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.

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.

Auxiliary Staff

Lauryn (Heller) Griffin - Visual Designer & Color Guard Supervisor
Lauryn (Heller) Griffin is looking forward to her 5th season with the Bridgewater Raritan Marching Band & Color Guard. Having experienced the world of marching arts from a very young age, particularly because of her mother’s influence, reflects fondly upon her 13 years of learning and performance as a member of the Haddon Heights marching programs. Lauryn has also performed with The Light Brigade, Alter Ego, The Black Watch, and The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps.
As a creator & instructor, her experience is including, but not limited to: The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (‘14, ‘15), The Black Watch (‘17, ‘18), Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (‘16-’19), United Percussion (‘17-’23), The Bushwackers Drum Corps (‘16-’23), and Bridgewater Raritan HS (‘19-’23).
Beyond involvement in the marching arts community, Lauryn is in pursuit of a master's degree in teaching special education, while she works as an elementary special education teacher in Bridgewater, NJ. She loves to spend free time with her husband, Eddie, and their two dogs - Henry and Murphy. Lauryn is looking forward to the creation of another memorable season with BRHS Marching Band & Color Guard.

Kirby Marino - Percussion Director
Kirby is a percussion educator and arranger based in New Jersey. He started working with the Bridgewater Raritan High School Marching Band in 2018 and became the Percussion Director in the winter of 2018. Kirby works with the Marching Band and the Indoor Percussion Ensemble, serving as an arranger and designer for both ensembles and director of the Indoor Percussion Ensemble.

In addition to his roles with Bridgewater-Raritan, Kirby also teaches other ensembles in New Jersey. He is currently the battery coordinator at the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps.

Rebecca Youngerman - Color Guard Co-Director
Rebecca is excited to be with the BR marching band program for the third year! She has been involved in the activity for over a decade. She has performed with groups including the Mandarins and The Blackwatch and instructs the Bushwackers drum corps. Outside of colorguard, she is a senior data scientist working in healthcare to support her 3 adorable cats.

Rachael Terracciano - Color Guard Co-Director
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!

Matt Sakasitz - Co-Lead Visual Instructor
Matt Sakasitz is currently the Instrumental Music Director at the Peck School in Morristown, NJ. In addition to the Bridgewater Raritan Marching Band, he is also on the Brass Staff of the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps (2019-Present). Matt brings to Bridgewater 6 years of teaching experience teaching instrumental music and marching ensembles throughout New Jersey. He holds a Masters in Wind Conducting and a Bachelors degree in Music Education, both from Rutgers University. Matt is a proud alum of the BRHS Band program, and is excited to work at his alma mater!

Bryan Cook - Co-Lead Visual Instructor
An alumnus of Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Bryan Cook is excited to be returning to the BRHS Marching Band for his third year. Bryan graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2021, where he studied Music Education. During his time at TCNJ, Bryan was principal trumpet of the TCNJ Wind Ensemble and assumed various leadership roles throughout the music department. Bryan is currently in his third year of teaching, and is a band director with the Hillsborough school district. When not at some sort of rehearsal, you can find Bryan watching sports or hitting double par on the golf course.

Brian Horn - Battery Instructor
Brian Horn is a marching percussion educator from Somerset, NJ. His marching percussion career started 15 years ago at Immaculata High School in Somerville, NJ. Brian’s first experience with an independent group was playing snare drum as a member of the Bushwackers (2010). Following the DCA experience, Brian then marched 2 seasons, including his age-out season, at United Percussion (snare
drum 2011, 2012). Brian has been the caption head at Westfield High School (US Bands), since 2012. Brian also has WGI, DCA, and DCI teaching experience, with East Coast Percussion (2018), with United Percussion A (2019), The Hawthorne Caballeros (2018,2019) and most recently with the Jersey Surf (2019).

Additional Auxiliary Staff:
DJ Mazzarella - Color Guard Choreographer
Joe Parillo - Color Guard Instructor
Mike King - Front Ensemble instructor
Harry Teele - Battery Percussion Instructor
Hannah D'Elia - Battery Percussion Instructor
Adam Selph - Visual & Low Brass Instructor

Kevin Bene - Jazz Faculty