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06/01/2016 08:30 AMAbigail Nickell has always been musically inclined. She started playing piano when she was just three years old and added instruments to her repertoire of skills over the year, including violin in 1st grade, flute in 4th grade, and trombone in 6th grade. She also enjoys singing.
Attending Smith College, Abigail majored in music, focusing on trombone and voice. She was also involved in many student organizations at school, including founding one. Abigail also worked in the Smith Music Department. Upon graduating, she was hired as the assistant director at the Northampton Community Music Center in Massachusetts.
“I have a lot of experience administering arts organizations,” says Abigail, who has a bachelor’s in music with a minor in dance. “Music is a great stress relief for everyone and, for kids, there is just the pure joy of music and arts, in general.”
Abigail moved to Hawaii when her husband Richard, who is in the Navy, received a transfer notice. The couple lived there for seven years, allowing Abigail time to earn an MBA in non-profit management. Abigail and her husband were then transferred to Connecticut, where they have lived in Oakdale for about a year.
The timing of the move worked out well as Abigail has been able to spend much of the past two years at home with her daughter Juliette. She had been perusing job openings for many months when she came across the listing for executive director of the Community Music School in Centerbrook in March. She quickly applied, excited for the opportunity to merge her passions for management and music.
“An executive director position has to be a really good match and you have to really embrace the mission or the long hours won’t be worth it and you won’t be successful at fundraising,” says Abigail. “I’d been waiting for something to pop that was a good fit. After I applied, the board was quick to snatch me up.”
Abigail’s predecessor Robin Andreoli had resigned in March and by April, Abigail had begun her new position. While she has held four executive director positions, this is her first that focuses on the arts.
“I’ve worked with so many non-profit organizations and it’s hard finding a job in the arts,” says Abigail. “I really lucked out here. My background is in music and I’ve always been interested in arts administration so that’s why this position is so perfect.”
As executive director, Abigail works closely with the 27 music educators and four administrative staff members. She also works with the Board of Trustees.
“Everyone has been very welcoming,” says Abigail. “Some members of our staff have been here for decades and really helped steward me in. I also work with a really great board that is really engaged. The community has been really welcoming, as well.”
Community Music School serves about 400 students from babies to senior citizens. In addition to private lessons, beginner group lessons, summer camps, glee for adults, and the New Horizons Band for seniors, the school also offers music therapy and does public outreach, visiting schools, retirement homes, and libraries.
“We serve all ages and ability levels,” says Abigail, who is also trained in dance and would like to get involved with ballroom dancing again. “Our students really run the gamut from six months old to students in their 90s.”
In addition to working with staff, another big part of Abigail’s job is fundraising, grant-writing, and special events. She notes that the school hosts an annual gala that she attended before she was hired.
Since starting, Abigail’s biggest focus has been opening a satellite location of Community Music School in East Lyme in time for the summer. The goal is to offer both private and group lessons, as well as some pop-up Kindermusic classes before a big launch in the fall.
“With my last job in Hawaii as executive director of MADD, I oversaw the entire state, which had several remote offices,” says Abigail. “I have experience overseeing remote locations and staff and that has really helped me get this off the ground.”
Abigail is confident that the new location will be a success as there are several students traveling to the Centerbrook location from that area and several others who have expressed interest in a program in East Lyme.
“There’s a strong public school music program there, but nothing supplemental,” says Abigail. “We like to view our programming as a place for students to focus on their technique, advance their skills, or try something like chamber music, ensemble, or music theory. There’s nothing like that offered in that area, so this will really be filling a void over there.”
While launching the satellite school is a major priority at the moment, Abigail is already looking ahead to the future. After the launch, she plans to have a “pretty intensive” strategic planning session with the Board of Trustees.
“They haven’t done that in a couple of years so we want to reexamine everything, asking, ‘Is everything we’re doing mission-driven or has there been slip?’” says Abigail. “We will be looking over our programming to make sure everything is efficient as possible so we can be good stewards of our donors’ money.”