Patrick McCarty

Director of Bands

Mr. Patrick McCarty has been the Director of Bands at Bellevue East High School in Bellevue, NE since 2014.

Prior to his work at Bellevue East High School, Mr. McCarty served as the Director of Athletic Bands and Instrumental Studies at Avila University in Kansas City, MO, from 2011 to 2014.  There he directed the athletic bands and musical pit orchestra, taught music appreciation, music education courses, and private studio lessons.  Prior to Avila University, Patrick was the Assistant Director of Bands at Lawrence (KS) High School from 2005-2010, where he conducted the LHS Concert Band, assisted with other ensembles, guided the percussion program, instructed beginning band classes, and helped assist the award winning LHS Marching Lions in several very successful years.  He was also the permanent percussion instructor at Lawrence High School from 2003-2014.

A native of Lawrence, KS and Emporia, KS, Mr. McCarty has been an active participant in all mediums of instrumental music, including concert band, marching band, pep band, jazz band, orchestra, and percussion.  Patrick is a graduate of The University of Kansas, where he earned his Bachelors of Music Education and Masters of Music Education and was a very active member of the KU Band Department.  He enjoyed his membership in the KU Marching Jayhawks, KU Wind Ensemble, and back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances with the KU Basketball Band in 2002 and 2003.  Patrick was also a member of the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps in the summer of 1999.

Patrick has been a band and percussion clinician throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois for several years.  He has also become well-known throughout the area for his marching band and pep band arrangements, which have been performed by various bands around Kansas, including Lawrence High School, Olathe East High School, Buhler High School and university groups such as The University of Kansas Basketball Bands & Marching Jayhawks, and also the Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band & Pep Bands.

William White

Assistant Director of Bands

Mr. White received his Bachelor of Music Education degree at the Conservatory of Music-University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2015.  As a student there, he performed with the Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, 3 O’Clock Jazz Orchestra, Pep Band, Saxophone Choir, and the “KCSQ” Chamber Ensemble; playing various saxophones in all groups.

As a student, Mr. White performed with the UMKC Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Joe Parisi, at the 2012 CBDNA Conference in San Antonio.  In addition, he made a professional recording of Steven Bryant’s “Dusk” in 2014 with the UMKC Wind Symphony, under the direction of Steve Davis.  Also during his time there, Mr. White played alto saxophone and soprano saxophone on an album with The 3 0’Clock Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of jazz legend Bobby Watson.

While studying saxophone under Zach Shemon, Mr. White has performed at multiple North-American Saxophone Alliance conferences including those held at Illinois University and Oklahoma University.

His marching experience includes serving as the Drum Major of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps in 2013; finishing in 11th place with a score of 86.4, which is the highest score Spirit has achieved in over 25 years.  In his time living around the Kansas City area, Mr. White has worked with multiple bands including: Blue Valley South West, Olathe East, Grain Valley, Raymore-Peculiar, and Blue Springs. 

Patrick Hunninghake

Brass & Movement Technician

Patrick Hunninghake began his position as Assistant Director of Bands at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Bellevue, NE in the Fall of 2015.  Prior to working in Bellevue, Mr. Hunninghake was a freelance trumpet player in Chicago, where he performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, The Northshore Concert Band, and a number of other ensembles.  While in Chicago, he taught at several locations across the city and served as a visual and brass consultant with the Downers Grove South Marching Mustangs.

Mr. Hunninghake obtained his Masters Degree in Trumpet Performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in 2013.  Prior to his time at Indiana, he received a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of Kansas.  While at KU, Mr. Hunninghake was a member of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and worked with both the Lawrence High School and Blue Valley West High School marching bands.

As a performer, Mr. Hunninghake has had the privilege to perform across the country and around the world.  As a member of the KU Trumpet Ensemble, he performed on a nationwide tour of the People’s Republic of China and a performaned at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Sydney, Australia.  Recently, Mr. Hunninghake had the privilege to perform with the legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma as a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and recently served as a member of the Peoria Symphony, occasionally appearing as principal trumpet.

Nicole Eddy

Movement Technician, Leadership and Physical Training Coordinator

Nicole Eddy is native of Omaha, NE and has been active in the music and marching arts for the past 25 years.  As a baritone bugler, Ms. Eddy marched for the Omaha Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 1991, the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 1992-1994, and was a member of “The Commandant’s Own” Marine Drum and Bugle Corps from 1995-2001. 

Retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant in the U. S. Marine Corps after 21 years of active service, Ms. Eddy now desires to serve the youth of Nebraska.  With a focus on developing leadership skills, team building, and esprit de corps, Ms. Eddy’s desire is to pass on life skills that will not only make the band successful, but assist in catapulting individual members into continued success in all of their life endeavors.  Additionally, Ms. Eddy brings her marching experience to the staff by serving as a marching technician.   

Ms. Eddy has also served as a marching technician for Burke High School, Dojo Percussion, and become the Coordinator of Leadership & Physical Training at Bellevue East High School in 2015.

Wade Kellett

Brass & Movement Technician

Wade Kellett joined the Bellevue East staff in 2014.  He was born and raised in Papillion, NE.  His beginnings in music come from being surrounded by his father’s music programs at Papillion – La Vista and Papillion – La Vista South High School.  He is currently obtaining his Music Education degree from Midland University in Fremont, NE.

