2008 Connecticut Hurricanes Design and Instructional Staff

JOHN CURRAN, SR. (VISUAL PERFORMANCE) John, known to his many friends as "Cupcakes", has been involved in the drum corps activity for over 45 years. He currently is a warehouse manager for Ally Industries and lives in Ansonia, CT with his wife Brenda, who along with their children have also been members of the Hurricanes.

John played soprano and baritone throughout his drum corps career. In junior corps he marched from 1962 to 1973 with various corps including the Lt. Norman Princemen, Cambridge Caballeros and the St. Kevin's Emerald Knights---all from the Boston, MA area. From 1974 until he retired as a marching member at the end of 2004, John was a member of the Hurricanes where he served the corps in many capacities including driving the equipment trucks, running the booster table and marching execution instructor….all while being a marching member.

John has taught numerous color guards and high school bands as a drill designer/performance instructor. He has been a staff member of WGI since 1979 and is currently a timing and penalty judge with the Musical Arts Conference. In addition to working with the Hurricanes, John is also a member of the staff of 7th Regiment of New London, CT. He is also an associate member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame and a member of the Connecticut Hurricanes Hall of Fame as well as the Massachusetts Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

DAVID A. DION (BRASS ARRANGER) After receiving a B.A. in percussion performance from Wester Connecticut State University in 1990 studying with David Smith and Dr. Lyn Christie, Mr. Dion spent 2 years a Gerry Mulligans's musical assistant and arranging music for marching bands across Connecticut. As a graduate assistant at the University of Massachusetts, he was commissioned by the Massachusetts Multicultural Society to compose a live film score for Oscar Micheaux's 1919 film, Within Our Gates. It was there he received as M.M. in jazz composition and arranging studying with Yusef Lateef and Jeff Holmes. For the past 10 years, Mr. Dion has taught instrumental music in Wethersfield, Connecticut and has written and arranged music for numerous jazz and marching ensembles throughout the northeast including the University of Connecticut, Norwalk HS, Stamford HS winter percussion as well as the Connecticut Hurricanes. He presently lives in Hebron, Ct with his wife Amanda and his two sons, Austin and Max.

JIM DUGAN (PROGRAM COORDINATOR) Jim has been involved in drum corps practically his whole life. His dad Jim Sr (Hurricane Hall of Fame) first taught Jim to play snare at the age of six.

He went on to march junior corps with the Ct Classics, Milford Shoreliners and his last 4 years with the Bayonne Bridgemen. He was percussion caption head with the Bushwackers from 1984 - 1995 where they won a record 6 DCA drum titles in row. Jim also held the position as co-program coordinator from 1988 - 1995 while winning 5 DCA championships and again as program coordinator from 2002-2007.

In addition Jim was program coordinator for the Sunrisers (97) and the Hurricanes (99-00). He taught the Bluecoats from 1987 - 1990 , was a clinician for the British Youth Band Association and has taught many high school bands in Connecticut and New Jersey. Jim currently lives in Connecticut with his wife Carla and daughters Mairin and Cailin.

TIM HOLCOMB (FRONT ENSEMBLE ARRANGER/PERFORMANCE) Tim is a Connecticut native and has served as the percussion caption head for the Hurricanes for the past three seasons. He graduated from Morehead State University where he studied music and percussion under Frank Oddis and Brian Mason. During his matriculation at Morehead, Tim marched for five years in the Morehead State University Marching Band, and was section leader for the drumline that won a national title in 2003. He also played in the percussion ensemble and symphony band which traveled to China in 2000 and Brazil in 2003.

Tim was a member of the front ensemble for the Phantom Regiment in 2001 and 2002, which won first place in the DCI Individual and Ensemble competition in 2001. He has performed with artists such as Zoro, Dave Samuels, Arthur Lipner and Ruben Alvarez. Tim has also traveled to Japan with the Honor Band of America in 1999. Currently Tim is a Graduate Assistant at Sacred Heart University where he works with the Marching Band, Pep Band and Student Life Department. This past fall he was hired at Stamford High School to arrange music and teach the front ensemble. He will also assist in the design of the winter percussion show in 2008. In addition he is an instructor at the Jim Royle Drum Studio in Bridgeport CT where he teaches 25 students a week. In 2005 and 2006 Tim taught and arranged music for Norwalk High School Marching Band and Winter Percussion Ensemble. In 2005, the marching band was undefeated, as well as the New York State Field Band Champions, and MAC Champions.

