About Us

Directors

Dr. Thomas Bourgault

Thomas Bourgault earned the Doctor of Music Arts in Wind Studies from Rutgers University where he studied conducting with Dr. Kraig Alan Williams. There he conducted all university bands and assisted with all facets of the wind band division. Bourgault holds the Bachelor of Music in Music Education and the Master of Arts in Music from the University of New Hampshire, with a focus in composition and wind conducting.

Prior to his appointment at Bridgewater-Raritan, Bourgault held the positions of Director of Instrumental Music at Lebanon High School, Lebanon, New Hampshire and Norwich Free Academy in Norwich, Connecticut, and Band Director at Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida. In addition to his duties at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, he is also the Director of Bands at William Paterson University, where he conducts the university band and teaches instrumental conducting.

As a composer, Dr. Bourgault has received numerous commissions from school and university bands throughout the country, including large symphonic bands, chamber ensembles, and mixed wind, string, percussion, and vocal ensembles. He currently maintains an active guest conducting schedule with public schools and regional honor bands.

Dr. Bourgault is the sole proprietor of his own publishing website which can be viewed here (https://savgamusic32.webs.com). Find out more about his composition and professional affiliates and check out some of his works!

Mr. Nicholas Mossa

Nicholas Mossa, a graduate of Bridgewater Raritan High School, currently serves as a band director for the Bridgewater Raritan High School and has enjoyed teaching music in the Bridgewater Raritan community since 2012. Mr. Mossa has an extensive performance background as a clarinetist including professional appearances with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Adelphi Orchestra, and the Central Park Orchestra. Mr. Mossa has also been recognized as a featured soloist with the Montclair State University Symphony Orchestra and at Kinhaven Music School in Weston, VT. His career performances have included concerts in Providence, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Shanghai, and New York City. Mr. Mossa is a current member of the Eastern Wind Symphony and is an active freelance performer outside of school.

As a director at Bridgewater Raritan High School, Mr. Mossa oversees seven performing ensembles including three curricular concert bands, the marching band, one of the two jazz bands, the winter guard, and the winter percussion ensemble. Mr. Mossa hopes to use his leadership of these student ensembles to create opportunities for student growth in areas of musical development, skill building, citizenry, artistry and character. Mr. Mossa is a part of the performing arts community at Bridgewater Raritan High School that, in various collaborative efforts, aims to celebrate and promote the curricular large ensembles as the core experience of the program which subsequently provides cohesion among all the co-curricular groups.

Mr. Mossa’s professional affiliations include the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education, Central Jersey Music Educators Association, New Jersey Music Educators Association, and the National Association for Music Education. Mr. Mossa occupies the position of Band Performance Chair within the New Jersey Association for Music Education board of directors and is proud to be an advocate for music education in the state of New Jersey.

Auxiliary Staff

Lauryn Heller - Color Guard Director
Lauryn Heller is looking forward to her first season with the BRHS Marching Band! Lauryn has experienced the world of marching arts from a very young age, particularly because of her mother’s influence. She attributes much of her success to her 8 years performing with the WGI A class finalist Haddon Heights HS “High Voltage” color guard program and its exceptional staff (2002-2009). After high school, Lauryn marched indoor color guard with The Light Brigade (2010), Alter Ego (2011, 2012), and The Black Watch (2014, 2016). Additionally Lauryn marched as a color guard performer with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. (2008-2013).
Lauryn’s creative and instructional experience includes Haddon Heights HS (2010 - Present), Washington Township HS (2011 - 2019), Surge Independent (2016 - Present), The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (2014, 2015), The Black Watch (2017, 2018), Hatboro Horsham Indoor Percussion Ensemble (2019), United Percussion (2017 - Present), Bushwackers Drum Corps (2016 - Present), Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (2016 - Present), and other programs in the tri-state area.
In almost every aspect of her life, Lauryn chooses to dedicate her time and efforts to the growth and support of the youth. She has earned an Associate’s degree in social services from Gloucester County College and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rowan University. By day, Lauryn is a kindergarten aftercare teacher at an elementary school. On nights and weekends, she is working with multiple marching arts organizations. Lauryn is looking forward to an exciting season of teamwork, growth, and new memories!

