The Director

In 2018, Mr. Gillespie joined the Park Hill South staff and more importantly, the South band program. Since he joined, he was able to earn the respect of his students and fellow directors. This past year, though, was really tough on all of the directors, but mostly on Gillespie. An entire marching show, had to be scrapped and rewritten, the entire band had to preform with masks that were made for instruments, and having to combine two bands of different skill levels. Through all the challenges of this past year, he still has continued to make it through and has been a light in this dark time.

Mr. Gillespie has wanted to be a teacher for a long time. He loved his High School band experience and wanted to provide a great experience for future students and musicians. He said, “Band is a big part of my identity,” which has been something all his students have seen. Almost any band student feels the same way. Band Programs become their own community, and the strength of it from the top with the Band Director.

When it comes to the academic side of band, Mr. Gillespie firmly believes that students who take music electives are more successful in life because of their music education. Most of the students in South’s band program are in majority exulcerated classes. A lot of that can be attributed to the band directors and their abilities to help students to continue learning and strengthen the amount their brains can absorb.

When students leave his program, Gillespie wants to ensure they leave with the best attributes possible in life. Through the relationships built, to the life lessons learned in the program; it has always been important to insure they are prepared for the rest of their lives. When discussing the difficulty of letting his seniors go every year, Gillespie says, “It is extremely happy and sad at the same time. Happy because their moving on to greater things. Sad because I’ve built a connection with them over many years that will be missed.”