Faculty directory
Department faculty members are active in their fields outside of the classroom. In all student interactions — class work, performances and applied lessons — this real-world experience is invaluable.
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Brass
- Rex Richardson, associate professor, trumpet
- Patrick Smith, assistant professor, French horn
- Ross Walter, associate professor, low brass
- Robert Ellithorpe, trombone
- Mary Bowden, trumpet
- Brian Strawley, trumpet
Guitar
- John Patykula, associate professor, area coordinator, guitar
- Steve Ashby, guitar
- Kevin Harding, guitar
- Adam Larrabee, guitar
- Charlie Moeser, flamenco guitar
- David Robinson, guitar
- David Toussaint, guitar
Jazz Studies
- Antonio García, director of Jazz Studies, associate professor, trombone
- Doug Richards, professor, arranging
- Rex Richardson, associate professor, trumpet
- Darryl Harper, assistant professor, jazz history
- Taylor Barnett, trumpet
- Victor Dvoskin, double bass
- Michael Ess, guitar
- George “Skip” Gailes, saxophone
- Robert Hallahan, piano
- Bryan Hooten, trombone
- Brian Jones, drum set
- J.C. Kuhl, saxophone
- Adam Larrabee, guitar
- Tony Martucci, drum set
- Randall Pharr, bass
Music Education
- David Greennagel, director of Music Education, assistant professor
- Terry Austin, professor, instrumental music education
- Rebecca Tyree, assistant professor, choral music education
Music history
- Patrick Smith, assistant professor
- Darryl Harper, assistant professor
- Patrick Carlin
Music theory
- James Wiznerowicz, assistant professor, area coordinator
- Sonia Vlahcevic, professor, music analysis
- Bruce Hammel, associate professor
- Taylor Barnett
- Keith Hanlon
- Bryan Hooten
Percussion
- Peter Martin, assistant professor, area coordinator, percussion
- Brian Jones, drum set
- Tony Martucci, drum set
- William Messerschmidt, percussion
- Michael Schutz, percussion
Piano
- Dmitri Shteinberg, assistant professor, area coordinator, piano
- Sonia Vlahcevic, professor, piano
- Kathleen Hughes, accompanist
- Charles Lindsey, accompanist
- Ardyth Lohuis, professor emerita, organ
- Marta Puig, piano
- Ruta Smedina-Starke, piano
- Charles Staples, piano
- Laura White, piano
- Russell Wilson, piano
Strings
- Susanna Klein, assistant professor, area coordinator, violin
- Daniel Myssyk, director of Orchestral Studies
- Kelly Ali, double bass
- Simon Lapointe, violin
- Alice Lindsay, viola
- Thomas Lindsay, violin
- Dana McComb, cello
- Stephen Schmidt, violin and viola
Voice and Opera Theatre
- Cynthia Donnell, associate professor, area coordinator, voice
- Melanie Kohn Day, assistant professor, Opera Theatre, vocal coach
- Kenneth Wood, assistant professor, voice
- L. Wayne Batty, professor emeritus, voice
- Michelle Harman Gulick, voice
- Anne Guthmiller, voice
- James Smith-Parham, voice and vocal coach
- James Taylor, voice
Woodwinds
- Charles West, coordinator of winds and percussion, professor, clarinet
- Bruce Hammel, associate professor, bassoon
- Tabatha Easley, flute
- David Niethamer, clarinet
- Albert Regni, saxophone
- James Richmond, saxophone
- Shawn Welk, oboe
Ensemble directors
VCU Bands
- Terry Austin, Director of Bands, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, University Band
- Patrick Smith, pep band
VCU Choirs
- John Guthmiller, director of Choral Activities, Commonwealth Singers, The Vocal Chamber Ensemble
- Rebecca Tyree, Choral Arts Society, Women’s Chorus
VCU Jazz
- Antonio García, Jazz Orchestra I
- Taylor Barnett, Jazz Orchestra II
Opera Theatre
VCU Orchestral Studies
- Daniel Myssyk, director of Orchestral Studies, VCU Symphony Orchestra
Administrative staff
- John Guthmiller, chair, professor
- John Patykula, assistant chair, associate professor
- Curt Blankenship, concert hall/facilities manager
- John Hartmann, director of marketing and external relations
- Linda Johnston, senior administrative assistant
- Racquel Wallace, admissions and records specialist
