Joseph Conticello

HOMETOWN: Burlington, Connecticut MAJOR: Music; concentration in Jazz Piano WCSU DEGREE: Bachelor of Music in Performance ACTIVITIES: Jazz Club president for two years; works part-time as a piano teacher

HONORS AND AWARDS: Furman Award for both the Solo and Group categories, Dean’s List all eight
semesters, 3.7 GPA overall

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Joseph Conticello is a musician from Burlington, Connecticut, about 20 miles outside of Hartford. He could have pursued his passion for jazz at any number of places, but says, “The great facilities, knowledgeable faculty and affordable price made the choice of coming to WCSU a no-brainer.”

He decided to major in music “because it presented a great challenge while also being incredibly
fulfilling.”

Conticello says almost all of the music faculty have acted as a mentor to him in one way or another. “I enjoy asking them all frequent questions, and pay close attention to their responses. Above all others, however, Associate Professors of Music Jamie Begian and Dr. Jimmy Greene, and Adjunct Instructor Peter Tomlinson all had a key role in shaping my success at WCSU and my future in the music world.”

Asked what he will remember most about his WCSU experience, Conticello says, “I wouldn’t say any one moment is particularly more memorable than the last. I would say that I am eternally grateful for how this school’s environment pushed me to improve myself in every way, while also allowing me to be able to branch out and do what I want to do. Over these past four years, I’ve practiced the piano for thousands of hours, but also met incredible friends, fantastic professors and mentors, and learned new skills like composition and cooking. I’ve also picked up new habits, like scheduling important dates and times, keeping a clean atmosphere and staying healthy.”

After graduation, Conticello says he’s been accepted to William Paterson University for Jazz Studies/Composition, and granted a Graduate Assistantship. “I am excited for what’s to come, and I hope I am pushed to even further reaches of my own abilities.”

His advice to new (music) students entering WCSU is: “Practice!”