Tony Asaro currently makes his living as a freelance musician and theatre artist in New York City. He guest lectures at NYU in the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program from which he graduated in 2007. He also teaches voice at Front and Center studio in Springfield, NJ, and teaches lyric writing workshops in New York City public schools for 4th and 5th graders through the Johnny Mercer Foundation. Recently, Tony assisted Michael John LaChiusa on the new musical Giant, commissioned and produced by the Signature Theatre in Washington, DC. Tony is the recent recipient of the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust Award for 2008 for songwriting. Tony received his undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University in 1998, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, and in Music. At Santa Clara, Tony studied composition with Lynn Shurtleff. Prior to moving to New York, Tony worked as a professional choral musician in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. He conducted the Albany Community Chorus, the Ragazzi Boys Chorus Primary Group, and sang first tenor/alto with the San Francisco Choral Artists under the direction of Magen Solomon. Tony taught voice as part of the music faculty at Santa Clara University in the 2004-2005 school year. From 2002-2004, Tony was the Director of the Choral Program at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, CA. As a music director, Tony has worked on many shows with Children's Musical Theatre San Jose, and Milpitas Rainbow Theatre as well as other theatre companies around the Bay Area. Professionally, Tony served as Assistant Music Director for TheatreWorks' production of Pacific Overtures, and as Vocal Director for Santa Clara University’s production of Kiss Me Kate in 2004. Tony’s new musical Our Country (with Dan Collins) is receiving its world premiere in June of 2009 through the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Tony's first musical, Family, a collaboration with Dr. Barbara Means Fraser for which he wrote music and co-wrote lyrics, has enjoyed two productions–one at SCU in 1999 and one at the Ryan Repertory Theatre in New York City in 2000. Tony’s other musicals include Women of Colors (various collaborators), and Broken (with Kevin Cummines) and Going Nowhere. Tony’s songs have been heard in cabarets at Barrington Stages, Goodspeed Opera House, and various venues in New York City and across the country. His choral music has been performed by the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims Choir, and most recently, by the Mel-O-Chords.