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A native of the South Hills of Pittsburgh, Connor Doran is currently pursuing a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. There he will be a student of Dr. William Weinert. He earned a Bachelors of Science in Music Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was recently named Choir Director and Organist at Saint Thomas More Parish in Rochester.
His conducting experience spans a wide range of ensembles and styles including choirs, orchestras, and percussion ensembles. While student teaching at Fox Chapel Area High School with Mr. Benjamin Murray, he conducted the Madrigal Singers at the Pennsylvania Music Educators State Conference in Erie, Pennsylvania in 2017. Having a deep love for Musical Theater, he has music directed and conducted performances with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and Community College of Allegheny County South Musical Theater Department and many other companies. |
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In 2016, he traveled down to Atlanta, Georgia to attend the Atlanta Summer Conducting Institute as a Conducting Fellow with Drs. Deanna Joseph and Daniel Bara. In 2017, he participated in the Advanced Choral Conducting summer session at Eastman with Drs. William Weinert and Craig Hella Johnson.
At Duquesne he had many opportunities to teach, perform, and research topics that are passionate to him. In the summer of 2015, Connor traveled overseas to accompany the Duquesne Opera Department in Italy and Spain. There he accompanied and coached with faculty members, students, and renowned opera professionals including singer Fiorenza Cosotto and Maestra Nicoletta Conti. In the fall of 2015, he completed a research-based study on “Movement in the Choral Classroom” synthesizing the effects and benefits of movement in the choral setting. From 2013-2017 he was the Front Ensemble Coordinator with the Baldwin High School Marching Band as well as serving as a percussion instructor to the Drum Line as well. He was the winner of the 2016 J. Cornetti Tucci Piano Performance Award at Duquesne University recommended by the piano faculty.
As a church musician he has worked for a wide array of churches in the Pittsburgh and Greensburg Dioceses. Most recently he was Associate Organist and Conductor at a large and vibrant parish called Saint Ferdinand’s in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Previous to this, he served as Interim Director of Music Ministries at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, an Interim Organist position at Mount Saint Peter’s Parish, as well as serving on the Spiritan Campus Ministry team at Duquesne.
He is a proud member of the Children’s Festival Choir of Pittsburgh (now Pittsburgh Youth Chorus), and has worked with professional groups such as Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, and Community College of Allegheny County South Musical Theater Department. He has received awards from the United State’s Marine (Sempre Fidelis Award), Pittsburgh Steinway Piano Gallery, Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association, Music in the Parks: Cedar Point, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (Gene Kelly Nomination) and Duquesne University.
His major private teachers include: Dr. Caron Daley, Ms. Sari Gruber, (the late) Dr. Robert Page, Dr. Tina Faigen, Mr. David Allen Wehr, Mr. Kenneth Danchik, and Mrs. Leah Edmonson Dyer respectively.
Connor is an active member of National Association for Music Educators, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, Music Teachers National Association, National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and the American Choral Directors Association.
At Duquesne he had many opportunities to teach, perform, and research topics that are passionate to him. In the summer of 2015, Connor traveled overseas to accompany the Duquesne Opera Department in Italy and Spain. There he accompanied and coached with faculty members, students, and renowned opera professionals including singer Fiorenza Cosotto and Maestra Nicoletta Conti. In the fall of 2015, he completed a research-based study on “Movement in the Choral Classroom” synthesizing the effects and benefits of movement in the choral setting. From 2013-2017 he was the Front Ensemble Coordinator with the Baldwin High School Marching Band as well as serving as a percussion instructor to the Drum Line as well. He was the winner of the 2016 J. Cornetti Tucci Piano Performance Award at Duquesne University recommended by the piano faculty.
As a church musician he has worked for a wide array of churches in the Pittsburgh and Greensburg Dioceses. Most recently he was Associate Organist and Conductor at a large and vibrant parish called Saint Ferdinand’s in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Previous to this, he served as Interim Director of Music Ministries at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, an Interim Organist position at Mount Saint Peter’s Parish, as well as serving on the Spiritan Campus Ministry team at Duquesne.
He is a proud member of the Children’s Festival Choir of Pittsburgh (now Pittsburgh Youth Chorus), and has worked with professional groups such as Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, and Community College of Allegheny County South Musical Theater Department. He has received awards from the United State’s Marine (Sempre Fidelis Award), Pittsburgh Steinway Piano Gallery, Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association, Music in the Parks: Cedar Point, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (Gene Kelly Nomination) and Duquesne University.
His major private teachers include: Dr. Caron Daley, Ms. Sari Gruber, (the late) Dr. Robert Page, Dr. Tina Faigen, Mr. David Allen Wehr, Mr. Kenneth Danchik, and Mrs. Leah Edmonson Dyer respectively.
Connor is an active member of National Association for Music Educators, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, Music Teachers National Association, National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and the American Choral Directors Association.
