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Our Graduate Assistants

Byron De Leon

An image of Byron De Leon, an assistant director for the glee club

Baritone and conductor, Byron De Leon, is excited for his second year of an MM in Choral Conducting at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. De Leon has been involved in choir most of his life, beginning his singing with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. He received his BM in Voice Performance from Ithaca College, where he sang with many choirs like the Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers, and Ithaca College’s first-ever Vocal Chamber Music Ensemble. Recently, De Leon has been involved in many choral symposia and festivals. In October 2023, he and six other conductors were invited to attend the Lift Every Voice Symposium: a symposium dedicated to empowering young conductors of color with the mentorship of 4 prominent clinicians: Pearl Shangkuan, Andre Thomas, Anton Armstrong, and Fernando Malvar-Ruiz; with a final performance at the Illinois ACDA Conference. In August 2024, he was a Conducting Fellow at the Norfolk Chamber Choir + Choral Conducting Workshop, receiving daily feedback and presentations from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music Choral Faculty. Outside of rehearsal, De Leon can usually be seen with his three huskies Bella, Bruno, and Cielito.

 

Matthew Zabiegala

An image of Matthew Zabiegala, one of the assistant directors of the glee club

Matthew Zabiegala is a dynamic musician, conductor, and educator dedicated to pushing boundaries in programming, fostering community engagement, and nurturing artistic growth among musicians. As the Artistic Director of the New Jersey Chamber Singers since 2019 and the Concord Singers since 2022, Matthew has orchestrated diverse musical experiences and continues to elevate eclectic, thematic programming and amplifying underrepresented compositional voices. Matthew recently led a joint tour presenting concerts in Germany and Czechia with Summit Chorale and Concord Singers.

 

With a passion for liturgical music, Matthew serves as the Director of Music and Organist at the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township in Chatham, NJ. Matthew has also served as the Director of Music/Organist at New Albany UMC (New Albany, OH), Townley Presbyterian Church (Union, NJ), and Bridgewater UMC (Bridgewater, NJ), leading these programs through offerings of successful Concert Series, major sacred works, weekly anthems, and solo vocal performances.

 

As a sought-after soloist and chorister, Matthew has had numerous engagements in Ohio, Georgia, New Jersey, and NYC. Matthew has recently performed as a featured soloist and chorister with the Summit Chorale, Riverside Choral Society at Alice Tully Hall, and a featured recital with Lyrica Chamber Music performing the music of Lili Boulanger , William Grant Still, and Amy Beach. Matthew is currently a performing artist with the professional chamber choirs, Kinnara Ensemble & Terpsichore Ensemble, presenting concerts in the greater New Jersey and Atlanta, GA areas.

 

Passionate about education, Matthew Zabiegala enjoyed careers as the Director of Choirs at Central Crossing and Worthington Kilbourne High Schools in Columbus, OH and at Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway, NJ. Matthew is a frequent guest clinician and is on faculty at Wagner College in Staten Island, NY.

 

Matthew is currently earning a Doctoral degree in Choral Conducting at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University studying with Dr. Brandon Williams. Matthew earned a Master’s degree studying with Professor Emeritus, Dr. Patrick Gardner in 2019. Matthew was afforded the opportunity to deliver inspirational performances in the choral program as a featured soloist and assistant conductor at Lincoln Center, Trinity Church Wall Street, National and Regional ACDA Conferences, and internationally in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and in Germany at the Martkoberdorf Chamber Choir Competition. Matthew also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from The Ohio State University performing as a chorister and featured soloist with the OSU Chorale, Men’s Glee Club, and Symphonic Choir, studying under the tutelage of Dr. Robert J. Ward, Dr. Richard Schnipke, Dr. Kristina Caswell-MacMullen, and Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt.