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