Professional Summary Award-winning band director and percussion specialist with extensive experience leading successful marching, concert, jazz, and percussion programs. Dedicated to developing student musicians while serving in leadership roles with Louisiana music organizations. Education Master of Music, Percussion Performance Southeastern Louisiana University Bachelor of Music University of Akron Experience Director of Bands, Mandeville High School (2011–Present) Directs marching, concert, jazz, and percussion ensembles, consistently earning Superior ratings, Sweepstakes awards, and Grand Champion honors while mentoring students for state and regional success. Honors & Leadership Mandeville High School Teacher of the Year (2017–2018) District IX Director, Louisiana Music Educators Association Board Member, Louisiana Music Adjudicators Association Member, National Association for Music Education & Phi Beta Mu Music adjudicator for USBands and LMAA competitions

Peyton Johnson began his teaching career as Assistant Director of Bands at Mandeville High School. Now entering his third year with the program, Mr. Johnson has helped his ensembles reach new heights, including the Concert Winds, Concert band, and assisting with the Skipper Marching Band. Earning his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Louisiana State University, where he participated in many of the offered ensembles, including the Symphonic Winds, Wind Ensemble, Trombone Choir, Undergraduate Brass Quintet, Bengal Brass Basketball Band, and the LSU Marching Band. our paragraph here.

Jonathan Lyons is a native of Ponchatoula, LA. Mr. Lyons continued a family tradition in music by pursuing a career as an educator and performer. A graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, Mr. Lyons is continually pursuing excellence both in and out of the classroom. In 2016, Mr. Lyons was a recipient of the LMEA Young Educator of the Year award and since then, his Concert and Jazz Ensembles have consistently recieved Superior ratings at adjudicated events. Mr. Lyons has had the distinct honor to serve as guest clinician for Parish and District honor ensembles throughout Southeast Louisiana. As a saxophonist, Mr. Lyons is a frequently performing and recording musician in the New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Gulf South Region and has performed with internationally acclaimed artists including The Temptations, Marc Broussard, and Marcus Printup of The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Mr. Lyons currently serves as Band Director at Mandeville Junior High School and resides in Hammond, LA with his wife Sarah

Maci Burt is an alum to Mandeville High School and was a member of the color guard and winter guard. After graduating from MHS and NOCCA in 2016, she chose to go to Northwestern State to receive a BFA in Dance. She was a member of the dance line serving as co-captain and captain for a year each. She was also a member of the pom line, the NSU Dance Company, and a member of Tri Sigma Alpha Zeta. Maci received an award for “Most Outstanding Student in Dance” before graduating in 2021. She also attended the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive in New York City, she has performed with JPAS in the Nutcracker. She most recently choreographed the MHS Drama Club’s production of SpongeBob the Musical and loved working with everyone.

James Kennedy is percussion educator and drill writer bases out of Mandeville, Louisiana and an alum to Mandeville High School. He has been working with the Mandeville High School Band since 2017. He has worked and written for multiple High Schools along the Gulf Coast, as well as multiple independent percussion ensembles. In 2003 he worked with St. Martin Independent Percussion as a battery and visual instructor for their show "Retrospect". St Martin Independent would travel to Dayton, Ohio for WGI world finals where they place 2nd place in the nation in the Percussion Independent A Class. James started his professional marching career when he was 16, performing with Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps for their 2016 season. In 2018 he marched with the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps during the 2018 season. He also performed with Elite Independent Percussion for their 2016, 2017, and 2018 season. In 2019 James auditioned and was cast in Cap City Percussion, a world class percussion ensemble based out of Columbus, Ohio. He would spend the 2019 Indoor season living in Centerville, Ohio and performing with Cap City Percussion. They would go on to compete at WGI World Class Finals in Dayton, Ohio where they would place 13th in the world. James is currently pursuing a BS in Accounting at Southeastern Louisiana University and hopes to be a CPA candidate soon.

Caitlyn May is a proud graduate of Denham Springs High School, where she was a member of the color guard program for three years before graduating in 2016. Following high school, she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2018 and was stationed in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Texas throughout her service. After completing her military career, Caitlyn relocated to Colorado Springs, where she became the Color Guard Director at Rampart High School. During her time here, she led both varsity and junior varsity programs, helping guide the teams to Winter Guard state finalist placements from 2023–2026 and Colorado state marching band championships in 2024 and 2025. Passionate about developing well-rounded performers, Caitlyn incorporated ballet training into the color guard curriculum to strengthen technique, artistry, and performance quality. She is dedicated to fostering confidence, discipline, and excellence in her students while creating an environment where performers can grow both on and off the floor.

Mr. Dominique Lousteau III is a percussionist, arranger/composer, and educator from Luling, Louisiana. Mr. Lousteau received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with minors in music and philosophy from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Currently, he resides in Covington, Louisiana, with his amazing wife, Dr. Aimee Rodwig-Lousteau (Mandeville HS Front Ensemble alumna), and their cat, Velcro. Mr. Lousteau has had many experiences in the marching arts; he began as a front ensemble member for Elite Independent and the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. He then went on to perform with Monarch Independent (Houston, TX, WGI World Class Finalist), the Boston Crusaders (Boston, MA, DCI World Class Finalist), UL Lafayette’s Pride of Acadiana Drumline, and the Fat City Drum Corps (New Orleans Saints). During his time in college and drum corps, Mr. Lousteau was fortunate to have studied under many world-class instructors such as Dr. Iain Moyer, Dr. Brett Landry, Andy Filipiak, and Troy Breaux. In the marching arts, Mr. Lousteau is currently the Front Ensemble Coordinator for both Monarch Independent and the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (Denver, CO, DCI World Class Finalist). Previously, he served as a front ensemble instructor for the Sacramento Mandarins. Mr. Lousteau has had the privilege of working with a variety of amazing high school and collegiate programs over the years, including Kaplan HS, Lafayette HS, Central Lafourche HS, Cy Fair HS, Northwestern State University, Centenary College, and Parkway HS. Mr. Lousteau currently teaches biology, special education, and percussion at Mandeville HS. He is currently a member of the NFL Saint’s Drumline as a snare drummer. Additionally, he writes percussion music for marching programs across Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Mr. Lousteau is a proud member of LMEA and PAS, where he serves on the PAS Marching and Rudimental Percussion Committee. Mr. Lousteau is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion.

Ariel Toll is a music ed student and clarinetist at Loyola University New Orleans. She grew up in Jefferson, Louisiana, where she attended Riverdale high school. She was in the Scottish Brigade for all 4 years of high school, being section leader and eventually drum major her senior year. Ariel loved working and encouraging others in music, which led her to pursue a music education degree. The past few years, she has studied clarinet with Mr. John Reeks, and music education with Dr. Edward McClellan. As she is finishing up her degree, she Is very excited to be a student teacher at Mandeville High school for the 2026 Fall semester.

Claire Timphony is currently a senior Music Education student at Southeastern Louisiana University. As a saxophonist, she studies with Instructor Brina Faciane and is active in many of the ensembles in the department. She performs in the Southeastern Wind Symphony, Jazz Ensemble, a saxophone quartet and has previously collaborated with the orchestra. Additionally, she was a member of The Spirit of the Southland Marching Band and one of the student conductors for that ensemble, as well as the Basketball Band. For the past two years, she has taken on the role of Undergraduate Assistant to the Marching Band. She participated in the 2025 CBDNA Louisiana Intercollegiate Band. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity. As an alumna of Mandeville High, she is excited to be working with their group this summer.