Community Music DivisionMeet the Instructors
Private Instruction
Avery Suhay
Avery Suhay is a collegiate cellist with a Bachelor of Music, Performance degree from the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University. A cellist since 2009, he has been a teacher at Angelico Violins since 2020. Mr. Suhay has since taught students of all age groups. This teaching experience inspired Mr. Suhay to pursue the Master of Music education degree with a concentration in cello performance. Mr. Suhay has been part of the Russell Stanger quartet, and various other chamber groups at ODU, and has started his own chamber music group. Playing in these various groups has led to exposure to all eras of music and the different challenges they present. As an undergraduate, Mr. Suhay managed the ODU Symphony Orchestra; he is the current Graduate Administrative Assistant for String Activities. Additionally, Mr. Suhay coaches chamber groups and leads string sectional rehearsals for the ODU Symphony orchestra.
Alyxia Bonnett
Canadian clarinetist Alyxia Bonnett was born and raised in Ontario, receiving a Bachelor of Music Degree from Ontario's Western University. She recently completed her Master of Music Education degree in performance studies at Old Dominion University with a 3.97 GPA, specializing in jazz, classical, and modern clarinet curriculum. As an active private studio music educator for clarinet and saxophone studies, clarinet choir director, and former graduate assistant of the collegiate Monarch Marching Band, she is currently also an aspiring large ensemble clarinetist and solo freelancer.
Lawrence Weintraub
Larry is a retired saxophone/clarinet player from both the Army Band, (3 years) and Navy Band (17 years) Programs. He has his Masters of Music Education from Old Dominion University and his Bachelors Degree in Music from Towson University. He has taught in the CMD since September, 2011. While teaching at the CMD, 2 of his students were accepted into the Governor's School for the Arts.
In addition he taught 5th grade strings as a part time teacher for Virginia Beach Schools for 2 years before that job was eliminated. While in that position he sent 15 students to All-City Orchestra. Of that original group, 12 students continued on to make 7th and 8th Grade District orchestras with 1 student winning a position in the Governor's School for the Arts. Currently he also substitute teaches in the Chesapeake Public Schools.
Larry has been teaching saxophone and clarinet locally since 1995. All of his local private saxophone and clarinet students have received superiors in Solo & Ensemble Festivals. Before he was in the Navy Band, Larry taught in the Baltimore area since September, 1981. While in Baltimore, his teaching experience included teaching at an All - Girl Catholic High School, and teaching private saxophone / clarinet lessons. In Baltimore he sent 12 students to All City, All County and All State Band's. All of his students received superiors in Solo & Ensemble Festivals.
His performing experience includes being a musical ambassador for America, traveling and performing in Benin, The Congo, Gabon, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago. In the USA he traveled from Key West, FL to NYC as a Navy Band member. While in the Army Band from Colorado Springs, CO he traveled and performed all over Colorado, Wyoming, North & South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. He performed in the Glenn Miller Festival in his hometown of Clarinda, Iowa. In addition he has performed in 14 Tattoos and in 1999 was selected to be the tenor saxophone soloist for the Scope International Tattoo here in Norfolk, VA.
He has performed as a paid pit orchestra member for both Summer Stock and Regional Theater in Baltimore and in the Norfolk area. In addition Larry has played in backup bands for traveling musical acts, both as a civilian and as a military band member. This includes Al Martino, Carmel Quinn (Irish singer), and The Four Tops as a civilian. Lee Greenwood, Keely Smith, Chuck Mangione (2x's), Roan Tynan (Irish Singer 2x's) and Marv Stamm (NYC Studio and Jazz trumpet player) as a Navy Band member.
When in between the Army and Navy Band's he played in the 17 piece Bing Miller Big Band out of Baltimore, MD. While a member of that band he performed locally in Baltimore and internationally in Frankfurt, Germany at the Five Star Park Hotel for a week. Here in the Greater Norfolk area Larry performs with his Jazz Combo, Swing Time.
Besides playing in big bands, jazz combos and theater pit orchestras, his ensemble playing includes: concert band, ceremonial band, US Navy Show Band, jazz ensemble, rock band, variety band, marching band and wind ensemble.
Dennis Northerner
Dennis Holden-Northerner earned his Masters in Music Education and Bachelor of Music in Music Education with an emphasis on applied percussion performance at Old Dominion University under Professor David L. Walker. He teaches and performs all over the Hampton Roads area in all areas of percussion, such as snare drum, mallet percussion, drum set, timpani, auxiliary percussion, and hand drums. Currently he serves as an adjunct percussion faculty member for the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University where he teaches applied percussion and conducting courses. He also in an adjunct Instructor for the Community Music Division (CMD) where he teaches private applied percussion lessons to all ages and levels. In addition to his teaching at ODU, he is an adjunct instructor for Tidewater Community College and for the Governor School for the arts.
He has also performed with many groups around the Hampton Roads area, including Virginia Symphony, Williamsburg Symphony, Richmond Symphony, The Tidewater Winds, Symphonicity and Virginia Winds Symphony. Mr. Holden-Northerner resides in Norfolk Virginia with his wife and two kids.
Melvin Lauf, Jr.
Melvin Lauf, Jr. an Ohio native, is a graduate of The Armed Forces School of Music. During his first tour in the U.S. Army, he was stationed with the 113th Army Band "Dragoons" at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He spent the rest of his military service as a fife instrumentalist with "The Old Guard" Fife and Drum Corps, Fort Myer, Virginia in the greater DC area.
Separate from his military career, Lauf has written works for various ensembles, most notably for the flute and flute ensembles. He is currently retired from the military living in Newport News, Virginia and is an active flutist, piccoloist, and harpist in addition to running his company, FLUTE.NET Publications. Mevlin taught woodwinds, trumpet, and harp at the Liberty Academy of the Arts in Hampton, Virginia.
He currently plays harp with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic, piccolo and harp with the Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble, and piccolo and assistant conductor with the Peninsula Concert Band.
Lauf's works are published by Nourse Wind Publications, ZAXSTON Press, and FLUTE.NET Publications.
Marlene Ford
Marlene Ford, BFA, MM is the adjunct horn instructor at Old Dominion University. She is currently most active as recitalist and chamber musician in Hampton Roads and just completed a year-long series titled "Lady Composers, Music for Horn and Piano." She performs in the Eastern Virginia Brass Quintet, the Hardwick Chamber Ensemble and the Williamsburg Symphonia. For many years Ms. Ford was a member of the Virginia Beach Pops, the Virginia Opera Orchestra and Virginia Symphony. She continues to be an award winning performing artist with Young Audiences of Virginia and the Williamsburg "Meet the Musicians" project having created numerous educational programs over the last 20 years. Ms. Ford's principal teachers are Martin Morris of the Cleveland Orchestra and Edwin C. Thayer of the National Symphony.
