Mr. O'Connell received his Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Lowell, certification in Voice Therapy and a Master's degree in Choral Conducting from Boston Conservatory, and has completed his course work for a Doctorate in Education from Boston University.

For 11 years Brian O'Connell has been the director of choral activities at Lexington High School, where he conducts the Mixed Chorus, Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers, and oversees seven student-directed a cappella groups. As a member of the faculty of Berklee College of Music for 15 years, he served as chairman of the Voice Department for nine years. He is the former director of choral activities at Tufts University, was guest choral director at Northeastern University, was director of the Handel & Haydn Society's Youth Chorus, was assistant conductor to Allen Lannom of the Masterworks Chorale for four years, and was director of the Nashua Choral Society, Cambridge Chorale, Neponsett Choral Society, Quincy Choral Society and the Nashoba Valley Chorale. He has taught choral conducting/methods at Boston University and the New England Conservatory. He is currently an adjunct faculty member of the Boston Conservatory of Music and at UMass-Lowell.

Mr. O'Connell is active as an adjudicator, clinician and conductor throughout the New England area. He has served as President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association and has twice served as manager of the All-State Chorus.

In March 2005, he received the first annual ‘Choral Excellence Award’ presented by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. This award acknowledges the many contributions Mr. O’Connell has made in both choral pedagogy and conducting.

Mr. O'Connell is the founder/director of the Sarteano Chamber Choral Conducting Workshop for music educators, conductors and singers in Tuscany, Italy.