Band Staff
Alisha Cardwell, Band Director
Ms. Cardwell's greatest passion is teaching and her enthusiasm for music education is apparent in her teaching style. Ms. Cardwell's educational philosophy includes making music an enjoyable experience for everyone by allowing hands on participation and open communication, a safe and open environment for students to express their individuality and skills through music, and to bring new ideas and global awareness to the classroom. Alisha earned her degree in music education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in May of 2017. She completed her student teaching at Asheboro High School with Suzanne Benhart and Phil Homiller, where she gained valuable experience conducting percussion, jazz, chamber, and concert ensembles of various levels. Alisha spent three seasons on staff with The Northwest Guilford Marching Band from Greensboro, NC. There she taught music (woodwind and brass) and visual (marching and movement). She has interned at many schools across the triad, included Braxton Craven Middle School, North Asheboro Middle School, South Asheboro Middle School, and Sumner Elementary School. At UNCG, Alisha studied flute with Dr. Erika Boysen, Carla Copeland-Burns, and Dr. Deborah Egekvist. During her time there, she performed with the University Band, Flute Ensemble, Sigma Alpha Iota Flute Choir, and the Bands of Sparta.
In 2016, Alisha ended her second season as head drum major, and fourth season overall, with Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During her first two seasons, she was a member of the trumpet section, studying trumpet with teachers Jon Gifford, Brandon Luce, Randall Bennett, and Ric Munsey. In the off season, Alisha attended leadership conferences for drum majors, taught private conducting lessons to high school aged students, and has managed the leadership team for Pioneer. Ms. Cardwell is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, NAfME, and NCBA East. In 2016, she was awarded the Sword of Honor by the Kappa Gamma Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. Outside of music, Alisha has a very strong passion for leadership and enjoys giving lectures and presentations when invited to do so. Alisha also enjoys cooking, hiking, reading, and traveling. In her free time she loves spending time with her friends and family. |
Matthew Parunak, Music Arranger
Matthew Parunak is a professional music arranger, visual designer, and trombonist from Chapel Hill, NC. He serves as music director for Orquesta K'Che Salsa band, bass trombonist for the Durham Symphony Orchestra under Maestro William Curry, bass trombonist for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Stefan Sanders, and assistant band director at Jordan High School in Durham, NC. Matthew also serves as adjunct faculty at Elon University in Music Education, as well as brass staff with the University of North Carolina Marching Tar Heels. Matthew is also the founder of Tobacco Road Trombones, a community trombone ensemble that rehearses and performs in the triangle area.
He received his Bachelor's Degree in Tuba Performance in 2008 and his Master's Degree in Arts and Teaching in 2009, both from UNC-Chapel Hill. From 2009-2012, Matthew was the Director of Bands at Forbush High School and Forbush Middle School, where his marching and concert bands received consistent Superior and Excellence ratings. As an active arranger and clinician, he has written more than 50 marching band shows for bands across the state of North Carolina, while consulting with many band programs across the state of North Carolina. Joanna Ross Hersey, former prinicpal tubist of the United States Coast Guard Band, commissioned Matthew to write an original theme and variations piece for solo tuba and wind ensemble. It was premiered in November of 2016 by the ECU Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Scott Carter. In his free time, Matthew enjoys playing golf, drinking coffee, traveling, and spending time with his wife, Sarah, and their pets Izzy (cat) and Maestro (golden retriever). |
Jonathan Gifford, Drill Designer
Aliyah Ingram, Colorguard Instructor and Designer
David Lee, Percussion Instructor
David Lee has always been an advocate for music, both as a performer and an instructor! He currently resides in Williamston, North Carolina. He has marched with the Riverside Marching Knights from the 2013-2016 seasons with his last 2 seasons as the center snare and percussion captain. During his tenure, the Marching Knights have received over 100 awards and achievements such as being the USBands State Champions and also being awarded the Cadets Award of Excellence on top of receiving numerous caption awards for percussion and countless grand champions. Within his years as part of a student at Riverside High School he has personally received numerous awards and achievements such as the Most Improved, Director’s Choice, John Philip Sousa, Senior Service, and Semper Fidelis for Musical Excellence awards as well as the Jack Butler Memorial and Junior Bonds Music Scholarships. Ever since he first joined the Marching Knights as a student in 2013 to now being a graduate, alumni, and staff member since 2017 he has never failed to stay dedicated and passionate for the marching music arts.
His performance experience reaches out to the USBands, AIA, and WGI circuits. He has marched with Tar River Independent Percussion as the center snare in the 2017 and 2018 WGI seasons in the A Class division. Tar River has received many awards such as top regional awards and being the AIA Class State Champions. Most recently he has marched in the 2019 WGI season with Alchemy Independent Percussion in the Open Class division also marching snare drum. The highlight of each season for David was being able to compete in the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio! He also plans to march in Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps in the DCA circuit this summer.
In addition to performing, David has interned at Riverside Middle School where he specialized in teaching percussion in 2017. He had a part in teaching the snare players at Fike High School Winter Percussion Blue Line and has also been giving private lessons to many percussionists within Eastern North Carolina! This will be his third year being the percussion instructor for Riverside High School. Seeing his students learning, succeeding, and enjoying music is one of his greatest joys in life.
His performance experience reaches out to the USBands, AIA, and WGI circuits. He has marched with Tar River Independent Percussion as the center snare in the 2017 and 2018 WGI seasons in the A Class division. Tar River has received many awards such as top regional awards and being the AIA Class State Champions. Most recently he has marched in the 2019 WGI season with Alchemy Independent Percussion in the Open Class division also marching snare drum. The highlight of each season for David was being able to compete in the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio! He also plans to march in Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps in the DCA circuit this summer.
In addition to performing, David has interned at Riverside Middle School where he specialized in teaching percussion in 2017. He had a part in teaching the snare players at Fike High School Winter Percussion Blue Line and has also been giving private lessons to many percussionists within Eastern North Carolina! This will be his third year being the percussion instructor for Riverside High School. Seeing his students learning, succeeding, and enjoying music is one of his greatest joys in life.
Jess Leighton, Music and Visual Instructor
Jessica Leighton is a senior Music Education major at East Carolina University. She was a member of the Fuquay-Varina High School marching band and the ECU Marching Pirates. At ECU, Jessica is the President of CNAfME, a music education organization, and is the principal tubist in the Wind Ensemble and the Orchestra. She also performs with the Triangle Brass Band. During the school year, Jessica teaches high school band camps, All-District lessons, and MPA clinics throughout North Carolina.
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Rebecca Spade, Music and Visual Instructor
Abby Scanlan, Colorguard Instructor
Hannah Thornton, Front Ensemble Instructor
Hannah Thornton is currently a Music Therapy Major at East Carolina University. She enjoys taking lessons from her oboe professor Bo Newsome and her percussion professor Jonathan Wacker. Her marching experience includes playing in the front ensemble for eight indoor percussion seasons, five marching band seasons, and snare for one indoor percussion season. Three of those indoor percussion seasons have been in the WGI circuit. She has marched in Fike Gold Line, Fike Blue Line, Fike Concert Percussion, Tar River Independent Percussion, and Fike Marching Band. She also helped tech Fike Blue Line, Riverside High School, and has been giving private lessons for several years.
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