Edward McConkey
Guitarist Edward McConkey received a BA in Music from Old Dominion University in 2002. He studied classical guitar under Michael Murphy, Linda Murphy, and Larry Driver and performed in Master Classes for David Russell and William Kanengeiser. Over the past 15 years, Edward has provided lessons to musicians of all ages and skill levels, including student acceptance to Governor's School of the Arts. Edward McConkey teaches classical, steel string acoustic, electric and bass guitar and his teaching styles range from classical to rock. In addition to teaching, he plays lead guitar in an alternative rock band from Hampton Roads.
Melvin Lauf, Jr.
Melvin Lauf, Jr. an Ohio native, is a graduate of The Armed Forces School of Music. During his first tour in the U.S. Army, he was stationed with the 113th Army Band "Dragoons" at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He spent the rest of his military service as a fife instrumentalist with "The Old Guard" Fife and Drum Corps, Fort Myer, Virginia in the greater DC area.
Separate from his military career, Lauf has written works for various ensembles, most notably for the flute and flute ensembles. He is currently retired from the military living in Newport News, Virginia and is an active flutist, piccoloist, and harpist in addition to running his company, FLUTE.NET Publications. Mevlin taught woodwinds, trumpet, and harp at the Liberty Academy of the Arts in Hampton, Virginia.
He currently plays harp with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic, piccolo and harp with the Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble, and piccolo and assistant conductor with the Peninsula Concert Band.
Lauf's works are published by Nourse Wind Publications, ZAXSTON Press, and FLUTE.NET Publications.
George Corbett
George Corbett is a graduate of Eastman School of Music and New England Conservatory and has been on faculties of notable schools such as Lehigh University (Pennsylvania), Moravian College and Music Institute (Pennsylvania), and has appeared during the summer at Kinhaven Music School (Vermont), Summertrios (New York), Music at Gretna (Pennsylvania), and the American Institute of Musical Studies (Austria). As a clinician, Mr. Corbett teaches audition/performance enhancement workshops combined with specialized breathing techniques in seminars both in the United States and Europe. He serves on the faculty of Old Dominion University's Community Music Academy as well as the Governor's School for the Arts and has created a day camp for young oboists, Oboe Holiday 2006.
George is English hornist and oboist with Virginia's premier ensemble, The Virginia Symphony, under the baton of JoAnn Falletta. Previously, he has maintained positions as principal oboist with Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and Riverside Symphonia in addition to being English hornist with The Harrisburg Symphony (all in Pennsylvania).
Heekyung Lee
Dr. Heekyung Lee grew up in the little village of Kimcheon near Daegu, located between Seoul and Pusan in South Korea. Dr. Lee has a Bachelor of Arts in Church Music and Master of Music Education and Master of Organ Performance from Keimyung University in Daegu, South-Korea. She lectured there for 7 years and performed many solo and joint recitals, as well as accompanied choral and instrumental concerts. She was a recipient of the Organ Scholarship from the American Guild of Organists (AGO) in Atlanta, Georgia in 2010. She received her Doctor of Music Arts in Organ Performance from University of Alabama in 2013. She is the Director of Music/ Organist for Larchmont Methodist Church in Norfolk, having previously served at Calvary Baptist church at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as an organist and conservatory music director for 11 years. Heekyung's favorite organ method is pedal solo work. When not working, she loves to swim, meet new friends, and share her love of Christ. Heekyung sees her love for her work as a Music Director/Organist as an act of worship.
Dennis Northerner
Dennis Holden-Northerner earned his Masters in Music Education and Bachelor of Music in Music Education with an emphasis on applied percussion performance at Old Dominion University under Professor David L. Walker. He teaches and performs all over the Hampton Roads area in all areas of percussion, such as snare drum, mallet percussion, drum set, timpani, auxiliary percussion, and hand drums. Currently he serves as an adjunct percussion faculty member for the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University where he teaches applied percussion and conducting courses. He also in an adjunct Instructor for the Community Music Division (CMD) where he teaches private applied percussion lessons to all ages and levels. In addition to his teaching at ODU, he is an adjunct instructor for Tidewater Community College and for the Governor School for the arts.
He has also performed with many groups around the Hampton Roads area, including Virginia Symphony, Williamsburg Symphony, Richmond Symphony, The Tidewater Winds, Symphonicity and Virginia Winds Symphony. Mr. Holden-Northerner resides in Norfolk Virginia with his wife and two kids.
Adelaide Coles
Adelaide Coles is an Australian-American composer, pianist, and writer from Virginia Beach. Ms. Coles holds degrees from Old Dominion University and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Her principal teachers have been Paul Stanhope, Andrey Kasparov, and Stephen Coxe in composition, and Andrey Kasparov, Oksana Lutsyshyn, and Marilyn Forman in piano.
During her time at ODU, Ms. Coles received multiple academic and musical scholarships, including the F. Ludwig Diehn scholarship for composition and the Dr. Charles Vogan scholarship for organ. She performed on a variety of instruments with the Collegium Musicum, New Music Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Choir, and other groups. Ms. Coles' piece inspired by elements of the Australian landscape, Five Scenes for Orchestra, won the Old Dominion University Young Artists' Competition in 2011. Ms. Coles graduated from ODU summa cum laude in 2012.
Ms. Coles then accepted a full-tuition offer for postgraduate study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and moved to Australia, where she holds dual citizenship. In 2014, her piece Quartet for December was awarded runner-up for the prestigious Fairweather Family Prize / Conservatorium Centenary Commissioning Project. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Coles received a postgraduate research grant to fund the World Premiere of her capstone Masters composition Oil, Steam, and Steel - a mechanistic concerto for alto saxophone and string orchestra. Her postgraduate portfolio and exegesis were awarded High Distinction.
Ms. Coles is an enthusiastic attendee of musical events across the area, and often contributes reviews to the Hampton Roads newsletter Artsong Update. Ms. Coles has been featured in the Virginian Pilot for her original musicals with Megan Murphy and the late Warren Murphy. Their newest show, The Bird of Truth, was performed by the students of Virginia Beach Friends School at the Virginia Museum Of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in May 2018.
Sally Copeland
Sally Raney Copeland holds a full time faculty position at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. As Director of the ODU Community Music Division since 2003, Sally and her staff of over thirty instructors enjoy providing instrumental and vocal private and group instruction to students of all ages and abilities from the Hampton Roads area. As an ODU Lecturer Sally teaches applied piano, music theory, and ear training courses to college music majors. She is a proud recipient of the University's Shining Star Award which recognizes faculty who help students to succeed inside and outside of the classroom.
