The Bigger Beast Team
Bigger Beast Records is powered by a collective of independent artists, community builders, and music lovers who believe we’re stronger when we work together. Our team volunteers its time, talents, experience, and connections to help build an ecosystem where independent artists can create, grow, collaborate, and find new opportunities without losing sight of what makes independent music special in the first place. While every member of our team brings their own areas of expertise, titles only tell part of the story around here - we all wear countless hats, roll up our sleeves, and step into whatever role is needed to help the artists, the events, and each other succeed. From concerts and festivals to recordings, promotion, mentorship, and community initiatives, we’re artists helping artists - and people who love music helping build a stronger, more sustainable independent music community.
FRANK VIELE
President/FounderFrank Viele graduated number one in the Marist College School of Business in 2007, earning the Wall Street Journal Award before making the somewhat unexpected decision to pursue a career in music. After interning with Virgin Records, Atlantic Records, EMI, and Universal, Viele traded the major-label offices for the road, eventually performing more than 1,000 shows across the country, earning numerous independent music awards, and sharing stages with artists including John Waite, The Wailers, Howie Day, Lee DeWyze, and more.
Years of navigating the music industry as an independent artist ultimately inspired Viele to build the kind of collaborative ecosystem he wished existed when he started. In 2024, his Muscle Shoals-recorded album The Trouble With Desire became the first full-length release on Bigger Beast Records and was later named Independent Album of the Year at the New England Music Awards. Today, he brings his experience as both a business leader and touring artist to Bigger Beast’s mission of artists helping artists rise.
LEE TOTTEN
Creative Director/FounderLee Totten brings a rare combination of creative direction, entrepreneurship, and music-industry experience to Bigger Beast. As a founding partner of BubbleUp, a digital agency deeply rooted in the music industry, Lee has spent decades helping artists, entertainment brands, and music businesses develop their identities, grow their audiences, and scale their ideas through creative strategy, technology, and digital marketing.
He’s also lived the artist journey himself. A nationally touring singer-songwriter, poet, and folk-rock troubadour, Lee has performed more than 1,000 concerts and shared stages with artists including Barenaked Ladies, Third Eye Blind, Everclear, and The Offspring.
An outside-the-box thinker and natural creative director, you simply don’t leave a conversation with Lee the same person you were walking in. He brings Bigger Beast perspective from both sides of the music industry, an instinct for turning big ideas into sustainable organizations, and a genuine passion for helping independent artists and creative communities grow.
Director of Community EngagementLIZ REED
Community and music have been intertwined throughout Liz Reed’s life. From hosting open mics as a young musician at Pomfret, Connecticut’s historic Vanilla Bean Café to her work today as an elementary school music teacher, Liz embodies Bigger Beast’s belief in camaraderie, music education, and the essential role the arts play in strong communities.
An accomplished folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Liz has been a finalist in the South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, charted among the Top 25 folk singles, and received Hartford’s Street Stages grant. Alongside her husband, she also helps produce an annual folk festival benefiting the Rocky Hill Food Bank.
At Bigger Beast, Liz helps connect the independent music ecosystem with the larger community, building relationships with artists, nonprofits, venues, and arts-friendly small businesses while playing an integral role in open mic programs, venue relations, and major event coordination.
Director of Project ManagementTom D’Ademo
Award-winning songwriter, recording engineer, producer, and entrepreneur Tom D’Ademo brings both creative and technical expertise to Bigger Beast. Performing under the moniker Me, Like Many, Tom studied Music & Sound Recording at the University of New Haven and has built experience spanning digital communication, graphic design, social media, content development, and event production.
For the past two years, Tom has served as Bigger Beast’s head of live sound, helping shape the listening experience at concerts and major events across the region. He also manages the organization’s internal ticketing infrastructure and works behind the scenes on artist support, event logistics, content development, and market growth.
A songwriter at heart and a problem-solver by nature, Tom brings an invaluable understanding of both sides of the stage—combining musicianship, production knowledge, technology, and organization to help Bigger Beast turn ambitious ideas into experiences that work.
BARBARA SHILLER
Senior AdvisorOn July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan went electric for the first time at the Newport Folk Festival.
Barbara Shiller was in the front row.
Sixty-two years later, Barbara has played her own remarkable role in keeping the spirit of folk music and songwriting alive in New England. A former President of CT Folk and longtime board member of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, she has spent decades creating spaces where artists can be heard, communities can gather, and songs can find a home. For 17 years, Barbara also hosted one of New England’s longest-running house concert series, welcoming artists and audiences into her home for more than 75 concerts.
