MANSFIELD WIND sYMPHONY
BIOGRAPHIES
Brian Merrill currently serves as Conductor of the Mansfield Wind Symphony, an all-volunteer organization of adult musicians who have the passion and ability to perform advanced wind literature. In 2021 the Mansfield Wind Symphony performed at both the Texas Bandmasters Convention and the Midwest Clinic. Merrill also serves as a consultant and clinician for DFW area middle school and high school bands.
Merrill taught band for seven years in the Irving ISD, and 23 years at Duncanville High School. After retiring from public school teaching, Merrill served for eleven years as Adjunct Associate Professor of Music Education at Southern Methodist University.
Merrill is a Past President of the Texas Bandmasters Association and served TBA as the Coordinator of the Academy for New Band, Choir and Orchestra Directors for 8 years. In 2013 the Texas Bandmasters Association recognized Merrill with the Meritorious Achievement Award. In 2021 Merrill was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame.
John Czerwieski is currently in his 18th season with the Mansfield Wind Symphony and serves as the trombone section leader and assistant conductor. He is a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty and the North Texas Representative with Fruhauf Uniforms, Inc. Before his move to real estate, John spent 18 years in music education, serving the last 8 years as the director of bands for the Venus Independent School District. Prior to his position in Venus, he served as an assistant band director for the Arlington, Grand Prairie and Calhoun County Independent School Districts. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Baylor University and a Master of Music Education from The University of Texas at Arlington. John resides in Waxahachie with his wife, Megan, head band director at Red Oak Middle School, and their two rescue dogs Dottie and Etta.
Nathan Hervey graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor’s degree in music education (‘10) and from The University of North Texas with a Master’s in Trombone Performance (‘13). While at UNT, Hervey performed as a member of the UNT Symphony Orchestra, the 2 O’clock Lab Band, and the premier trombone choir conducted by Tony Baker and Vern and Jan Kagarice. Hervey began writing music during his senior year of high school with the encouragement of one of his band directors. He began writing arrangements of his favorite songs from the radio and would play them with his friends after school. When he became a band director, Hervey began writing chorales for his groups, which led to writing larger scale performance works. Hervey has published music since 2015 through Print Music Source, and most recently with Randall Standridge Music, C.L. Barnhouse, and C. Alan Publications. His music can also be found on the J.W. Pepper’s Editor’s Choice list. For more information about his music or to get in touch with him, visit his website www.nathanherveymusic.com or follow on Instagram/Facebook @nathanherveymusic.
Dr. Jenna McCall is an elementary music teacher in Castleberry ISD, where she shares her love of music with young learners every day. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia, followed by her Master's and Doctorate degrees in Clarinet Performance from the University of North Texas. This summer she’s excited to complete her Kodály Level III certification at Southern Methodist University. Outside the classroom, Dr. McCall enjoys performing with the Mansfield Wind Symphony alongside her husband, Wesley, who plays oboe. They live in Fort Worth with their four musically named cats — Rhapsody, Kyrie, Libby, and Artie — who ensure there's never a dull (or quiet) moment!
Garland-native, Dallas Arts Community-raised Bryce Biffle is an active music director, educator, multi-instrumentalist, accompanist, and composer/arranger. He is also a die-hard film music scholar and cinephile. He currently teaches elementary general music in Garland ISD, where he accompanies the Garland Children's Chorus as well as numerous secondary choral and instrumental programs. He holds a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Composition from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX, and a Masters in Music (M.M.) in Musicology from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Bryce currently resides in Garland with his amazing fiancée, Julie — a nationally active, locally in-demand soprano vocalist in her own right — and her grumpy 17-year-old gremlin-like Yorkie-mix named Rosie and his beloved, feisty two-year-old rescue axolotl named Mudkip.
Joshua Weisbrod-Torres graduated Texas State University in 2013 with a Bachelors in Music Education and in 2017 with a Masters in Music Education. He is currently the saxophone section leader with Mansfield Wind Symphony. He has performed all over the United States with band and chamber ensembles, including performances at the 36th Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium with the Phoenix Saxophone Quartet, and winning a fellowship to participate in the 2013 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Chamber Music Institute with the Mezcolanza Reed Quintet. He has appeared as a soloist in solo and quartet capacities with the Texas State Wind Symphony, Austin’s Cinematic Symphony, and the Heights Concert Band.
Outside of performing, Joshua is a proponent of new chamber music with many lead commissions, being part of consortiums, and premiering new works. As part of the Mezcolanza Reed Quintet, Joshua was also a judge for the 2013 and 2014 Calefax Composers Competition. Joshua studied saxophone with Grace Ramos Boucher and Todd Oxford as well as clarinet with Stephen Girko. He currently resides in Dallas, Texas, where he is a licensed insurance agent. In Joshua’s free time, he is very much a foodie, video game connoisseur and soccer fanatic.
Greg Merrill has been a member of the Mansfield Wind Symphony percussion section since 2018. For Greg, the Mansfield Wind Symphony is a family affair! His father Brian conducts the group and his wife Sarah plays in the flute section. Greg also studied piano for many years with his mother Nancy, and Greg's daughter Hannah is an accomplished flutist and vocalist.
Greg received degrees in music and computer science from Southern Methodist University. By day he is a software engineer, writing supply chain applications for large enterprises. In his free time Greg enjoys playing percussion with the Mansfield Wind Symphony and playing percussion, keyboard and handbells in the music ministry at First United Methodist Church of Coppell.
Reggie Cook is an assistant band director at Waxahachie High School and is in his eighteenth year with WISD. His teaching responsibilities include direction of the Concert Band and Jazz Band 2, as well as assisting with the Marching Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. Reggie performed with The Waxahachie Jazz Orchestra at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago in 2019. Reggie resides in Alvarado with his wife Traci and their two children, Ryan and Katy.