Faculty
Double Bass
Sergio Acerb, Jr.
D.M. in Double Bass Performance, Florida State University, M.M. in Double Bass Performance The University of Iowa, B.M. in Double Bass Performance Paulista State University.
Dr. Acerb received his DM in Double Bass performance from Florida State University, Advanced Graduate Studies in Music Performance from the University of Iowa, MM in Double Bass Performance from The University of Hartford, and BM in Double Bass Performance from Paulista State University in Brazil. Dr. Acerb currently performs with the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra and will be accepting students through VMA on days he travels to Waynesboro.
Drums
Lance Allen
Associates Degrees in Business Management and Information Systems Technology, Blue Ridge Community College, P. Buckley Moss Society, Executive Director
Mr. Allen has a deep love for music and feels that every child should have an education in the arts. He has played percussion for over 15 years in many different styles, including rock n roll, jazz, country, and show tunes. He has performed in many local choral productions and musicals.
Piano
Orville Bame
B.A. in History, minor in Music, James Madison University
Mr. Bame joined VMA's faculty in 2002 and has been teaching piano and organ privately for more than 10 years. Currently Mr. Bame is the pianist/organist at Main Street United Methodist Church in Waynesboro. He is an active performer of sacred and secular music throughout the local region and has accompanied such groups as the Waynesboro Choral Society and Schola Cantorum. Mr. Bame has released a CD "My Vow" with the profits to support the capital campaign of Main Street United Methodist Church and a Christmas CD to support Valley Music Academy. His honors include winning the James Bland Young Artist Competition and participation in the National Bartok-Kabalevsky Competition.
Violin and Viola
Aaron Cripe
B.A. in Music Education, Virginia Commonwealth University
Mr. Cripe has studied the violin for the past 13 years. He has taught various styles of string music in Albemarle County Public Schools and in private studio. He has studied classical, jazz, blues, old-time and bluegrass styles. He also enjoys playing violin with his church. His current goals are to explore various electric sounds, branching out into learning a greater variety of music styles and songwriting.
Children's Choir Director
Dr. Elise Eisenhower
BA in Music from California University Hayward; MM and DMA Degrees in Choral Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Eisenhower has worked as Assistant Professor of Music at Adams State College and Conductor-In-Residence, Director of Choral Activities at American University in Washington, D.C. While at American University, she conducted and produced performances for the President’s Circle Dinner at the Library of Congress, the Bryce Harlow Foundation annual dinner honoring Dick Cheney, the Smithsonian Institute’s Renaissance Fest, and American University’s opening Centennial Convocation honoring President Bill Clinton and the Galas Christmas Luncheon at the Kennedy Center.
Brass
Robert E. Harrold
Doctoral Studies, University of Kentucky M.M., East Carolina University B.A., Florida State University
Mr. Harrold has extensive experience in teaching children and adults of all ages. His collegiate teaching years were spent at Fort Hays State University, University of Kentucky, Pacific Lutheran University, Olympic College, Louisiana State University, and East Carolina University. Before moving to Waynesboro, Mr. Harrold was Director of Bands at Fluvanna County High School and Middle School. Mr. Harrold is a published composer and arranger. He has performed professionally with Dave Brubeck, Roy Clark, Pearl Bailey, Ray Charles, The Temptations, Barry Gibb, Frank Mantooth as well as numerous Orchestras and Musicals.
Piano, Organ and Voice
Benjamin Heizer
Master of Music in Church Music, Shenandoah University, Bridgewater College, B.A. in Church Music
Mr. Heizer has taught private lessons in voice, piano and organ through out the Shenandoah Valley. He is currently the Minister of Music and Organist for Hebron Presbyterian Church in Staunton, VA. His published work includes Two Benedictions for a capella choir and he has lectured on singing and organ performance in Staunton and Waynesboro.
French Horn
Candace Kluesner
BS degree in Music Education from Bemidji State University; MM degree in Horn; Performance with an Emphasis in Wind Pedagogy from James Madison University; Additional study at the University of Iowa and the Hamburg and Cologne Conservatories in Germany.
Mrs. Kluesner has performed as Principal Horn with the Camerata Academica des Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and with the Hessicshes Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, the Stadtstheater Mainz in Mainz, Germany, and the Symphony Orchestra of Schleswig-Holstein in Flensburg, Germany. She has also performed with the Roanoke Symphony, the Lynchburg Symphony, Opera on the James, the Skyline Brass ensemble, the Madison Brass Quintet and the Faculty Woodwind Quintet at James Madison University. She is currently Principal Horn with the Waynesboro Symphony, Solo Horn with the Massanutten Brass Band and has been Principal Horn for 20 years with the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra in Lexington, VA. She was Adjunct Professor of Horn at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA and has also taught at the Wiesbaden (Germany) Music Conservatory, Idstein (Germany) Brass Group, Eastern Mennonite University, and privately in Richmond and Harrisonburg.
Trumpet
James Kluesner
Professor Emeritus of Trumpet at James Madison University where he taught for 28 years and was winner the 2000-2001 Carl Harder Distinguished Teaching Award in the College of Arts and Letters. He has degrees in trumpet performance from the University of Iowa and Northwestern University.
