Artistic Leadership

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GMChorale

GMChorale has become one of New England’s finest and most engaging choruses since its founding in 1977 as The Greater Middletown Chorale. Today, the GMChorale is celebrated for its innovative symphonic choral presentations. Under the leadership of Joseph D'Eugenio, performs a wide range of choral repertoire, from beloved masterworks to newly commissioned pieces.  As the GMChorale enters its fifth decade, the organization is broadening its mission and the scope of its offerings to bring the power and beauty of choral music to people and communities across Connecticut. It is a core principle of the Chorale that the power of music is should be enjoyed for a lifetime.

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Joseph D'Eugenio (Artistic Director / Executive Director) has been bringing music to life across Southern New England for three decades as a conductor, artistic director, executive director, educator, pianist, organist, and coach for vocalists and conductors. He frequently conducts productions of major choral-orchestral masterworks, most often with GMChorale, New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra New England. Performances include the oratorios of Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Carissimi; the masses of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, and Bruckner; the requiems of Mozart, Duruflé, Brahms, Fauré, and Cherubini; newly-commissioned works; and music of all genres, styles, and periods. D’Eugenio has been Artistic Director of GMChorale since 1999. Under his leadership, the chorale has become known as one of New England’s finest choruses, awarded and celebrated for its creative choral presentations, commissioned works, and dynamic collaborations. In 2009, D’Eugenio was named Conductor of the Year by the Connecticut Chapter of ACDA. In demand as a guest conductor, clinician, and collaborative pianist, D’Eugenio has led various workshops and festivals, and has conducted choral groups in high schools, colleges, and universities across Connecticut, including as visiting instructor at Wesleyan University in Middletown. D’Eugenio has served as Director of Music and organist at First Congregational Church in Cheshire, Connecticut since 2003, where he directs the church’s vibrant music program and chancel choir. D’Eugenio earned the Bachelor of Music (cum laude) in piano performance from The Hartt School, University of Hartford, and the Master of Music in choral conducting from the University of Connecticut.

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Liz Bologna (Interim Operations Manager) began singing with GMChorale in the fall of 2023 and took on the role of Interim Operations Manager in 2024. She earned her B.A. in English from UCONN and M.A. in English Literature from Boston College. Currently, Liz also sings with Voce, Voices of Concinnity, and the Schola Cantorum at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. She has had the great fortune to work with several notable composers, including Ola Gjeilo, Eriks Esenvalds, Paul Mealor, and Eric Whitacre. Liz can be heard on the album, “Blessing: the Music of Paul Mealor,” and “The Nativity” recorded by Voce and available from Signum Records, and “Awaiting Golden Light” recorded by Voices of Concinnity and available from Navona Records. When not singing, she serves as the Executive Director of Arts Center East in Vernon. She continues to be an advocate for music and the arts in Greater Hartford and across Connecticut.

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Allan Conway (Accompanist) is in constant demand as a pianist, organist and accompanist, with extensive experience in the choral, vocal, operatic and instrumental literature. His commanding technical facility at the keyboard, ease and familiarity with a wide array of repertoire, sensitive interpretations, and keen sense of musical collaboration inform his many and varied performances. Mr. Conway received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the Hartt School of Music, where he studied with Raymond Hanson and was recipient of the prestigious Harold Bauer Memorial Scholarship. Active in the liturgical field, Mr. Conway has served numerous churches. Presently, he is Minister of Music at the United Congregational Church of Tolland. Mr. Conway is Organist and Choir Director at Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford a position he has held since 1977.

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Saecula Singers

This all-gender youth choir (under directors Tom Brand and Rebecca Rosenbaum), is a program of Saecula Choir Foundation, whose aim is to transform lives through choral music. Through membership in Saecula Singers, talented youths of diverse backgrounds receive exceptional musical training and performance opportunities. In participating in the concert this April, they will gain the outstanding experience of collaborating with an adult mixed-voice choir, professional soloists, and orchestra. Their youthful, highly trained voices will enhance the overall musical quality of the production.

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Tom Brand (Saecula Singers) grew up singing in New Haven’s Trinity Boys Choir under Walden Moore and in the American Boychoir under James Litton.  He earned degrees in choral conducting at Yale University and is Music Director of the Saecula Choir Institute, Earthly Sound Vocal Ensemble, Saecula Women’s Choir, VocalJoy, and St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bridgeport, CT.

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Rebecca Rosenbaum (Saecula Singers) has conducted various ensembles of Elm City Girls’ Choir, Saecula Singers, and United Girls’ Choir, and also served as Director of Choral Activities at Vassar College, where she taught classes and conducted the Vassar Women’s Choir.  She also has taught at Yale University and Bay Path College, and has appeared as guest conductor and clinician for several regional choral festivals and music programs throughout the country. Rebecca earned a BA in music from Vassar College and her MM and DMA in choral conducting at Yale University.

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Orchestra New England

Orchestra New England (O.N.E.) is one of the most versatile and exciting orchestras in America. Since its founding in 1974, Orchestra New England has presented over 700 concerts with a passion for excellence, signature enthusiasm and innovation. Most of these performances were presented at Yale’s Battell Chapel, with other engagements taking place in concert halls throughout New England. From its 1974 debut performance of an unpublished work by Charles Ives to its almost 150 performances of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, O.N.E. continues to set the standard for outstanding performances of both familiar and neglected works. O.N.E. has made commercial recordings for many prestigious labels.

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James Sinclair (Orchestra New England) has served as the Music Director of Orchestra New England since its founding in 1974. His versatility in delivering superb performances in a variety of styles – from the Baroque to pops literature – drives the remarkable success of Orchestra New England.  James Sinclair is also among the world's pre-eminent scholars and champions of the music of Charles Ives. He is the Executive Editor for the Charles Ives Society,  supervising the work of Ives scholars throughout the United States. A native of Washington, DC, James Sinclair earned his bachelor's degree in music at Indiana University and taught at the University of Hawaii, where he earned his master's degree. He relocated to New Haven in 1972, where he served as an Assistant Professor and a Visiting Lecturer in Music at Yale University. Sinclair is an Associate Fellow of Berkeley College at Yale and oversees both the John Kirkpatrick Papers and the Charles Ives Papers at Yale.