Andrew “Gonzo” Garonzik is a Rowan University graduate where he earned a degree in Music Education. Originally from Maryland, Andrew also studied at Towson University as a Jazz Performance major. Andrew has worked at H. Ashton Marsh Elementary School and Emma C. Attales Middle School in the Absecon Public School District as one of their music teachers and is currently the Winslow Middle School Band Director in Winslow, NJ.

Andrew is currently the Soprano Cornet player for the multi-national championship winning Atlantic Brass Band (Ensemble-in-Residence at Rowan University). He has performed in venues, festivals and competitions all over the world including Brass in Concert at the Sage Gateshead, Newcastle (U.K.), The Scottish Open, Perth (Scotland), The British Open, Symphony Hall (U.K.), Carnegie Hall (NYC), The Great American Brass Band Festival (KY), the North American Brass Band Summer School (Halifax, NS), The Mann Center for the Performing Arts (PA), The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo (Halifax, NS), The U.S. Open Brass Band Championships (IL) The North American Brass Band Championships (IN) with ensembles that include the Atlantic Brass Band, the Leyland Band, the Kings Division Brass Band, the Philadelphia Wind Symphony, the Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey, the South Jersey Wind Ensemble, and the Rockville Brass Band. Andrew is also a frequent free-lance musician.

Dr. Bryan Appleby-Wineberg is Professor of Trumpet and Head of Brass at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey and a Bach Trumpet Artist.  During the 2009-2010 academic year he was in the UK on sabbatical performing with the world famous Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band as well as The Lindley Band in Yorkshire, England.  Upon his return to the USA he resumed his responsibilities at Rowan University, as Principal Trumpet of The Bay-Atlantic Symphony, and as Principal Cornet/Assistant Conductor of The Atlantic Brass Band (ensemble in residence at Rowan University).  ABB won The North American Brass Band Championships in 2011 and 2012.  At Rowan, Bryan teaches Studio Trumpet and Trumpet Class for the Music Education students, conducts the Trumpet Ensemble and Rowan Brass Band, and performs in The Faculty Brass Quintet.  He is also the MD of The Atlantic-Rowan Prep Youth Brass Band (a joint venture with, ABB, Rowan PREP, and The Rowan University Department of Music), and a founding member of the professional trumpet sextet Tromba Mundi. Bryan holds degrees from The Oberlin Conservatory of Music, The Cleveland Institute of Music, and The Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Bryan lives in Glassboro, NJ with his wife Sarah (a Midwife and Nurse-Practitioner in Women’s Health).  They have two daughters, Hannah and Kathryn.

Follow his blog at: https://rowantrumpetprof.com/about/

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Luke Hershman goes to school at Rowan University studying Music Education and Trumpet where he has played with the Rowan University Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Brass Band. Luke teaches marching band at Clearview Regional High School in Mullica Hill.

Christopher Underwood hails from Roanoke, Virginia. He is an active educator and performer throughout the United States and Europe. Underwood is 3rd Trumpet of the Asheville Symphony, former Principal Trumpet of the Durham Symphony, former Solo Cornet in the North Carolina Brass Band, a former member of the Piedmont Wind Symphony, and frequently performs with Roanoke Symphony and Carolina Philharmonic. Underwood currently is on faculty at the University of Delaware as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Trumpet.  At the university Underwood teaches trumpet, leads masterclasses, and coaches the undergraduate and graduate quintets.  Previously, Underwood has held positions at UNC Pembroke and East Tennessee State University leading master classes, conducting trumpet ensemble and teaching studio lessons.

While studying in Sweden at the Malmö Academy of Music, Christopher performed as Principal Trumpet with the Lunds Stadsorkester, and as auxiliary trumpet with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. Christopher then entered a one-year intensive masters program in orchestral studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, U.K. where he garnered the opportunity to perform throughout England as a soloist, chamber musician, and principal trumpet of local orchestras and brass bands.  

Christopher Underwood received his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in trumpet at the University of North Carolina – Greensboro while serving as a graduate teaching assistant. He has attended the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, U.K., and Malmo Academy of Music in Sweden. Additionally, Underwood holds a Masters of Music in Trumpet Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Bachelor’s in Music Business from Radford University.

                                                   Full bio forthcoming.

Paige Kerrigan is an active teacher and performer in the New Jersey and Philadelphia
areas. She plays solo cornet with the Atlantic Brass Band and performs in the trumpet section
with the Philadelphia Wind Symphony. Ms. Kerrigan is currently a Teaching Artist with the El
Sistema program Play On Philly (POP) in Philadelphia, PA, where she serves as the Division
Lead of the Brass Department. At POP, she is also the Assistant Wind Ensemble Director and
teaches trumpet and trombone studio classes. She is passionate about spreading music education
to underserved children and working towards a more equitable future for young musicians.