Professor Kluesner formerly taught at Bemidji State University, the Wiesbaden (Germany) Music Conservatory, and the Akademie fuer Tonkunst in Darmstadt (Germany). He has performed as Principal Trumpet for the Orchestra of the State Theater of Hessen (Germany), the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Chicago Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Frankfurt (Germany) Radio Orchestra, and the Stuttgart Opera. He is currently Principal Trumpet in the Waynesboro Symphony.
His high school and college students have been awarded scholarships and graduate assistantships at the top music schools in the country. Former students are college professors and members of military bands.
Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone, Guitar and Bass
Greg Moody
B.M. in Jazz Studies, Shenandoah University
Mr. Moody joined VMA's faculty in January 2004. He is a highly skilled performer on both the saxophone and flute. In recent years, he has used his talents as a theater orchestra performer and soloist aboard several cruise ships. He has taught private woodwind lessons for the past 5 years and is an active member of the Stonewall Brigade Band of Staunton, Virginia.
Muskigarten and Voice
Karen Palumbo
B.M. in Music Therapy, Radford University, MT-BC
Mrs. Palumbo joined the faculty in 2005. Her professional experience as a board certified music therapist includes working in New York's public school system with children with autism spectrum disorders and other neurologic impairments. She has also taught Kindermusik and private voice lessons and is an accomplished performer in musical theatre and choral ensembles.
Voice
Mary Smith
B.A. Emory and Henry College; Valley Voices Director
Mrs. Smith has been a teacher for 21 years in the Wise County, Albemarle County and Waynesboro City Schools. She taught voice at Clinch Valley College in Wise, VA and has taught at VMA for two years. Mrs. Smith was Teacher of the Year in 2000 and 2004, and a Dawbarn Award Winner in 2005. She is a charter member of the Schola Cantorum.
Cello and String Bass
Don Spaulding
B.S. in Music Education, New York University
Mr. Spaulding has worked for thirty years in New Jersey as a string teacher. During his tenure in the Toms River School District he developed a program which has grown to include six full time teachers and more than four hundred students. Her established the high school orchestra and for five years conducted the adult chamber orchestra. Mr. Spaulding was appointed conductor of the Garden State Philharmonic Youth Orchestra which he conducted for eight years. He has been active in the NJ All State Orchestra as a manager and member of the Procedures Committee. He was appointed to the Governor's Panel establishing Core Curricular Standards and in 1996 received the New Jersey Music Educators Distinguished Leadership and Service Award.
Sergio Acerb, Jr.
D.M. in Double Bass Performance, Florida State University, M.M. in Double Bass Performance The University of Iowa, B.M. in Double Bass Performance Paulista State University.
Dr. Acerb received his DM in Double Bass performance from Florida State University, Advanced Graduate Studies in Music Performance from the University of Iowa, MM in Double Bass Performance from The University of Hartford, and BM in Double Bass Performance from Paulista State University in Brazil. Dr. Acerb currently performs with the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra and will be accepting students through VMA on days he travels to Waynesboro.
Drums
Lance Allen
Associates Degrees in Business Management and Information Systems Technology, Blue Ridge Community College, P. Buckley Moss Society, Executive Director
Mr. Allen has a deep love for music and feels that every child should have an education in the arts. He has played percussion for over 15 years in many different styles, including rock n roll, jazz, country, and show tunes. He has performed in many local choral productions and musicals.
Piano
Orville Bame
B.A. in History, minor in Music, James Madison University
Mr. Bame joined VMA's faculty in 2002 and has been teaching piano and organ privately for more than 10 years. Currently Mr. Bame is the pianist/organist at Main Street United Methodist Church in Waynesboro. He is an active performer of sacred and secular music throughout the local region and has accompanied such groups as the Waynesboro Choral Society and Schola Cantorum. Mr. Bame has released a CD "My Vow" with the profits to support the capital campaign of Main Street United Methodist Church and a Christmas CD to support Valley Music Academy. His honors include winning the James Bland Young Artist Competition and participation in the National Bartok-Kabalevsky Competition.
Violin and Viola
Aaron Cripe
B.A. in Music Education, Virginia Commonwealth University
Mr. Cripe has studied the violin for the past 13 years. He has taught various styles of string music in Albemarle County Public Schools and in private studio. He has studied classical, jazz, blues, old-time and bluegrass styles. He also enjoys playing violin with his church. His current goals are to explore various electric sounds, branching out into learning a greater variety of music styles and songwriting.
Children's Choir Director
Dr. Elise Eisenhower
BA in Music from California University Hayward; MM and DMA Degrees in Choral Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Eisenhower has worked as Assistant Professor of Music at Adams State College and Conductor-In-Residence, Director of Choral Activities at American University in Washington, D.C. While at American University, she conducted and produced performances for the President’s Circle Dinner at the Library of Congress, the Bryce Harlow Foundation annual dinner honoring Dick Cheney, the Smithsonian Institute’s Renaissance Fest, and American University’s opening Centennial Convocation honoring President Bill Clinton and the Galas Christmas Luncheon at the Kennedy Center.
