Bishop O’Connell High School has brought new faces and talents to the performing arts faculty, hiring a new choral director and a new band director for the upcoming school year.
Ron Isaacson (pictured left) is the new band director. He comes to O’Connell as a trombonist/low brass specialist, an instrumental conductor and a music educator. He earned a Bachelor of Music in music education from the Crane School of Music, SUNY-Potsdam, in 1983 and earned his master’s degree from George Washington University in 1998.
As a music educator, Isaacson has taught at schools in the Washington metropolitan area and in New Hampshire. He has also directed school and community musical theater productions, including "Annie,” "Once on This Island,” "Pirates of Penzance,” “The Adventures of Mr. Toad,” and "My Fair Lady.”
Peter Kadeli (pictured right), a native of Falls Church, is the new choral director at Bishop O’Connell. He holds a Bachelor of Music in choral education and music composition from the George Mason University School of Music in Fairfax. Following his studies at Mason, Kadeli served as the choral director at Trinity School at Meadow View where he taught music theory and directed five high school choruses. His compositions have been performed in the United States and in Europe. Locally, the George Mason University Chorale, Modern Music Ensemble, Fredericksburg Chamber Chorale, W.T. Woodson High School Chorale, and Trinity School at Meadow View Chorale have performed his choral works.
This past summer, Kadeli conducted the National Philharmonic Chorus in a premiere of his composition “Veni Sancte Spiritus” in a European tour that included the cities of Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague. He also enjoys directing the contemporary choirs at the Saint Robert Bellarmine Chapel in Fairfax and the Life Teen Choir at All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas.
“Both of these new faculty members are committed to building on the successes of our award-winning music program at Bishop O’Connell,” said Carl Patton, assistant head of school and director of curriculum and instruction. “Our entire performing arts program will benefit from these experienced artists and dedicated teachers, and we looking forward to a year of learning and celebration of the arts.”