MUSE • Musicians United for Social Equity

Biography

Abigail Galleta Canafe is an award-winning Filipino-American keyboardist, music director, music assistant, accordionist, music educator, and arranger based in New York City. As a versatile and multi-faceted performing artist, she brings a range of dynamic experiences across diverse musical styles, from playing harpsichord in early music ensembles to synthesizer keyboards in musical theater pit orchestras. Abigail is a proud member of Musicians United for Social Equity and Maestra Music.

Abigail is a recipient of the Roselyn Schneider Eisner Prize in Music, the Joan C. Reutinger Prize in Piano Performance, the Mary Nunes Souza Prize, and the Bernece B. Lyon Memorial Prize. Abigail has also received accolades from the US International Open Music Competition as well as the American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts.

As a soloist and collaborator, Abigail has performed at venues such as the Alfred Hertz Memorial Hall and the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. Internationally, she has performed at the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Italy. Abigail has had the privilege of serving as a collaborative pianist alongside renowned performing artists such as John Bronston, Carina-Kay Louchiey, Nicholas Rodriguez, Peter Dunn, and Astrid Kuljanic.

She has served on music teams for over 20 theatrical productions, and frequently works with regional theaters, professional training companies, and ​arts enrichment programs, such as Broadway Dreams Foundation, Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center, Korsa Musical Theater, One Stage Theater, New Conservatory Theater Center, NexGen Youth Theatre, and Brooklyn Children’s Theatre.

Abigail received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music (High Honors) and Cognitive Science from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied piano under Betty Woo, as well as harpsichord and chamber organ under Katherine Heater. She also has had the honor of receiving mentorship in conducting, keyboard programming, and vocal coaching techniques from notable musical theater professionals such as Cynthia Kortman Westphal, Cynthia Meng, and Pedro Kaʻawaloa.

Visit her website at abigailgalletacanafe.com!