Performing Arts | Music Faculty

Musician in Residence

Jonathan Baumgarten is a flute instructor in the applied music program. A flutist, he holds a M.M. from Juilliard where he was a scholarship student of Samuel Baron. He studied with Thomas Nyfenger on a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship and ... [More]

Musician in Residence

Dr. Noah Getz is a saxaphone 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 recitals for the Dame Myra Hess Series, World Saxophone ... [More]

Musician in Residence

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, she first achieved international acclaim... [More]

Musician in Residence

Osman Kivrak is  a viola instructor in the applied music program. He performs with the Sunrise Quartet, the Richmond Chamber Players and with Currents. He is also Artistic Director of Concerts at the Beach in Delaware and of the Davies C... [More]

Musician in Residence

Teri Lazar is a violin instructor in the applied music program. She performs with the Sunrise Quartet, the Richmond Chamber Players and Currents and she is Concertmaster of the Virginia Chamber Orchestra. She has recorded chamber music for the Albany... [More]

Musician in Residence

Cellist Nancy Jo Snider is the music program director at American University and a cello instructor in the applied music program. An active performer and teacher in the Washington, DC area, she is a member of the Baltimore Opera Orchestra and Opera L... [More]

Musician in Residence

Joshua Bayer is a guitar and composition instructor in the applied music program as well as guitar and bass instruction in the Jazz Studies program.Jazz guitarist, bassist, and composer Josh has performed at venues such as The Kennedy Center for the ... [More]

Assistant Professor

Fernando Benadon oversees the music theory & composition program in the Department of Performing Arts. His research focuses on rhythm cognition and complexity.

Assistant Professor

Paul A. Oehlers is most recognized for his "extraordinarily evocative" film scores. (Variety) Films incorporating his music have screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, the Indiefest Film Festiva... [More]

Professor

Jerzy Sapieyevski, award-winning composer, pianist, and conceptualist, and New Century Music founder and artistic director, brings innovative ideas to the concert stage and music education. Early on, he recognized the potential of technology and was ... [More]

Co-Chair, Department of Performing Arts

Choral/orchestral conductor and musicologist; specialist in 17th- and 18th-century music. Music and Artistic Director of the Bach Sinfonia and Bach Sinfonia Voci. Period-instrument performances include modern premieres of baroque and classical period... [More]

Musician in Residence

Joshua Bayer is a guitar and composition instructor in the applied music program as well as guitar and bass instruction in the Jazz Studies program.Jazz guitarist, bassist, and composer Josh has performed at venues such as The Kennedy Center for the ... [More]

Assistant Professor

Cuban-born conductor Jesus Manuel Berard studied composition, theory and analysis at New England Conservatory and Columbia University, for which he recently finished a doctoral dissertation on the music of Gustav Mahler. Mr. Berard studied conducting... [More]

Musician in Residence

Lecturer

Musician in Residence

Choral director, arranger and composer and specialist in American Gospel Music Tradition. Vocal music instructor in public schools of Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County Public School System.Lecturer on relevant topics to Gospel Music, Music ... [More]

Musician in Residence

Cellist Nancy Jo Snider is the music program director at American University and a cello instructor in the applied music program. An active performer and teacher in the Washington, DC area, she is a member of the Baltimore Opera Orchestra and Opera L... [More]

Musician in Residence

Joshua Bayer is a guitar and composition instructor in the applied music program as well as guitar and bass instruction in the Jazz Studies program.Jazz guitarist, bassist, and composer Josh has performed at venues such as The Kennedy Center for the ... [More]

Assistant Professor

Fernando Benadon oversees the music theory & composition program in the Department of Performing Arts. His research focuses on rhythm cognition and complexity.

Musician in Residence

Dr. Noah Getz is a saxaphone 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 recitals for the Dame Myra Hess Series, World Saxophone ... [More]

Lecturer

Phil McCusker is a guitar (jazz and rock) instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Jon Ozment is a piano (jazz) instructor in the applied music program.

Co-Chair, Department of Performing Arts

Choral/orchestral conductor and musicologist; specialist in 17th- and 18th-century music. Music and Artistic Director of the Bach Sinfonia and Bach Sinfonia Voci. Period-instrument performances include modern premieres of baroque and classical period... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Alicia Kopfstein-Penk has received a BM and MA in music history from American University. Kopfstein-Penk is a teacher, award-winning musicologist, published author, classical guitarist, folk singer, and classical singer. This broad range of experienc... [More]

Assistant Professor

Marc Medwin received his undergraduate degree in English literature from Ithaca College in New York. He went on to earn a MA and PhD in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completing a dissertation on the late works of Jo... [More]

Assistant Professor

Fernando Benadon oversees the music theory & composition program in the Department of Performing Arts. His research focuses on rhythm cognition and complexity.