Brass
Robert E. Harrold
Doctoral Studies, University of Kentucky M.M., East Carolina University B.A., Florida State University
Mr. Harrold has extensive experience in teaching children and adults of all ages. His collegiate teaching years were spent at Fort Hays State University, University of Kentucky, Pacific Lutheran University, Olympic College, Louisiana State University, and East Carolina University. Before moving to Waynesboro, Mr. Harrold was Director of Bands at Fluvanna County High School and Middle School. Mr. Harrold is a published composer and arranger. He has performed professionally with Dave Brubeck, Roy Clark, Pearl Bailey, Ray Charles, The Temptations, Barry Gibb, Frank Mantooth as well as numerous Orchestras and Musicals.
Piano, Organ and Voice
Benjamin Heizer
Master of Music in Church Music, Shenandoah University, Bridgewater College, B.A. in Church Music
Mr. Heizer has taught private lessons in voice, piano and organ through out the Shenandoah Valley. He is currently the Minister of Music and Organist for Hebron Presbyterian Church in Staunton, VA. His published work includes Two Benedictions for a capella choir and he has lectured on singing and organ performance in Staunton and Waynesboro.
French Horn
Candace Kluesner
BS degree in Music Education from Bemidji State University; MM degree in Horn; Performance with an Emphasis in Wind Pedagogy from James Madison University; Additional study at the University of Iowa and the Hamburg and Cologne Conservatories in Germany.
Mrs. Kluesner has performed as Principal Horn with the Camerata Academica des Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and with the Hessicshes Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, the Stadtstheater Mainz in Mainz, Germany, and the Symphony Orchestra of Schleswig-Holstein in Flensburg, Germany. She has also performed with the Roanoke Symphony, the Lynchburg Symphony, Opera on the James, the Skyline Brass ensemble, the Madison Brass Quintet and the Faculty Woodwind Quintet at James Madison University. She is currently Principal Horn with the Waynesboro Symphony, Solo Horn with the Massanutten Brass Band and has been Principal Horn for 20 years with the Shenandoah Symphony Orchestra in Lexington, VA. She was Adjunct Professor of Horn at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA and has also taught at the Wiesbaden (Germany) Music Conservatory, Idstein (Germany) Brass Group, Eastern Mennonite University, and privately in Richmond and Harrisonburg.
Trumpet
James Kluesner
Professor Emeritus of Trumpet at James Madison University where he taught for 28 years and was winner the 2000-2001 Carl Harder Distinguished Teaching Award in the College of Arts and Letters. He has degrees in trumpet performance from the University of Iowa and Northwestern University.
Professor Kluesner formerly taught at Bemidji State University, the Wiesbaden (Germany) Music Conservatory, and the Akademie fuer Tonkunst in Darmstadt (Germany). He has performed as Principal Trumpet for the Orchestra of the State Theater of Hessen (Germany), the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Chicago Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Frankfurt (Germany) Radio Orchestra, and the Stuttgart Opera. He is currently Principal Trumpet in the Waynesboro Symphony.
His high school and college students have been awarded scholarships and graduate assistantships at the top music schools in the country. Former students are college professors and members of military bands.
Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone, Guitar and Bass
Greg Moody
B.M. in Jazz Studies, Shenandoah University
Mr. Moody joined VMA's faculty in January 2004. He is a highly skilled performer on both the saxophone and flute. In recent years, he has used his talents as a theater orchestra performer and soloist aboard several cruise ships. He has taught private woodwind lessons for the past 5 years and is an active member of the Stonewall Brigade Band of Staunton, Virginia.
Muskigarten and Voice
Karen Palumbo
B.M. in Music Therapy, Radford University, MT-BC
Mrs. Palumbo joined the faculty in 2005. Her professional experience as a board certified music therapist includes working in New York's public school system with children with autism spectrum disorders and other neurologic impairments. She has also taught Kindermusik and private voice lessons and is an accomplished performer in musical theatre and choral ensembles.
Voice
Mary Smith
B.A. Emory and Henry College; Valley Voices Director
Mrs. Smith has been a teacher for 21 years in the Wise County, Albemarle County and Waynesboro City Schools. She taught voice at Clinch Valley College in Wise, VA and has taught at VMA for two years. Mrs. Smith was Teacher of the Year in 2000 and 2004, and a Dawbarn Award Winner in 2005. She is a charter member of the Schola Cantorum.
Cello and String Bass
Don Spaulding
B.S. in Music Education, New York University
Mr. Spaulding has worked for thirty years in New Jersey as a string teacher. During his tenure in the Toms River School District he developed a program which has grown to include six full time teachers and more than four hundred students. Her established the high school orchestra and for five years conducted the adult chamber orchestra. Mr. Spaulding was appointed conductor of the Garden State Philharmonic Youth Orchestra which he conducted for eight years. He has been active in the NJ All State Orchestra as a manager and member of the Procedures Committee. He was appointed to the Governor's Panel establishing Core Curricular Standards and in 1996 received the New Jersey Music Educators Distinguished Leadership and Service Award.
