Brian O Connell E-Mail: choralconsulting@gmail.com Website: www.sarteanochoralworkshop.com Education BOSTON UNIVERSITY, BOSTON, MA Doctor of Education/Music Education: Courses completed 1993 THE BOSTON CONSERVATORY, BOSTON, MA Master of Music: Choral Conducting 1987 Certification in Voice Therapy 1978 UNIVERSITY OF LOWELL, LOWELL, MA Bachelor of Science: Music Education 1969 Employment Experience SARTEANO CHAMBER CHORAL CONDUCTING WORKSHOP, ITALY 2003 - Present Director/Founder/Clinician: Intensive summer workshop for conductors and music educators THE BOSTON CONSERVATORY, BOSTON, MA Faculty: Graduate Choral Methods 2004 - Present UNIVERSITY OF LOWELL, LOWELL, MA 2002 - Present Faculty: Voice, Voice Pedagogy. I & II, Secondary Choral Methods, Conducting I & II Director: University Choir, Chamber Singers (2004 2006 and Present) Thesis Advisor: Work with graduate students for degree of Master of Music/Choral Conducting Thesis Committee: Examiner THE SPEECH IMOPROVEMENT COMPANY, Brookline, MA Coach: Voice Therapy, Accent Reduction, and Speech for Broadcasting 2013 - Present CHORALCONSULTING.COM, Lexington, MA Clinician: Workshops with choral societies, universities and high school groups 2011 Present CAMBRIDGE RINDGE & LATIN SCHOOL, Cambridge, MA 2009-2013 Director: Chorus, Vocal Ensemble Advisor: A Cappella program LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, Lexington, MA 1993-2009 Director: Mixed Chorus, Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers Teacher: Voice Class, AP Music Theory, Advanced Harmony and Analysis Advisor: A Cappella program
Page 2 NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, Boston, MA 2001-2002 Guest Conductor: Northeastern University Choral Society, Chamber Singers NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC, Boston, MA 1995-2001 Faculty: Graduate Choral Methods, Developed curriculum TUFTS UNIVERSITY, Medford, MA 1997-1999 Director of Choral Activities: University Chorale and Chamber Singers BOSTON UNIVERSITY, Boston, MA 1991-1993 Faculty: Conducting I and II, Choral Methods, Choral Conducting Conductor: Concert Choir (Assistant) CHELSEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Chelsea, MA (BU/Chelsea Project) 1991-1993 Administrator: Lead Teacher / Coordinator for K-12 music system Director: High School Band and Chorus, and All-City Elementary Chorus Teacher: General Music (grades one through seven) TACONIC HIGH SCHOOL, Pittsfield, MA 1989-1991 Director: Choirs (Boys, Girls, Mixed, Madrigals), and Theatrical Productions CONCORD-CARLISLE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, Concord, MA 1988-1989 Director: Orchestra, Choruses, Pit Orchestra Teacher: Music Theater, Theory and History LEXINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Lexington, MA 1987-1988 Director: Mixed Chorus, Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, Girls Ensemble Teacher: Voice Class, Music Theory, and Advanced Harmony and Analysis BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC, Boston, MA 1972-1987 Chairman, Voice Department: Developed unique curriculum geared to the contemporary singer Majors grew from thirty to over two hundred, teaching staff grew from two to ten Developed improvisational theater class for voice majors to assist in performance techniques Director: Berklee Concert Choir, premiered many contemporary works with performances in Boston, Nashua, Chicago, and New York Director: Berklee Chorale, Men s Chorus, Jazz Choir, Transfer Ensemble and Jazz-Rock Ensemble Professor: Solfege, ear training, composition, counterpoint, and conducting Music Education Department: Developed and implemented curriculum, taught choral conducting Committees: Faculty Senate, Committee on Curriculum and Instruction, Departmental Advisor, and Library Committee
Page 3 Professional Experience CONDUCTOR Director of Adult Choral Societies: - Cambridge Chorale (1974-1977) - Nashua Choral Society (1980-1982) - Quincy Choral Society (1983-1987) - Neponset Choral Society (1999-2000) - Nashoba Valley Chorale (2000-2004) - Canta Mundi (2013 Present) Director of Youth Choirs: - Handel & Haydn Society of Boston Youth Chorus (1995-1997) - Chelsea Singers (1991-1993) - Canta Mundi: The Greater Boston Scholastic Touring Choir (2008-2009) Costa Rican Tour (By invitation of the Costa Rican Ministry of Culture) - Touring Choir: Lexington High School/Aramas Art Alliance (2004 and 2006) Tours of Armenia (By invitation of the Sayat Nova School, Yerevan and the Armenian Ministry of Culture) Assistant