About

Frank Martignetti teaches general, choral, and instrumental music at South Norwalk Elementary School in the Norwalk Public Schools, designated by NAMM as one of the USA’s “Best Communities for Music Education.” Dr. Martignetti also serves as Director of Music & Organist at First Church of Fairfield, Connecticut, where he plays the church’s renowned Klais pipe organ, conducts the Chancel Choir, and leads the Music in the Meetinghouse concert series. Due to its landmarked status and role as a community arts venue, First Church is the only house of worship in Connecticut designated part of an official Cultural District.

A consultant and clinician on urban music education, choral music education, music education curriculum, and culturally responsive education, Dr. Martignetti served as a full time university faculty member from 2012-2025. Most recently, he founded and led the Music Education program at Sacred Heart University until its closure. Previously, he served as Chair, Department of Music & Performing Arts at the University of Bridgeport, also leading choral activities, and additionally as a church musician in Manhattan, Connecticut, and Ohio. A K-12 music teacher from 2000-2010, he received the New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s 2006 Excellence in Music Teaching Award for his work teaching in the New Haven Public Schools.

As a conductor, Martignetti has prepared singers for performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, both at UB and as the Artistic Director of the Mystic River Chorale from 2008 to 2021. In addition to being the longest serving director in MRC’s 40 year history, Dr. Martignetti was a finalist for the 2015 American Prize in Choral Conducting for his work with the Chorale, which included regional premieres and K-12 partnerships. Guest conducting appearances include Carnegie Hall with MidAmerica Productions (2027), the Fairfield County Chorale (2025), the Mystic River Chorale (2024), Fairfield Center Stage (2023), the Sacred Heart University Orchestra (2022), the CMEA Southern Region HS Festival (2022), New Haven Oratorio Choir (2021), Hamden Symphony Orchestra (2013), New York University choirs (2013) and University Glee Club of New Haven (2005). As an organist and collaborative pianist, he has performed throughout the New York City area and Connecticut.

His current scholarship involves urban music education, urban education, culturally sustaining education, sociological approaches to music education, and innovation in the collegiate music curriculum. In addition to presentations and clinics at many conferences, school districts, and universities, his writing has been published by Oxford University Press, Information Age Publishing, in the Choral Journal, the Music Educators Journal, Visions of Research in Music Education, the College Music Society Symposium, the Journal of Popular Music Education, and the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing.

He is a past Dean and the current Treasurer of the Greater Bridgeport Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, as well as a board member and pre-concert lecturer for the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. Frank has previously served as Treasurer of Connecticut’s Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

Dr. Martignetti holds degrees from the University of Rochester (BA), the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (MM), New York University (PhD), and the Eastman School of Music (BM).

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