Ms. Kerrigan is a frequent contributor to the International Trumpet Guild Journal (ITG)
and serves as the editor of the Product and App Reviews column. She has written many reviews
for ITG and recently had an interview article, Stanford Thompson: Fighting Inequity Through
Music, featured in the journal.

Ms. Kerrigan earned the Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance at the
University of Northern Colorado and the Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance at
The University of South Alabama. Her principal trumpet teachers were Philip Hembree and Peter
Wood. Ms. Kerrigan currently resides in New Jersey with her husband and their dog Gumbo.
https://paigekerrigantrumpet.com/ 

Cassandra Hesse joined the Atlantic Brass Band in Spring of 2016. She graduated in 2013 from Penn State University where she received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education. Cassandra holds a Masters Degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Delaware where she studied with Professor Rob Skoniczin. While at the University of Delaware Cassandra led the Graduate Brass Quintet, served as principal trumpet in all major ensembles, and traveled with the Wind Ensemble to Taiwan to perform at the International Band and Orchestra Conference.

Cassandra is currently a high school band director in the King of Prussia area. She continues to teach private lessons and perform in Chester County.   

Sue is a semi-retired music teacher and the Principal cornet of the Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band in Delaware.  Full bio forthcoming.

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Bonnie is a former student of Dr. Bryan Appleby-Wineberg and former Principal cornet of the Rowan University Brass Band, currently doing her Masters degree in Trumpet Performance at West Chester University.  Bonnie graduated from Rowan University with a BM Music Education/Trumpet Performance and a Bachelor of Arts, holding dean's list distinction all four years.  She is an aspiring teacher, musician, and writer who enjoys working with disadvantaged students and has served as a music and brass instructor in multiple capacities as well as a private lesson teacher to students of all ages.  Full bio forthcoming.

Justin was the Principal cornet in the Rowan University Brass Band and past trumpet student of Dr. Bryan Appleby-Wineberg. By day, Justin is a Geographic Information Systems Analyst, having earned a Master's degree in GIS from Penn State University, along with a BS in Geographic Information Science and Cartography and a BA in Music (Trumpet) from Rowan University.  Justin also holds a FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification and flies drones as a hobby.  Some of his aerial photos can be seen on Instagram @flyguyz_drones.  Justin plays trumpet with various south Jersey bands of many different genres, including his band The Third Arrangement.  In his spare time he is an avid hiker and mountain climber.

Michelle started in brass bands at the age of 16, playing solo cornet with the Varsity All-Star Brass Band in Columbus, Ohio. As a student at the Ohio State University, she was a five-year member and squad leader of the highly competitive OSU Marching Band, played cornet with the Ohio Collegiate Brass (OCB), and was a trumpet student of Dr. Richard Burkart before ultimately graduating with degrees in Biology and Fisheries Management.  OCB became the Central Ohio Brass Band and Michelle moved to flugelhorn until a career advancement in 2003 brought her to NJ and back to cornet with the Atlantic Brass Band (ABB).  

Her banding highlights include ABB's participation in the 2018 Brass In Concert and Scottish Open contests, its 2013 WMC Contest in the Netherlands, the 2011, 2012, and 2017 NABBA Championship wins, and the 2004 performance at the Pantheon (Italy), along with her performance at the Whit Friday marches in Yorkshire, UK. Michelle has been fortunate to attend esteemed UK banding events including the British Opens, British Nationals, All-England Masters, Butlins, and the RNCM Festival of Brass.  

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As a 19 year ABB Board member serving previously as VP, Personnel Manager, and Secretary, Michelle has played a vital role in bringing a professional image to ABB, single-handedly developing and managing the band's website and social media platforms as Marketing Chair as well as taking on big projects such as MABBF marketing and programs, merchandise development, and international tour planning.  

A fish biologist by occupation, Michelle is a former public aquarium biologist and the founder/owner of New Jersey Aquarium Service.  In her spare time, she has dived with great white sharks in Gansbaai, South Africa and with reef sharks in the Bahamas, has done mountain climbing in the Pyrenees in France, and has gone on safari in Kruger National Park. 

A former student of Dr. Bryan Appleby-Wineberg, Greg is back for his second stint with Atlantic after having moved temporarily to Oklahoma to complete his Master's in Trumpet Performance at Oklahoma City University where he also played in the Frontier Brass Band under Ryan Sharpe.  Greg was a part of Atlantic's 2017 US Open win.  

