Leadership

David Simon joined the Frisco High School Band staff in 2017, after serving eleven years as an assistant director at Marcus High School, in Flower Mound, TX.  At Frisco Mr. Simon directs the Wind Symphony, the Basketball Band, and co-teaches the Symphonic Band and Marching Band.  His ensembles have earned sweepstakes awards at the University Interscholastic League’s Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, and been recognized as Commended Winners in the National Wind Band Honors Project, conducted by the Foundation for Music Education.

While at Marcus High School, ensembles under Mr. Simon’s direction consistently earned superior division ratings at the UIL Concert and Sight-reading contest. His other duties included leading the basketball pep band, assistance with the Marching Band, and administration of the student leadership program.

Mr. Simon graduated from Baylor University, in Waco, TX. Originally from Austin, he attended Leander High School, and was a four-year member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He resides in Carrollton with his wife Addie and son Brayden.

simond@friscoisd.org

Matthew Courtney is native of Lewisville, TX and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. While at OU, he participated in the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic Orchestra, Jazz Band and was a member of the OU Trumpet Studio. He was also a member of Phi Mu Alpha and Kappa Kappa Psi music fraternities. Matt was a student of Karl Sievers, William Wakefield, Michael Raiber and Brian Britt.

Mr. Courtney joined the staff of Frisco High School in the Fall of 2016, having previously taught all levels in Jay Public Schools (OK) from 2011-2016.

Matt enjoys spending time with his wife Meghan (Math Teacher), and his three sons.

courtneyj@friscoisd.org

Heath Dillard has served as percussion director for the Frisco High School cluster since 2007. His teaching responsibilities include: drum line and percussion ensemble classes at Frisco High School, assisting with band classes and teaching sectionals at Hunt middle school, and teaching beginner percussion classes at Hunt Middle School.

Mr. Dillard also serves as the percussion arranger for the Frisco High School marching band. Under Mr. Dillard’s direction, the Frisco High School percussion program has been very successful, winning their division at the Lone Star Classic drum line contest in 2009 and the Lewisville Drumline Competition in 2016 and 2018.

dillardh@friscoisd.org

David Gage Grimsley is a native of North Georgia, hailing from Ellijay, GA. He has been an active percussion educator, arranger, and consultant for many schools in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Texas.  His endeavors include being a merit badge instructor for Life Skills and Shooting Sports, a church nursery aid, a math tutor at the Boys and Girls Club, substitute teaching, and as a 7th grade math teacher for Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, AL.

Mr. Grimsley graduated from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in the Fall of 2020. During his time there, he had the opportunity to march for six years in the Marching Southerners as a member of the battery and front ensemble. In addition to his commitment to the Marching Southerners, Mr. Grimsley was a highly active member of the JSU Percussion Studio, having performed in nearly all ensembles that offered a percussion position. During his final year, he had the privilege to serve as an undergraduate assistant for the JSU Percussion Ensemble and Marching Southerners Drumline and Front Ensemble.

Mr. Grimsley also graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Master of Arts degree in Music Performance in the Spring of 2023. During his time at UCF, he served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the UCF Bands and Percussion Studio. During his time in Orlando, he had the opportunity to perform as a freelance percussionist at church services, local chamber orchestras, and musical theatre troupes. Mr. Grimsley’s professional affiliations include Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Tau Beta Sigma, Kappa Pi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and the Percussive Arts Society. So far, he has been humbled and privileged to have learned under Tim Brookshire, David Coheley, Sean Womack, Mark Hunter, Christopher Sherman, Andrew Lynge, Matthew Jordan, Thomas McCutchen, Clint Gillespie, Thad Anderson, Kirk Gay, and Jeff Moore.

In 2016, Mr. Grimsley was given the opportunity to march bass drum for the Sacramento Mandarins. Since then, he has been involved in teaching in many facets in DCI and WGI. He has served as a battery and front ensemble technician for Southern Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in Pell City, AL, a bass drum technician for Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from Mobile, AL, a front ensemble technician for Q2 Indoor Percussion from Atlanta, GA, Stryke 2 Indoor Percussion from Miami, FL, and as a front ensemble coordinator for Infinity 2 Percussion from Orlando, FL.

Mr. Grimsley also serves as a member of the Marching and Rudimental Percussion Committee for the Percussive Arts Society.

grimsleyd@friscoisd.org

Toby Leikness is a designer, technician, and clinician. He started his Color Guard career with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps where he performed from 1993 through 1996, and from 1995 until 1997 he also performed with the Every-Body Winter Guard form Portland, OR.

After his marching career, Toby has taught many great programs around the country, including Every-Body A, Every-Body World, the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, the R2 Performance Group, Americas Independent Winter Guard, Sarajevo Winter Guard, and the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, along with many terrific high school programs.

Toby has served the students at Frisco High School since 2001.

leiknest@friscoisd.org