2023 Education Team

Matt Piros is an active performer and instrumental educator throughout Connecticut. In addition to his role as Brass Caption Head and Staff Coordinator with the Connecticut Hurricanes, he is the Director of Instrumental Music at Sage Park Middle School in Windsor, CT and is on the instructional staff for the Naugatuck High School Marching Band.

The 2023 season marks Matt’s tenth year with the Hurricanes. Matt was in the euphonium and mellophones lines from 2013-2016, served as drum major for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, joined the brass staff in 2019 and became brass caption head during the 2021 season.
Matt holds a Bachelors of Arts in Music from Trinity College, a Masters of Science in Education from the University of New Haven, and a 6th Year Diploma in Educational Administration from the University of Connecticut. He performs on trumpet and trombone with the Hartford Hot Several Brass Band and is a former bass soloist with the Hartford Chorale.

Bio coming soon…

Brian White has been a member of the Connecticut Hurricanes since 2008, where he has marched on Baritone, Tuba, and Trumpet. After graduating from Newtown High School in 2011, Brian attended the Eastman School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education in 2015. Brian currently lives in Rochester, NY with his wife, Kayleigh, who is also a Hurricane, Eastman graduate, and band director. Brian is the Director of Bands at The Aquinas Institute of Rochester and the Conductor of the Mount Hope World Singers. Brian is thrilled to return to the Brass staff in 2023 after helping the Hurricanes win their inaugural Open Class Championship in 2022.

Kate Warren is a freelance hornist based in New Haven, CT. She has previously toured with the Dallas Brass and held positions with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and the Sinfonia Gulf Coast. 

      As an educator Kate is passionate about creating resources for music students and has previously worked with Conn & Selmer and SmartMusic to develop and record a comprehensive beginner french horn curriculum. She believes in the free distribution of knowledge and works extensively within social media to promote music and music education through her instagram page @katewarrenmusic. Kate is also an in-demand lecturer and researcher, regularly presenting and speaking on gender and equity in brass playing. 

      Kate holds a Masters degree in horn performance from the New School, studying with Erik Ralske, a BM in horn performance from Florida State University, and is currently completing an MMA in horn performance at Yale.

        Kate also has extensive pageantry arts experience: currently she teaches brass at the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps and the Connecticut Hurricanes Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as visual at the Arizona Academy Drum & Bugle Corps. She has previously worked with the University of New Haven Marching Chargers, taught visual for Carolina Crown and Ancient City Percussion, as well as worked with numerous high school programs.

       Kate marched four summers of DCI playing mellophone, two with Carolina Crown (2017, 2018) and two with the Boston Crusaders (2015, 2016). Outside of music she enjoys rock climbing and reading non-fiction.

bio coming soon…

Ricky Cherry is excited to return in the role of Percussion Caption Head. He was a member of  the Connecticut Hurricanes from 2009 through 2014 and served as an in-line technician in 2014, and has been on staff as battery coordinator and now caption head since 2018. He was a member with United Percussion in 2012 and the Cadets2  in 2015.  He was on the instructional staff at Cadets2 in 2016 (winners of the DCA High Percussion Award & World Championship) and 2017.

Ricky has been involved with Connecticut-area high schools since 2008. He has worked with Brien McMahon High School, Shelton High School and Westhill High School. He was the Bass Drum Technician at Norwalk High School, a position he has held since 2013-2019. Norwalk Percussion earned back-to-back WGI Percussion Scholastic Open titles in 2014-2016 and 2019.  He’s currently in his 5th year at Stamford High School, and 2nd as Battery Caption Head.

Ricky is currently employed by Ventus Networks and Resides in Stratford, Conn.

AJ is excited to be returning to the Hurricanes for the 2023 season! He began his marching career at Maloney High School in Meriden, CT where he was a member of the marching band for four years. In 2013, he started at the University of New Haven where he studied Cyber Security and was a member of the marching band for five seasons, serving as percussion section leader in 2016.

He began his drum corps career as a snare drummer for Fusion Core in 2015. In 2016 and 2017 he marched for Cadets2, winning the DCA Championship and the High Percussion Award in the 2016 season.

He currently serves as a percussion instructor at Maloney High School and Cheshire High School, in addition to the University of New Haven. He excited to be working with a great group of educators at the Hurricanes and looks forward to the great season ahead!

bio coming soon…

bio coming soon…

bio coming soon…

Residing in Connecticut, Conor has been involved in the marching arts since joining the colorguard in Newtown, CT in 2002. As a performer, Conor has had the opportunity of performing with organizations such as Connecticut Hurricanes (05,06), Madison Scouts (07,08), The Cavaliers (09,10,11,12) and Alter Ego Winterguard (08,09,10,11).
Since aging out as a performer with The Cavaliers, Conor has had the opportunity to teach and choreograph for numerous groups throughout the years. His teaching experience includes Blessed Sacrament Winterguard, Emanon Winterguard, Fusion Winterguard, Shenendehowa High School and Newtown High School.
Outside of colorguard, Conor works as a graphic designer and enjoys painting in his spare time.

bio coming soon…

bio coming soon…

Coming Soon

Austin has been a freelance teacher and choreographer since the fall of 2004. He has worked with numerous high school groups fall/winter percussion  and drum corps in the northeast area. Some of those places are Norwalk high, Trumbull high, Westhill high, Stamford high, and Dartmouth high. Some of the drum corps he has taught are Connecticut Hurricanes, Hawthorne Caballeros, Fusion Core, Oregon Crusaders and Jersey Surf. Years he has taught or helped out the hurricanes are 2007, 2011-2012, and 2019. Austin is an alumni of Spirit of Atlanta where he marched from 2002-2006 where they made finals 4 out of those 5 years. He also likes to bring a unique style to the groups he teaches or writes choreo for. So they can have their own unique style! He is very excited to be working with his hometown Corp again!

Holman Carvajal is a graduate of Brien McMahon High School. He started marching in 2002 and has been part of the activity ever since. In 2005 Holman decided to march with the Connecticut Hurricanes where he marched 11 seasons straight, playing every brass instrument. In 2006 he got his first teaching job at Brien McMahon. Holman taught there for 6 years and then went on to teach at Stamford High School. Beginning in 2017, Holman began teaching at Norwalk High School.  He truly loves this activity and pursues excellence every given day at every rehearsal. Holman is looking forward to another phenomenal season!

Willie began his marching arts career playing trombone for Stamford High school.  After 2 seasons, he switched to the drumline where he played cymbals and bass drum.  Upon graduating from Stamford High School in 2006, Willie began teaching at Stamford High School as a visual tech.  Willie has gone on to teach as both a visual tech and cymbal line tech for Stamford High School, West Hill High School, Port Chester High School and the University of New Haven.  Willie marched in the low brass section of the Hurricanes for 8 years and is looking forward to returning as an instructor for the 2023 season.