Assistant Professor

Cuban-born conductor Jesus Manuel Berard studied composition, theory and analysis at New England Conservatory and Columbia University, for which he recently finished a doctoral dissertation on the music of Gustav Mahler. Mr. Berard studied conducting... [More]

Assistant Professor

Ann Teresa Kang is a piano instructor in the applied music program. She joined the music faculty at American University in Fall 2007; she also teaches courses in music theory, opera, and general education. Described as a pianist of “admirable polish ... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Alicia Kopfstein-Penk has received a BM and MA in music history from American University. Kopfstein-Penk is a teacher, award-winning musicologist, published author, classical guitarist, folk singer, and classical singer. This broad range of experienc... [More]

Professor

Jerzy Sapieyevski, award-winning composer, pianist, and conceptualist, and New Century Music founder and artistic director, brings innovative ideas to the concert stage and music education. Early on, he recognized the potential of technology and was ... [More]

Instructor

Musician in Residence

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, Concert Repertoire, Opera and Musical Theatre and Contem... [More]

Assistant Professor

Ann Teresa Kang is a piano instructor in the applied music program. She joined the music faculty at American University in Fall 2007; she also teaches courses in music theory, opera, and general education. Described as a pianist of “admirable polish ... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Benjamin Albright is a trumpet instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Todd Baldwin is a trombone instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Adjunct Associate Professor

Emil George is a horn instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Co-Chair, Department of Performing Arts

Choral/orchestral conductor and musicologist; specialist in 17th- and 18th-century music. Music and Artistic Director of the Bach Sinfonia and Bach Sinfonia Voci. Period-instrument performances include modern premieres of baroque and classical period... [More]

Assistant Professor

Cuban-born conductor Jesus Manuel Berard studied composition, theory and analysis at New England Conservatory and Columbia University, for which he recently finished a doctoral dissertation on the music of Gustav Mahler. Mr. Berard studied conducting... [More]

Musician in Residence

Joshua Bayer is a guitar and composition instructor in the applied music program as well as guitar and bass instruction in the Jazz Studies program.Jazz guitarist, bassist, and composer Josh has performed at venues such as The Kennedy Center for the ... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Alicia Kopfstein-Penk has received a BM and MA in music history from American University. Kopfstein-Penk is a teacher, award-winning musicologist, published author, classical guitarist, folk singer, and classical singer. This broad range of experienc... [More]

Lecturer

Phil McCusker is a guitar (jazz and rock) instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Larry Snitzler is a guitar instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Julie Evans is an organ instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Erik Suter is an organ instructor in the applied music program.

Assistant Librarian

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 overall management of this very special branch lib... [More]

Musician in Residence

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, she first achieved international acclaim... [More]

Accompanist in Residence

Mary Gottlieb is an Accompanist in Residence in the applied music program. Mary Gottlieb, pianist, has performed at the National Cathedral, the White House, Chicago’s Civic Center, Lyric Opera House, and Orchestra Hall, the Lyceum, Strathmore Hall, a... [More]

Assistant Professor

Ann Teresa Kang is a piano instructor in the applied music program. She joined the music faculty at American University in Fall 2007; she also teaches courses in music theory, opera, and general education. Described as a pianist of “admirable polish ... [More]

Lecturer

Jon Ozment is a piano (jazz) instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Michelle Roy is a harpsichord instructor in the applied music program.

Musician in Residence

Mr. Van Hoose is an accompanist in residence and a piano instructor in the applied music program. He has performed in solo and chamber recitals in the US and Canada and has been featured as soloist with the VA Symphony. He was a Finalist with Honorab... [More]

Lecturer

Ira Gitlin is a banjo instructor in the applied music program.

Musician in Residence

Osman Kivrak is  a viola instructor in the applied music program. He performs with the Sunrise Quartet, the Richmond Chamber Players and with Currents. He is also Artistic Director of Concerts at the Beach in Delaware and of the Davies C... [More]

Musician in Residence

Teri Lazar is a violin instructor in the applied music program. She performs with the Sunrise Quartet, the Richmond Chamber Players and Currents and she is Concertmaster of the Virginia Chamber Orchestra. She has recorded chamber music for the Albany... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Edgardo Malaga is a bass (classical) instructor in the applied music program.

Musician in Residence

Cellist Nancy Jo Snider is the music program director at American University and a cello instructor in the applied music program. An active performer and teacher in the Washington, DC area, she is a member of the Baltimore Opera Orchestra and Opera L... [More]

Musician in Residence

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, Concert Repertoire, Opera and Musical Theatre and Contem... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Joan Bolling-May is a voice instructor in the applied music program. A soprano, she received her Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of Maryland.  Originally an aspiring Musical Theater singer, she was coaxed int... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Lecturer

Lisa Carrier is a voice instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Brooke Evers is a voice instructor in the applied music program.

Professorial Lecturer

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 Bach at the Thomaskirche (Leipzig), Monteverdi at... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Stacey Mastrian is a voice instructor in the applied music program. Called a “sweet, shimmering soprano” (The Washington Post), who is “versatile and passionate” (Der Tagesspiegel), she has sung with the Konzerthaus Orchestra in Berlin, Nova Amadeus ... [More]

Adjunct Associate Professor

Sterling Scroggins is a voice instructor in the applied music program.

Lecturer

Jeffrey Tarr is a voice instructor in the applied music program.

Musician in Residence

Jonathan Baumgarten is a flute instructor in the applied music program. A flutist, he holds a M.M. from Juilliard where he was a scholarship student of Samuel Baron. He studied with Thomas Nyfenger on a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship and ... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Eric Dircksen is a bassoon instructor in the applied music program.

Musician in Residence

Dr. Noah Getz is a saxaphone 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 recitals for the Dame Myra Hess Series, World Saxophone ... [More]

Professorial Lecturer

Meg Owens is an oboe instructor in the applied music program.

Professorial Lecturer

Lane Shioji is a clarinet instructor in the applied music program.