Ms. Christine Scheller

Percussion Instructor

Christine Scheller has ben the percussion instructor with Slidell High since 2016. An alumni of Slidell High, she was the first female captain of the drumline and went on to play snare for Southeastern Louisiana University. After 10 years of working in TV/Film production, she became a teacher and percussion instructor. Now she teaches computer coding and broadcasting at Northshore High, and percussion at Slidell High. 

Mr. Ky-Rie Payton

Colorguard Instructor

Mr. Ky-rie Payton is currently the Head Colorguard Instructor for the Slidell High School Marching Tigers and has been on the instructional staff since 2023. From 2018-2020, he marched three seasons with the Slidell High Cologuard and Winterguard Programs. Additionally, he spun at the Independent WGI Level during the 2022 and 2023 season. Before joining the staff at Slidell High, he taught Colorguard at West Jones High School in Mississippi. 

Mr. Taylor Winkler

Visual Captain Head

Mr. Taylor Winkler is an active music educator with a diverse range of skills, experience, and knowledge. Currently, Taylor holds the position of Low Brass Instructor at Jones College where he teaches private studio lessons and conducts the low brass ensemble. He is also actively pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern Mississippi where he serves as one of the tuba/euphonium graduate assistants. In this role, he teaches private studio lessons and co-teaches the Low Brass Methods course for undergraduate music education students. Additionally, Taylor holds a Master of Music from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and a Bachelor of Music Education from Tennessee Technological University.

As an educator within the marching arts field, Taylor is currently Visual Caption Head at the Music City Drum & Bugle Corps, a world-class drum corps based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is also a visual instructor and choreographer for Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Tennessee where he has taught for the last nine seasons. In the winter, Taylor choreographs for Petal High School Indoor Percussion, a WGI Scholastic World Class finalist ensemble from Petal, Mississippi. He has also instructed on the visual team for the Louisiana Stars Drum & Bugle Corps in previous seasons.  Additionally, he has served as a visual consult, choreographer, and adjudicator for schools across the nation.

Alongside his educational career, Taylor has an established performance resume.  Currently, he is a substitute tubist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra where he has performed with vocalists such as Kristin Chenoweth and Bobby Weir. He is a multiple time finalist in the Derryberry Concerto Competition, and has performed for a wide variety of audiences across the Eastern United States. Being a large believer of chamber music, Taylor has played locally with various groups including: The Quintelligence Jazz Quintet, Tubannati, and currently plays with The Hattiesburg Tuba Quartet. Taylor can be heard on multiple studio albums including: The Music of Leroy Osmon Volume VI and Live at ’55. He is also an alum of the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps where he played the baritone and trombone.

Born in Marion, Indiana, growing up near Nashville, and now residing in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Taylor has cultivated and fostered a wide array of friendships and experience throughout his life. Aside from music, you can find Taylor weightlifting, delving into fantasy literature, and watching basketball — especially the Orlando Magic.