Parkway West Band Directors

Brad Wallace
[email protected]
DIRECTOR OF BANDS
PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
Eastern Illinois University | B.M. Music Education
University of Illinois | M.M. Wind Band Conducting
Brad Wallace was appointed as the director of bands at Parkway West High School in August of 2015. Mr. Wallace's prior teaching experience includes ten years at Effingham (IL) High School and two years as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While at Effingham, the band program grew from 60 to 130 members and consistently received state-wide recognition for excellence in the areas of concert band, jazz band, and marching band. While at the University of Illinois, Mr. Wallace's responsibilities included instructing undergraduate courses in instrumental conducting and assisting with all five concert bands, basketball pep bands, and the Marching Illini.
Mr. Wallace holds a bachelors degree in music education from Eastern Illinois University (2003), a masters degree in wind band conducting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2015), and has completed additional graduate work at the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. His teaching responsibilities at Parkway West High School include instructing the marching band, symphonic band, and concert band, jazz band, courses in music technology and piano, and overall administration of the PWHS band program. Mr. Wallace also serves as the music department chair at Parkway West and on the MSHSAA music advisory committee. In 2019 he received the St. Louis Suburban Music Educator's Association "Certificate of Merit." Mr. Wallace holds memberships in the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Education, the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), and the Missouri Music Educators Association.
[email protected]
DIRECTOR OF BANDS
PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
Eastern Illinois University | B.M. Music Education
University of Illinois | M.M. Wind Band Conducting
Brad Wallace was appointed as the director of bands at Parkway West High School in August of 2015. Mr. Wallace's prior teaching experience includes ten years at Effingham (IL) High School and two years as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While at Effingham, the band program grew from 60 to 130 members and consistently received state-wide recognition for excellence in the areas of concert band, jazz band, and marching band. While at the University of Illinois, Mr. Wallace's responsibilities included instructing undergraduate courses in instrumental conducting and assisting with all five concert bands, basketball pep bands, and the Marching Illini.
Mr. Wallace holds a bachelors degree in music education from Eastern Illinois University (2003), a masters degree in wind band conducting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2015), and has completed additional graduate work at the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. His teaching responsibilities at Parkway West High School include instructing the marching band, symphonic band, and concert band, jazz band, courses in music technology and piano, and overall administration of the PWHS band program. Mr. Wallace also serves as the music department chair at Parkway West and on the MSHSAA music advisory committee. In 2019 he received the St. Louis Suburban Music Educator's Association "Certificate of Merit." Mr. Wallace holds memberships in the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Education, the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), and the Missouri Music Educators Association.

Stefanie Buscher
[email protected]
DIRECTOR OF BANDS
PARKWAY WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
Missouri State University | B.M.E.Music Education
Missouri Baptist University | M.E.A. Educational Administration
University of Florida | M.M Music Education
Stefanie Buscher was hired as the Parkway West Middle School band director in 2024 after previously serving in the Rockwood and Valley Park School Districts. She served as assistant director of bands at Lafayette High School, which included work with award winning marching, concert, and jazz bands. Also during her time at Rockwood, Stefanie taught beginning band students at Crestview Middle School. While serving as the Director of Bands for 5 years in the Valley Park School District, Stefanie increased enrollment in all band classes by over 100% and widened the scope of performances available to students by creating a jazz program, a competitive marching band, and ensured opportunities for the concert bands at local and regional contests and symposiums.
Originally from Pacific, Missouri, Mrs. Buscher holds a bachelors degree in music education from Missouri State University (2008), a masters degree in educational administration from Missouri Baptist University (2012), and a masters degree in music education from University of Florida (2016). Stefanie first had the dream of becoming a music educator while in 7th grade thanks to the influence of her amazing middle school band director. She has been lucky to have many outstanding teachers along the way and continues to learn from great educators and is excited to share her passion for music with the West Middle School students and greater West music program.
