Managing Director – William Nicholson:

A versatile and experienced musician, Mr. Nicholson has served as conductor, composer, music director, performer, drama director and music educator for many years in the Metro-Boston area. Mr. Nicholson has directed instrumental and choirs ensembles for the Newton Public Schools, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional HS, Middlesex Summer Arts, and Dedham Public Schools. He has worked with a number of locally and nationally recognized performing ensembles, including the NEC Youth Chorale; Central Bucks High School-West Honor Choirs, the First U.S. Army Band, US Coast Guard Academy “Idlers,” Bridgewater State University’s Chamber Singers, Sara Blacker (NE 2013 Vocalist of the Year) and numerous other vocal and instrumental artists and organizations.

A commissioned composer, with over 300 compositions to his credit, Mr. Nicholson has written for a wide variety of music ensembles, including orchestra, choir, concert and marching band, big band, contemporary jazz, rock, and pop ensembles, chamber ensembles, musical theatre, electronic media plus solo instrument and voice. As composer, he brings experience of directing these various ensembles as well. Most recently, he organized and conducted the well received the LSCO pops concert celebrating Sudbury’s 375th anniversary.

Mr. Nicholson received a MA in Music Composition/Theory from the Crane School of Music, Potsdam, NY, while studying with popular American composers, Robert Washburn and Arthur Frackenpohl. Mr. Nicholson recently retired as music director and drama director for the Dedham Public Schools in Dedham, MA

Conductor – Alfonso Piacentini

A native of Puerto Rico, Alfonso José Piacentini holds an M.M. in orchestral conducting from Boston Conservatory at Berklee where he studied with Bruce Hangen and a B.M. in orchestral percussion from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. As an undergraduate, Alfonso studied conducting with Rafael E. Irizarry (Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra Associate Conductor). As a graduate student, he worked as Musical Assistant of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under Benjamin Zander where is now Assistant Conductor. Most recently he premiered Juana, a new opera by Carla Lucero, as Music Director with Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble in New York City.