Sally was the second student to receive the Master of Music Degree in Piano Pedagogy from Florida State University and holds the Bachelor of Music Degree from East Carolina University in Piano Performance and Pedagogy with a minor in organ. She has been a church musician for many years. Sally has an affinity and interest in historic keyboard instruments, having been selected to work as a student harpsichordist for Colonial Williamsburg in the late 1980s and continuing with these studies throughout graduate school. She has performed in solo and chamber concerts on the east coast and in Europe.
Sally has been an active participant in the American College of Musicians for over fifty years as a student, teacher, judge, and as chairperson and founder of three centers (Tallahassee, FL, Norfolk Academy, VA and currently Norfolk, Old Dominion University, VA). Her first guild audition was at the age of five. Awards received through the National Piano Guild Auditions as a student member include the Irl Allison (15 year), Paderewski (10 year), Sonata, Sonatina, Early and Late Bach and Founder Awards, and ACM High School and all Collegiate Diplomas. She is listed in the Guild Hall of Fame for awards received by her students and for mentoring area piano teachers.
Sally is a nationally certified teacher through both Music Teachers National Association and the American College of Musicians. She participates actively with the yearly Virginia Music Teachers Association theory testing and is Portsmouth/Chesapeake Student Recital Chairmen for the Tidewater Music Teachers Forum. Sally is a frequent adjudicator for piano festivals and evaluations in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. She currently serves as President-Elect for the Tidewater Music Teachers Forum.
Galina Epelman
Galina Epelman, Piano. Professional Music School, Petrogradsky District in Piano Performance and Kirov Music College, B.M and M.M in Piano Pedagogy in Leningrad, Russia. Also she earned M.S. in biophysics from Leningrad State University and worked as a scientist for 26 years in Leningrad Agrophysics Institute, Russia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Virginia.
Mrs. Epelman's first piano teaching job was at Petrogradsky District Professional Music School, which she won in the Senior Year Competition. While in Graduate school at Kirov College, Ms. Epelman was awarded a scholarship to study piano performance and participate in master classes with Nikita Shadrin and Emma Volova, the distinguished artists at Leningrad State Conservatory.
Galina has been on the faculty of the Community Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University since 1993 where she teaches group music theory as well as private piano classes. She is also a substitute instructor at the Governor's School for the Arts. She has been a very active participant in the Annual Harold Protsman Classical Period Piano Competition sponsored by ODU where several students placed as finalists and second place winners. Beginning in 2003 Galina joined the staff of the Academy of Music in Norfolk.
Mrs. Epelman is currently a member of MTNA, VMTF, the Tidewater Music Teacher's Forum, and the American School of Musicians. She is an active participant in the events provided by these organizations, such as theory tests, sight reading tests, skills tests, Glover scholarship auditions and Eastern District auditions. On two occasions, her students advanced to the Virginia State auditions where again many of her students placed in second place through honorable mentions. Students may participate annually in the national piano guild auditions.
During the summer of 2002 and 2007, Galina Epelman traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia to take part in seminars on Music Theory and Piano Pedagogy sponsored by Petrogradsky District Professional Music School. In 2012, she spent two weeks at the Piano World Competition and seminars at the "Druskininkai summer with M.K.Čiurlionis" festival.
Kristi Harriman
Virtual Instruction Only
Kristi Harriman had a love of music at a young age. She sang in the church choir and took piano lessons as a child. Her high school choir director inspired her to become a music major in college. In selecting a career, helping others was especially influential in her career choice of music therapy. She attended Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota and majored in voice and piano. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Therapy and did a six-month music therapy internship at Milwaukee County Mental Health Center. Afterward she worked at the State Hospital in South Dakota doing both recreation and music. Feeling that there was more to learn about music therapy, she applied for a graduate assistantship position at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. She was accepted and taught "Introduction to Music Therapy" to college freshmen while working on her master's degree.
Kristi was always interested in music performance anxiety and did her thesis on the effect of biofeedback and music in the reduction of music performance anxiety. Helping performers feel calm and relaxed before their performance was important. Kristi received a Master of Arts Degree in Music Therapy at Texas Woman's University. She then accepted a job in Norfolk, Virginia as a music therapist. Her career as a counselor and therapist was furthered by joining Family Centered Services. Kristi worked as an in-home counselor and did music therapy for some of the clients. She also began to teach piano at Lakewood Dance and Music Center through the Norfolk Parks and Recreation Department. Using positive reinforcement and successful experiences she enjoyed teaching piano skills. Looking to expand her teaching, she joined the Community Music program at Old Dominion University. She has been with CMD for many years teaching private instruction and the CMD beginning adult and children's classes for piano. Many of her students are adults wanting to fulfill their dream of playing well and sharing their love of music with others. Young students have also taken lessons from Kristi and have done exceptionally well.
Kristi is a member of MTNA, VMTA, TMTF, and enters students yearly in the National Piano Guild Auditions through the American College of Musicians.
Thomas Joseph
Thomas Joseph holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition from Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA). He studied composition under Andrey Kasparov, Associate Professor of Music at ODU, and Mark Chambers. Joseph has additional studies in piano and horn. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Old Dominion Community Music Program for Theory and Composition. Joseph was awarded the Undergraduate Research Award at ODU to facilitate a recital which included an original work titled Quartet (2009-2010) for soprano saxophone, vibraphone, acoustic guitar and harpsichord. This work also served as a teaching aid during the Undergraduate Research Symposium in which he lectured on the creative and organizational process of music composition. Additionally, he spearheaded the execution of another grant which produced ODU's first composition group student recital.
In 2010, Thomas Joseph won the Young Artist Competition at ODU with Concert Music for Orchestra. He also received an award for Outstanding Graduating Student of the Diehn School of Music. Recent performances include Fanfare (2010) commissioned and performed by the Eastern Virginia Brass Quintet, Sonatina for Flute and Piano performed by Bonnie Kim (flute) and Andrey Kasparov (piano) at the Hampton Roads Flute Faire, Dominion Fanfare (previously known as Fanfare 2013) by the ODU Wind Ensemble and Trombone Beast Suite premiered by Mike Hall (trombone) and Stephen Coxe (piano).
In addition to Quartet, works composed at ODU include Preludes and Fugue (2010), an antiphonal three prelude and fugue work for three separate quartets, respectively comprised of double reeds, clarinets, and strings; Music for Celesta, Harp, Piano, Percussion, and Strings (2010); Impromptu for Horn (2010); Distortions( 2010) and Fortitude (2009) for orchestra; Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor (2010), Toccata No. 1 for Four Hands and Toccata No. 2 for solo piano (2010), and Fantasia for Piano (2009).