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Dr. William Wiegard is thrilled to join the Atlantic Brass Band as Solo Horn & looks forward to getting to know his new band mates!

Prior to the ABB, he was Solo Horn & Music Librarian with a 2 year stint as Personnel Manager with the San Antonio Brass Band since 2016. In their inaugural season competing at the 2018 North American Brass Band Association Championships, San Antonio was named National Champions of the First Division. Later that year, he surprised his colleagues, friends & family with his bold decision to sell his French horn & switch exclusively to Tenor Horn.

William earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Horn Performance & Pedagogy at the University of Texas in Austin & holds two Masters in Music Degrees (Horn Performance & Chamber Music) from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  Born & raised in Iowa, he grew up watching NCAA Iowa Hawkeye Basketball games alongside his Grandma, so naturally he spent his undergrad as a Hawkeye at the University of Iowa.

Full bio forthcoming.

Full bio forthcoming.

Bruce joined Atlantic Brass Band in the fall of 2002.  He studied French Horn with Daniel Williams and Randy Gardner at the New School of Music, Philadelphia.  Early studies on Trombone and French Horn were done with Seymour Platt and M. Robert Snyder.

Bruce plays French Horn with the South Jersey Philharmonic, and has formerly played with the Rowan University Community Orchestra and Rowan University Concert Band.  

He is currently employed as an Engineering Technician in Philadelphia.  Bruce is committed to improving musicianship despite advancing old age.

Joseph Sino is the 9th/10th grade instrumental director at Memorial High School in Millville, NJ. He also is the assistant director of the Millville Marching Band and co-advisor for Millville’s Tri-M Music Honors Society.  While in Millville, Mr. Sino has also had the pleasure of conducting the Cumberland All-County honors band and Olympic Conference Regional Honors Band.   

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Joseph graduated from Rowan University in 2014 and studied Euphonium with Tyrone Breuninger and Dr. Amy Bliss. He was the 2015 1st place soloist on Euphonium at the Mid-Atlantic Brass Band Festival.  Through college, Joseph also spent 5 years working with the Minutemen Marching band at Washington Township where he was director for 2 years.  During his time as director, the band traveled to Memphis, TN and were named the Grand Champions in competition for having the highest scores in field show and parade performance against schools across the country.  

Currently, Joseph is working towards a Masters in Conducting at Messiah University.  He has been involved in the Atlantic Youth Brass Band for 7 years and has been a member of the Atlantic Brass Band for 11 years, and is excited to continue working with these groups as they progress towards their future.

Michael Fahrner is a euphonium player and low brass educator based in Philadelphia, PA. Michael serves as the Adjunct Professor of Euphonium at Rowan University and is on the brass faculty at Settlement Music School and Rowan Community Music School. When he's not teaching, Michael works on staff for SchoolofBrass.com, an online brass education space that hosts masterclasses, conversations, and live streams with brass artists around the world.

Michael received his Bachelor's of Music in Euphonium Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he studied with Dr. John Bottomley, and earned his master's degree in Euphonium Performance from Georgia State University, where he studied with Eric Bubazc and Dr. William Mann. Michael also was a longtime student of Dr. Adam Frey, renowned international euphonium soloist. Michael is a member of The Philadelphia Wind Symphony and has competed internationally. He actively commissions new works for euphonium and is in demand for clinics as a brass educator. 

Michael maintains a private virtual studio of low brass students and lives in Philadelphia with his wife and two dogs. He can be found on Instagram @mikeplayseuph.   https://www.michaelfahrner.com/

William "Willy" Whalen received his B.M. in Music Education from Temple University.  He previously played with Atlantic on euphonium before moving to Maryland for work.  Having recently relocated with his wife back to Philadelphia, Willy has rejoined the band on baritone.  Full bio forthcoming.

