Benjamin Albright Adjunct Professorial Lect
Originally from Niagara Falls, New York, Benjamin recently moved to the DC metro area after winning a trumpet position with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. Dr. Albright completed his …
Applied Music Faculty
See also
Music Faculty main page.
Brass
Todd Baldwin Adjunct Instructor
Todd Baldwin served with The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” from 1984-2016 and was most recently the Element Leader for The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band. Previous positions include Trombone Section Lead…
Scott Cameron Adjunct Instructor
A native of Ashton, Maryland, Mr. Cameron is a member of The United States Army Field Band, stationed at Ft. Meade Maryland, and has performed in all 50 states. As a freelance tubist, Mr. Cameron has …
Shawn Hagen Adjunct Instructor
Shawn Hagen is a hornist in The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”. When not in uniform, Hagen performs with the National Chamber Winds and has been a frequent substitute with The Kennedy Cente…
Conducting
Daniel Abraham Professor and Department Chair, Performing Arts CAS - Performing Arts
Choral/orchestral conductor and musicologist; specialist in 17th- and 18th-century music. As a conductor and scholar, Abraham has often sought out works previously unknown to present-day audiences and…
Matthew Brown Professorial Lecturer CAS - Performing Arts
Orchestra/Symphonic Band. Matthew Brown has worked with musicians of all ages and levels ranging from elementary school string ensembles to professional orchestras. He currently is the Director of Orc…
Guitar
Alicia Kopfstein Adjunct Professorial Lect
Alicia Kopfstein, Ph.D., is an enthusiastic postmodernist who has taught musicianship, guitar, music history, and general education courses at American since 1998, and musicianship for the Washington …
Joshua Bayer Musician in Residence
Jazz guitarist, bassist, composer, and director Joshua Bayer has performed at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Detroit Opera House, Blues Alley, The Harlem Renaissance Festival, The Wor…
Alex Salser Adjunct Instructor
Alex Salser is a guitarist, songwriter, and educator based in the DC area with a background in bluegrass, jazz, blues, R&B and soul music. He has toured extensively, performing in the last year at 9:…
Percussion
Larry Ferguson Adjunct Instructor
Larry Ferguson is the drum set teacher in the applied music program. Mr Ferguson is a native of Kentucky and in addition to drum set, has a very diverse background in the areas of percussion including…
Nobue Matsuoka Assoc Librarian University Library
Nobue, a native of Japan, moved from New Orleans in 2006 to become the Music/Performing Arts librarian at American University. As the head of the music library in Katzen, Nobue is responsible for the …
Piano and Keyboard
Yuliya Gorenman Musician in Residence CAS - Performing Arts
A piano instructor in the applied music program, award-winning Russian-born American pianist Yuliya Gorenman has been called a "pianist without fear." Now firmly established in her performing career, …
Ann Kang Program Director for Music CAS - Performing Arts
Dr. Ann T. Kang is Director of the Music Program. She teaches piano, chamber music, music theory and musicianship. She has been called a pianist of “admirable polish and sensitivity” by the Baltimore …
Jon Ozment Adjunct Instructor
Jon has been working in and around the DC area for twenty years as a performer, producer, composer, and arranger. He has produced and arranged recordings by local jazz artists Imani, Maryann Redmond, …
Matthew Van Hoose Musician in Residence
Hailed by the Baltimore Sun for his “spirited and polished playing,” Matthew Van Hoose has established himself as one of the most sought-after pianists in the Baltimore-Washington area. Dr. Van Hoose …
Strings
Paul DeNola Adjunct Instructor
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Paul DeNola joined the National Symphony Orchestra's bass section in July of 2006. Before moving to Washington, D.C., Paul spent three seasons as a member of th…
Sean Heely Adjunct Instructor
Multi-Genre violinist/fiddler Seán Heely is one of the most creatively versatile and captivating young artists of his generation. He is a US National Scottish Fiddle Champion as well as an award-winni…
Osman Kivrak Musician in Residence
Osman Kivrak, violist, was a winner of the National Scholarship Competition in Turkey, the Baltimore Chamber Music Awards, the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Awards, the Culver (Califor…
Theresa Lazar Musician in Residence
Teri Lazar, violinist, has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Dr. Lazar performs with the Sunrise Quartet and the National Gallery of Art Str…
Nancy Snider Hurst Sr Prof Lecturer CAS - Performing Arts
Cellist and educator Nancy Jo Snider performs regularly in a variety of chamber and period instrument ensembles in venues ranging from The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Jazz at Linco…
Voice
Linda Allison Musician in Residence CAS - Performing Arts
Linda Allison, mezzo-soprano is the Musician in Residence for Voice at American University. Ms. Allison’s students perform a wide range of vocal styles from classical and contemporary Art Song, Concer…
Jennifer Hamady Adjunct Instructor
Jennifer Hamady is the author of The Art of Singing series, as well as a voice teacher, performance coach, and a board-certified therapist specializing in technical and emotional issues that interfere…
Barbara Hollinshead Adjunct Instructor
Barbara Hollinshead is a voice instructor in the applied music program. A mezzo-soprano, she has studied in NY, Washington and with Max van Egmond in the Netherlands. Career highlights include singing…
Katherine Riddle Adjunct Instructor
Katherine is an award winning interpreter of musical theater and crossover repertoire, Katherine Riddle is making her mark with her “crystal clear soprano” and “strong acting chops”. Performing in the…
Rolando Sanz Adjunct Instructor
Rolando Sanz is a visionary performing arts executive who works at the crossroads of the industry, bridging arts administration, production, education, and performance. With over two decades of experi…
Sterling Scroggins Adjunct Assoc Prof
Sterling Scroggins, voice instructor, baritone, has performed, directed, and taught in the Washington, D.C. area since the mid-1980s. His favorite roles include Papageno (The Magic Flute) Mephistophel…
Kelly Smith Jones Adjunct Instructor
Kelly Smith Jones has performed in a wide variety of musical styles. She has performed with Wolf Trap Opera Company, New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, Washington Concert Opera, Summer Opera Theat…
Ethan Watermeier Adjunct Instructor
Ethan Watermeier is Musician-In-Residence and the Coordinator of Vocal Studies at American University. Professor Watermeier is an interdisciplinary teaching artist, voice and speech educator and pract…
Woodwinds
Noah Getz Musician in Residence
Dr. Noah Getz is a saxophone instructor in the applied music program. He made his Carnegie Hall debut as the recipient of the National Alliance for Excellence Grand Prize and has presented solo recita…
Jonathan Baumgarten Musician in Residence
Jonathan Baumgarten is a flute instructor in the applied music program. He holds a MM from Juilliard where he was a scholarship student of Samuel Baron. He studied with Thomas Nyfenger on a National E…
William Wielgus Adjunct Professorial Lect
Oboe professor William Wielgus was a member of the oboe section of the National Symphony Orchestra from 1990 to 2017 upon appointment by Mstislav Rostropovich. Prior to his appointment with the NSO h…
Eric Dircksen Adjunct Professorial Lect
Eric Dircksen is a bassoon instructor in the applied music program. Eric Dircksen studied saxophone and bassoon at Indiana University in Bloomington and at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He …
Charles Sonoda Adjunct Instructor
Clarinetist Chaz Sonoda earned his Bachelor of Music at DePaul University and Master of Music at Northwestern University. He has previously attended the National Repertory Orchestra and Quartz Mountai…