Joseph has recently composed An Hour of Rumination for Wind Ensemble (2012) and an Unaccompanied Solo for Violin (2012). Other recent compositions include many more wind ensemble works such as Legend, Pulse, Pentahedron Prisms, Autumn, Anthem, Shades of America, Farewell Celebration, Sentiments, and Joker. Additional solo and chamber pieces include Exultation: Concerto for Trumpet, Exultation for Percussion Ensemble, Suite for Six (Natural) Horns, Music for Clarinet and Piano, Waltz for Horn/Viola and Piano, and Piano Sonata No. 2 in C minor.
Joseph's Concerto Dystonia for solo horn and orchestra (as well as horn and piano) chronicles the composer's own battle with task-specific focal dystonia. Concerto Dystonia is meant to bring awareness to the neurological condition of focal dystonia, in which the brain short-circuits and the sufferer experiences muscle spasms with no apparent physical disabilities. Utilizing different playing techniques, the piece depicts a skillful performer's gradual decline in technical ability. However, hope for a future of recovery is also demonstrated to encourage fellow sufferers of focal dystonia.
Kara McCormick
Kara McCormick is currently a senior at Old Dominion University pursuing the Bachelor of Music Education/Vocal degree with a minor in Theatre Tech. They perform with a variety of ensembles in the Diehn School of Music as well as other local ensembles outside of school. Kara is the current General Manager of The Mannette Festival of Steel in Morgantown, West Virginia, an international music festival and workshop that showcases world music and percussion. They have studied Voice with Ms. Katherine Lakoski and Dr. Brian Nedvin. They assist with ODURep Theatre Costume Department designing and making costumes for stage.
Yuko Farman
Yuko is a piano instructor with a unique background. As an adult student and while raising three young children, she earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance, Cum Laude, from Christopher Newport University in 2010.
During her time in school, she suffered a hand injury that sparked her interest in finding the cause. In 2012, resulting from her ongoing research after graduating from CNU, Yuko had the opportunity to meet Ilinca Vartic. Ms. Vartic is a highly trained teacher who graduated from the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts of Moldova and studied under Ludmila Vaverco, a student of the legendary Bertha Reingbald, who also taught Emil Gilels.
Under Ms. Vartic's guidance, Yuko was able to learn a healthy ergonomic technique and develop a deep understanding of the art of playing the piano. Her studies with Ms. Vartic also provided her with insight into the challenges of learning piano. As a result, Yuko developed a strong commitment to healthy technique and expressive playing, which has helped many of her students achieve fulfillment in their musical journeys.
This experience inspired Yuko to translate the piano method book series for children, "Tales of a Musical Journey" by Irina Gorin into Japanese, making the traditional Russian ergonomic technique accessible to Japanese teachers and students. She also independently translated and recorded in Japanese the entire pedagogy course for teachers by Irina Gorin, consisting of 21 video lessons.
Yuko is a lifelong learner who is always pursuing new opportunities to expand her knowledge as a piano teacher. In 2014, Yuko earned the title of Certified Piano Teacher from the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). In 2018, she earned a Performance diploma (DipABRSM) from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).
Yuko serves as co-president and is editor for the monthly newsletter for the Tidewater Music Teacher's Forum (TMTF).
Jiyon Agnes Han - VIRTUAL ONLY
Ms. Han received her MA in Piano Performance and Music Education at Columbia University, NYC, BM in Piano Performance and Music Theory at Mannes College of Music, NYC, and she has completed A.R.C.T Diploma in Piano Performance at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Canada.
Ms. Han is a current piano faculty at Tidewater Community College and she has served as a former piano faculty at Levine School of Music, Washington DC, adjunct faculty at New School University, NYC, and was awarded teaching assistanship at Columbia University, NYC.
Ms. Han has performed in venues such as Roy Thompson Hall, Toronto, Canada and THEARC concert hall, Washington DC and Strathmore concert hall , Maryland.
Ms. Han is an active member of the American College of Musicians and MTNA and she has served as a National Guild Adjudicator. She has been a Community Music Division piano instructor for many years.
Alyxia Bonnett
Canadian clarinetist Alyxia Bonnett was born and raised in Ontario, receiving a Bachelor of Music Degree from Ontario's Western University. She recently completed her Master of Music Education degree in performance studies at Old Dominion University with a 3.97 GPA, specializing in jazz, classical, and modern clarinet curriculum. As an active private studio music educator for clarinet and saxophone studies, clarinet choir director, and former graduate assistant of the collegiate Monarch Marching Band, she is currently also an aspiring large ensemble clarinetist and solo freelancer.
Lawrence Weintraub
Larry is a retired saxophone/clarinet player from both the Army Band, (3 years) and Navy Band (17 years) Programs. He has his Masters of Music Education from Old Dominion University and his Bachelors Degree in Music from Towson University. He has taught in the CMD since September, 2011. While teaching at the CMD, 2 of his students were accepted into the Governor's School for the Arts.
In addition he taught 5th grade strings as a part time teacher for Virginia Beach Schools for 2 years before that job was eliminated. While in that position he sent 15 students to All-City Orchestra. Of that original group, 12 students continued on to make 7th and 8th Grade District orchestras with 1 student winning a position in the Governor's School for the Arts. Currently he also substitute teaches in the Chesapeake Public Schools.
Larry has been teaching saxophone and clarinet locally since 1995. All of his local private saxophone and clarinet students have received superiors in Solo & Ensemble Festivals. Before he was in the Navy Band, Larry taught in the Baltimore area since September, 1981. While in Baltimore, his teaching experience included teaching at an All - Girl Catholic High School, and teaching private saxophone / clarinet lessons. In Baltimore he sent 12 students to All City, All County and All State Band's. All of his students received superiors in Solo & Ensemble Festivals.
His performing experience includes being a musical ambassador for America, traveling and performing in Benin, The Congo, Gabon, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago. In the USA he traveled from Key West, FL to NYC as a Navy Band member. While in the Army Band from Colorado Springs, CO he traveled and performed all over Colorado, Wyoming, North & South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. He performed in the Glenn Miller Festival in his hometown of Clarinda, Iowa. In addition he has performed in 14 Tattoos and in 1999 was selected to be the tenor saxophone soloist for the Scope International Tattoo here in Norfolk, VA.
