Staff

Nancy Mathison - Director/band and woodwind teacher

Nancy Mathison taught elementary instrumental music for 18 years with the Santa Barbara Unified School District and was the band director at La Cumbre Junior High. From 2014 to 2020, she directed band programs for Goleta Union School District's elementary schools. She is the co-founder and former co-director of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation's BRAVO! Program, and has taught at Westmont and Cerritos colleges. As a clarinetist, she has performed with the Chicago Symphony and is a member of the New West Symphony and Santa Maria Philharmonic. She is principal clarinet of the Santa Barbara Chamber Players, and performs with the San Luis Obispo Master Chorale and Lompoc Pops Orchestra. She has performed with the Santa Barbara Symphony, Orchestra Novo, and San Luis Obispo Symphony. She also performed with Leonard Bernstein, the Hamamatsu Academy in Japan, American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, Houston Opera, American Ballet Theatre, Rudolf Nureyev Ballet, toured with Andrea Bocelli, was a member of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, and played principal clarinet and reeds with the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera for its 20-year tenure. Nancy attended the Music Academy of the West and received her degrees in clarinet performance from the University of Southern California (bachelor's) and UCSB (master's). She studied with Gary Foster, James Kanter, and Mitchell Lurie.

Dick Prato - percussion teacher

Dick was born and raised in Santa Barbara and attended local schools. He played in band, orchestra and jazz band in both junior high and high school. He studied percussion with studio musicians at Drum City in Hollywood, and attended the Music Academy of the West for two summers. Dick played percussion in the US Army band in Germany and Italy for 3 years. He taught teen jazz band at the Santa Barbara Recreation Center and also taught privately. He has been teaching percussion at Goleta Valley Junior High for the past 7 years, and at elementary schools in the Goleta Unified School District.

Monica Bucher-Smith - flute teacher

Monica Bucher-Smith was born and raised in Santa Barbara, and began playing piano at the age of 7. She discovered her love for the flute in her elementary and junior high school bands. During her high school years, Monica was the principal flute and section leader in her marching and concert bands, and also performed in the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony and the Santa Barbara Youth Ensemble. She continued at Santa Barbara City College performing with the SBCC Concert Band, SBCC Symphony under Dr. Jack Ullom, SBCC Chamber Singers under Barbara Harlow, and was privileged to perform with the Chamber Singers at the World Expo in Vancouver, Canada. Monica received her degree in music from San Jose State University while studying with Isabelle Chapuis Starr, and performed in the SJSU Symphonic Band under Dr. Vernon Reed, as well as the SJSU Flute Choir. She has also studied privately with Margaret Eisler and Jill Felber. Monica returned to Santa Barbara after college to perform and teach music, and is a member of the National Flute Association. She plays in a variety of musical ensembles in the Santa Barbara area, and you may see her performing with some of our other instructors in the SBCC Symphony.

As a teacher, Monica is a strong advocate for every child to have the opportunity to include music as part of their education. She believes music expands our understanding and appreciation of the world around us, and is the universal language that connects us all. She is excited to meet her South Coast Youth Band students and looks forward to helping them discover their own love of music and seeing where their musical adventure takes them.