Faculty & Staff
Ethan saake
Accompanist
TBHS
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Samantha Barton
Accompanist
TMS, TSMS
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Joseph Eckelkamp
Show Choir Accompanist
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Bobby Picker
Choreographic Assistant
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about our directors
Ryan Cooper
Ryan Cooper is the Vocal Music Director at Troy Buchanan High School. He is the director of Intermediate Choir, Freshman Choir, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and the TBHS show choirs, Express and Soundwave. He also co-directs the annual musical and teaches private voice lessons.
Ryan received his Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the University of Missouri and a Masters of Music Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City
Ryan is an active member of MMEA, NaFME, ACDA, MCDA,.
As a former student, Ryan is excited to be a part of the Troy school district as a Music Educator. This program is where he found his love and passion for music and hopes to pass that same love for music on to his students through meaningful experiences and the enthusiastic nature of his rehearsals!
Meghan Pieper
Meghan Pieper is the Director of Choirs at Troy South Middle School. In addition to teaching grade-level choirs at TSMS, she directs Tonali-T, the competitive middle school show choir, and co-directs the middle school musical.
Meghan has a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Truman State University and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri.
She previously taught in the Hannibal Public Schools and she worked with the Missouri Summer Music Institute at Mizzou prior to joining the Troy Choral Department. She has directed both high school and middle school musical theatre productions, as well as drama classes, and she also teaches private studio lessons.
Meghan has been a clinician and guest conductor for choirs in the northeast Missouri area and has appeared as a featured soloist with jazz and concert bands. She is a member of ACDA, NAfME and Sigma Alpha Iota.
Meghan enjoys spending time with her wonderful family. She is married to Chris Pieper, a middle school band director and Troy Buchanan graduate. They have two children, Bennett and Eleanor, who are their pride and joy.
about our staff
Joseph Eckelkamp
Joseph Eckelkamp is an accomplished solo recitalist, chamber musician, accompanist, and cabaret arranger. His work for the Lincoln County R-III school district has included playing for musicals, concerts, competitions, and festivals for TBHS as a pianist and horn player, arranging and performing for Tonali-T show choir, and daily accompanying duties at TMS & TSMS. He has performed works on piano, F Horn, and organ such as the Fauré Requiem, Carmina Burana with the Nashville Ballet, and selections from the symphonic and chamber works of Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Gershwin, and Schubert among others. His work in theatre has included over 50 separate shows.
He attended East Central College and the University of Missouri - St. Louis studying piano performance under the tutelage of Dr. Jennifer Judd and Alla Voskoboynikova, jazz studies with Jim Widner and Ken Kehner, and music theory with Dr. Diane Tuliatos and Dr. Zachary Cairns. He has studied conducting from professionals with various orchestras and choruses in the greater St. Louis area.
While attending university he worked with musicians ranging from the Arianna String Quartet, Lou Marini, Ney Rosauro, Wayne Bergeron, and Arturo Sandoval, as well as being a studio musician and theatre orchestra performer. Joseph performed for the debut concerts of new works by Dr. Barbara Harbach, and new arrangements by various jazz arrangers.
In addition to his experience as a musician, Joseph apprenticed as a pipe organ builder, worked for Yamaha in their piano sales division, and has worked professionally in entertainment as a lighting designer, stage manager, conductor, and author.
Joseph is passionate about bridging various art forms to teach and learn in multiple disciplines. During his free time Joseph enjoys writing, film reviews, travel, and theatre. Joseph is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the Organ Historical Society. His current projects include preparing two recital programs for performance this spring and a number of arrangements for piano 4 hands ensemble.
Bobby Picker
Bobby Picker is an Alumni of Troy Buchanan High School where he was a member of “Express” Show Choir all 4 years. He was also involved in the men’s acapella group “Dodecaphonics”. Bobby is thrilled to be involved with such an amazing program and doing so alongside an incredible staff. After high school he would go on to attend Lindenwood University where he studied Musical Theatre.
Actively auditioning during school, Bobby received an opportunity to continue performing after of college. He moved to Orlando, Florida and worked as an Equity Singer/Dancer at Walt Disney World. Other venues he could be seen in included: Universal Studios, Busch Gardens Tampa, Six Flags St. Louis, Holiday World, Matt Davenport Productions, Entertainment Central Agency, Frog Choir, and The Muny St. Louis!
Growing up in a smaller town though, Bobby wanted to come back to the community that had treated him so well and felt he could still have music in his life. He now works as an Independent Insurance Agent at K.Flynn Insurance Agency in Troy, MO.