He has performed as a paid pit orchestra member for both Summer Stock and Regional Theater in Baltimore and in the Norfolk area. In addition Larry has played in backup bands for traveling musical acts, both as a civilian and as a military band member. This includes Al Martino, Carmel Quinn (Irish singer), and The Four Tops as a civilian. Lee Greenwood, Keely Smith, Chuck Mangione (2x's), Roan Tynan (Irish Singer 2x's) and Marv Stamm (NYC Studio and Jazz trumpet player) as a Navy Band member.
When in between the Army and Navy Band's he played in the 17 piece Bing Miller Big Band out of Baltimore, MD. While a member of that band he performed locally in Baltimore and internationally in Frankfurt, Germany at the Five Star Park Hotel for a week. Here in the Greater Norfolk area Larry performs with his Jazz Combo, Swing Time.
Besides playing in big bands, jazz combos and theater pit orchestras, his ensemble playing includes: concert band, ceremonial band, US Navy Show Band, jazz ensemble, rock band, variety band, marching band and wind ensemble.
Melvin Lauf, Jr.
Melvin Lauf, Jr. an Ohio native, is a graduate of The Armed Forces School of Music. During his first tour in the U.S. Army, he was stationed with the 113th Army Band "Dragoons" at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He spent the rest of his military service as a fife instrumentalist with "The Old Guard" Fife and Drum Corps, Fort Myer, Virginia in the greater DC area.
Separate from his military career, Lauf has written works for various ensembles, most notably for the flute and flute ensembles. He is currently retired from the military living in Newport News, Virginia and is an active flutist, piccoloist, and harpist in addition to running his company, FLUTE.NET Publications. Mevlin taught woodwinds, trumpet, and harp at the Liberty Academy of the Arts in Hampton, Virginia.
He currently plays harp with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic, piccolo and harp with the Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble, and piccolo and assistant conductor with the Peninsula Concert Band.
Lauf's works are published by Nourse Wind Publications, ZAXSTON Press, and FLUTE.NET Publications.
Robert Ford
Dr. Robert Ford, trombonist, performs with the Lakeside (Ohio) Summer Symphony, and the Eastern Virginia Brass Quintet. Formerly Mr. Ford performed with the Virginia Symphony, Todi Music Festival Orchestra, and the Spokane Symphony.
Dr. Ford presently teaches Music Appreciation online Tidewater Community College. Former teaching positions include classroom music with the Virginia Beach Public Schools, Adjunct teacher in low brass instruments at Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University, and Virginia Wesleyan College.
Dr. Ford's B.A. degree (Music) is from Ohio Wesleyan University. He also has been awarded the Master of Music degree from University of Southern California and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Catholic University of America.
Megan McFadden
Megan McFadden is a fourth-year Old Dominion University Music Performance major with a concentration in viola. This is also her fourth year with the ODU Russell Stanger String Quartet and she is the Principal Violist of the ODU Symphony Orchestra.
Megan began teaching at age 15 as an assistant sectional leader for Tidewater Homeschool Music and went on the direct both their beginner and intermediate string orchestras from 2017-2020. Megan has been teaching private lessons in both viola and violin for the Community Music Division since 2021. She was actively involved and an experienced performer with many area ensembles as a high school student, including the Hampton Roads Chamber Players and Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia.
Emily Pollard Speelman
Emily Pollard is a senior at ODU, pursuing a bachelor's degree in Music Performance. Emily has studied the violin for thirteen years and currently studies with Jeanne DeDominick. Prior to coming to ODU, she participated in Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia for five years and performed with the Hampton Roads Chamber Players for one year. Emily is currently a member of the ODU Symphony Orchestra as well as the ODU Russell Stanger Quartet.
Selected as ODU's 2021 Young Artist Competition winner, she was featured with the ODU Symphony Orchestra concert in April 2022 at Thalia Lynn Baptist Church.
Megan McFadden
Megan McFadden is a fourth-year Old Dominion University Music Performance major with a concentration in viola. This is also her fourth year with the ODU Russell Stanger String Quartet and she is the Principal Violist of the ODU Symphony Orchestra.
Megan began teaching at age 15 as an assistant sectional leader for Tidewater Homeschool Music and went on the direct both their beginner and intermediate string orchestras from 2017-2020. Megan has been teaching private lessons in both viola and violin for the Community Music Division since 2021. She was actively involved and an experienced performer with many area ensembles as a high school student, including the Hampton Roads Chamber Players and Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia.
Larry Giddens
Larry Jay Giddens, Baritone, is a native of the Eastern Shore of Virginia where his love of music began. He is passionate about creating meaningful artistic experiences in the performing arts through arts administration, music education, and performance. He has worked as an arts administrator, private voice instructor, and professional opera & musical theater singer for over 20 years. Mr. Giddens obtained his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance with a minor in Theater from the University of Colorado Boulder and his Master of Music Education with a concentration in Pedagogy (Arts Administration and Recruiting) from Old Dominion University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music Education degree at Liberty University.
Mr. Giddens has led local and regional arts organizations in Virginia and North Carolina as an Executive Director. In his graduate program at Old Dominion University, he served as the graduate recruiting coordinator for the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music and graduate assistant for their Community Music Division. He also continues to work as an artist consultant for students, young professionals, and professionals needing career guidance.
As a voice teacher, Mr. Giddens is enthusiastic about identifying and building the best pathways for his students' vocal health, career, and enjoyment. His vocal pedagogy continues to develop as he works with students ages 11 and up. If it is your desire to be a professional or sing leisurely, he's here to provide the highest level of support and instruction, virtually and in person.
As a performer, Mr. Giddens was most recently seen as the bass soloist in the Verdi Requiem with Symphonicity where he was reviewed as having, "a powerful, grounded voice, with deeply beautiful and passionate expression." He is equally comfortable in multiple genres of music having performed with Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh as The Leader in Kurt Weill's Lost in the Stars under the baton of Maestro Julius Rudel. He was praised by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for a voice that "commands the ear with a stentorian high baritone that soars magnificently through the spaces of the theatre." Mr. Giddens has performed in the Hampton Roads area as a principal artist with the Todi Music Festival, a Resident Artist with Virginia Opera, and Singer-in-Residence with the Virginia Arts Festival's John Duffy Composers Institute. Here are a few other companies he's appeared with: Sarasota Opera, Opera Carolina, Opera North, Opera Theatre Pittsburgh, Boulder Opera, Ecklund Opera, Edmonton Opera, State Opera, Stagione D'opera, and Staatsoper Hamburg.