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Michael Armstrong is a Graduate of The College of New Jersey where he earned his Bachelors of Music in Music Education. While at TCNJ, Mike studied trombone under Donald Harwood and conducting under Dr. William Sylvester; as well as performed with the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and Jazz Ensemble. After Graduation, he was hired by the Deptford Township School District where he is currently the high school band director. Mike’s teaching duties include Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, AP Theory, Music Theory I, Instrumental Lessons, Marching Band, Honors Music auditions, and the Pit conductor for the All School Musical. During his tenure at the high school, the ensembles under his guidance have experienced a wealth of success; including a National marching band championship, an Atlantic Coast marching band championship, several NJ State and South Jersey marching band championships, an SJBODA Concert Band Festival 1 st place for the Wind Ensemble, and 3 invitations to the NJ State Honors Band Gala for the Wind Ensemble

Mike Armstrong joined the Atlantic Brass Band as assistant principal trombone in the fall of 2003 before switching over to the 2 nd chair later that year. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe as both a performer and a chaperone with the TCNJ Wind Ensemble, the All-American Youth in Concert tour, and the Atlantic Brass Band. Mike is also a freelance conductor having conducted at the Broadway Theater in Pitman, NJ; as well as guest conducted the Olympic Conference Honors Band, the Cape/Atlantic Honors Band, and the Atlantic Brass Band. In his spare time, Mike Armstrong is an avid runner, loves amusement parks, and is a movie buff. He currently resides in Sewell, NJ with his wife Lisa.

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Alf has a Bachelor of Music Education from Ithaca College, and a Master of Arts in School Administration from Rowan University. Outside of collegiate ensembles, he has performed with the Utica Symphony Orchestra, Grassroots Festival Chamber Orchestra, and the Doylestown Symphonic Winds.

Alf is presently employed as Supervisor of Fine, Practical, and Performing Arts at a K-12 school district in central New Jersey. Prior to that, he spent nine years as a band director at Monroe Township High School. Ensembles under his leadership have performed across the country, including the Pearl Harbor Day Parade in Hawaii in 2016 (75th anniversary). His students have featured in numerous Region, State, and All-Eastern ensembles, and the United States Army All-American Marching Band.

David Laird is a music teacher in the Millville, NJ school system.  He holds a degree in Music (Tuba) from Temple University.  Full bio forthcoming.

Jeff has the distinction of being the only charter member of the Atlantic Brass Band still remaining in the band, having served as president when it was known as the Wheaton Brass Band.  When the Wheaton Glassworks ceased funding the group, Jeff proposed the name change to Atlantic Brass Band.  He also served as personnel director and librarian for several years each.  Jeff studied music at Glassboro State Teachers College (now Rowan University), before enlisting in the US Navy, serving three years as a communications electrician in Vietnam.  Upon his return, he majored in Biology and taught in the Glassboro public schools for thirty-four years.  

Jeff has participated in all of the Atlantic Brass Band's competitions, and has also played with the Tri-County Band, the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble, the Cherry Hill Wind Symphony, and the Delaware County Orchestra.  Besides his involvement with music, Jeff has a career in glass-blowing with a private studio in Clayton, NJ, where he lives with his wife. Jeff is also the father of Ryan Vanaman, a former front row cornet player with Atlantic who is now a US Marine awaiting placement in a Marine Band.

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Bill Connors is a freelance musician living in the New Hope, PA area who studied tuba performance at the Colburn School, a Performing Arts school in Los Angeles, California.  Full bio forthcoming.

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John McClernan is a retired NJ music educator and active musician in the south Jersey area.  He is a member of the Atlantic City Jazz Band   Full bio forthcoming.

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Bio forthcoming.

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Ms. Megan Cooney comes to ABB after six years of serving as Director of Athletic Bands, Associate Director of Bands, and Instructor of Percussion Studies at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. While at St. Ambrose Cooney established the Fighting Bee Marching Band & Pep Band programs, the SAU Color Guard program, Front Ensemble program, and aided in the creation of both a WGI competitive Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion program in 2021. 

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Cooney holds several professional teaching and conducting accolades. Among these awards are Yamaha’s 2021 Top 40 Under 40 Music Educator Award, the St. Ambrose University Career Champion Award, and the St. Ambrose University Student Success Champion Award, and in 2021 Cooney was a Grammy Music Educator quarterfinalist. In 2015 she participated as a conducting fellow with the Cortona Sessions for New Music and in July 2022 was selected as both a CBDNA Mike Moss Conducting Grant recipient, representing underrepresented groups within the music profession, and a conducting participant for the US Army Band Pershing’s Own Conducting Workshop.

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Cooney is a native of Southern New Jersey. She earned her B.M. in Instrumental Music Education from Rowan University in 2011 with a concentration in percussion performance studying with Professor Dean Witten. In 2014 Cooney earned her M.M. in Wind Conducting from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and served as graduate teaching assistant with the UMass Minuteman Marching Band, the largest collegiate marching band in the northeast and home of the Drum Major Academy. During her graduate degree she continued her study of percussion performance and contemporary music with Professor Ayano Kataoka. Previously Cooney has directed numerous secondary, collegiate, youth, and community ensembles. She has experience teaching with several non-profit music organizations including El Sistema Ravinia, the COR Music Project of Cincinnati, and New Horizons. Cooney has taught music in the public schools at the elementary, middle, and high school level prior to her appointment at St. Ambrose.
 