LAURIE KUNZLE (BRASS PERFORMANCE) Laurie Kunzle is a music educator and composer residing in Northern New Jersey. She has taught for over 20 years and has been the Director of Bands at Lakeland Regional High School for the past 13 years. She holds a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University and has continued at Montclair State University with a Master of Arts in Theory/Composition. Laurie has written for many high school bands in New Jersey and composed several original works for concert band and small ensembles. Her compositions have been played by the Dallas Wind Symphony, the Ridgewood Concert Band, the Hanover Wind Symphony, the NJ Region Band and several high school bands.

Having started in drum corps marching with the ‘85 cadets mellophone section, she has since been involved with several corps as a horn player, drum major, brass instructor/ brass caption head and arranger. Laurie has written for several drum corps including; the Bushwackers, Hurricanes, the Coast Guard Academy “Wind Jammers”, and the Pride of Bristol of England.

BERNIE MALESKY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/COO) Bernie is a graduate of Kolbe HS in Bridgeport, CT and is past owner/manager of Royal Graphics, a full service printing company in Derby, CT. He is now a sales rep for Waterbury Printing/Master Engraving in Naugatuck, CT. He is the father of 2 boys, Steve, age 20 and Nick, who is 15. He resides in Stratford, CT.

Bernie began his drum corps adventures in 1967 at the age of seven years old. He started as a snare drummer in a corps from Bridgeport, CT called the Thunderbolts. From there he went on to march in the St. Raphael's Buccaneers, Emerald Buccaneers, Bengal Lancers---the 1977 DCI class A champions and finally the Connecticut Hurricanes.

After his marching career, Bernie went on to teaching, serving as both a percussion tech and percussion caption head for numerous organizations. These include the Bengal Lancers, Norwalk Hot Shots, Fairfield Tornadoes and the Connecticut Hurricanes. High Schools that Bernie has taught at include Brookfield HS, Andrew Warde HS and Ludlow HS in Fairfield, CT, Brien McMahon HS, Stamford winter percussion and currently Norwalk HS, one of the most successful and honored bands in CT, where he has served as percussion caption head since 1991. While at Norwalk he has also worked as a member of the visual staff with their winter guard program. The band, percussion and guard programs have won many awards at the local and national level in WGI, BOA and the many bowl games and festivals they have attended while he has been there. Before being named the director of the Hurricanes, Bernie has also served as a percussion performance tech, percussion caption head, staff coordinator and assistant director.

JEFF MITCHELL (BRASS CO-CAPTION HEAD/BRASS PERFORMANCE) Jeff began marching in 1965, playing a one valve slip slide soprano bugle in his hometown of Newburgh, NY, with the Envoys. He later joined the Poughkeepsie Pacers and was instructed by such greats as Dennis DeLucia, Bob Bunce, Rich DeCola, and Joe Genaro. He has taught, arranged, and consulted for many corps over the years including the Kingston Indians, Hawthorne Muchachos, Bushwackers, and Sunrisers. He is presently a program consultant and brass caption head of the Connecticut Hurricanes.

Jeff is known primarily for his judging, having been selected to work DCI Championships 17 times, including 7 Open Class finals. He has also judged championship contests for DCA, BOA, USSBA, Drum Corps Japan, Drum Corps Europe, and numerous marching band circuits. He is a former brass caption head for Drum Corps East, DCI Atlantic Division, DCA, and is a past judge coordinator for the New York State Field Band Conference.

He holds a degree in Music Theory and Composition from the State University of New York at New Paltz and has performs professionally on trumpet and flugelhorn. Jeff earned a Masters degree in Therapeutic Recreation from CUNY Lehman College, and has a certificate in Psychiatric Rehabilitation from Boston University.

JUSTIN MITNIK (BRASS PERFORMANCE) Justin Mitnik received his Massachusetts Education Degree in Music from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Justin has worked with the Boston University Athletic Bands teaching and arranging as well as the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2007. Justin has also worked with the University of Massachusetts Lowell Marching Band as well as working with the Mathuen High School Band.

Justin has recently performed with Blast II and will leave again on tour with the group. He has performed with Blast and CyberJam, as well as Shockwave in the past. He was featured as the Trombone soloist and also appeared on many TV shows in Japan including Fuji TV’s 2007 Music Fair. Justin also performed in the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and Salisbury Symphony Orchestra.

KEVIN MURPHY (PERCUSSION ARRANGER) Kevin Murphy started his drum corps career with the Long Island Grenadiers in 1982. He then went on to march with the Bridgemen in 1987 and then landed on the West coast marching with the Concord Blue Devils from 1989-1991.

Kevin's list of accomplishments include many DCI and DCA percussion programs. He was Caption Head for The Magic (2006), Caption Head/Arranger for the Capital Regiment (2002-2005), Percussion consultant/snare tech for the Hawthorne Caballeros (2003-2007), Percussion Consultant/Arranger for the Empire Statesmen (2001-2002), Percussion Caption Head (1998-1999) and Caption Head /Arranger (2000) for the Reading Buccaneers, Percussion Caption Head for the Westshoremen (1997), Percussion Caption Head/Arranger for the New York Skyliners (1992-1995).

