Music Alumni
To learn about the activities of some of our alums, visit our alumni links page.
(Alums, keep us updated on your activities!)
Music Faculty & Staff
Nellie Bittenbender
Marketing Manager for UMW Music & Art
Ernest Brown
Instructor of Piano
D.M.A., University of Maryland
M.Mus., Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Brown retired top Fredericksburg from Norfolk State University, where he was the chair of the music department. But he’s not ready to give up teaching!
Gary E. Carper
Instructor of Tuba & Euphonium
B.M. Jazz Studies/Performance, University of North Texas
Gary Carper (Tuba, Euphonium) still gets a thrill from teaching, even after 45+ years, but live performance is his dominant motivation. At UMW: The Faculty Brass Quintet and faculty Jazz Sextet are his primary focus. As a freelance Musician since 1976, Gary has performed in 39 states and Europe with various ensembles on Tuba, Bass Trombone, Tenor Trombone, and Euphonium.
A partial list of current ensembles includes the Fredericksburg Symphony (Principal Tuba), the New Town Jazz Band, the Edelweiss Band, and the Washburg Brass Quintet.
Matthew Case
Instructor of Percussion; Director of the Blue Crew Pep Band
Katherine Colburn
Instructor of Cello
M.M., George Mason University
Maxxx Dennis
Office Manager
Maxxxis a Fredericksburg native. He is an oboist, performing regularly in the region. If the weather is warm enough, he can be found tubing down the Rappahannock river.
Melissa Dvorak
Instructor of Harp
M.M. Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University
Melissa Dvorak enjoys a vibrant and exciting career as busy harp soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player and harp instructor in the Washington DC area. In 2016 she had the distinct honor to play for Pope Francis’ Historic visit to the United States and she was selected as the featured solo harpist for the 55th Presidential Inauguration. She enjoys performing at various landmarks and programs throughout Washington. More at www.melissadvorak.com
Brittany Frompovich
Instructor of Contrabass
Brittany Frompovich is a highly regarded teacher, clinician, and musician. She has shared the stage with musicians such as Robert Harsen, Ron Holloway, Jason Everett, Micheal Dimin, and Edo Castro. She’s an active contributor for No Treble.com, one of the fastest growing online magazines for bassists and bass enthusiasts worldwide. When Ms. Frompovich is not teaching, she is usually found performing solo or with the Ashleigh Chevalier Band, working on tracks in her home studio, creating jewelry out of used instrument strings, building bass guitars, camping, hiking, gardening, cooking vegetarian meals, or practicing photography. More at www.ladybassmusic.com
Doug Gately
Senior Lecturer of Music
M.A., George Mason University
Doug Gately (Instrumental music, Jazz studies) specializes in woodwinds and jazz piano. A MaryWash alumnus, he was for many years member of the United States Air Force jazz ensemble Airmen of Note, and has performed with such artists as varied Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Nestico, Aretha Franklin, Crystal Gayle, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, and Michael Feinstein. He maintains an active performance career with solo appearances, chamber groups, and club and orchestra gigs. Prof. Gately directs the UMW jazz ensemble and concert band. See www.douggately.com
Cathy Hoskins
Accompanist
Cathy accompanies the choral ensembles, the group voice workshop and vocal/instrumental students, as well as working with UMW Theatre and Dance. In addition, she has accompanied and directed musical productions around the community. In her “spare” time, Cathy is the music teacher at Tree of Life Christian Preparatory School in Fredericksburg for grades K-8, as well as a private vocal coach and piano teacher. She observes, “Music is such a powerful tool that can connect people from all walks of life. I have built numerous friendships and connections over the years because of music and it is my goal to be not only an accompanist, but a friend.”
Michael Huffman
Instructor of Trumpet
M.M., State University of New York at Purchase
Brooks Kuykendall
Professor of Music & department chair
M.A., Ph.D., Cornell University
Brooks Kuykendall (musicology) teaches FSEM, music history, and general education music courses, and serves as department chair. His favorite aspect of teaching is the opportunity to involve students in the long conversation about music, and to get them thinking beyond the lyrics to the music. As a musician he is an organist and occasionally a horn player, but is more likely to be sitting in the audience than on stage.