In her free time Cooney enjoys staying active as a performer and has served as principal percussionist with the Iowa Brass Band and timpanist with the Tallgrass Brass Band located in Solon, Iowa. Cooney is beyond excited to return home and begin the process of building a comprehensive athletic band program for the Rowan University and South Jersey area community.

                               Full bio forthcoming.

                               Click here to schedule an audition.

Anthony Fabrizio is a band director at Millburn High School where he co directs the concert band, two symphonic bands, the wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, and pep band. Prior to this, he served as the Director of Bands at West Essex Regional High School. Ensembles under his direction have earned consistent superior ratings at festivals and competitions, and students throughout the program earn spots in top regional and national honor bands as well as conservatory pre-colleges.

Anthony currently serves as the Percussion Coordinator for Region 1 of the New Jersey School Music Association including both High School and Middle School Honor Bands and Orchestras. In addition, he has taught percussion masterclasses at universities and high schools across the New York metropolitan area and in Chongqing, China. He has also been a clinician at the New Jersey Music Educators Conferences on the topic of percussion pedagogy for band and orchestra directors.

Professionally, Anthony has appeared with several wind bands, orchestras, and percussion ensembles. His achievements also include being a finalist for principal timpani with the Chicago Civic Orchestra, as well as a semifinalist for the principal timpani position with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

Anthony earned a Masters degree in Percussion Performance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He was awarded the Graduate Assistantship, designed and taught the Percussion Methods Course, and served as the principal timpanist and percussionist with the CCM Philharmonia, Wind Orchestra, and Chamber Players. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Percussion and Music Education with a minor in classical piano from William Paterson University in New Jersey.

Dr. Oliveira is a performer and educator with a wide variety of professional experiences as percussionist, improviser and conductor, working regularly in orchestral, chamber, solo and artist accompaniment settings, and navigating consistently between European classical and traditional Brazilian music.  Transversing these traditions is an important and distinctive feature of his work. As a scholar, Fabio concentrated in matters related to multiple-percussion performance - dealing with music by Aperghis, Xenakis and Tutschku, preparing performances with live electronics, text translation in Instrumental Musical Theatre, composer-performer collaboration, and instrument building. He's also theorized and published about traditional Brazilian Pagode Music. Dr. Oliveira has recordings released on Tzadik, New World Records and Mode Records.

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Since the fall of 2019, Dr. Oliveira has been the Director of Percussion Studies at Rowan University (NJ, USA), as well as a member of the PAS New Music / Research Day Committee. He's also been a percussion judge and consultant to the Samba Carnival Parades in São Paulo, Brazil, since 2017. Between 2009 and 2019 he lead the establishment of a growing community of percussionists residing and creating work in the heart of Brazil, in the town of Goiânia. There he directed percussion and drum-set studies at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), and co-founded NΞP³, the Nucleus for Excellence in Education, Research and Performance in Percussion.  The center aggregates percussion generated musical investigation and performance, and coordinates activities across 4 higher ed campuses. From its creation in 2013, CΞP³ won multiple prizes and awards (FUNARTE, SECULT, MEC), as well as federal and state research grants (CNPQ, CAPES, FAPEG, IFG), with funding of about $1,150,000.

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Bio forthcoming.

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Percussionist and educator Gage Kroljic is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with dual bachelor degrees in music education and percussion performance. His primary percussion study was guided by Dan C Armstrong and Gifford Howarth.  Gage’s performing experiences while at Penn State included the Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Mallet Ensemble.  He also played in the pit orchestra for the School of Theatre’s musical productions.

Gage has been the recipient of many notable honors in and out of academia. He was selected to perform in the Penn State School of Music's showcase "Mosaic" as a soloist and member of small chamber ensembles on multiple occasions. In the Spring of 2019, he performed the Gene Koshinski's "Concerto for Marimba and Choir (with percussion)" with the Penn State Concert Choir.

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Outside the School of Music, Gage has also performed with the Atlantic Brass Band, Altoona Symphony Orchestra, Nittany Valley Symphony, Mad Beatz Philly Drumline and various drum and bugle corps. He has served as a percussion technician for the Pennsauken High School Marching Band, and teaches private music instruction.  See Gage's website here: 

https://gagekroljic.wixsite.com/portfolio