School of Brass Faculty

Samantha Croach plays cornet with the River City Brass.  She graduated in 2012 from Slippery Rock University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Music Education.  She went on to continue her studies at Carnegie Mellon University, earning a Master of Trumpet Performance as a recipient of the School of Music Fellowship.  She studied with Mr. Neal Berntsen of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  In addition, Samantha is currently an elementary music teacher in the Ambridge Area School District.  In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, crocheting, and spending time with her husband, Brian.

Euphonium/Baritone, Trombone, Tuba
Nathan Meyers is a Pittsburgh-based low brass educator and performer. Originally from Pittsburgh, Meyers attended the University of North Texas as a double major in Music Education and Euphonium Performance. While in Texas, Meyers pursued music in many avenues, performing regularly on euphonium and trombone in classical and jazz formats, teaching private lessons and masterclasses, as well as working with various marching bands and chamber groups. After a brief stint working at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, Meyers returned home to Pittsburgh, where he completed his Master’s Degree in Euphonium Performance at Duquesne University. Today, Meyers teaches privately, works with local bands, competes actively, and regularly plays with the River City Brass Band. Meyers’ primary teachers include Dr. James Gourlay, Dr. Brian L. Bowman, and Dr. David Childs.

Mr. Brian Croach is one of the instructors for the River City Brass Band’s “School of Brass” where assists in teaching beginning brass and percussion students. Brian received his B.S. in Music Education from Slippery Rock University in 2014. As a trumpet and cornet player, Brian enjoys playing the Eb soprano cornet with the Allegheny Brass Band.

Mr. Croach is the instrumental and general music teacher at Laurel Middle High School where he teaches students in grades seven through twelve. He will be entering his 6th year at Laurel at the start of the 2019-2020 school year where his regular schedule consists of seventh and eighth grade instrumental lessons, seventh and eighth grade concert band, seventh grade general music, ninth through twelfth grade chamber ensemble, ninth through twelfth grade beginning theory class, and ninth through twelfth grade concert band.  The Senior High Concert Band showcased their talents this past year when they premiered a new work of music on a concert with the River City Brass Band. Brian is also the director of the marching band as well as the jazz ensemble. Both groups perform regularly and the jazz ensemble even opened up for the Balcony Big Band this past spring.

Algirdas Matonis is a Lithuanian born euphonium player. He serves as a Principal Euphonium at River City Brass Band in Pittsburgh, Low Brass Instructor at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, and is a founder of a digital music publishing company and store at www.matonizz.com. Algirdas performed as a featured artist at ITEC in 2012, 2014 and 2019. In 2014 Algirdas won the ‘Fodens Solo Competition’ in the UK, which led to his appointment at River City Brass as well as a full scholarship for Carnegie Mellon University. Algirdas received his undergraduate degree in 2014 at Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester under the tutelage of Steven Mead and David Thornton. In 2017, he finished his postgraduate degree at Carnegie Mellon under the guidance of Lance LaDuke. Algirdas is a sponsored artist with Denis Wick and DF Music Inc. He is currently dedicated to his role as the section leader at River City Brass, teaching at Seton Hill University and the RCB School of Brass, performing as a low brass clinician and soloist, and managing www.matonizz.com

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Abby Langhorst is a freelance percussionist in the Pittsburgh area. She has performed with groups such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, Resonance Works, Alia Musica Pittsburgh, and NAT 28. Outside of Pittsburgh, she has performed with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra in Tennessee and the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra in North Carolina, under the direction of Gerard Schwarz.

Abby earned her Master of Music degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 2014, where she studied with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and River City Brass. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from DePaul University in Chicago, where she studied with members of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cleveland Orchestra, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra (emeritus).

Outside of performing, Abby also works as a music educator. Inspired by her parents who both are music educators, she teaches privately and works as the percussion coordinator for the Keystone Oaks Golden Eagle Marching Band in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.

Abby is excited to join the River City Brass team and bring her considerable performance experience to administration and provide support to the organization behind the scenes.

rombonist Olivia Nixon is a Music Education major at West Virginia University. At WVU she studied under renowned bass trombonist, Hakeem Bilal. Although an undergraduate student, her performance experiences extend beyond the collegiate and into the professional realm. She is a regular substitute for the River City Brass Band, a substitute musician for the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, and currently is the Bass Trombonist for the Washington Jazz Orchestra. As a soloist Olivia has competed as a finalist at WVU’s 2024 Young Artist Concerto Competition and the 2024 Keynotes Concerto Scholarship Competition.

