SAMUEL THORNE BAGALÀ

Samuel Thorne Bagalà is a pianist, music director, composer, and arranger from Gray, Maine. He graduated summa cum laude from The Boston Conservatory with a Bachelor’s of Music in piano performance in May, 2014. He has conducted and performed in most of the major cities in the U.S, as well as Tokyo, and Canada. 

 

He was homeschooled until he was 13, at which point he attended the University of Southern Maine as an Early Studies student. During his high school years, he also attended the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, and Gray New-Gloucester High School.

 

From an early age, Sam took a deep interest in musical theater. He played piano for his first show, Godspell, at the age of 12, and music directed and conducted his first musical, Crazy for You, when he was 15. He also competed and won various piano competitions in New England, including the Bangor Symphony High School Concerto Competition, which subsequently led to a solo concerto performance with the symphony.

 

Sam has worked at Maine State Music Theater for nine consecutive summers (2009-2017), where he played in over 800+ performances. He served as assistant music director for over twenty main stage productions. He conducted the regional premiere of Xanadu. He has music directed main stage productions at MSMT including Young Frankenstein, Grease, and the regional premiere of Mamma Mia. He also has music directed a number of concert events including Hair, Spring Awakening, RENT, Fame, and Godspell, as well as educational shows each summer.

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During his time at the Conservatory, Sam worked as a staff accompanist for numerous voice studios, a rehearsal pianist and show pianist for the main-stage productions, and music director for various black box productions. He also worked in collaboration with the BoCo Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble, and the annual Gala event. He studied piano with Jonathan Bass, and music directing with Cathy Rand, as well as jazz piano with Steve Heck, and musical theater composition and orchestration at Berklee College of Music. Sam participated in composition masterclasses with Adam Guettel and Andrew Lippa.

 

In his junior year, he composed a song cycle titled Not Dead, which was performed and directed at the Conservatory by musical theater students and with a 7-piece band. He also music directed, orchestrated, and conducted the show.

 

Sam has also worked as a music director at Theatre by the Sea in Rhode Island, and a keyboardist at Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. For three holiday seasons, he worked as the music director/conductor for the National Tour of Elf - The Musical. He music directed the 20th Anniversary Tour of RENT for a year. Most recently, he toured with the Hamilton: An American Musical for two years as the Music Associate and later, as the Associate Music Director/Conductor. 

 

While in NYC, Sam works as an audition accompanist for various casting agencies for Broadway and National Tours. He served as a keyboard sub. for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Broadway.

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