Mr. Giddens has toured Europe, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand in the roles of Crown and Jake in Porgy and Bess. His other roles include La Traviata (Germont, Baron Douphol), Faust (Valentin), Fidelio (Don Fernando), Carmen (Morales), Così fan tutte (Don Alfonso) Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), La Bohème (Marcello), Gallantry (Dr. Gregg), and Dido and Aeneas (Aeneas). Mr. Giddens has performed in concert with Paul Plishka, Douglas Moore, Michael Forest, and members of Three Mo' Tenors. His oratorio credits include Handel's Messiah, Durufle Requiem, Bernstein's Mass, Mozart's Missa Longa in C, Puccini's Messa Di Gloria, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Brahms Requiem, Gospel at Colonus, and Faure's Requiem.
Currently, Mr. Giddens is a resident of Virginia Beach, VA, where he, his wife, and four children have been embraced by the local community. When he is not fully immersed in the arts, he can be found cheering on his children as they compete in local, regional, and national sports competition. He also writes poetry and short stories and does freelance graphic design in his spare time.
Joseph Kasper
Joseph Kasper received his Master of Music Education degree with an emphasis on Composition from Old Dominion University in 2013. As an undergraduate, voice was his primary instrument for his B.M. in Music Education. Mr. Kasper has continued to study voice as well as perform in both solo and choral settings.
In addition to performing as a tenor, Mr. Kasper is also an accomplished composer. Although voice is typically the instrument of focus for his compositions, Mr. Kasper also writes for various instruments and in multitudinous styles and genres. His European début, in 2010 with Sound of America, included performances of his music at Notre Dame Cathedral and St. Jacobs Church in Rothenburg, Germany.
Mr. Kasper is dedicated to teaching students healthy singing techniques to help them grow as musicians and enable them to effectively express themselves through singing.
Currently, Joseph is an active vocalist in the community as a member of Schola Cantorum of Virginia, leading the tenor section at a local church and ODU's concert choir. Additionally, Mr. Kasper is an adjunct professor of music at Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College.
Karen Hoy
Originally from Philadelphia, received the Bachelor of Music degree from Temple University and Master of Science degree from The Juilliard School. Ms. Hoy has performed extensively in recital, opera and oratorio. Her opera roles include; Norina in Don Pasquale, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Carolina in The Secret Marriage, Elisa in Il Re Pastore, Annchen in Der Freischütz, Madame Heartfelt in The Impresario, and Fiona in Brigadoon among others. Her oratorio experience includes soprano soloist in; Britten's Cantata Academica, Messiah, J.S. Bach's Magnificat, the Requiems of Mozart and Brahms, Haydn's Creation, Paukenmesse and Lord Nelson Mass and many others. Her major instructors were Ellen Faull, Estelle Liebling, and Eleanor Steber. She has won numerous vocal competitions including first place from the Liederkranz Foundation, second place from the Kosciusko Foundation, and the Flagler Museum's Recital Award. Prominent conductors and directors she has worked with include James Conlon (Alice Tully Hall), Robert Page, Martial Singher, Gustav Meier, Abraham Kaplan, Anton Coppola and Boris Goldovsky. Ms. Hoy has made her home in Norfolk since 1993 maintaining a private studio of advanced high school students and adults. Her students have been accepted at major music schools and conservatories and former students have sung at major opera houses in the United States, Europe and on Broadway. Ms. Hoy has been teaching voice privately for over 30 years. She has also taught at The Pennsylvania State University, Christopher Newport University, The Governor's School for the Arts and Old Dominion University. Along with private voice she has taught lyric diction, opera workshop and Art Song Literature, and has presented workshops on art song in Hampton Roads and central Pennsylvania. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and has served as President and Governor of the Virginia Chapter of NATS. She has regularly presented her students and other gifted, emerging local singers in theme recitals including; Made in America, La Serenissima, Schumann Liederabend, The Songs of Libby Larsen, Mendelssohn and The Sopranos and many more. Ms. Hoy was the Founder and President of Cantabile Project from 2013 through 2018, a non-profit vocal arts organization serving emerging and professional singers in Hampton Roads through art song recitals, master classes and soirees. Cantabile Project programs focused on dramatized theme recitals including The Measure of Our Years, a dramatic presentation of the human experience from childhood to old age developed by New Triad for the Collaborative Arts, Where the Music Comes From: What Motivates Us to Sing, Wild Sounds focusing on environmental issues, War and Peace, Liebe: Love songs of Robert Schumann and Jake Heggie, Songbirds Always Eat: a Recital for Foodies, Mahler Liederabend and The Songs of Maurice Ravel. She is the Community Music Division's newest instructor for its lifelong learners Opera for Everyone class.
Group Instruction
Edward McConkey
Guitarist Edward McConkey received a BA in Music from Old Dominion University in 2002. He studied classical guitar under Michael Murphy, Linda Murphy, and Larry Driver and performed in Master Classes for David Russell and William Kanengeiser. Over the past 15 years, Edward has provided lessons to musicians of all ages and skill levels, including student acceptance to Governor's School of the Arts. Edward McConkey teaches classical, steel string acoustic, electric and bass guitar and his teaching styles range from classical to rock. In addition to teaching, he plays lead guitar in an alternative rock band from Hampton Roads.
Thomas Joseph
Thomas Joseph holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition from Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA). He studied composition under Andrey Kasparov, Associate Professor of Music at ODU, and Mark Chambers. Joseph has additional studies in piano and horn. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Old Dominion Community Music Program for Theory and Composition. Joseph was awarded the Undergraduate Research Award at ODU to facilitate a recital which included an original work titled Quartet (2009-2010) for soprano saxophone, vibraphone, acoustic guitar and harpsichord. This work also served as a teaching aid during the Undergraduate Research Symposium in which he lectured on the creative and organizational process of music composition. Additionally, he spearheaded the execution of another grant which produced ODU's first composition group student recital.
In 2010, Thomas Joseph won the Young Artist Competition at ODU with Concert Music for Orchestra. He also received an award for Outstanding Graduating Student of the Diehn School of Music. Recent performances include Fanfare (2010) commissioned and performed by the Eastern Virginia Brass Quintet, Sonatina for Flute and Piano performed by Bonnie Kim (flute) and Andrey Kasparov (piano) at the Hampton Roads Flute Faire, Dominion Fanfare (previously known as Fanfare 2013) by the ODU Wind Ensemble and Trombone Beast Suite premiered by Mike Hall (trombone) and Stephen Coxe (piano).
In addition to Quartet, works composed at ODU include Preludes and Fugue (2010), an antiphonal three prelude and fugue work for three separate quartets, respectively comprised of double reeds, clarinets, and strings; Music for Celesta, Harp, Piano, Percussion, and Strings (2010); Impromptu for Horn (2010); Distortions( 2010) and Fortitude (2009) for orchestra; Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor (2010), Toccata No. 1 for Four Hands and Toccata No. 2 for solo piano (2010), and Fantasia for Piano (2009).
