ToppaToons 2023
Frank Toppa
Website: http://toppatoons.com/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/ToppaToons
You Tube: Toppa's You Tube
Cell- 781-856-8991
Ftoppa440@Gmail.Com
Box 888 (5 Candlewick Road)
S.Orleans, 02662
Current Positions
- Chatham Elementary School 2019-present Teacher Page: https://www.monomoy.edu/Domain/1885
- Truro Central [Elementary] School 2022-present https://www.truromass.org/#
- U U Meeting House of Chatham Music Director (Choir/Organ) 2009 -present
Current Cape Cod Connections
Cape Community Orchestra 2020- present https://www.capecommunityorchestra.org/
Falmouth Chamber Players 2020-present http://www.falmouthchamberplayers.org/
Chatham Town Band 2015- present Chatham Town Band
Harwich Town Band 2021-present Harwich Town Band
Sound Dunes Big Band 2020- present Sound Dunes Big Band
Sentimental Journey Swing Band 2018
https://sites.google.com/site/sjdanceband/
Formerly
- Belmont Day School General Music, Choral, Theater, Guitar, Handbells, Instrumental 1999- 2022
-Star Island IRAS Artificial Intelligence Conference Music Director 2018
http://www.iras.org/2018-summer-conference.html
Degrees
Master of Music in Musicology- Boston University 2003
Master of Music Ed. Organ- U-Mass Amherst 1991
Bachelor of Music Ed. Choral- Hartt College 1975
Mass Teachers Licensure
#230292 Music:Vocal/Instrumental/General, k-12 Professional
Former Cape Cod Connections
Cape Cod Symphony 1976-1978 & 1981-1982,
Federated Church of Orleans- Organist, Choir and Handbell Director, 1976-1983
Our Lady of the Cape, Christian Science Chatham- part time organist1977-1983
Chatham Chorale and Wellfleet Cantores member 1976-1978
Highlanders, Harwich Junior Theater, Arena Theater- Musician 1975-1980
Palio Pizzeria Accordion/Voice & my son Isaac Fluegelhorn/Voice 2008-2010
Past Teaching
Brookline Public Schools- Choral, Musical Theater, and General Music
Teacher Heath School (Gr.3-8) 1991-1997
Amherst/ Pelham Elementary Schools
Choral, Musical Theater and General Music Teacher 1988-1991
Deerfield Public Schools
Instrumental, Choral and General Music Teacher 1986-1988
Sandwich Schools
Band and Instrumental Teacher- Wing Elementary 1983
Nauset Regional Schools
Nauset Middle- Orchestra Director, Guitar Instructor
1983-1984, & 1975-1978
Nauset High- Chorus, Junior Band, asst. Musical Theater
Director 1975-1978
Marconi School- (Sped) General Music (gr3-6) 1978-1985
Nauset Adult Education Guitar Classes 1984
Higher Education
Graduate assistant to Dr. Emilio Ross Fabregas & Dr. Lisa Urkevich and assistant
conductor Collegium Musicum B.U.1998-2000
Thesis: ROBERT SCHUMANN’S “FUGUES ON B-A-C-H” OPUS 60:
REFLECTIONS ON THE EARLY ROMANTIC RECEPTION
OF BACH AND THE BAROQUE FUGUE advisor- John Daverio
Philosophy of Music course study-under Roger Scruton B.U. Fall 1993
Voice and Music Therapy course study Lesley Spring 1994
Past Choral/ Organ
Cape Cod
Federated Church of Orleans- Organist, Choir, Handbell Director, 1976-1983
Our Lady of the Cape Brewster, First Parish Brewster, Christian
Science Churches of Chatham and Brewster- part time organist 1977-1983
Chatham Chorale and Wellfleet Cantores member 1976-1978
Arlington-
Music Director First Baptist Church of Arlington 2000-2001/ 2005-2009
Choir Director and Organist St. John's Episcopal Church 1992-1997
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church
Children's Choir Director (plus Handbells) 1993-1997
Park Avenue Congregational Church 1994 (interim)
Ottoson Middle School Chorus accompanist 2000-2007
Arlington-Belmont Chorale accompanist 2006-2007
Choral productions include: Vivaldi Gloria, Handel
Messiah, Schubert Masses, Faure Requiem, Bach Coffee Cantata.