[email protected]
DIRECTOR OF BANDS
PARKWAY WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
Missouri State University | B.M.E.Music Education
Missouri Baptist University | M.E.A. Educational Administration
University of Florida | M.M Music Education
Stefanie Buscher was hired as the Parkway West Middle School band director in 2024 after previously serving in the Rockwood and Valley Park School Districts. She served as assistant director of bands at Lafayette High School, which included work with award winning marching, concert, and jazz bands. Also during her time at Rockwood, Stefanie taught beginning band students at Crestview Middle School. While serving as the Director of Bands for 5 years in the Valley Park School District, Stefanie increased enrollment in all band classes by over 100% and widened the scope of performances available to students by creating a jazz program, a competitive marching band, and ensured opportunities for the concert bands at local and regional contests and symposiums.
Originally from Pacific, Missouri, Mrs. Buscher holds a bachelors degree in music education from Missouri State University (2008), a masters degree in educational administration from Missouri Baptist University (2012), and a masters degree in music education from University of Florida (2016). Stefanie first had the dream of becoming a music educator while in 7th grade thanks to the influence of her amazing middle school band director. She has been lucky to have many outstanding teachers along the way and continues to learn from great educators and is excited to share her passion for music with the West Middle School students and greater West music program.

Jacob England
[email protected]
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANDS
PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. England is excited to join the Parkway West Band for the 2022-23 school year! Prior teaching experience includes six years at Wentzville Holt High School and Wentzville Middle School. He also taught general music for one year at the Waynesville Sixth Grade Center. As part of the Wentzville Holt program, Mr. England co-taught students from grades 6 through 12, specializing in flute and trombone. He helped lead the Wentzville Holt Marching Band through successful competitive seasons across the state of Missouri, winning honors in effect, music, and visual performance. Mr. England also spearheaded the extracurricular jazz program in Wentzville, growing both the middle school and high school programs to have as many as 50 middle school jazz band members, and two full high school big bands. Finally, Mr. England is a firm believer in solo and small ensemble performance, and helped grow student participation in MSHSAA District and State competition as well as middle school participation in SLSMEA festivals.
Mr. England earned his bachelor of arts in music with a jazz studies minor (2014) and his master of arts in education from Truman State University (2015). As a student at Truman State, Mr. England was a performing member of numerous concert band, marching band, jazz band, and chamber music ensembles. He was a featured soloist with the premier Wind Symphony I during their CBDNA performance in 2014 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, composed an original jazz band chart for the Truman State Jazz Ensemble (performed in 2014), and assisted the Statesmen Marching Band as an undergraduate staff member for two years. In 2019, Mr. England was awarded the 2019 "Outstanding Young Music Educator" award by the Missouri Music Educators Association. Mr. England is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the Missouri Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Kappa Phi, International Trumpet Guild, and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
[email protected]
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANDS
PARKWAY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. England is excited to join the Parkway West Band for the 2022-23 school year! Prior teaching experience includes six years at Wentzville Holt High School and Wentzville Middle School. He also taught general music for one year at the Waynesville Sixth Grade Center. As part of the Wentzville Holt program, Mr. England co-taught students from grades 6 through 12, specializing in flute and trombone. He helped lead the Wentzville Holt Marching Band through successful competitive seasons across the state of Missouri, winning honors in effect, music, and visual performance. Mr. England also spearheaded the extracurricular jazz program in Wentzville, growing both the middle school and high school programs to have as many as 50 middle school jazz band members, and two full high school big bands. Finally, Mr. England is a firm believer in solo and small ensemble performance, and helped grow student participation in MSHSAA District and State competition as well as middle school participation in SLSMEA festivals.
