Curriculum Vitae

BORN: 1980, North Adams, Massachusetts

Awards, Grants, Fellowships & Scholarships:

• Juddertone Composer, 2009
• Nu Mu [sic!] Festival Participant/Composer, 2009
• Teaching Fellow, New England Conservatory of Music: 2006, 2007, 2008
• ASCAP Plus Awards: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Winner of NEC's Commencement Competition with Concerto for Toy Piano and Orchestra, 2005
• Winner of the NEC Honors Ensemble Composition Competition for Piano Trio No. 1, 2005
• Wolley Fund Grant, 2003
• Aaron Copland Scholarship to attend the Conducting Institute's Composer/Conductor Program at Bard College, 2001
• Eagle Scout Award, 1996
• Berkshire Chapter of the American Guild of Organists Organ Study Scholarship, 1994
• Berkshire Chapter of the American Guild of Organists Organ Study Scholarship, 1993

Selected Commissions:

• Make a Joyful Noise for unaccompanied SSAATB choir (commissioned by the First Congregational Church of North Adams, 2010)
• Seven Deadly Sins a dance piece, choreography by Kendra Heithoff, for 3 pianos, harpsichord, celesta, and glockenspiel (commissioned by Juddertone, 2009)
• You Shall Love for SATB choir (commissioned by the First Congregational Church of North Adams, 2008)
• Come You Who Are Blessed for SATB choir and organ (commissioned by the First Congregational Church of North Adams, 2008)
• The Jolly Tuba for solo tuba (commissioned by Mike Blair, 2008)
• Variations on Cunctipotens Genitor Deus for solo piano (commissioned by Carson Cooman for Jeffrey Grossman, 2008)
• Sonata for Solo Tuba (commissioned by Mike Blair, 2008)
• Adagio for Organ (commissioned by Carson Cooman, 2008)
• Music for “Sunday Night” (commissioned by the Drury Drama Team for the premiere performance of Stephen Gregg's play Sunday Night, 2008)
• Concerto for Piano, String Orchestra & Trumpet (commissioned by Stepan Rudenko, 2007)
• Why a Dove? for solo soprano and piano, text by Jake Spitz (commissioned by Diane Maynard, 2007)
• Three Miniatures for Toy Piano (commissioned by Rodney Lister, 2006)
• The Latest Popular Tune from Zeta Reticuli for solo saxophone (commissioned by and dedicated to Benjamin Sorrell, 2006)
• Concerto for Viola and Five Players (commissioned by Karen Hopkins, 2006)
• Polka! for piano (commissioned by Andrew Cashner, 2006)
• Music Bed for literacy commercial on WNAW 1230AM (2006)
• Music Beds for WSBS 860AM (2006)
• Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star for Bb clarinet (commissioned by Joseph Howell, 2006)
• Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra (commissioned by Steve Lin, 2006)
• The Lady of Shalott for soprano, trombone and piano (commissioned by Mary Ann Powers, 2006)
• Greater Things Than These (music commissioned for an opera based on the miracles of Jesus Christ, 2005)
• Three Miniatures for Solo Piano (commissioned by Troy Lucia, 2005)
• Fantasy for Eb Alto Saxophone and Piano (commissioned by Benjamin Sorrell, 2005)
• Three Songs for Mezzo with text by Edna St. Vincent Millay for voice and piano (commissioned by Maria Puliafico, 2005)
• A Mouseful of Trouble a song cycle for soprano, Bb clarinet, and piano--also for SATB choir (commissioned by Christine Petkus, 2004)
• Piano Trio No. 1 for violin, cello, and piano (commissioned by Stephanie Skor, 2004)
• Concerto for Two Pianos, String Orchestra, and Percussion (commissioned by Keith Kirchoff, 2004)
• Gloria for chorus, organ, and optional violin (commissioned by Saints Patrick and Raphael Church, Williamstown, MA, 2004)
• Music Beds for WSKB 89.5FM's "Retro Rewind" radio program (2004)
• Waltzes for Solo Piano (commissioned by Keith Kirchoff, 2004)
• Concerto for Toy Piano and Chamber Orchestra (commissioned by toy Keith Kirchoff, 2004)
• Trio for Trombone, Trumpet & Piano (commissioned by Nick Strebent, 2003)
• Evening Waltz for viola and harpsichord (commissioned by Maggie Martinez, 2003)
• Sonata for Solo Viola (John Hendrick Memorial Commission Award, 2003)
• Music for Dead Sexy, the soap opera series (2002)
• When the Sky is no Longer Grey for organ and Eb alto saxophone (commissioned by Matthew Mancuso, 2000)
• Theme music for Sports Chat, T.V. talkshow (1996)

Pieces McConnell (as a performer) Commissioned:

• Only Temporary (for organ) by Keith Kirchoff (2007-2008)
• Blitzkrieg (a toccata for organ) by Albert Oppenheimer (2006)
• The Quintessential Organ by Troy Lucia (2005)
• Wizard (for organ) by Julie Case (2002)

Places Where McConnell has been a Featured Guest Organist:

• Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church: Cambridge, MA
• Church of the Covenant: Boston, MA
• St. Paul's Episcopal Church: Stockbridge, MA
• St. Ignatuis Loyola Roman Catholic Church: Park Avenue, New York City
• Covenant Congregational Church: Jamaica Plain, Boston
• St. Andrew's Episcopal Chapel: Blackinton, MA
• Good Shepherd United Methodist Church: Malden, MA
• St. John's Episcopal Church: North Adams, MA
• First United Methodist Church: North Adams, MA
• First Baptist Church: North Adams, MA
• First Baptist Church: Cheshire, MA
• First Congregational Church: Stockbridge, MA
• St. Anthony of Padua Church: North Adams, MA
• Evangelical Free Church: Pittsfield, MA
• Conway Village Congregational Church: Conway Village, NH
• St. Mark's Episcopal Church: Adams, MA
• First Congregational Church: North Adams, MA
• St. Patrick's Church: Williamstown, MA
• St. Raphael's Church: Williamstown, MA
• Church of St. Francis: North Adams, MA
• Second Congregational Church: Williamstown, MA

Frequent Performance Activities and Special Past Events:

• Regular Piano and Organ Recitals, Church Services, Weddings & Funerals
• Summer Organ Sounds Concert Series, First United Methodist Church, North Adams, MA
• Afternoon Organ Concert Series, First Congregational Church, North Adams, MA
• Berkshire Lyric Theatre Chorus (concert organist)
• Tuesday Night New Music Series, Boston, MA
• Performances with "The Toyland Band"
• Bennington Vocal Chamber Ensemble (accompanist)
• Featured in the "World's Largest Organ Concert"
• Holiday Programs for Sweet Brook and Willow Wood Nursing Homes, Williamstown MA
• Performances as Trontell, 80's keyboard electronica/rock music
• Benefit Concerts for the Salvation Army, Berkshire Food Project, and C.O.D.Y. Youth Project
• Concerts at Bennington College and the New England Conservatory of Music

Various Music-Related Positions or Leadership Roles:

• Professional Composer Mentor, The Vermont MIDI Project, 2010-Present
• Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, Malden MA, Minister of Music, 2008-2010
• BSA Music Merit Badge Counselor, 2009-Present
• Instructor/Teaching Fellow, New England Conservatory of Music, Theory Department/Keyboard, 2006-2008
• President of Ars Nova v.2, New England Conservatory's Music Technology Club, 2006-2007
• Vice President of the NEC Music Technology Club, Spring 2006
• Assistant for New England Conservatory's "Charles Ives Festival", 2005
• New England Conservatory's Contemporary Ensemble Assistant, 2004-2008
• Private Computer Consulting, (MIDI Recording and Performance Systems, Max/MSP programming), 2003-Present
• Private Instruction, (Piano, Organ, Counterpoint, Harmony, Composition, Orchestration, Keyboard Harmony), 2001-Present
• Bennington College July Program, Instructor of Musical Composition and Performance (including teaching the "Finale" musical notation program), 2002
• Music Copyist for Ricky Ian Gordon, 2002-2004, 2006-2008
• Music Copyist for John Heiss, 2006
• Bennington College, Accompanist, 1999-2001
• Conte Middle School, Assistant Conductor/Assistant Instructor/Music Intern, 2001
• St. John's Episcopal Church, North Adams MA, Saturday Organist, 2000
• St. Ignatuis Loyola Church N.Y.C., Organist/Music Intern, 2000
• First Baptist Church, Cheshire MA, Organist/Choir Director, 1998-1999
• St. Andrew's Chapel, Blackinton MA, Organist, 1996-2003
• Drury Drama Team, Musical Director, 1995-1999

Education:

• New England Conservatory of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.), 2009
• New England Conservatory of Music, M.M. Musical Composition with Distinction in Performance (and Academic Honors), 2005
• Bennington College, B.A. Music, 2003

Compositions:

• To date over 360 works ranging from short compositions for solo instruments to large orchestral works.
• [COMING SOON...](For a partial catalogue, please click HERE.)

Music Publisher:

• E. C. Schirmer

Recorded on:

• Village Drive Entertainment: Masterworks of Music (DVD, 2009)
• KSK Productions: Keith Kirchoff Plays the Piano Music of New England (DVD, 2007)
• "M Squared" Records: Enchanting Piano Music (2007)
• The Toyland Band's "A Pennywhistle Christmas" Album (2004)
• "Rock Farm Records" (projects with, 2003)
• "M Squared" Records: Enchanting Harpsichord Music (2002)
• "M Squared" Records: Enchanting Organ Music (2001)