Kevin attended Lebanon Valley College and Northern Kentucky University where he pursued his Music Education degree.

DOUG ORAVEZ (VISUAL PERFORMANCE) Doug is a graduate of Norwalk HS and is a South American account representative for US Surgical. He is a resident of Naugatuck, CT

Doug began marching with the Norwalk Hot Shots and went on to march with the Hurricanes from 1970-1999. He is a member of the Hurricanes Hall of Fame and an Associate member of the Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

In addition to being a visual staff member with the Hurricanes since 1997, Doug has been a visual instructor and visual caption head with both the Norwalk HS marching band and winter color guard who have been BOA regional class champions, BOA national semi-finalists, WGI regional champions, WGI class finalists and semi-finalists, WGI class A bronze medallists, many time local circuit and state champions as well as overall champions at the Citrus, Gator and Orange Bowl Band Championships.

JOE ROCHE (VISUAL PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUE) Joe Roche has been active in the marching music idiom since performing with the Southern Tier Grenadiers as a soprano bugler in 1976. Joe has been a marching member of the Grenadiers, Empire State Express, Watkins Glen Squires and the Garfield Cadets from 1982-1985 as a mellophone player. Joe joined the visual staff of the Cadets in 1987 as a Contra Tech and became visual caption head in 1989 under the mentorship of George Zingali and Marc Sylvester. In 1993 Joe Roche served as a visual consultant with the Star of Indiana drum and bugle corps and has since been involved with the activity as an adjudicator and clinician throughout the United States . Most recently Joe served on the staff of the Madison Scouts in 2004 as a visual consultant tutoring new staff members. Joe Roche is currently serving on the visual staffs of The Cadets, The Sunrisers and the Connecticut Hurricanes as a consultant and mentor for the new staff members. Joe is currently a Guidance Counselor with the US Army Recruiting Command at Ft. Hamilton , NY . Formerly a public school music educator in New York State , Joe holds his permanent teaching certificate in music education K-12 and hopes to go back to the public schools when he retires from the US Army.

JAMEY THOMPSON (VISUAL DESIGN) Jamey Thompson has been involved in the activity as a marching member, designer or adjudicator for over twenty-five years. He currently is visual designer for competitive high school marching bands and winter drum lines throughout the country. In the past decade he has been privileged to design for several iconic drum corps programs including: Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps, Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corps, and the Empire Statesmen Drum & Bugle Corps.

He graduated with a B.B.A. in Accounting from Loyola University Chicago and passed the CPA Exam. After working in public accounting for a few years he turned his focus to not-for-profit accounting and arts management. Time permitting; he also serves as a free-lance accountant to a variety of businesses in the Chicago area.

PHILIP TRIANI (COLOR GUARD DESIGN/CAPTION HEAD/GUARD PERFORMANCE) Philip is very excited about returning to the Connecticut Hurricanes to serve as the color guard designer and caption head. Philip grew up in Southington, CT and now lives in New Haven. He has a bachelor's degree in business, and currently manages a restaurant in New Haven.

Philip's drum corps experiance began with the Hurricanes back in 1999. He then went to DCI to march with the Cadet's from 2000-2004, serving as the color guard captain in 2004. He is also no stranger to the WGI floor where he marched with St. Ann's in 2002 and Blessed Sacrament in 2004 and 2006. Philip has taught the Cheshire High School Color Guard since 2001. During this time they have won numerous fall and winter championships and were the 2006 WGI Scholastic Open Class Champions. In 2007, they were a Scholastic World Class Finalist. He has also taught many other groups including Newtown High School, Shelton HS, Salem Blue, St John's of Beverly, The Light Brigade and the Boston Crusaders.

The Hurricanes are pleased to have Philip "back home" in CT and look forward to the guards continued success with him leading this section of the corps.

JIM ZULICK (COLOR GUARD CO-CAPTION HEAD) After graduating from NYU with a degree in sociology and business Jim began working as a product manager for a direct marketing company in Norwalk, CT. He currently resides in New Haven.

Although Jim's marching career began as a musician in high school, he went on to join the Cadets in 2001 as a colorguard member. He then had the honor of serving as the colorguard captain in 2004 and drum major in 2005. During the winter Jim also marched with Alter Ego in 2002, St. John’s of Beverly in 2003 and Blessed Sacrament in 2006. He taught the Bethel High School winterguard from 2003-2005 and has been on the Cheshire High School marching band & colorguard staff since the fall of 2005.