Susan Ensel, Ph.D., Acting Chair of Music

Noel Lester, D.M.A., Professor of Music

Noel Lester received his B.M., M.M. and D.M.A. degrees in piano performance from The Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. He has performed widely as a recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestras, and his U.S.dates include Carnegie Recital Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In Europe, where he has undertaken seven recital tours, his credits include festivals in Maastricht, Belfast and Wittenberg, and recitals at the Chopin Gesellschaft in Darmstadt, Queen's Hall-Edinburgh, the Salle Mozart in Strasbourg, The Academy of Music in Krakow and Ernst Barlach Haus in Hamburg, to name a few. He has also toured Japan. His radio recitals have been heard over RTE Dublin, the BBC, NPR, SDR Stuttgart and many others. For more than 30 years he has been a member of The Lester/Roldan two-piano duo and, for a number of years, was the pianist of the award-winning Guilford Trio (mezzo/viola/piano). Lester is the founder and artistic director of The Hood College Chamber Players, now in its 24th season, and the Maryland Concert Opera. A prolific recording artist, he has made numerous CD recordings for the Centaur, Elan, Koch International, Museum of Modern Art, RWYA and Sonora labels. Noel Lester is professor of music at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, where he has chaired the department for 23 years. At Hood Lester has received numerous distinctions, including honorary membership in Phi Kappa Phi, the Mortar Board and the Ionic Society, as well as the Laughlin Professional Achievement Award, the Graduate Excellence in Teaching Award and President Volpe's "Whatever It Takes" Award. He is also director of music at Grace UCC Church in historic downtown Frederick. Visit his Web site.

Wayne L. Wold, D.M.A., Associate Professor of Music and College Organist

Wayne L. Wold has been at Hood College since 1990. He teaches music theory and composition, gives private lessons in organ and harpsichord and is a member of the Hood Chamber Players. In addition to his work at Hood, he is active as a church musician, composer, author, performer and clinician. More than 200 of his compositions are published by 14 different companies in the U.S. and Australia, and include 19 volumes of works for organ, 30 choir anthems, a children's musical, a recorder suite and several hymn tunes. Wold is also a published poet, and many of his hymn and anthem texts are in print. He is the author of numerous articles in professional journals and has written two books, "Tune My Heart to Sing" and "Preaching to the Choir." He performs on organ and harpsichord as a soloist and in ensembles and leads several hymn festivals each year. He has performed with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra; at New York City's Lincoln Center; and in several churches in Germany, Austria and France. He has served as a clinician for Choristers Guild, the American Guild of Organists, the Hymn Society, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, and numerous publishing companies. He served as president of Region One of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, as a board member of the Central Maryland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and as a member of the editorial board for the hymnal "Evangelical Lutheran Worship." Wold holds a bachelor of music degree from Concordia College, a master of sacred music degree from Wittenberg University and a doctor of musical arts degree from Shenandoah University.

Jan Aaland, Adjunct Instructor of Voice

Jan Aaland, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, has performed leading operatic roles throughout the region. She is also an active concert soloist, having appeared with a number of symphony orchestras. In addition to teaching voice at Hood, she is soprano soloist at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Frederick and choir director at Congregation B'nai Abraham in Hagerstown.

Anna Claire Ballard-Ayoub, Adjunct Instructor of bassoon

Anna Claire Ballard-Ayoub received her bachelor of music degree from the University of North Texas and a master of music degree from the Peabody Conservatory. She teaches bassoon at Hood as well as at Gettysburg College and Frederick Community College, and music appreciation at FCC. She also teaches piano in her home in Frederick. An avid chamber musician, she performs across the region from Delaware to Virginia and currently plays with the Sunderman Quintet. In addition to performing and teaching, she has a reed making business, Southern Reeds.

Alison Bazala, Adjunct Instructor of Cello

Alison Bazala earned a bachelor's degree in music from New England Conservatory of Music, an master's degree in music. from Rice University and a doctoral degree in musical arts from the University of Maryland, all in cello performance. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, both as a soloist and chamber musician. She has taught at Michigan State University Community Music School, Columbia Union College, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and the International School of Music. A member of the Fairfax and Alexandria Symphonies, Dr. Bazala is also associate principal cellist of the Maryland Symphony and acting associate principal dellist of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Laine Beachley, Adjunct Instructor of Piano

Miss Beachley holds Bachelor of Arts degrees with concentrations in Piano Performance and Art History from Hood College. While there, she studied with Dr. Noel Lester. Currently, she is finishing a Masters degree in Piano Pedagogy at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia, and is studying with Dr. Karen Walker. Her professional developments include a large private piano studio that is shared between Menchey Music, her home in downtown York, Pennsylvania, and Hood College.

She was featured as a Maryland Distinguished Scholar with Talent in the Arts (2001), as a Sidney Silverman Young Artist at Hood’s Chamber Music Festival in 2004, and is a recipient of numerous scholarships and awards.

While continuing to perform in small venues and various recitals, Miss Beachley also maintains positions as Music Director for Hayshire United Church of Christ, as a pianist for York Little Theatre, and serves on the board of the Matinee Music Club of York, Pennsylvania as second Vice President.

Phillip Day Jr., Adjunct Instructor of Piano

Philip A. Day Jr. has taught piano at Hood since 1988. He holds degrees from Drake University and is active as a pianist, accompanist and conductor. He is the founder and artistic director of the Frederick Camerata and is the music director of the Camerata's summer musical theater.

