RANDALL LOVE

Apex Arts Magnet Site Coordinator, Senior Capstone

Contact: rlove@aacps.org

MOLLY FULLERTON

Apex Arts Instrumental Music: Strings, AP Music Theory

Molly earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Salisbury University in 1997. She has performed as a violinist with the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, Salisbury String Quartet and soprano with the Baltimore Symphony Chorus under the direction of Edward Polochick.

After graduating from Salisbury University, Mrs. Fullerton taught vocal music from 1997 – 2000 and elementary and middle school string orchestra from 2000 – 2016 in Howard County, MD. She has served as an adjudicator for county orchestra festivals and was a quarterfinalist for the 2016 and 2017 Grammy Music Educator Award.

Mrs. Fullerton currently teaches orchestra, PVA strings and AP music theory at Broadneck High School in Annapolis, MD. She resides in Annapolis with her husband, Bob and twin daughters.

Contact: mfullerton@aacps.org

MATTHEW HEIST

Apex Arts Instrumental Music: Band

Matthew earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Temple University in 2001 with a concentration in trumpet performance. He completed his Master’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in wind conducting at the University of Maryland where he studied conducting with Dr. Michael Votta.

While at Temple he performed with the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, New Music Ensemble and was a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra.

After graduating from Temple he was hired as the Director of Bands at Chesapeake High School in Pasadena, Maryland.

Mr Heist is currently the Director of Bands at Broadneck High School in Annapolis, Maryland. His responsibilities at Broadneck include directing the concert bands, marching band, jazz band and percussion ensemble. Under his direction Mr Heist’s concert ensembles, jazz bands and marching ensembles have received numerous superior ratings and gained a reputation for musical excellence.

Contact: mheist@aacps.org

LAUREN WALKER

Apex Arts Vocal, Senior Capstone

Ms. Walker has taught in Anne Arundel County for 12 years, most recently at Central Middle School where she was named Semifinalist for AACPS Teacher of the Year in 2020 and is also the Artistic Director of the All Children's Chorus of Annapolis. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Loyola University of Maryland and has been very active with the Maryland Music Educators Association. She is in high demand as a clinician, conductor and adjudicator throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in the field of vocal music.

In her role as the vocal lead teacher, Ms. Walker will oversee all aspects of the vocal music program, serve as a member of the senior capstone instructional team, collaborate with the Extended Day Applied Music Vocal staff, and work with the PVA Middle School vocal teams to create an exceptional vocal immersion program from grades 6-12.

Contact:  lewalker@aacps.org

YESOOK SUH

Apex Arts Music Theory, Composition, Piano

Korean-American composer, educator, and pianist, composes for traditional ensembles, solos, and operas, as well as compositions incorporating electronic media. 
A graduate of Boston University (B.M. in piano and composition), Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Conservatory of Music (computer music), and the University of Maryland (D.M.A. in composition), Lee studied with composers Thomas Benjamin, Charles Dodge, Mark E. Wilson and Geoffrey Wright. She has also studied with Horatiu Radulescu in Paris, and attended the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau. 

Suh has been awarded several grants and scholarships, including the Korean Cultural Foundation Artist Grant, the Peabody Career Grant, and the University of Maryland Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship. Other awards include First Place in the Prix d’Été Competition for Der Wanderer for MIDI Piano and Electronics, the Walsum Composition Award for TEKOAH, premiered by the Opus 3 Trio, and the International Society of American Music Composer Award for As the Thread of Tao written for the Brooklyn Chamber Ensemble. Suh has received numerous commissions, including ones from the Maryland Opera Studio for the opera SSIBAJI (translation: The Surrogate Wife), and the Russian Chamber Arts Society for “Yesterday, Today, & Forever” a song cycle based on the poems by Russian poets Larissa Miller and Bella Akhmadulina. Suh's music has been performed throughout the United States and abroad, including at the Sidney Harman Hall Shakespeare Theatre, IMAX Theatre Maryland Science Center, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Friedberg Concert Hall, McNeir Hall, Baltimore Theatre Project, Korea Monitor Arts Gallery, and the International Computer Music Conference in Beijing, China. As an active secondary school education instructor, Suh currently chairs the Thomas Benjamin Composition Competition in Maryland, under the auspices of the Howard County Music Teachers Association, and is a PVA music faculty at BroadneckHigh School in Annapolis, Maryland.

Contact: ysuh@aacps.org

 
CRAIG TAMBASCIO

Apex Arts Guitar

Contact: ctambascio@aacps.org

ROBERT WERNTZ

Apex Arts Music Theory, Music Technology and Drum Lab

Mr. Werntz holds a Bachelors of Music in Percussion Performance from University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Masters of Education from Cambridge College.

While living in Las Vegas, Mr. Werntz performed as a substitute for the MGM Grand “Jubilee” production show, and as an extra with the Las Vegas Symphony. The highlight of this period in his career was recording Pavarotti Live at the Riviera Hotel, 1984. He also had the privilege to tour Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with Jazz I; accompany college dance classes; and teach percussion and music theory at Nevada School of the Arts summer camp.

In June of 1984, Mr. Werntz won the percussion audition with the U.S. Naval Academy Band, enlisted in the Navy, and served twenty-four years. While at Naval Academy Band, he performed with the concert band, Electric Brigade, protocol combos, and ceremonial and marching units. He led the percussion ensemble and was Head Drum Major for several years. He also served as Naval Academy Band Operations and Public Affairs. During that period, he maintained an active private studio and coached at area high schools.

While serving in the Navy, Mr. Werntz qualified as Senior Skipper, Navy Sailing. Mr. Werntz led twelve “Outward Bound” like summer cruises to remote New England ports.

Mr. Werntz retired from the Navy in 2008 and entered public education. Graduate studies focused on incorporating music and employing a variety of teaching styles to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Since transferring to the Performing and Visual Arts program, he has taught music theory, world rhythms, drum set class, beginning piano, beginning guitar, and coached applied music ensembles and percussion ensemble.

He is married to the former Anna Marie Lucero. They are the proud parents of two adults, and the proud grandparents of one grand-daughter.

Contact: rwerntz@aacps.org