education in 2022 both from the University of Missouri. While obtaining his Bachelor’s degree, Mr. Spirk performed with the University Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Studio Jazz Band, Mizzou Saxophone Ensemble, and was a Drum Major of Marching Mizzou. As a student at Mizzou, Adam met his wife, Catherine, with whom he has a wonderful son, Ezra, and two beautiful cats, Snickers and Luna. Mr. Spirk is a member of the Missouri Music Educators Association, Missouri Association for Jazz Educators, National Educators Association, the Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society and performs with the Gateway City Big Band.