Conductor: - Masterworks Chorale (1993-1997) Allen Lannom, director. Duties included chorus preparation, Christmas Concert conducting, arranging for brass and choir, and conducting Summer Sings Guest Conductor: - Tri-County Choral Festival (1994 & 2011) - MMEA Northeast District Senior Chorus (1993); Junior Boys Chorus (1998) - Tri-Valley Choral Festival (1997) - MMEA Central District Junior Chorus (1995); Senior District Chorus (2008) - Masterworks Chorale Summer Sings (over 20 appearances) - Quabbin League Festival (1987) - Lithuanian Choral Festival, Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston (1985) - Wachusett Choral Festival (1995) - Berkshire Choral Festival (1990) - Monadnock Valley Music Festival (2004) - Greater Boston High School Choral Festival, Sanders Theater, Harvard Univ. (2006) - Cape Cod Festival Chorus (2009) - MMEA Northeast District Senior Chorus (2010) - MMEA Southeast District Senior Chorus (2013) Massachusetts All-State Conference Featured Performances: - Lexington High School Madrigal Singers (2009) - Lexington High School Concert Choir (2007) - Lexington High School Madrigal Singers (2005) - Lexington High School Madrigal Singers (2002) - Lexington High School Concert Choir (1998)
Page 4 Vocal Director: - Nine - Scarlet Pimpernel - Pippin - My Favorite Year - Seussical - Hair - Sweeney Todd - City of Angels - West Side Story - Animal Crackers - Cabaret - Les Miserables - Assassins Musical Director: - Oklahoma - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Stage Director, also) - Collision of Worlds (Premiere of Levy Award winning rock opera; performances at Berklee College, Wheelock College, and Harvard's Sanders Theater) - We as One (Premiere of Levy Award winning musical at Berklee College) ADJUDICATOR - The American Prize, National Award, choral and vocal/opera adjudicator (2010 - present) (http://www.theamericanprize.org) - Shriners National Competition, Boston, adjudicator (1999) - Rhode Island Music Educators Choral Festival, adjudicator (2000) - New England Theater Conference, adjudicator (2002) - Connecticut ACDA High School Choral Festival, adjudicator/clinician (2002) - ICCA Regional and National Semi-Finals Collegiate A Cappella, adjudicator (1992 - present) Sites: Yale, BU, Wellesley, Wheaton, Brandeis, Smith, Worcester Polytechnic, MIT, Tufts - MMEA (Central, Northeast, Eastern districts and All-State) Adjudicator (1994 - present) - Harmony Sweepstakes/Varsity Vocals, Adjudicator (2007 - present) - MICCA High School Festival (2010 - present) - MICCA Solo and Ensemble Festival (2010- present) - Massachusetts ACDA High School and Junior High Festivals, adjudicator (2000-2006) - Adjudication for private companies: (1987 - present) - CAWS Musical Carousel - Heritage Festival - Great East Festivals - Music Maestro Please - Peak Performances - Festivals of Music - Music in the Parks
Page 5 - Mass Bay Music Festivals CLINICIAN - Tufts University (October 2013) Workshop: The Healthy Voice and Communication - Belmont High School Chamber Choir (March 2013) Clinic: Finding the Essence - Harriton, Pennsylvania High School Choir (March 2013) Clinic: Building Tone through Meaning - MMEA/MENC All-State Conference (March 2012) Workshop: Starting from Scratch Building a Choral Program - Arlington-Belmont Choral Society (February/March 2012) Guest conductor (Two separate concert programs) - Heritage Chorale (2012) Clinician: Carmina Burana preparation (Two sessions) - Norwood High School/Concert Chorale, Madrigal Choir, Concordia (2012) Clinic/Festival preparation - Lincoln-Sudbury High School (2012) Creating ensemble and meaning - Heritage Chorale (2011) Workshop (two sessions) on vocal health and building ensemble skills - Stonehill College (2011) "Developing choral tone and textual meaning" - Oostburg, Wisconsin High School Choir (2011) Choral Clinic - The Boston Conservatory, MENC Student Chapter (2010 and 2011) Choral Clinic - Cambridge Visual and Performing Arts Department (2010) Vocal/Conducting Clinic - Norwood High School (2009) Choral Clinic
