Theory, composition and orchestration lessons are taught by Mrs. Naoko Maeda (classical and full orchestra), Clifton Brockington (jazz).  See them under Piano.

Theory is also taught by Nevilla E. Ottley, Ivey Perkins, Anton Martinez, Tom Newman, and others listed under the faculty.  All students receive theory within their private lessons at this time.  The school is considering the offering of separate theory classes beginning in the Spring 2008. 

VOICE, PIANO and COMPOSTION

David Griffiths, B.Mus., M.Mus.

DAVID GRIFFITHS is a uniquely and exceptionally gifted artist.  His rich baritone voice is admired equally for its power and sensitivity. As a soloist, David has appeared with The Paul Hill Chorale at the Kennedy Center and recorded on their CD, Unequaled Praise.  He has performed on Capitol Hill on several occasions including the Military Chaplains' Awards Ceremony for former Veterans Affairs Secretary Jesse Brown and at a rally to recognize the black soldiers from the Revolutionary War. Diverse audiences in countries such as France, Korea, Japan, Jamaica, Canada, Antigua, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Honduras have enjoyed David's gifts.  In July of 2000 David had the privilege of singing at the sky dome in Toronto for over 70,000 people at the General Conference Session.  David has shared the stage with many performers including: William Murphy, Take 6,  Clifton Davis, Wintley Phipps, Maurette Brown Clarke, Roland Gresham, Paul Heflin, Virtue, John Stoddart, Ben Tankard, T. Marshall Kelly, Sharon Riley, Angela Brown, Janice Chandler, The Paul Hill Chorale, Jose Rojas, The Wedgewood Trio, Trio Globo, and The Jezic Women's Ensemble.

As a composer, David has completed more than 300 compositions. Many organizations have commissioned his works including The National Aquarium in Baltimore, The Adventist Relief Agency, A Safe Place Inc.,The Allegheny East Youth Conference and most recently the prestigious Midori and Friends 3rd Annual Children's Festival in Manhattan to rave reviews. Several artists have recorded David's works and choirs have been performing his songs for many years. In 1986, he began his recording career with a project titled "A Revelation of God's Love". Other recordings include "Love for the Day is Near", "Pray for Peace", "Hands of Time", "A Safe Place", "Unequaled Praise" and "In My Heart". In addition to his own projects, David is an accomplished studio session singer, pianist and arranger. He's worked in the studio either producing, recording or vocal coaching:      

"Daryl Coley ¨ Chris Willis ¨ Duawne Starling ¨ John Lomacang ¨ Reflexions ¨ Just One Blood ¨ A.T. Westney ¨ Monique Steele ¨ Arlene Bonilla ¨ Rick Schmidt ¨ Danielle Fordham ¨ Stephen McCallister ¨ Denise Barclay ¨ Doug Lazy ¨ Henry Mosley ¨ Carmen Hope ¨ Sarah Capeles ¨ Jose Luis Amaro ¨ Donovan Fordham  "Bamm Washington"

David earned a BA in Music and a BA in Theology from Columbia Union College. He also completed a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from The Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. Privately, David studied conducting with Paul Hill and voice with Ruth Drucker, Wayne Conner, Gordon Hawkins, Liz Daniels, Jon Gilbertson, and Ginger Beasley, and Charlotte Holloman. In addition, he studied piano with Charles Covington, