David Simon - Director of Bands
David Simon joined the Frisco High School Band staff in 2017, after serving eleven years as an assistant director at Marcus High School, in Flower Mound, TX. At Frisco Mr. Simon directs the Wind Symphony, the Basketball Band, and co-teaches the Symphonic Band and Marching Band. His ensembles have earned sweepstakes awards at the University Interscholastic League’s Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, and been recognized as Commended Winners in the National Wind Band Honors Project, conducted by the Foundation for Music Education.
While at Marcus High School, ensembles under Mr. Simon’s direction consistently earned superior division ratings at the UIL Concert and Sight-reading contest. His other duties included leading the basketball pep band, assistance with the Marching Band, and administration of the student leadership program.
Mr. Simon graduated from Baylor University, in Waco, TX. Originally from Austin, he attended Leander High School, and was a four-year member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He resides in Carrollton with his wife Addie and son Brayden.
Matthew Courtney - Associate Director
Matthew Courtney is native of Lewisville, TX and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. While at OU, he participated in the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic Orchestra, Jazz Band and was a member of the OU Trumpet Studio. He was also a member of Phi Mu Alpha and Kappa Kappa Psi music fraternities. Matt was a student of Karl Sievers, William Wakefield, Michael Raiber and Brian Britt.
Mr. Courtney joined the staff of Frisco High School in the Fall of 2016, having previously taught all levels in Jay Public Schools (OK) from 2011-2016.
Matt enjoys spending time with his wife Meghan (Math Teacher), and his three sons.
Heath Dillard - Percussion Director
Heath Dillard has served as percussion director for the Frisco High School cluster since 2007. His teaching responsibilities include: drum line and percussion ensemble classes at Frisco High School, assisting with band classes and teaching sectionals at Hunt middle school, and teaching beginner percussion classes at Hunt Middle School.
Mr. Dillard also serves as the percussion arranger for the Frisco High School marching band. Under Mr. Dillard’s direction, the Frisco High School percussion program has been very successful, winning their division at the Lone Star Classic drum line contest in 2009 and the Lewisville Drumline Competition in 2016 and 2018.
Toby Leikness - Color Guard Director
Toby Leikness is a designer, technician, and clinician. He started his Color Guard career with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps where he performed from 1993 through 1996, and from 1995 until 1997 he also performed with the Every-Body Winter Guard form Portland, OR.
After his marching career, Toby has taught many great programs around the country, including Every-Body A, Every-Body World, the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, the R2 Performance Group, Americas Independent Winter Guard, Sarajevo Winter Guard, and the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, along with many terrific high school programs.
Toby has served the students at Frisco High School since 2001.
Michael Patri - Assistant Percussion Director
Michael Patri is a percussionist and percussive techniques enthusiast taking his passion to Frisco from central Florida. His dedication and excitement for percussion education has led him to work with numerous programs over the past decade, fulfilling many types of roles and responsibilities.
Under his marching percussion direction at Sunlake High School, the indoor percussion ensemble earned four consecutive FFCC Scholastic A Gold Medals (2016-2019) and one appearance as WGI Scholastic A Finalists (2018). During this time with Sunlake, he was also a Snare Technician for Stryke Percussion during the 2017 season.
Most recently; Patri served as a Snare Technician in 2020, Battery Coordinator in 2021, and Battery/Ensemble Coordinator in 2022 for INFINITY III. Patri has served as the Battery Coordinator for INFINITY II since 2023 and additionally served as the Ensemble Coordinator in 2025. In conjunction to Patri’s instructional and administrative contributions to INFINITY, Patri has also served as the Battery Arranger for INFINITY III since the 2024 season. Patri served as a Snare Technician for Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps during the 2023 season and is completing his first summer as a Tenor Technician for Music City Drum and Bugle Corps.
Patri graduated with his Bachelor’s of Arts in Instrumental Performance from Southeastern University in 2020 and an MA in Music Performance-Percussion from the University of Central Florida in 2023. Patri’s teaching style seeks to create an environment that fosters a sense of family, creativity, respect, and passionate commitment to hard work in pursuit of greatness.