Wade works full-time for the university as a Performing Arts Recruiter and Admission Counselor.  As he travels across the state recruiting he has had the pleasure of working with bands such as Papillion – La Vista South, Kearney High School, Columbus High School, Norfolk High School, Papillion – La Vista High School, and Grand Island High School.

Wade marched for the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps in 2011 and has been the leader in bringing back the Railmen Drum and Bugle Corps organization.  This non-profit organization promotes outlets in the Omaha Metro area for students to further their passions in music.  As Executive Director he oversees operations as well as finding equipment, funds and rehearsal spaces for the groups to rehearse and perform in.

Matthew Lippincott

Director of Percussion

Matt Lippincott is a native of South-Central Kansas and has studied with many great percussion instructors throughout his career, including Ginger Zyskowski, Brad Shores, Dr. John W. Parks IV, and Kevin Bobo.

Matt’s collegiate performing career took place at The University of Kansas and includes membership in the KU Percussion Ensemble, KU University Band, KU Symphonic Band.  He was also a section leader of the KU Drumline, and was twice selected to perform as a part of the KU’s honor’s recital.

Matt was a snareline member of the 1997-1999 Argonne Rebel’s ‘Rebel Drums’ of Hutchinson, KS, and the 1999 Casper Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps and was front ensemble caption head for Dojo Percussion from Omaha, NE since 2010.  Matt has been a percussion instructor at Hutchinson (KS) High School, Papillion La-Vista High School, Millard South High School, and began work at Bellevue East High School in 2014.

Derek Matthews

Percussion Instructor

Derek Matthews is a native of Omaha and graduated from Omaha Burke High School in 2010. He began seriously pursuing and studying percussion in his sophomore year of high school, participating in the marching band as a member of the drumline as well as studying privately with Dana Murray.  As a member of the Burke drumline, Derek was part of one of the top percussion programs in the state, winning high percussion awards at multiple regional competitions.  In addition, Derek was a member of Dojo Percussion during the 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014 seasons.  For 3 of those seasons, he served as section leader and center snare, which included a performance at PIO Finals at WGI.

Derek began teaching marching percussion as a volunteer instructor at both Burke High School (2011-2012, 2014) and Bellevue East High School (2011) as a snare drum technician.  After aging out of WGI, Derek returned to Dojo Percussion the following year to serve as a staff member for the 2015 season.  He also assumed the role of Percussion Caption Head for the Burke High School Marching Band.  Since 2015, Derek was stepped into the role of Battery Coordinator for Dojo Percussion, as well as at Bellevue East High School.  He looks forward to continue educating youth through percussion.

Additional Percussion Technician Staff

John Benson, Kassy Pepper, Paul Umshler, and Alex Albertson

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Samantha Houston

Co-Director of Colorguard

Samantha Houston joined the Bellevue Public School district in the fall of 2016, serving as a music teacher at Avery Elementary School and the Bellevue East High School Colorguard Coordinator.

After receiving a degree in Music Education from the University of Kansas, Ms. Houston began her teaching career in the DeSoto (KS) School District in 2013.  In addition to teaching elementary music, she has been a colorguard clinician, technician, director, and choreographer since 2009.  She has worked with such ensembles including Lincoln (NE) Southeast High School, Blue Valley North (KS) High School, DeSoto (KS) High School, Newman-Smith (TX) High School, Obsidian Winterguard from University of Central Missouri, and the Blue Springs (MO) High School Golden Regiment.  

Ms. Houston has a wealth of performing experience, including membership in the Odessa (MO) High School Band of Distinction & Winterguard, Synchronicity Independent Winterguard (Kansas City, MO), Avidity Independent Winterguard (St. Louis, MO), The University of Kansas Marching Jayhawks, and The Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps.

Miles Kellett

Co-Director of Colorguard

Miles Kellett has been around music and color guard his entire life.  His marching experience includes performing with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps for the 2010-2013 seasons, where he served as captain for three years.  In 2013 Miles performed a duet and won the Flag Ensemble Caption at the Drum Corps International Individual & Ensemble competition.  He also performed with PIO Finalist Dojo Percussion and was a founder of the Railmen Winter Guard.  In 2014, he joined The Blue Stars color guard staff, where he currently serves as a technician. 

Miles received his Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he studied bassoon under Jim Compton.  He has been a color guard instructor in several school districts including Papillion-Lavista, Millard, Omaha, Waverly-145, as well as at the collegiate level at Midland University and University Nebraska at Omaha.  Miles has been a guard instructor at Bellevue East High School since 2014.

Steven Irving

Colorguard Instructor

A native of Kansas City, MO, Steven Irving has been a part of the Bellevue East High School Colorguard staff since 2014.  He was a performing member of the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps Colorguard from 2008 to 2011, and then was a staff member for the Colts in 2012.  Steven worked as the Director of Colorguard at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO from 2010-2013, as well as Kirksville High School in 2012 and 2013. It was during that time that Steven received his Bacehlor of Arts in Music at Truman State University in 2012.  Steven relocated to the Omaha metro area and has been an instructor for the award-winning Railmen Winter Guard, based in Omaha, NE, since 2014. 

Additional Colorguard Technician Staff

Stephanie Lippincott and Jodi Leopaopao

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