Our Conductors

 Mr. John Bell

John Bell recently retired as Director of Bands and Music Department Lead Teacher at Park Hill South High School, a position he held since the school opened in 1998. He served in the same capacity at Park Hill High School for fourteen years. In addition to his duties at the high school level, he also taught middle school beginning and intermediate band and string classes. Prior to moving to the Park Hill School District, he was Director of Instrumental Music at William Chrisman High School, where he conducted orchestra and band classes at both the middle school and high school levels.

 Mr. Bell completed his Bachelor degree in Music Education at Central Missouri State University (now UCM) and received his Masters degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois, where he was a graduate assistant in music education and a conductor intern under the guidance of Dr. Harry Begian. Post-graduate work includes extensive hours toward the DMA in Conducting at The University of Iowa. 

 Groups under his direction received consistent superior ratings at the MSHSAA State Evaluative Music Festival and several other regional and national music festivals; performed at the Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) Conference on five occasions; at the International Youth & Music Festival in Vienna, Austria; at the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) Biennial Conference/Clinic; and at the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic.

 A recipient of the John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor, Mr. Bell has also received recognition from students and parents on numerous occasions for inclusion in Who's Who in America and from colleagues as the Park Hill School District Teacher of the Year. He is also a recipient of the Central Missouri State University Music Department's Distinguished Alumni Award and the Missouri chapter of Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Band Director Award. Mr. Bell is active as an adjudicator and clinician throughout the Midwest, and is currently an adjunct professor of Horn and Orchestra at Western Missouri State University, an adjunct professor of Music Education at UMKC, and an instrumental music consultant with American Music Company.

 Mr. Bell's wife, Valerie, is Director of Orchestras at Park Hill South. Their son, Nick, is a junior music education-trombone major at UMKC; their daughter, Alyssa, plays in mom's Park Hill South Symphonic Orchestra and is a member of the Youth Symphony of Kansas City.

 Mr. Danny J. Watring

 Mr. Watring is the Director of Bands for the Grandview Consolidated School District #4. His responsibilities include the Blue and Gold Brigade Marching Band, the Symphonic Winds and Percussion, and the Jazz Orchestra. In 1986 Mr. Watring began his career in Grandview as an Associate Director. Before returning in 2006, he served in the North Kansas City School District at Oak Park High School and in the Liberty Public School District.

Under his direction, his marching, symphonic, concert and jazz bands have received superior ratings at District/State Music Evaluative Music Festivals, IAJE sanctioned Jazz Festivals, and area marching band competitions. He is the current vice-president for Concert Bands in the Kansas City Metro #3 District and serves on the Board of Directors for the Kansas University Kansas City Youth Wind Symphony.  He is the founder/coordinator of the Greater Kansas City Middle School Solo and Ensemble Festival. 

 Mr. Watring served as an All-State adjudicator for eleven years, the vice-president for jazz bands in the Kansas City Metro District #3, and currently serves on the Missouri State High School Activities Association Prescribed Graded Music List Committee. He is also active as a guest director, clinician, and adjudicator throughout Missouri and Kansas for concert bands, marching bands, jazz bands and percussion.

Mr. Watring is a member of the Missouri Bandmasters Association; International Association of Jazz Educators; Missouri Music Educators Association; Music Educators National Conference; Phi Beta Mu; and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He has been nominated to into Who's Who Among America's Teachers five times over his career and was recently inducted into the National Honor Society of America's High School Educators.

Receiving his undergraduate degree in Music Education, he has also earned graduate hours in Music Theory and Composition from Central Missouri State University.  Mr. Watring completed a Master's Degree in Educational Technology from Mid-America Nazarene University in the summer of 2006.
He has two daughters, Devan and Madison. Devan, is an employee of the Disney Corporation, Orlando, Fl., and will embark on a 7-month cruise line tour as a dancer and performer in November, 2008. Madison, a Sophomore at Liberty High School, is actively involved in cross country, track, and vocal music. As a Freshman, she earned a varsity letter in all three organizations.