Frank Toppa p.3
Amherst-
Choir Director, Organist, and Handbell Director Unitarian Universalist
Society of Amherst 1985-1988
Sinai Temple, Springfield- Zimbria Choral Festival Pianist, Musical
Theater Director, Organ Sub, and Accordionist for family folk
dances 1988-1991
Music Director Bach Secular Cantata Program- Amherst 1987
High School & Undergraduate Years
Dionne Warwicke Vocal Scholarship- Hartt 1971-1975
Hartt College Chorale, Chamber Singers, Collegium Musicum 1971-1975
Newport Tunes and Talents Vocal Scholarship 1968
Ted Mack Amateur Hour Vocal Performance 1970
Private Vocal Study age 8 through college
Musical Theater
Adult and school productions includeAnne of Green Gables,
Oliver, Sound of Music, Guys and Dolls, Man of La Mancha (ACTE
Award for best musical), South Pacific, The Unsinkable Molly Brown,
Brigadoon, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Romeo
and Juliet, West Side Story, The Diary of Anne Frank, Annie. Music
Man, Fiddler, Wizard of Oz
Cape Cod
Director for Cape Cod's Highlanders, Chatham Drama Guild,
Barnstable Comedy Club, Springfield’s Sinai Temple
Ottoson Middle School musicals 2000-2007
String Bassist for numerous Musical Theater Productions
Instrumental.
String Bass
Cape Cod Symphony 1976-1978 & 1981-1982,
Arlington Philharmonic 1992- 2006 Amherst Five College Orchestra 1990-1991, Pioneer Valley Symphony 1985-1988, Civic Arena Theater 1986-1988, Valley Light Opera 1985, Cape Cod Symphony 1976-1978 &
1981-1982, Woods Hole Summer Chorus 1982, Lower Cape Contra
Dance Ensemble1982-1984, R. I. Youth Orchestra 1970-1971
John Phillip Souza Award 1971
Piano Accompanist for Amherst Ballet 1985-1987, Harwich High & Middle Schools, Eastham Elementary, Chatham Youth Chorale 1980-1982
Frank Toppa p.4
Community Work
Throughout my professional musical life, I have maintained an active musical role as a volunteer in my community, working for groups such as Senior Citizens, the Blind, the Public Schools, Children, and Peace Organizations,
Amherst Seniors Handbell Choir Director, Bang Center 1986-1987,
Accompanist Belchertown Senior Citizen's Center 1986
Oakhill School for the Blind Hartford 1974-1975,
Public School Choral accompanist and Musical Theater Director Arlington 2000-2007
Current and former memberships
MENC, PTG, AGO, IRAS
Vocal Background
Voice Soloist on The Ted Mack Amateur Hour
Bachelor of Music Ed. in Choral Music, Hartt College of Music
Dionne Warwicke Voice Scholarship
High School Choral Director, Nauset Schools 1975-77
Church Choir Director, Federated Church of Orleans, Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst, St. John's Episcopal Church, Arlington
Choral Director Bach Secular Kaffee Cantata
Choral Works Directed- Vivaldi Gloria, Handel Messiah, Schubert Mass, Bach Coffee Cantata.
Musical Theater Director on Cape Cod, Amherst, and Brookline-
Guys and Dolls, Oliver, Sound of Music, Anne of Greene Gables, South Pacific, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Man Of La Mancha.
Instrumental Background
String Teacher Nauset Regional Middle School 1975-77 1980-1981
Instrumental teacher Wing Elementary School 1980
Instrumental teacher Deerfield Schools 1985- 1987
String Bassist with the Cape Cod Symphony, Pioneer Valley Symphony, Five College Symphony, Arlington Philharmonic.
String Bassist for Theater productions on Cape Cod and Pioneer Valley.
String Bassist with various chamber groups.
String Bassist with local orchestras including Arlington Philharmonic
1992-1999, Amherst Five College Orchestra1990-1991, Pioneer
Valley Symphony 1985-1988, Cape Cod Symphony 1976-1982
Choral
My undergraduate music education degree was in High School Choral directing, and my student teaching was with the Avon (Conn.) High School Chorus. My first position was teaching High School Chorus in the Nauset Regional School System. During that time I was assistant Musical Theater director with the Drama Coach.
Frank Toppa p.5
Unitarian Universalist Affiliations
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Arlington, Ma. 1991-2006
Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst1985 -1991
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Brewster 1982-1985
U.U. Conferences- General assembly 1985- 1993, 1999
Performed at several General Assemblies
U U Musician's Network Conference- Milwaulkee
Participated in field testing of Singing the Living Tradition
Organist for Peter Fleck’s ordination
Star Island IRAS Conference1985-2006 organist and choir director during
some weeks.