At Bigger Beast, Barbara serves as an advisor, mentor, and invaluable connection to the greater folk community. Her decades of experience bring historical perspective and institutional knowledge to our work while helping us build songwriter-focused experiences, strengthen relationships across the folk world, and ensure that community remains at the heart of everything we create.
LISA KASTON
Program Development DirectorLisa Kaston has spent more than a decade creating spaces where music, community, and purpose come together. As a concert, festival, and special event presenter—including three years as President of CT Folk—Lisa has dedicated much of her work to amplifying emerging and established artists while expanding the communities those artists can reach.
During her tenure with CT Folk, Lisa helped develop new programming through collaborative planning, grant writing, and community outreach, with a particular focus on engaging a broader and more diverse audience. Her impact was recognized by having the main stage at two CT Folk Festivals named in her honor. She has also served on the boards of Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance.
At Bigger Beast, Lisa brings invaluable experience in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, event development, and artist advocacy - helping us build partnerships between artists, organizations, and communities while ensuring that purpose and impact remain central to the ecosystem we’re building.
Director of Event LogisticsJACK BIENVENUE
Jack Bienvenue exemplifies what the independent music community is all about. One of New England’s most passionate supporters of independent artists, Jack first approached the Bigger Beast team at our inaugural 21 Songwriters festival in 2024 with a simple offer: “If there’s anything I can ever do to help, please call me.”
We called—and Jack has been an essential part of Bigger Beast ever since.
As one annual festival grew into events across multiple states and a handful of local shows evolved into a year-round concert calendar, Jack became a driving force behind the staging, logistics, and execution of every major Bigger Beast event. Today, it’s difficult to imagine one without him there.
Jack brings an extraordinary work ethic, a genuine love for independent music, and an instinct for turning ambitious plans into organized, welcoming experiences. He also helps grow and coordinate the volunteer community that makes so much of Bigger Beast possible—proof that sometimes the most important people in a music ecosystem aren’t standing on the stage, but helping build it.
Director of Content & The Acoustic Barn ProgramMARC APOSTOLIDES
Ten-thousand-mile hiker, lifelong performer, producer, and purveyor of the musical spirit, Marc Apostolides has spent more than 35 years chasing the magic that happens when great songs, great artists, and the right room come together.
A professional musician since age 18, Marc spent decades performing upwards of 150 shows a year before increasingly turning his attention toward production and capturing live music. Through The Apostolides Project and his Sacred Sessions concert series, he has produced hundreds of live recordings, videos, streams, and intimate performances centered around original music and the songwriter community.
Today, Marc heads Bigger Beast’s Acoustic Barn, where he serves as a producer, live recording engineer, and member of our A&R team. From discovering artists and recognizing something special in a song to capturing performances in their most honest form, Marc has become an integral part of how Bigger Beast develops and documents its growing artist community.
Equally comfortable onstage, behind a mixing board, or behind a camera, Marc brings decades of musicianship, technical knowledge, curiosity, and an unwavering belief that sometimes the most powerful musical moments are the ones you simply create the space to let happen.
JESSICA SMUCKER
Central Pennsylvania Regional Project CoordinatorJessica Smucker has spent nearly three decades at the intersection of songwriting, storytelling, and community building. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jessica is an accomplished singer-songwriter, poet, and essayist whose creative career includes an extensive list of publishing and performance credits.
Jessica also curates and hosts Songwriters in the Raw, an intimate in-the-round concert series showcasing both local and nationally touring artists. Behind the scenes, her experience spans film production, event coordination, nonprofit management, and the countless logistical details required to turn creative ideas into meaningful experiences.
At Bigger Beast, Jessica brings together the perspective of a working artist, experienced presenter, and community builder. With a particular passion for connecting and supporting fellow songwriters, she helps us strengthen artist relationships, develop songwriter-focused programming, and expand the Bigger Beast community throughout Pennsylvania and the greater Mid-Atlantic region.
CHRISTINA MEADOWS
Project ManagerChristina Meadows first crossed paths with Bigger Beast at our inaugural 21 Songwriters festival, where she arrived to host the first “All Are Welcome” Song Circle with a guitar on her back, a notebook in her hand, and sign-up sheets ready to go. When the festival ended, she didn’t leave—she stayed to help pack speakers, break down the stage, and leave the space better than we found it. That combination of creativity, humility, and work ethic has defined her role ever since.