Mr. England earned his bachelor of arts in music with a jazz studies minor (2014) and his master of arts in education from Truman State University (2015). As a student at Truman State, Mr. England was a performing member of numerous concert band, marching band, jazz band, and chamber music ensembles. He was a featured soloist with the premier Wind Symphony I during their CBDNA performance in 2014 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, composed an original jazz band chart for the Truman State Jazz Ensemble (performed in 2014), and assisted the Statesmen Marching Band as an undergraduate staff member for two years. In 2019, Mr. England was awarded the 2019 "Outstanding Young Music Educator" award by the Missouri Music Educators Association. Mr. England is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the Missouri Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Kappa Phi, International Trumpet Guild, and the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Joel Fischer
[email protected]
**on leave 2024-25 school year**
Mr. Fischer served for three years as the Director of Bands at Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri before coming to St. Louis. In his time at Central, the two high school bands have earned consistent “Superior” ratings at the MSHSAA State Large Ensemble Festival and the marching band has earned numerous awards, including “Grand Champion” at regional festivals in the Kansas City Area. Students have also individually achieved membership in the Northwest Missouri Music Educator’s Association All-District Band, Missouri All-State Band, NAfME All-National Ensembles, Drum Corps, and top music schools across the country. Two students have also performed in debut performance with the Kansas City Symphony and Kansas City Northwinds as winners of their concerto competitions.
Originally from Perryville, Missouri, Mr. Fischer received a bachelor of arts in music with a jazz studies minor from Truman State University. Mr. Fischer has also recently completed a Masters of Arts in Instrumental Conducting and a Master of Arts in Education from Truman State University. As a music student at Truman, Mr. Fischer has participated in the Wind Symphony I, Missouri All-Collegiate Band, Jazz Lab Band, Jazz Ensemble, Statesman Marching Band, and chamber music ensembles. In 2011, Mr. Fischer was named the winner for the Missouri Music Teacher Association Young Artist competition in the woodwind division, as well as, a runner up in the Music Teacher National Association Chamber Music Competition state division with the Auftakt Four Saxophone Quartet. At Truman, Mr. Fischer worked with the Statesman Marching Band as a drum major and band staff member, Wind Symphonies, Concert Band, Amethyst Independent Winter Guard, and Jazz Lab Band. Mr. Fischer is an active member of Missouri Bandmasters Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda, and the National Association for Music Education. Mr. Fischer also coordinates music, drill, and show concepts for marching bands in Missouri and Iowa.
Mr. Fischer has served as an assistant band director at both Parkway North and Parkway West High Schools and as of 2022 will be the new director of bands at Parkway West Middle School.
[email protected]
**on leave 2024-25 school year**
Mr. Fischer served for three years as the Director of Bands at Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri before coming to St. Louis. In his time at Central, the two high school bands have earned consistent “Superior” ratings at the MSHSAA State Large Ensemble Festival and the marching band has earned numerous awards, including “Grand Champion” at regional festivals in the Kansas City Area. Students have also individually achieved membership in the Northwest Missouri Music Educator’s Association All-District Band, Missouri All-State Band, NAfME All-National Ensembles, Drum Corps, and top music schools across the country. Two students have also performed in debut performance with the Kansas City Symphony and Kansas City Northwinds as winners of their concerto competitions.
Originally from Perryville, Missouri, Mr. Fischer received a bachelor of arts in music with a jazz studies minor from Truman State University. Mr. Fischer has also recently completed a Masters of Arts in Instrumental Conducting and a Master of Arts in Education from Truman State University. As a music student at Truman, Mr. Fischer has participated in the Wind Symphony I, Missouri All-Collegiate Band, Jazz Lab Band, Jazz Ensemble, Statesman Marching Band, and chamber music ensembles. In 2011, Mr. Fischer was named the winner for the Missouri Music Teacher Association Young Artist competition in the woodwind division, as well as, a runner up in the Music Teacher National Association Chamber Music Competition state division with the Auftakt Four Saxophone Quartet. At Truman, Mr. Fischer worked with the Statesman Marching Band as a drum major and band staff member, Wind Symphonies, Concert Band, Amethyst Independent Winter Guard, and Jazz Lab Band. Mr. Fischer is an active member of Missouri Bandmasters Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda, and the National Association for Music Education. Mr. Fischer also coordinates music, drill, and show concepts for marching bands in Missouri and Iowa.
Mr. Fischer has served as an assistant band director at both Parkway North and Parkway West High Schools and as of 2022 will be the new director of bands at Parkway West Middle School.