Brooks blogs about musical textual issues at www.settlingscoresblog.net. For more of his activities, see jamesbrookskuykendall.com
Bruce Middle
Instructor of Guitar
Glenn Quader
Director of the UMW Philharmonic Orchestra
M.Mus. Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University
Katherine Roach
Instructor of Music Studies
Jarrett Rodriguez
Instructor in Woodwinds and Music Entrepreneurship
M.F.A., Radford University
M.B.A., Quantic School of Business and Technology
Performer’s Diploma, Montclair State University
Jarrett Rodriguez is a bassoonist and woodwind instructor, currently serving as the Assistant Principal Bassoon and Music Librarian with the Fredericksburg Symphony Orchestra, and is a Moosmann Teaching Artist. During his career, he has taught musicians of all levels and worked in the music business field consulting with companies such as Dansr and Jones Double Reed Products. Rodriguez’s favorite course to teach is Music Forum, where he teaches students about the intersections of music, business, and design thinking to enhance their thoughts on what it means to be a musician.
Chris Ryder
Professor of Music & Director of Choral Activities
M.A., George Mason University; D.M.A., Shenandoah University
Chris Ryder was part of the music community in Fredericksburg even before his time as a student at Mary Washington College (’89). Currently, he directs the choral programs at UMW, and teaches class voice, conducting, and general education music courses. When he’s not on campus, he often working as a guest conductor and clinician in schools in Virginia and beyond, making music at Fredericksburg Baptist Church, where he serves as Minister of Music, or riding his bike around town.
Abby Seymour
Instructor of Voice
Abby Seymour was born and raised in Massachusetts and now resides in Fredericksburg. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Mary Washington. Her studies have been primarily classical, but include other contemporary styles, such as musical theatre, pop, and jazz. Abby has been teaching voice privately in the area for six years, in addition to performing regularly in the Northern Virginia area. When she isn’t teaching or singing, she enjoys being outdoors, reading and spending time with her family.
Ryan Scott
Instructor of Horn
Eddie Steenstra
Instructor of Trombone
M.M., Ithaca College
Jane Tavernier
Instructor of voice & music studies
D.M.A., University of Maryland
John Vreeland
Instructor of Organ and Piano
M.Mus., University of Buffalo
Originally from New Jersey, John Vreeland is Director of Music Ministries at historic St. George’s Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, where he serves as principal organist, directs three choirs, a Jazz Ensemble and Chamber Ensemble. An accomplished Jazz pianist, bassist, arranger and composer as well, his arrangements and compositions are a regular feature of services at St. George’s. When he has time to relax, he cooks, bikes around Fredericksburg, memorizes organ music of Max Reger, or plays through the late piano works of Brahms.
Bill Wassum
Instructor of Violin & Viola
M.A., Marshall University
Bill Wassum has over forty years of experience establishing and growing string programs in Texas, West Virginia, South Carolina and Virginia. One of three founders of the Orchestra Program in Spotsylvania County Schools, he teaches studio violin and viola and directs the String Ensemble. The most rewarding aspect of teaching for him has been seeing students he has mentored develop a love of string playing and go on to be accomplished performers and teachers. He is a Registered Suzuki Violin Teacher and has traveled overseas to Great Britain, Finland, and Australia to receive training in the Colourstrings Method for teaching violin and viola. Bill loves connecting with students; and especially enjoys that “Aha!” moment when a student finally masters a difficult passage or technique, or grasps a certain musical concept or phrasing. He also loves collecting musical quotes: “People have often said to me, ‘You’re so relaxed when you play.’ Relaxed my elbow. It’s practice.” – Benny Goodman.
Ken Wayne
Instructor of Voice
Ken Wayne holds a bachelors degree in music education and taught high school choir for many years in both Illinois and Spotsylvania County. He is currently the drama teacher at Culpeper Middle School. Ken also enjoys being active in community theatre and is a two-time recipient of the Virginia Theatre Association’s award for Best Performance. He sings with the Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg.
Robert Wells
Associate Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies
M.M., M.A., Ph.D., Eastman School of Music
Robert Wells teaches music theory, aural skills, and private piano, and he directs the UMW Indian Music Ensemble. In Fall 2024, he began serving as an Associate Director of the UMW Honors Program. As a theorist who is also an active pianist and oboist, Dr. Wells enjoys encouraging students to connect the seemingly abstract world of music theory with tangible principles of performance, composition, teaching, and listening. Dr. Wells also enjoys exploring the colorful interconnections between music theory and mathematics.