Abigail Gagnon
As a child, Abigail studied piano at Concord Community Music School in Concord, New Hampshire, leading her to pursue a career in music education. After graduating with a music education degree from Grove City College in 2007, Abigail launched a new music program at a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania K – 8 charter school and developed the program for three years. During summers off, she has spent time studying vocal technique and the Italian language in Florence, Italy, and, most recently, performed the role of Nerine in Opera Nova’s production of Médée in San Jose, Costa Rica, in the summer of 2011.
Abigail currently enjoys teaching piano lessons, private tutoring, and singing in the Austin Lyric Opera chorus. Though so far from her hometown, Abigail is pleased to feel right at home in Austin and at Velocity Music Academy.
Tania Van Bree
Tania is happy to be back in her hometown of Austin after living in Chicago for the past 14 years where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music from DePaul University and a Master’s of Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago. Her career in music education and community relations at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led to her great appreciation for working with children of all backgrounds. Now as a certified SAHM, she also teaches Music Togther® at Velocity Music Academy and the Armstrong Community Music School and attends classes with her two year old daughter, Elixabeth. Tania also perform often with the Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble of Chorus Austin.
Brian Pettey
Baritone Brian Pettey is a singer whose “charming” and “haunting” voice (Baltimore Sun, North Lake Travis Log) has garnered glowing reviews from critics across the country. Along with performances at the Peabody Conservatory, where he received his bachelor’s degree in voice, he has sung roles with Baltimore’s Opera Vivente and Young Victorian Theater Company. In Austin, where he received his master’s in voice at the University of Texas, he has appeared with the Butler Opera Center, the UT Chamber Singers, the UT New Music Ensemble, and the Bach Cantata Project.
Presenting concerts which promote and celebrate the repertoire, he is a passionate advocate of chamber music and art song— especially that of American poets and composers. A champion of contemporary music in particular, he has performed dozens of works by living composers, even incorporating dance, visual art, film, and radio. When not singing or playing, he enjoys working in his garden, word games, and even the occasional round of mini-golf.