Additionally, she frequently performs with groups around the Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV areas. This includes orchestral pits (Curtains, Sweet Charity, and Cabaret), Brass Ensembles such as Brass Roots, providing sacred music at church services, performing in chamber music settings, and making cocktail hour appearances. She takes pride in her variety of musical experiences, including performing on CJ Rhen’s debut album, CJ Time.

Not only is Olivia a sought-after performer but an educator as well. As of 2023, Olivia accepted a position with the West Virginia University Community Music Program. Since then, she has expanded to work at David’s Music House in McMurray, PA, and partnered with Nells Bells in Morgantown, WV. As an instructor of low brass and piano, she individually caters to each student’s personal goals to strengthen their skills as a musician. Her mission is to make music accessible to as many people as possible. She continues to work towards this goal by providing private lessons and directing ensembles ranging from British Brass Ensembles to Jazz Combos. Aside from private instruction Olivia has worked for Canon McMillan’s Big Mac Marching Band as their Low Brass Instructor (2024), Morgantown Community Orchestra’s Brass Instructor (2023-present), and the West Virginia University Community Music Program Brass Ensemble Director for the spring 2024 season.

As Olivia finishes her Bachelor in Music in Music Education from West Virginia University, she looks forward to continuing her academic career to pursue a Masters in Music Performance.

Mr. David Gardner, a native of North-Central Ohio, is a founding member of The Brass Roots, a member of its illustrious trumpet section, and serves as the Executive Director. Known for his innovative musical ideas and cross-genre versatility, Mr. Gardner performs frequently in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Mr. Gardner frequently performs with a number of local arts organizations: the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, Resonance Works | Pittsburgh, Wheeling Symphony, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, Opera Western Reserve, River City Brass, The Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, and many more. In 2017, David and several musicians of The Brass Roots gave the American premiere of Sir James MacMillan’s “Gloria” in collaboration with Resonance Works | Pittsburgh.

As a commercial musician, David has had the pleasure of performing and recording alongside musicians such as Barry Manilow, Slide Hampton, Rufus Reid, Ben E. King, and Ralph LaLama. Mr. Gardner is a member and composer/arranger for two Pittsburgh-based bands: The Employees of Funk (a traditional funk band with horn section) and Run The Meat (a powerhouse brass band that plays funk/dance/pop music).

In addition to performing/teaching in the city, David works for the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University and spends his free time arranging/composing, grilling, trying new cigars, and searching for the best coffee in the Steel City.

David plays a Bach Chicago C Trumpet for the high notes and a modified Yamaha 8310z for the higher notes.

A native of Aliquippa, PA, Morgan Wynn is a trombonist and educator based in Pittsburgh, and is the Director of Educational Outreach in the Brass Roots. She enjoys performing and teaching music of all styles including classical, commercial, jazz, and new music. 

As a freelance trombonist, Morgan has performed with the River City Brass Band, the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, City Music Cleveland, and Resonance Works | Pittsburgh. 

Morgan is passionate about sharing music with students of all ages. As an educator and clinician, she has worked with groups such as YMCA Lighthouse, West Virginia University School of Music, Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras, and Youth Chamber Connection. Morgan’s favorite part of teaching is introducing students to new genres, and she enjoys working with a small studio of private students. 

In 2017 Morgan performed in the American premiere of Sir James MacMillan’s “Gloria” in collaboration with Resonance Works | Pittsburgh. She has been a finalist in the IWBC Ginger Turner Ensemble Competition, and has performed as a soloist with the Dana Symphony Orchestra in Youngstown, OH.

Morgan holds a Master of Music from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Music Education from Youngstown State University, where she was also a University Scholar. Her primary teachers include Rebecca Cherian, Pete Sullivan, Dr. Michael Crist, and John Olsson. 

Noah Kilgus, a trumpet player native to the South Hills of Pittsburgh, is a
passionate educator and life-long musician who is privileged to share his love of
music with the School of Brass since 2022.

A recent Music Education graduate of Duquesne University, Noah now teaches at
the California Area School District. He teaches elementary music and band, as well
as the high school jazz band and assists with the high school marching band.
During the summer, Noah also runs a 5-week brass camp for Pittsburgh-area
students to provide additional opportunities for learning and performing across the
region.