Brad Conner Named Music/Choir Director

 After several months of evaluating resumes and interviewing candidates, the Search Committee recommended hiring Brad Conner as our new Music/Choir Director.

Brad has already plunged enthusiastically into his new position and those who have met him are impressed by his energy and eagerness to give shape and direction to the music program.  Elsewhere in this issue you can read a note from Brad, but first, by way of introduction, here is some background information:

Brad Conner comes to us with 23 years’ experience in directing a church choir in southeastern Massachusetts.  Over the years with his prior church, he expanded the choir and broadened its repertoire. He conducted many special musical programs (all Schubert, all Copland, all Thompson) and also initiated and produced several successful choral festivals.  Earlier in his career Brad held positions as pianist, vocalist, and choir director at a variety of church congregations, including Greek Orthodox, Jewish, and Unitarian.

His academic background includes degrees in musicology/performance  (choral and instrumental conducting) as well as undergraduate degrees in German and in business administration.

From 1986 to 1991 he was general manager of the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra in Boson.  Brad’s current day position is as administrative assistant at the Harvard Law School.

So much for the formalities.  Now for Brad the performer! He is Producing Director of American Classics, a non-profit dedicated to American music, in which he is the regular pianist with baritone Ben Sears.  The “Ben and Brad” duo specializes in researching the songs of American composers such as Irving Berlin, Richard Rogers, and Jerome Kern, among others, and creating performances to honor special occasions in the lives of these composers.  They perform regularly in the Boston area and are featured from time to time on Ron Della Chiesa’s Jazz Songbook on WGBH radio.

We look forward to introducing Brad to the congregation when regular services resume.

Dot Bergin, for the Search Committee