A singer-songwriter and relentless student of the craft, Christina quickly grew from hosting Bigger Beast open mics into running front-of-house sound, facilitating major events, contributing to music video productions, and becoming an essential part of our day-to-day operations.
Today, Christina serves as a Project Manager across Bigger Beast and Analog Hype Machine, bringing together artist support, technical production, community programming, digital infrastructure, and event coordination. A fearless problem-solver with an extraordinary desire to learn, she represents something central to the Bigger Beast philosophy: give passionate people an opportunity to grow, and there’s no telling how much they can help build.
Director of Program Management & EducationARIELLE SILVER
Arielle Silver brings together the worlds of songwriting, education, community building, and mission-driven artist support. A nationally touring singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and award-winning writer, Arielle has spent more than a decade developing programs that use creativity, education, and community to help people grow.
Since 2021, Arielle has worked with organizations including the SONA Foundation and Folk Alliance International to develop national programming supporting songwriters and composers, with initiatives centered around mental health, music-industry literacy, career sustainability, and stronger connections between music creators and the industry around them. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University, studied songwriting and clarinet at Berklee College of Music, and has taught creative writing, songwriting, creative process, and music business in university and community settings.
At Bigger Beast, Arielle brings that experience directly into our mission-oriented work while taking a leading role in developing the educational workshops and artist-development programming surrounding our 21 Songwriters festivals. Her combination of artist perspective, teaching experience, program development, and advocacy helps us ensure that Bigger Beast isn't simply creating more places for independent artists to perform—we're creating more opportunities for them to learn, connect, and build sustainable creative lives.
Northern New England Regional Project CoordinatorSASHA NOLTE
Sasha Nolte came to Bigger Beast the same way many of our favorite stories begin: as a fan. Rooted in the small listening rooms of the Northeast, particularly Vermont, Sasha has long been a passionate supporter of independent music and the people who make it happen. Her path first crossed with Frank Viele at Burlington’s Radio Bean, beginning a connection that eventually brought her into the Bigger Beast community.
While Sasha doesn’t sing or play an instrument (although she recently acquired a ukulele!), she brings something every independent music ecosystem needs: the perspective of the person on the other side of the stage. She understands both the challenge of connecting artists with audiences in smaller markets and the powerful sense of community that forms when those connections happen.
At Bigger Beast, Sasha helps us strengthen relationships with music fans, understand the communities and markets we serve, and expand our reach throughout Northern New England. Deeply invested, fiercely supportive, and genuinely passionate about original music, she keeps us connected to one of the most important reasons Bigger Beast exists in the first place: making sure great independent artists and the people who would love their music have more opportunities to find each other.
REES SHAD
Western Massachusetts Regional Project ManagerRees Shad brings more than four decades of experience as a songwriter, recording artist, producer, educator, and creative advocate to Bigger Beast. With 17 solo albums, hundreds of compositions, and a career spent collaborating with an extraordinary network of musicians, producers, venues, and music-industry professionals, Rees brings both a deep understanding of the independent artist journey and the relationships built from a lifetime inside it.
But perhaps Rees’ greatest contribution is perspective. A longtime educator and natural mentor, he has spent decades helping creative people develop their ideas, challenge themselves, and find sustainable paths forward. His belief in “playing it forward” has also led him to use his music, performances, and even hand-built instruments to support causes ranging from food insecurity and education to artist support and animal welfare.
At Bigger Beast, Rees serves as an industry advocate, program manager, mentor, and member of our extended A&R community—sharing his experience, relationships, and creative instincts to help artists and programs grow. He brings the kind of wisdom that only comes from having spent a lifetime making art, building community, and still remaining curious about what comes next.
CASSIDY DICKENS
Appalachian Regional Project ManagerCassidy Dickens brings together the perspectives of a working artist, creative entrepreneur, digital marketer, and proud Appalachian community builder. Born and raised in southern West Virginia, Cassidy spent more than seven years writing and performing in Nashville before ultimately returning home to the Mountain State, bringing with her more than 15 years of touring experience, multiple songwriting awards, and a deep belief that meaningful creative careers can be built anywhere.
In 2017, Cassidy founded Lyric Creative Co., a digital marketing company built around the power of strategic storytelling and genuine human connection. Through that work, she has helped artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs develop their brands, grow their audiences, and build sustainable businesses around the work they love.