Joseph has recently composed An Hour of Rumination for Wind Ensemble (2012) and an Unaccompanied Solo for Violin (2012). Other recent compositions include many more wind ensemble works such as Legend, Pulse, Pentahedron Prisms, Autumn, Anthem, Shades of America, Farewell Celebration, Sentiments, and Joker. Additional solo and chamber pieces include Exultation: Concerto for Trumpet, Exultation for Percussion Ensemble, Suite for Six (Natural) Horns, Music for Clarinet and Piano, Waltz for Horn/Viola and Piano, and Piano Sonata No. 2 in C minor.
Joseph's Concerto Dystonia for solo horn and orchestra (as well as horn and piano) chronicles the composer's own battle with task-specific focal dystonia. Concerto Dystonia is meant to bring awareness to the neurological condition of focal dystonia, in which the brain short-circuits and the sufferer experiences muscle spasms with no apparent physical disabilities. Utilizing different playing techniques, the piece depicts a skillful performer's gradual decline in technical ability. However, hope for a future of recovery is also demonstrated to encourage fellow sufferers of focal dystonia.
Dennis Northerner
Dennis Northerner earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education with an emphasis on percussion performance at Old Dominion University under Professor David L. Walker where he also earned his Masters in Music Education in applied percussion studies. During his masters he was the graduate assistant for the Monarch Athletic Bands where he taught their drumline, conducted half time shows, and performed drumset with the pep band. He teaches and performs all over the Hampton Roads area in all areas of percussion, such as snare drum, mallet percussion, drum set, timpani, auxiliary percussion, and hand drums. Currently he is an adjunct professor at Chowan University where he instructs their drumline and teaches other music courses. He is also an adjunct faculty member for the Community Music Division (CMD) at Old Dominion University where he teaches private applied percussion lessons to all ages and levels. He works as the director for the Hampton Roads Percussion Ensemble and as the assistant director for the Hampton Roads Youth Wind Ensemble, also under CMD. There, he conducts the ensemble and is the percussion instructor for the group. He is also the adjunct percussion instructor at Virginia Wesleyan College.
In the past he has taught private lessons and beginning and intermediate percussion group classes at Lakewood Dance and Music. He was also the percussion instructor for three years at Ocean Lakes High School where he taught percussion for their marching band and concert band, and conducted their percussion ensemble. Professor Northerner has written percussion scores for local high schools for their marching band shows, including Ocean Lakes High School, First Colonial HIgh School, and Landstown High School.
Professor Northerner has performed many successful percussion solo recitals. He has also performed with many groups around the Hampton Roads area, including the Tidewater Winds, Virginia Winds Symphony, Prince of Peace Luteran Church, St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, Freemason Street Baptist Church Brass Choir, Virginia Beach Chorale, Governor's School for the Arts, ODU's Theater Company, Virginia Wesleyan Theater Company, Princess Anne Theater company, ODU's Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, New Music Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Brass Choir, and the Athletic Marching Band and pep band. Northerner has played for famous performers such as Kevin Bobo, Stefon Harris, Chuck Red, Glen Velez, and Colin Currie. He was also part of the Old Dominion University drum line, which participated in the Virginia International Tattoo for two years.
Thomas Joseph
Thomas Joseph holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition from Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA). He studied composition under Andrey Kasparov, Associate Professor of Music at ODU, and Mark Chambers. Joseph has additional studies in piano and horn. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Old Dominion Community Music Program for Theory and Composition. Joseph was awarded the Undergraduate Research Award at ODU to facilitate a recital which included an original work titled Quartet (2009-2010) for soprano saxophone, vibraphone, acoustic guitar and harpsichord. This work also served as a teaching aid during the Undergraduate Research Symposium in which he lectured on the creative and organizational process of music composition. Additionally, he spearheaded the execution of another grant which produced ODU's first composition group student recital.
In 2010, Thomas Joseph won the Young Artist Competition at ODU with Concert Music for Orchestra. He also received an award for Outstanding Graduating Student of the Diehn School of Music. Recent performances include Fanfare (2010) commissioned and performed by the Eastern Virginia Brass Quintet, Sonatina for Flute and Piano performed by Bonnie Kim (flute) and Andrey Kasparov (piano) at the Hampton Roads Flute Faire, Dominion Fanfare (previously known as Fanfare 2013) by the ODU Wind Ensemble and Trombone Beast Suite premiered by Mike Hall (trombone) and Stephen Coxe (piano).
In addition to Quartet, works composed at ODU include Preludes and Fugue (2010), an antiphonal three prelude and fugue work for three separate quartets, respectively comprised of double reeds, clarinets, and strings; Music for Celesta, Harp, Piano, Percussion, and Strings (2010); Impromptu for Horn (2010); Distortions( 2010) and Fortitude (2009) for orchestra; Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor (2010), Toccata No. 1 for Four Hands and Toccata No. 2 for solo piano (2010), and Fantasia for Piano (2009).
Joseph has recently composed An Hour of Rumination for Wind Ensemble (2012) and an Unaccompanied Solo for Violin (2012). Other recent compositions include many more wind ensemble works such as Legend, Pulse, Pentahedron Prisms, Autumn, Anthem, Shades of America, Farewell Celebration, Sentiments, and Joker. Additional solo and chamber pieces include Exultation: Concerto for Trumpet, Exultation for Percussion Ensemble, Suite for Six (Natural) Horns, Music for Clarinet and Piano, Waltz for Horn/Viola and Piano, and Piano Sonata No. 2 in C minor.
Joseph's Concerto Dystonia for solo horn and orchestra (as well as horn and piano) chronicles the composer's own battle with task-specific focal dystonia. Concerto Dystonia is meant to bring awareness to the neurological condition of focal dystonia, in which the brain short-circuits and the sufferer experiences muscle spasms with no apparent physical disabilities. Utilizing different playing techniques, the piece depicts a skillful performer's gradual decline in technical ability. However, hope for a future of recovery is also demonstrated to encourage fellow sufferers of focal dystonia.
Marilyn Buxbaum
Marilyn Buxbaum received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Buffalo, and her Master Of Humanities from Old Dominion University.
The founder of the popular class "Opera for Everyone," Marilyn has taught actively at Old Dominion University since 1991.
Prior to her coming to ODU, Marilyn taught "Music for the Classroom," "Music Appreciation," and "Opera for Everyone" at Tidewater Community College.
