Curriculum Vitae

BORN: 1980, North Adams, Massachusetts

Prizes, Grants, Fellowships & Scholarships:

• Teaching Fellow, New England Conservatory of Music: 2006, 2007, 2008
• ASCAP Plus Awards: 2005, 2006, 2007
• Winner of NEC's Commencement Competition with Concerto for Toy Piano and Chamber 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
• Berkshire Chapter of the American Guild of Organists Organ Study Scholarship, 1994
• Berkshire Chapter of the American Guild of Organists Organ Study Scholarship, 1993

Commissions:

• Miniatures for Toy Piano (commissioned by Rodney Lister, 2006)
• The Latest Popular Tune from Zeta Reticuli for Eb Alto Sax (commissioned by and dedicated to Benjamin Sorrell, 2006)
• Concerto for Viola and Five Players (commissioned by violist Karen Hopkins, 2006)
• Polka for piano (commissioned by pianist 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 clarinetist Joseph Howell, 2006)
• Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra (commissioned by classical guitarist Steven Lin, 2006)
• The Lady of Shalott a setting of an excerpt of Tennyson's poem of the same title for soprano, trombone and piano (commissioned by soprano Mary Ann Powers, 2006)
• Greater Things Than These (music commissioned for an opera based on the miracles performed by Jesus Christ, 2005)
• Three Miniatures for Solo Piano (commissioned by pianist Troy Lucia, 2005)
• Fantasy for Eb Alto Saxophone and Piano (commissioned by saxophonist Benjamin Sorrell, 2005)
• Three Songs for Mezzo with text by Edna St. Vincent Millay for Voice and Piano (commissioned by Maria Puliafico, 2005)
• Of The Earth for Two High Female Voices and Piano (commissioned by soprano Meena Malik, 2005)
• A Mouseful of Trouble a song cycle for Soprano, Bb Clarinet, and Piano (commissioned by soprano Christine Petkus, 2004)
• Piano Trio No. 1 for Violin, Cello, and Piano (commissioned by Stephanie Skor of the Phoenix Trio, Boston MA, 2004)
• Concerto for Two Pianos, String Orchestra, and Percussion (commissioned by pianist 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)
• Portraits of Girls 5 Waltzes for Solo Piano (commissioned by pianist Keith Kirchoff, 2004)
• Concerto for Toy Piano and Chamber Orchestra (commissioned by toy pianist Keith Kirchoff, 2004)
• Trio for Trombone, Trumpet & Piano (commissioned by trombonist Nick Strebent, 2003)
• Evening Waltz for Viola and Harpsichord (commissioned by violist 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 saxophonist Matthew Mancuso, 2000)
• Theme music for Sports Chat T.V. talkshow (1996)

Pieces McConnell (as a performer) Commissioned:

• Blitzkrieg (a toccata for organ) by Albert Oppenheimer (2006) click to hear a sample from the work
• The Quintessential Organ by Troy Lucia (2005)
• Toccata for Organ by Ryan Ottaviano(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
• 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 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 Employments, Positions, or Leadership Roles:

• Instructor, New England Conservatory of Music, Theory Department/Keyboard 2006-Present
• President of Ars Nova v.2, New England Conservatory's Music Technology Club, Fall 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-Present
• Private Computer Consulting, (MIDI Recording and Performance Systems) 2003-Present
• Private Instruction, (Counterpoint, Harmony, Composition, Orchestration, Keyboard Skills) 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-Present
• 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, Summer 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, (currently attending for a doctoral degree in composition)
• New England Conservatory of Music, M.M. Musical Composition, 2005 (with Academic Honors and Distinction in Performance)
• Bennington College, B.A. Music, 2003

Compositions:

• To date over 360 works ranging from short compositions for solo instruments to large orchestral works of fifteen minutes or more.

Recorded on:

• 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) out of print