Bios
Brett Abigaña, Conductor and Composer
Photo provided by Dr. Abigaña.
Brett Abigaña, DMA, Music Director
Brett Abigaña's music has been performed throughout the world, and his music has been commissioned and performed by numerous performers including The United States Navy Band, The United States Navy Pacific Fleet Band, The United States Air Force Band of the Golden West, The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus, ALEA III, The Afiara String Quartet, The Webster Trio, The Fourth Wall Ensemble, The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, and numerous high school and college ensembles. He has written a wide variety of music including chamber music for strings and winds, song cycles, and numerous pieces for orchestra and symphonic band, including several concertos. He has gained a reputation for writing expressive, colorful music, and is much in demand as a guest lecturer, clinician, and conductor.
Dr. Abigaña completed his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at The Juilliard School where he studied with Samuel Adler and Robert Beaser, and received his Doctorate of Musical Arts from Boston University where he studied with Samuel Headrick and Richard Cornell. Other studies include composition, harmony, and counterpoint with Narcis Bonet, Michel Merlet, and Philip Lasser at La Schola Cantorum in Paris, as well as conducting with Judith Clurman, and ear training with Mary Anthony Cox.
As a conductor, Dr. Abigaña has been featured in concerts all over the world, and has conducted a variety of ensembles from chamber ensembles to full wind bands and orchestras. He has been the featured conductor for the United States Naval Academy Band and St. Margaret’s Steel Orchestra, and for several educational bands, orchestras, and choruses around the world. He is currently the Music Director of The A Cappella Singers, a treble chorus in Natick, Massachusetts.
Dr. Abigaña is proud to be on faculty at Boston University Academy, and is also Director of New Music at World Projects, an international tour and festival company as well as new music publisher. His large ensemble music is published by World Projects.
Follow Dr. Abigaña on the web, Facebook and Instagram (@brettabigana).
Simonida Spasojevic, Collaborative Pianist
Simonida Spasojevic (she/her, they/them) has trained in classical piano since they were five, and discovered early that making music with other people is some of the greatest fun a person can have. They’ve been lucky enough to work with musicians from all kinds of musical backgrounds, from classical to contemporary, Broadway scores to pop songs.
As well as accompanying The A Cappella Singers, they are the accompanist at St. Matthew’s Church, Acton, tutor of children in piano, and accompanist for auditions at Clark University. They have played in many bands, chamber ensembles, and orchestras for the sheer enjoyment of it. They’re always on the lookout for opportunities to make music with others, and hope to consider supporting and learning from other music lovers in the future.
Past Directors and Accompanist Emeritii
We celebrate our previous music directors and emeritus personnel on Our History page.