Staff

Heather Luck, Band Director - Contact

Heather Luck is originally from the greater Los Angeles County where she studied flute privately from Tamera Chadima. It was through her high school education and involvement with several music programs that she decided to become a high school band director. It is her passion to bring a sense of "home" to students like her musical experience brought her. She moved to the lovely and far superior county of San Diego in 2003.

Ms. Luck graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors in Music Education from San Diego State University. She studied flute from Lori Bell and September Payne, and conducting from Harold Warmen. She also participated in the Marching Aztecs for four years and served as drumline section leader for two years. It was through this ensemble that she performed with Shania Twain, Keith Urban, and for Travis Barker.

Ms. Luck has been teaching at the high school level since 2003. She started her career in music as a percussion coach and as a flute technician. Some of these schools included Rancho Buena Vista High School, Eastlake High School, Patrick Henry High School, and Clairemont High School. As percussion Captain Head she coached two drumlines to taking first place at The American Drumline Association Championships.

Ms. Luck started Steele Canyon in 2009 and has taught a variety of music classes including: Beginning Guitar, Intermediate Guitar, Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Colorguard, Percussion Ensemble, Marching Band and Orchestra. Under her direction, Steele Regiment (Marching Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Colorguard) has consecutively placed at local and regional competitions, most recently taking 6th place at Southern California School Band and Orchestra's Championships. She also works closely with Mrs. Nicole Labella during the spring musical where she teaches the musical pit and the vocals. Previous productions include: Guys & Dolls, Beauty and the Beast, Anything Goes, The Wiz, Aida, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music (winner of Broadway San Diego's Best Musical), and Les Miserables.

Diana Gallardo, Colorguard Instructor - Contact

Diana is a Steele Canyon Alumni, she graduated with the class of 2013 and has been coaching at Steele ever since. In High School she was a member of the Color Guard and Captain her Senior year. After graduating she went on to perform with Vox Artium, a WGI group who competes across the United States and has placed in the top 10 of their division for the past 5 years. She was a member of the team for 5 years and had the honor to be made Captain for her last 3 years with the Vox Artium Program. Currently, she is attending school to earn a degree in Psychology and Early Childhood Development and hopes to also Minor in Dance.

Matthew Voogd, Percussion Instructor - Contact

Matthew was born and raised in San Diego, California where he attended Patrick Henry High School. Matthew started teaching immediately after graduating high school. He has taught throughout San Diego at various schools including Valhalla HS, West Hills HS, Montgomery HS, San Diego HS, Del Norte HS, Escondido HS, Steele Canyon HS, Carlton Hills Elementary, Hill Creek Elementary, and PRIDE Academy. He also has a small number of private students.

Since graduating high school, Matthew has had the honor and privilege of performing in various independent winter drumline groups such as Orange County Independent (2017 Open Class SCPA Gold Medalist), Vessel Percussion, and Broken City (2019 World Class SCPA and WGI Gold Medalist). He has also marched with various drum corps, such as Gold, Vessel, and the Blue Knights. Matthew currently attends Cuyamaca Community College, with plans to earn his Music Education degree.

Jake Elser, Percussion Instructor - Contact

Jacob was born and raised in the San Diego area, went to Steele Canyon High School where he played and led drumline all four years. He also played drum kit for The Cozy Quips and Other Remarks in 2015 and for Shafwaxx in 2016. These bands competed in Steele’s Battle Of The Bands, with The Cozy Quips getting third place in 2015. From 2015 to 2018 Jacob played snare and bass for the Marching Aztecs. During this time, he also played bass 4 with Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017. Before their competitive debut got cut short, Jacob marched Bass 2 with State of Sound.

Derek Youngers, Marching Instructor

Derek was born and raised in San Diego, California where he graduated from Steele Canyon High School and currently attends the University of California, San Diego. He has been a part of the Marching Band program since Ms. Luck's first year teaching and since graduating from Steele Canyon he has returned as one of their marching instructors. Along with assisting the Marching Band, Derek has also begun teaching the Jazz Band after school and hopes to build that part of our program back to prominence.

Reed Richardson, Drill Designer Impact Drill Designs

Reed has been involved the marching arts since 1975. Born and raised in San Diego, first living in La Mesa then moving to Poway at the age of 10. By the time he entered Poway High School he was already hooked on playing music and knew this was going to be a big part of his life.

After high school, Reed marched three years of Drum and Bugle Corps ending as a lead baritone player with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

Reed started teaching marching at Poway HS right after graduating high school and hasn’t stopped. Reed is currently the Visual Caption Head for both Poway and Mt.Carmel high schools.
In 2011 Reed was inducted into the WGASC Hall of Fame.

Reed is experienced in all aspects of the marching arts and has clients all over the country. He has written for all divisions in DCI, including The DCI div.2 undefeated season and gold medalist 2003 Esperanza D&B Corps. and The 2008 Cavalier Alumni corps.

Reed has written for WGI winter guard and drum line finalist. Reed has written for the following circuits: DCI, DCA, WGI, BOA, SCSBOA, WBA, PIMBA, USSBA, TOB, MBA, KMA, CBA and UIL.
Some of Reed’s high school clients have included: Poway, Mt. Carmel, Steele Canyon, Helix, McKinney (TX.) Mira Mesa, Travis (TX.), Calloway County (KY.) Del Norte, Northern Nash (NC), Nogales, Rancho Buena Vista, Los Alamitos, Mater Dei, Dessert Oasis (NV), Vista Murrieta, Gateway(PA), Northern Nash (NC) Madera, Belle Vernon Area HS (PA) Point Loma, West Allegheny (PA), Eastlake, Murrieta Valley, Southmoreland (PA), Ramona, Mission Hills, Bonita Vista, Indio, Murrieta Mesa, Grossmont, Kennedy, plus many more.