She is actively involved as a pianist and accompanist in the Tidewater area. Marilyn serves on executive boards of the Virginia Opera and The Virginia Arts Festival, and is director of a local Klezmer Band.
Marlene Ford
Marlene Ford, BFA, MM is the adjunct horn instructor at Old Dominion University. She is currently most active as recitalist and chamber musician in Hampton Roads and just completed a year-long series titled "Lady Composers, Music for Horn and Piano." She performs in the Eastern Virginia Brass Quintet, the Hardwick Chamber Ensemble and the Williamsburg Symphonia. For many years Ms. Ford was a member of the Virginia Beach Pops, the Virginia Opera Orchestra and Virginia Symphony. She continues to be an award winning performing artist with Young Audiences of Virginia and the Williamsburg "Meet the Musicians" project having created numerous educational programs over the last 20 years. Ms. Ford's principal teachers are Martin Morris of the Cleveland Orchestra and Edwin C. Thayer of the National Symphony.
Karen Hoy
Originally from Philadelphia, received the Bachelor of Music degree from Temple University and Master of Science degree from The Juilliard School. Ms. Hoy has performed extensively in recital, opera and oratorio. Her opera roles include; Norina in Don Pasquale, Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Carolina in The Secret Marriage, Elisa in Il Re Pastore, Annchen in Der Freischütz, Madame Heartfelt in The Impresario, and Fiona in Brigadoon among others. Her oratorio experience includes soprano soloist in; Britten's Cantata Academica, Messiah, J.S. Bach's Magnificat, the Requiems of Mozart and Brahms, Haydn's Creation, Paukenmesse and Lord Nelson Mass and many others. Her major instructors were Ellen Faull, Estelle Liebling, and Eleanor Steber. She has won numerous vocal competitions including first place from the Liederkranz Foundation, second place from the Kosciusko Foundation, and the Flagler Museum's Recital Award. Prominent conductors and directors she has worked with include James Conlon (Alice Tully Hall), Robert Page, Martial Singher, Gustav Meier, Abraham Kaplan, Anton Coppola and Boris Goldovsky. Ms. Hoy has made her home in Norfolk since 1993 maintaining a private studio of advanced high school students and adults. Her students have been accepted at major music schools and conservatories and former students have sung at major opera houses in the United States, Europe and on Broadway. Ms. Hoy has been teaching voice privately for over 30 years. She has also taught at The Pennsylvania State University, Christopher Newport University, The Governor's School for the Arts and Old Dominion University. Along with private voice she has taught lyric diction, opera workshop and Art Song Literature, and has presented workshops on art song in Hampton Roads and central Pennsylvania. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and has served as President and Governor of the Virginia Chapter of NATS. She has regularly presented her students and other gifted, emerging local singers in theme recitals including; Made in America, La Serenissima, Schumann Liederabend, The Songs of Libby Larsen, Mendelssohn and The Sopranos and many more. Ms. Hoy was the Founder and President of Cantabile Project from 2013 through 2018, a non-profit vocal arts organization serving emerging and professional singers in Hampton Roads through art song recitals, master classes and soirees. Cantabile Project programs focused on dramatized theme recitals including The Measure of Our Years, a dramatic presentation of the human experience from childhood to old age developed by New Triad for the Collaborative Arts, Where the Music Comes From: What Motivates Us to Sing, Wild Sounds focusing on environmental issues, War and Peace, Liebe: Love songs of Robert Schumann and Jake Heggie, Songbirds Always Eat: a Recital for Foodies, Mahler Liederabend and The Songs of Maurice Ravel. She is the Community Music Division's newest instructor for its lifelong learners Opera for Everyone class.
Dennis Northerner
Dennis Northerner earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education with an emphasis on percussion performance at Old Dominion University under Professor David L. Walker where he also earned his Masters in Music Education in applied percussion studies. During his masters he was the graduate assistant for the Monarch Athletic Bands where he taught their drumline, conducted half time shows, and performed drumset with the pep band. He teaches and performs all over the Hampton Roads area in all areas of percussion, such as snare drum, mallet percussion, drum set, timpani, auxiliary percussion, and hand drums. Currently he is an adjunct professor at Chowan University where he instructs their drumline and teaches other music courses. He is also an adjunct faculty member for the Community Music Division (CMD) at Old Dominion University where he teaches private applied percussion lessons to all ages and levels. He works as the director for the Hampton Roads Percussion Ensemble and as the assistant director for the Hampton Roads Youth Wind Ensemble, also under CMD. There, he conducts the ensemble and is the percussion instructor for the group. He is also the adjunct percussion instructor at Virginia Wesleyan College.
In the past he has taught private lessons and beginning and intermediate percussion group classes at Lakewood Dance and Music. He was also the percussion instructor for three years at Ocean Lakes High School where he taught percussion for their marching band and concert band, and conducted their percussion ensemble. Professor Northerner has written percussion scores for local high schools for their marching band shows, including Ocean Lakes High School, First Colonial HIgh School, and Landstown High School.
Professor Northerner has performed many successful percussion solo recitals. He has also performed with many groups around the Hampton Roads area, including the Tidewater Winds, Virginia Winds Symphony, Prince of Peace Luteran Church, St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, Freemason Street Baptist Church Brass Choir, Virginia Beach Chorale, Governor's School for the Arts, ODU's Theater Company, Virginia Wesleyan Theater Company, Princess Anne Theater company, ODU's Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, New Music Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Brass Choir, and the Athletic Marching Band and pep band. Northerner has played for famous performers such as Kevin Bobo, Stefon Harris, Chuck Red, Glen Velez, and Colin Currie. He was also part of the Old Dominion University drum line, which participated in the Virginia International Tattoo for two years.
Joseph Kasper
Joseph Kasper received his Master of Music Education degree with an emphasis on Composition from Old Dominion University in 2013. As an undergraduate, voice was his primary instrument for his B.M. in Music Education. Mr. Kasper has continued to study voice as well as perform in both solo and choral settings.
In addition to performing as a tenor, Mr. Kasper is also an accomplished composer. Although voice is typically the instrument of focus for his compositions, Mr. Kasper also writes for various instruments and in multitudinous styles and genres. His European début, in 2010 with Sound of America, included performances of his music at Notre Dame Cathedral and St. Jacobs Church in Rothenburg, Germany.
Mr. Kasper is dedicated to teaching students healthy singing techniques to help them grow as musicians and enable them to effectively express themselves through singing.
Currently, Joseph is an active vocalist in the community as a member of Schola Cantorum of Virginia, leading the tenor section at a local church and ODU's concert choir. Additionally, Mr. Kasper is an adjunct professor of music at Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College.