Kirby Marino - Percussion Director
Kirby is a percussion educator, arranger, and adjudicator in New Jersey. He started his marching career at Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. He then went on to march quads with the Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps (2012-2013) and Fusion “Core” (2015). Kirby aged out with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps in 2016 and marched with United Percussion (2014-2017).

In addition to teaching and arranging with the Bridgewater-Raritan HS marching band, Kirby also teaches numerous other ensembles in New Jersey. Kirby is a quad technician at the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps, the Rutgers University Drumline, and is the battery coordinator and arranger at United Percussion 2. Kirby is excited to excited to return to the Bridgewater-Raritan marching band in this new role!

Robert Peterson - Visual Program Director
Robert Peterson is a full-time marching arts visual designer and educator. Since 2013, Robert has taught high school programs across New Jersey as a movement specialist, visual caption head, and designer/drill writer. These groups include Bridgewater-Raritan HS and Indoor Guard, Roxbury HS and Indoor Percussion, Monroe Township HS, Jefferson HS, Woodbridge HS, and Governor Livingston HS.

Robert's drum corps teaching experience includes the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps from 2016-2018, and the Music City Drum and Bugle Corps for the 2019 season. Robert also taught the DCA corps Fusion Core during their 2019 season.

Robert has three years of experience marching drum corps including the DCA corps Cadets2 (2013) and the DCI corps The Cadets (2014-2015).

Robert is super excited to be joining the team at Bridgewater-Raritan high school for his 5th year, and reprise his role as Visual Caption head!

Joseph Espineira - Percussion Instructor
Joseph Espineira is excited to enter his 12th year teaching the BRHS Marching Band! Joe is currently the full time director is instrumental music at the Manville School District in Manville NJ where he is in charge of grades 5-8 band, marching band, and jazz band. He brings with him 9 years of full time teaching experience, 2 years of drum and bugle corps performing experience; including a DCI High Percussion Award, 2 years of drum corps teaching experience, and maintains an active performance schedule with the Eastern Wind Symphony as a percussionist. Accolades with Eastern Wind Symphony include a performance at the 2015 Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago, IL and a premier and recording session of Julie Giroux Symphony 5 “Elements.”

Thomas Murphy - Percussion Instructor
Mr. Thomas Murphy has been a public school instrumental teacher in New Jersey for 32 years. All three decades have been in outstanding NJ school districts with wonderful music programs. His first twenty years he dedicated to the Southern Regional School District, then ten years in the Randolph School District and now he will end his career in Bridgewater Raritan school district. He has been nominated for the Ocean County Teacher of the Year, was named Sallie Mae Teacher of the Year and Governor Teacher of the Year and, most recently, named a Yale Distinguished Music Educator. After his inspirational North Penn High School experience he has been dedicated to feeding fantastic High School programs with enthused, well-educated, musical freshman. This year marks Mr. Murphy’s 34th year associated with a Marching Band. In both his undergraduate degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his Masters degree from Ithaca College he was fortunate to study with leaders in the percussion field. His percussion background includes study with marimba virtuoso Gordon Stout, timpani study with Dean Witten, and well-rounded orchestral study with Dr. Gary Olmstead. Mr. Murphy is co-author of the “100 Days to Sight Reading Excellence” series. He traveled Europe as a student with American Music Abroad in 1982. This summer will be his 26th tour as a director and 17th as a Head Director with that same company. His tour brings 120 High School band, orchestra, and choir students to Europe each summer to perform in five countries over three weeks. Proudly, he has exposed over 2,000 students to Dachau concentration camp in Germany. Mr. Murphy is married to Art Educator, Maura Boucher, and has two children, Eli and Hannah.

Rachael Terracciano - Color Guard Instructor
Rachael Terracciano is an alum from BRHS class of 2014. She was a member of the colorguard and winterguard for 9 seasons on saber, rifle and flag. Rachael also studied and performed with a dance company for 15 years. Rachael recently graduated from East Carolina University and has moved home to attend Rutgers University to complete her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. Rachael is excited to be back and working with the BRHS marching band!

Additional Auxiliary Staff:
Joe Parillo - Color Guard Assistant Director
Ana Sewell - Color Guard Instructor