Maria LeRose Herndon completed her Master of Music in Sacred Music with an emphasis in organ as well as a Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy at the University of Kentucky in 2006. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from UK with a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance in 2004. She is currently an organ student of Dr. Schuyler Robinson at UK. Maria’s previous teachers include Wayne Halstead of Summersville, WV; Julie Janisch of Charleston, WV; Dr. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA, and Dr. John Turnbull at Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. In summer 2004, Maria studied organ in Salzburg, Austria with Bernhard Gfrerer. She has been the organist at several churches in WV and SC. From 2003 - 2009 she was the organist and handbell director at Trinity Hill United Methodist Church in Lexington, KY. Currently Maria is the choirmaster and organist at Trinity Episcopal Church in Danville, KY. She taught piano and organ lessons at the Music Institute of Lexington from 2004-2013, and received her training in the Suzuki Method in 2005. Currently she maintains a large private studio at Centenary School of Music in Lexington.
While at Converse College Maria was honored as a Daniel Music Scholar and received a Music Honors Scholarship. She was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society and the Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity at Converse College. In 2003 she was awarded an accompanying grant from the UK School of Music. During her undergraduate studies at UK she was selected to represent the keyboard division at the Honors Convocation Recital twice and was inducted into the Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society and the Golden Key International Honour Society. She was a 2005, 2007 & 2010 - 2013 scholarship winner from the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts. Maria is currently working toward a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ Performance at UK.
Biography
EDUCATION
Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance, Organ, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Passed qualifying exams Fall 2009
Master of Music in Sacred Music, Organ, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 2006
Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 2006
Bachelor of Music in Performance, Organ, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 2004
Instrumental Studies
Dr. Schuyler Robinson, Professor, University of Kentucky (Organ and harpsichord)
Bernhard Gfrerer, Organist, Franziskanerkirche, Salzburg, Austria (Organ)
Dr. John Turnbull, Professor, Converse College, Spartanburg, SC (Organ)
Dr. Valerie MacPhail, Professor, Converse College, Spartanburg, SC (Voice)
Julie Janisch, Organist, St. Andrew United Methodist Church, St. Albans, WV (Organ)
Dr. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA (Organ)
Dr. Melanie Foster-Taylor, Converse College, Spartanburg, SC (Piano Pedagogy)
Dr. Dennis Sweigart, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA (Piano)
Bruce Boiney, Suzuki Piano of Louisville, Louisville, KY (Piano)
Wayne Halstead, Organist, Summersville United Methodist Church, Summersville, WV (Organ and Piano)
CONDUCTING TRAINING
Handbell
American Guild of English Handbell Ringers Area V Spring Festival, Charleston, WV, 2007
American Guild of English Handbell Ringers National Seminar, Milwaukee, WI, 2006
Received American Guild of English Handbell Ringers Directors Certification Level I, 2006
American Guild of English Handbell Ringers National Seminar, Dallas TX, 2005
Choral
Conducting lessons, John Flanery, University of Kentucky, 2006
Advanced Choral Methods, Dr. Jefferson Johnson, 2005
Prepared and led class rehearsals incorporating vocal warm-up techniques as aids in teaching several choral pieces.
Advanced Choral Conducting, Dr. Jefferson Johnson, 2005
Conducted the class in singing multiple choral pieces
Orchestral
Orchestral Conducting, George Boulden, 2003
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