Middle School Fine Arts

Greg Gastler is in his tenth season as choir director at LHSS. He enjoyed nine years as Associate Director with the St. Louis Children’s Choirs, and served seven years as music educator at Salem Lutheran School in Affton. Other positions include music marketer at Concordia Publishing House; choral director in Texas public schools; adjunct faculty at Temple Junior College; and choir director in numerous churches. Mr. Gastler has performed more than sixteen seasons with the “Bach at the Sem” concert series at Concordia Seminary. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas-Austin, and the Masters in Church Music degree from Concordia University-Chicago.

Kelly McCord has taught elementary classroom music and choirs for nine years, first in the Shawnee Mission, Kansas, public schools, and most recently in the St. Louis Lutheran elementary schools. She continues as an elementary music specialist for the Lutheran High School Association, where she teaches at Salem Lutheran School (Affton) and St. John’s Lutheran School (Arnold). Mrs. McCord earned her undergraduate degree at Valparaiso University, where she was honored as concerto competition winner on piano. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and she continued her study of music at the Conservatory at UMKC. Mrs. McCord specializes in Kodaly and Orff methodology, and she incorporates both into her teaching.