David Duree, Adjunct Instructor of Clarinet and Saxophone

David Duree has studied with such renowned clarinetists as Harold Wright and Ignatius Gennusa. For 10 years he was principal chair saxophone of the U.S. Naval Academy Band and, for 22 years, was principal clarinetist of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. He teaches at Hood and McDaniel College.

Lynn Fleming, Adjunct Instructor of String Bass

Lynn Fleming is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and, following her graduation, was a free-lance musician in New York, performing in various orchestral, ballet and operatic venues. She has also participated in such prestigious festivals as the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds in Italy, Tanglewood and the first annual Contemporary Music Festival in South America. For a decade Ms. Fleming performed with The Symphony Orchestra of Maracaibo in Venezuela and, upon her return to the United States, taught in the Juilliard MAP program. Now a resident of the Washington, D.C., area, Ms. Fleming has a private studio, plays in several area orchestras and teaches at both Hood College and Montgomery College.

Brian D. Hinkley, Director of the Wind Ensemble and Instructor of Brass Instruments

Brian Hinkley has taught brass instruments and conducted the wind ensemble at Hood since 1994. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and has studied with renowned trombonists Per Brevig and Denis Wick. He performs with a variety of chamber ensembles in the region and is very active as a conductor, arranger and clinician.

RoseAnn Markow Lester, Director of the Preparatory Music Program and String Ensemble

RoseAnn Markow Lester earned bachelor's and master's degree in music from the Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Berl Senofsky. At Hood, she teaches violin and viola, directs the string ensemble and is director of the Preparatory Music Division. She has been the violinist of the Hood College Chamber Players since its inception and has recorded for Koch International Classics, Centaur Records and RWYA Recordings.

J. Kevin Lewis, Director of the Jazz Ensemble

J. Kevin Lewis is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he studied classical and jazz saxophone. He is the band and choral director at Frederick High School and is the founder and director of the Jazz Ensemble at Hood, now in its second year. Mr. Lewis performs regularly in a number of area musical groups, including the Star Spangled Band of Frederick.

Catherine Porter-Borden, Adjunct Instructor of Voice

Catherine Porter-Borden has taught voice in the Frederick area for more than 20 years. A graduate of SUNY and Shenandoah Conservatory, she served as choral director of the Choral Arts Society of Frederick, the Maryland Lyric Opera and at Frederick Community College. She is active as a singer, conductor and composer, and currently serves as music director for the Musical Theater Factory and for Way Off Broadway Dinner Theater's Children's Theater.

William Powell, III, Adjunct Instructor of Piano

Bill Powell, instructor of piano, earned a bachelor's degree from Hood and an master's degree in music from Shenandoah University. He is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in organ performance at Shenandoah, where he studies organ with Dr. Steven Cooksey. Mr. Powell is currently music director at Glade United Church of Christ in Walkersville, organist and choir director at St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Walkersville and assistant organist at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Frederick. His teachers have included Kathryn Z. Nicodemus, Wayne L. Wold and Noel Lester.

William Simms, Adjunct Instructor of Guitar and Director of the Hood Early Music Ensemble

William Simms is a graduate of The College of Wooster and the Peabody Conservatory of Music. He is an active performer on the classical guitar, lute and theorbo. He has performed with the Cleveland Opera, Apollo's Fire, the Baltimore Consort and the Violins of Lafayette. He has recorded on the Dorian, Electra and Cantaur labels. In addition to his teaching duties at Hood, he is a faculty member at Mount St. Mary's University and the Interlochen Arts Academy.

Barbara Spicher, Adjunct Instructor of Flute

Barbara Spicher has taught flute at Hood since 1997. A graduate of West Virginia University, she enjoys an active career as a solo artist, chamber musician, orchestral player and teacher. She is a member of the Hood College Chamber Players, the Appalachian Wind Quintet, the Mercersburg Community Chorus and Orchestra and the Shippensburg Festival Orchestra. She is operations manager for the music department at Shepherd University and also teaches flute in their preparatory division.

Ed Stanley, Adjunct Instructor of Oboe and English Horn

Ed Stanley is very active in the region's musical life, having served as principal oboist with the Hood College Chamber Players, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Appalachian Wind Quintet, the Millbrook Orchestra, the Cumberland Valley Chamber Players, the Mercersburg Community Chorus and Orchestra, the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra and the Shippensburg Festival Orchestra. He has also performed with the Harrisburg Symphony and Concert Artists of Baltimore. He holds degrees from Western Carolina University and the University of Oklahoma and is also on the faculty at Gettysburg College.

Brenda J. Weiser, Director of Choral Activities

Brenda J. Weiser is the Director of Choral Activities at Hood College and piano instructor for the Hood College Preparatory. She has been the guest conductor for a high school honor’s choir festival and has served as an adjudicator for a choir festival in Washington County. Ms. Weiser has also taught junior and senior high school choral music, and has been involved with many choirs—amateur, semi-professional, and professional—throughout the years in areas including San Antonio, Texas; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Baltimore, Maryland. She has also taught piano and organ at Harford Community College and Essex Community College in Eastern Maryland. She has served as the Director of Music, Organist, or Choir Director for churches in locations including San Antonio, Texas; Washington, Pennsylvania; Hagerstown and Gaithersburg, Maryland; and Fairfax, Virginia.

Weiser is currently the Director of Music Ministries for Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick, Maryland, where she conducts two adult choirs, serves as organist, and oversees the total music program. She graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s in Education Degree with an emphasis in Choral Music.