A Columbia High School graduate is now the director of the Saint Louis University Pep Band, following in the footsteps of his former principal.

Grant Unnerstall was announced as the new band leader effective Aug. 1. 

Unnerstall also serves as Assistant Band Director in the Rockwood (Mo.) School District. 

SLU’s pep band calls itself the “World’s Greatest Pep Band” and is made up of both SLU students and alumni. The band has long been a staple at basketball games.

“We are thrilled to welcome Grant to the Billiken team as the new leader of the Saint Louis University Pep Band,” SLU Director of Athletics Chris May said. “His wealth of experience leading pep bands will be a great benefit to our students and pep band members. The pep band is a critical element to the gameday experience at our athletic events. Our department will work closely with Grant and other leaders to ensure a positive and fulfilling experience for its members.”

With close to 10 years of teaching experience to his name, Unnerstall most recently spent the 2023 spring semester as an Adjunct Professor of Music at Maryville University. Prior to relocating to the St. Louis area in 2022, he held a teaching role at the University of Missouri, Kansas City Conservatory, while serving as the Roeland Park New Horizons’ Band Director from 2019-22.  

Unnerstall received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Illinois State in 2014 before going on to earn his Master of Music and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Miami Frost School of Music and University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory, respectively.  

“I’m extremely excited and honored to serve as the next director of the Billiken Pep Band,” said Unnerstall. “As a resident of the city of St. Louis, I know that Saint Louis University has historically served the community as the most accomplished college athletics program in the metro area. I look forward to being a part of the gameday experience at Chaifetz Arena.”

Dr. Mike Beczkala, a retired longtime principal at Parkview Elementary in Columbia, founded SLU’s pep band and ran it for 30 years. 

He was Unnerstall’s elementary school principal. Unnerstall played with the pep band in high school, and during his last year of college, he interned as a director of the band under Beczkala’s instruction. 

Though Unnerstall was never in the band as a student and is not a SLU alumnus, Unnerstall told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he intends to “bring an outside perspective and a music education background that the band has never seen before.”