LSHS Bands serve our students by developing musical understanding and strong character traits through many different performance ensembles and classes.
LSHS student musicians serve their school by promoting pride in our Lakeville South community. They perform at ceremonial events and hundreds of hours of athletic events supporting our school teams.
LSHS student musicians perform in the Lakeville Community, nationally and internationally to bring entertainment and pride to celebrations, fundraisers and just to bring smiles to peoples' faces!
Chad Bieniek, Co-Director of Bands at Lakeville South High School, has taught in Lakeville since 2015. He teaches Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble I/II, Fall and Summer Marching Band, Pep Band, multiple Chamber Ensembles and Beginning Guitar. His goal is to serve his students so they can serve their school and community with the musical skills they are developing. He loves the opportunity to contribute to the pride and musical success of the young musicians in the community he resides.
Chad earned a Bachelor of Music Degree, with a major in Music Education from the University of Minnesota in 2002. In 2011 he earned a Masters in Music Degree from Boston University. He has been an American Stars of Teaching and FOX9 Teacher of the Year nominee and was Montgomery–Lonsdale High School’s Teacher of the Year in 2008. In 2019 he was nominated as a Lakeville Inclusive Educator and was a nominee for Minnesota Teacher of the Year.
Prior to teaching in Lakeville, Chad started teaching in the Montgomery-Lonsdale School District in 2003. After teaching in the Montgomery-Lonsdale District for six years, he took a two year leave of absence so that his wife, Tiffany, could attend Butler University in Indiana. While there, he enjoyed two successful years of teaching with and learning from great colleagues and leading ensembles to superior performances and a track marching band state championship. After being away from Minnesota for two years, he returned to Montgomery and taught four more years in the now Tri-City United district.
Outside of school, Mr. Bieniek enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, son and the outdoors. He loves hiking with family and spends time each summer in places such as the north shore, the greater Yellowstone area or the Canadian and Colorado Rockies. He is so thankful to teach with such passionate music educators, Nick Castonguay and Julie Brott every day and for the opportunity to make great music and memories with the LSHS Bands! You can contact Mr. Bieniek at chad.bieniek@isd194.org.
Nicholas Castonguay, Co-Director of Bands, is in his first year as Co-Director of Bands at Lakeville South High School where he works with the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz I/II Ensembles, Marching Band, Pep Band, and Chamber Ensembles. Prior to his appointment at Lakeville South, he served as Director of Bands at Shorewood High School in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. Mr. Castonguay served as a conducting graduate assistant with the University Bands at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and assistant conductor of the UWM Youth Wind Ensembles while working on his Master’s Degree. He has taught for over thirteen years at high schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin including Wausau West High School and Burnsville High School. Under his leadership, the Shorewood High School Wind Ensemble was invited to perform at the Wisconsin State Music Conference in October of 2016.
Mr. Castonguay holds a Master of Music (M.M.) degree in wind conducting from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree in music education from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Mr. Castonguay is an accomplished trombonist and has performed with a variety of ensembles throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota. Most recently, he has performed with Milwaukee regional orchestras and wedding bands including the Festival City Symphony and Nightlife. Mr. Castonguay also conducted area community bands including the West Allis Suburban Band and Whitefish Bay Concert Band.
He holds active membership in the National Association for Music Education and the Wisconsin and Minnesota Music Educators Association. He resides in Lakeville with his family including his toddler-aged daughter, Claire and new born baby, Aubry. Mr. Castonguay enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and playing recreational tennis in his spare time.
Matt Clark is a Music Educator, Performer, and Recording Technician.
Clark is the percussion instructor for marching and curricular bands at Lakeville South High School. He received his music master's degree from the University of Minnesota and an undergraduate in performance and education from the University of Wisconsin -Stevens Point. In addition to maintaining a healthy private percussion studio, he has taught percussion and full band at many Twin-Cities Metro schools including Lakeville South, Farmington, Buffalo, St. Francis, Brooklyn Park Schools, and McGuire Middle school. He freelance performs with jazz and classical groups including several Twin Cities civic orchestras. He has spent his summers performing with the Pan-handlers Steel Drum Band since 2017 and has been the director of their secondary ensemble Tin Cups since the Summer of 2018. He is a Sound Technician for the Ted Mann Concert Hall, Llyod Ultan Recital Hall, as well as freelancing recording and audio editing. Clark is excited to be part of the Lakeville South Band family and is looking forward to teaching and making music with it’s many wonderful and hard-working students and families.
Melissa Nielsen, color guard instructor, started working with Lakeville South Marching Band in 2016. Over the last few years, Melissa has been thrilled to help the color guard program double in size and add a competitive winter program. She is passionate about using the music room and marching band field as a place to grow leaders and lifelong learners. Melissa is a band and music teacher in Tri City United School District, where she shares her passion for music as a laboratory for life with students in grades K-6. She has also taught band in Apple Valley and general music in Lakeville.
Melissa earned her bachelor's degree in Music Education from Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, where she also spent four years as a member of the color guard as well as coaching a local high school for a time. She earned her master's degree in Teaching and Learning from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. Melissa is also a french horn player who loves playing in orchestra pits, along with her husband, who also teaches music and plays percussion professionally.
Outside of color guard and the music room, Melissa loves reading, sewing and spending time with her 4 kids. One of her favorite moments was watching her daughter spin flag in the first ever Lakeville South Winter Guard in 2020, and is excited to have two of her children spinning with South in 2021.
Full concert ensembles
All about jazz
Marching Bands
Pep Band Info
Percussion and solo/ensemble
Guitar
Theory Info
Guard Info
The Lakeville South Marching Cougars are coming off of a spectacular year! The journey of the season, the musical and marching art created, the lifelong friendships established, the opportunity to serve others with their musical Read more…
The 2019-20 Band audition information is below. All musical ensembles and available leadership positions are listed below with their audition requirements. Marching Band (9-12th Grade) – No musical audition required. Lakeville South has two commitment levels, Read more…
Hello and welcome to High School Band at Lakeville South! We are SO honored to have you in the program either as a returning or new member. If you were unable to join us for Read more…
LSHS Bands, 21135 Jacquard Ave, Lakeville, MN 55044
Band Office 952-232-6349