At Bigger Beast, Cassidy brings that combination of artist experience, marketing expertise, and entrepreneurial thinking to our growing ecosystem while serving as our representative throughout the Appalachian region. Deeply connected to West Virginia and its creative community, she helps us build relationships with artists, venues, organizations, and music lovers throughout Appalachia—ensuring that as Bigger Beast grows geographically, it does so through people who genuinely understand and belong to the communities we hope to serve.
Community Engagement CoordinatorED LIEDKE
Ed Liedke came to Bigger Beast through a shared belief that music can do more than entertain - it can bring people together to make a tangible difference in their community.
As a board member of Family Promise of Central Connecticut, Ed and his wife Cheryl partnered with Bigger Beast to help create Shelter From the Storm, our annual songwriter-driven concert supporting families experiencing housing insecurity. What began as a charitable partnership quickly became something more, as Ed started showing up at Bigger Beast events, rolling up his sleeves, and becoming part of the community he had helped bring together.
Ed also brings decades of professional experience in nonprofit fund administration, including serving as Director of Fund Administration and Disbursements for the UConn Foundation, giving him valuable perspective on the infrastructure and stewardship behind mission-driven organizations.
At Bigger Beast, Ed helps us strengthen the bridge between independent music and community impact - developing relationships with nonprofit organizations, supporting benefit events, and helping identify meaningful ways our growing artist community can serve the communities around us. He represents a fundamental Bigger Beast belief: when artists, music lovers, and people committed to doing good find one another, a concert can become something much bigger than a night of music.
Major Event Logistics CoordinatorDELANEY D’ADEMO
Some of the most important work at a great concert happens long before the first note is played. Delaney D’Ademo joined Bigger Beast with a simple goal: help our increasingly ambitious events run smoother, more efficiently, and on time.
Professionally, Delaney brings experience in training, compliance, program development, and building the systems that help organizations operate effectively. As Bigger Beast’s concerts grew into larger festivals and multi-stage events involving dozens of artists, volunteers, vendors, and moving pieces, she saw an opportunity to bring that organizational mindset into the creative world.
As Bigger Beast’s Major Event Logistics Coordinator, Delaney helps develop the schedules, processes, communication, and behind-the-scenes infrastructure that turn ambitious ideas into organized experiences. Detail-oriented, creative, and unafraid to bring structure to a little bit of artistic chaos, she helps make sure our artists, volunteers, partners, and audiences can focus on what they came for: the music and the community surrounding it.
DONATO BICEGLIA
Director of Audio / Project ManagerDonato Biceglia lives at the intersection of musicianship, engineering, and the endless pursuit of great sound. As founder and owner of Dual Stage Amplification, Donato designs and hand-builds audio equipment and effects pedals for professional musicians while becoming a trusted repair resource for artists, studios, and venues throughout the Northeast.
His shop has also become something of a crossroads for the touring music community—a place where musicians passing through can find everything from an emergency amplifier repair to a conversation about a great new artist. That combination of technical expertise, a finely tuned ear, and a constant connection to working musicians gives Donato a unique perspective on both the sound and the people shaping independent music.
At Bigger Beast, Donato serves on our A&R team while providing technical direction and audio expertise across label projects, recording initiatives, and live events. As we transform traditional and nontraditional spaces into intimate listening rooms, Donato helps ensure that the experience sounds as intentional as it feels—while keeping an ear to the ground for the artists and songs we should be hearing next.
ROBERT C. FULLERTON
Senior Project CoordinatorRobert C. Fullerton came to Bigger Beast as an artist and quickly became something much more: a caretaker of the community growing around the music. A lifelong musician whose journey has included work as a choral director, adjudicator, church musician, jazz player, folk artist, and songwriter, Robert brings decades of musical experience - and the perspective that comes with it - to everything we build.
As a recording artist, Robert has developed his own distinctive blend of Americana, folk, jazz, and acoustic soul, releasing an extensive catalog of original music while becoming a familiar presence within the New England songwriter community.
At Bigger Beast, Robert has taken particular ownership of our 21 Songwriters festivals and the artistic community surrounding them. Part mentor, part artist advocate, and always willing to roll up his sleeves wherever help is needed, Robert brings wisdom without ego and a genuine desire to see other songwriters succeed. Whether he’s performing, welcoming a new artist, helping solve a problem, or simply making sure someone feels like they belong, Robert embodies the kind of artist-led community Bigger Beast was created to build.