Page 6 - MMEA/MENC All-State Conference (2007) "Music and Motion: Kinesthetic Approaches in the Choral Rehearsal - Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua, NH (2006) - Medfield Middle School (2005) - Wayland High School (2005) - UMass/Lowell, MENC State-Wide Collegiate Chapters Meeting (2005) What You Need to Know About Becoming a Choral Music Educator - Bishop Fenwick (2005) - MMEA/MENC All-State Conference (2004) The care and feeding of your chamber ensemble - Wellesley High School (2004) - Salem High School (2004) Kinesthetic Approaches in the Choral Rehearsal - Boston University Music Educators Conference (2003) The Art of Directing a High School Choir - Lynn English High School (2003) Performance/discussion - MMEA/MENC All-State Conference (2001) Developing the Choral Program through Solfeggio - Walpole High School (2001) - Holliston Council for the Arts (2000) /lecture - MMEA/MENC All-State Conference (1999) Rehearsal Techniques for High School Chorus
Page 7 - Rhode Island Music Educators Conference: Two sessions (1999) Involving the Community in the Music Program Developing Choral Tone - Salve Regina College, RI (1998) Performance/lecture on chamber choral singing - ACDA/Massachusetts Chapter Summer Conference (1998) Commissioning Works for the High School/Collegiate Choir - MMEA/MENC All-State Conference (1997) Student-Directed A Cappella Groups in the High School Program - Winchester High School (1996) How to Audition - Massasoit Community College (1987) Vocal health clinic VOCAL/CHORAL STUDIES Voice studies with: - David Blair McClosky, Boston Conservatory - Robert Gartside, Boston University - Ghislaine Morgan, Tallis Scholars, Corso Internazionale Corale di Rimini - Ulrike Wurdak-Picotti, Centro Ricerca Vocale, Venice - Bronislawa Falinska, Center for Vocal Research, University of Padua Performance studies with Lukas Foss, Boston University; John Gibbons, UMass/Lowell Workshop with Robert Shaw at Boston University (by invitation of Ann Howard Jones) - 1998 Vocal/ensemble studies with Western Wind Ensemble - 2002 Vocal/conducting studies at Musica Ficta Workshop in Rimini, Italy with Peter Phillips (Director, Tallis Scholars) and Marco Gemani (Maestro Cappella, Saint Mark's Cathedral, Venice) - 2003 and 2004 Voice teacher/therapist specializing in the "McClosky" method, thirty-eight years experience Performed with: - Handel & Haydn Society - Tanglewood Festival Chorus - Great Woods Festival Chorus - Masterworks Chorale (Assistant Conductor) Extensive experience as vocalist in commercial recording and club work - Manager / lead singer of Boston based rock band Livewire - Arranger / singer with Boston based professional a cappella quintet No Strings Attached - Appeared as vocalist on a number of regional and national jingles - Performed as background singer on many recordings
Page 8 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS NAfME: National Association for Music Education MMEA: Massachusetts Music Educators Association ACDA: American Choral Directors Association PHI DELTA KAPPA: Boston University Chapter IFCM: International Federation for Choral Music CERTIFICATION (State of Massachusetts) Certification #102251; Issuance #1165912; Expires 06/16/14 Music: Vocal/Instrumental/General (5-12) Music: Vocal/Instrumental/General (PreK-9) Supervisor/Director (All Levels) AWARDS/GRANTS Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association - Paul Smith Hall of Fame - 2009 Massachusetts ACDA Choral Excellence Award - 2005 (First recipient of this award) Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School 2011 & 2012 (Grant to develop 0A Cappella program) Patrocinio dell Amministrazione Comunale di Sarteano (Italy) 2004 through 2013 The President's Volunteer Service Award (Gold Medal) - 2004 & 2006 (Cultural exchange/tours of Armenia) Lexington Education Foundation - 2003 (Grant to study in Italy with Peter Phillips/Tallis Scholars) Lexington Education Foundation - 1994-1995 (Grant to develop Choral Jazz Curriculum) Tricorne Hat Association - 1995 (Service to the Town of Lexington) Boston University Consortium Scholarship - 1992 Boston University/Chelsea Partnership Scholarship - 1991 Presidents Medal: Lithuanian/American Society, Chicago - 1985 ARTICLES Approaches to Teaching Choral Music: Massachusetts Music News, Vol. 55, No. 3: Spring 2007 Approaches to Teaching Choral Music, Part II (Moving to Higher Levels): Massachusetts Music News, Vol. 55, No. 4: Summer 2007 COMMITTEES/SERVICE TO PROFESSION Allen C. Lannom Trust (Present) Founding board member
Boston Symphony Orchestra: Teacher Advisory Committee (1991-1993) Wrote lesson plans for schools participating in BSO Youth Concerts Massachusetts Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association President (1997-1999) President-Elect (1995-1997) Treasurer (1993-1995) Manager - Massachusetts MENC All-State Chorus (1996, 2001) Assistant Manager - (1995, 2000) Manager - Massachusetts ACDA Men's Honor Choir (2007) Brian O'Connell Page 9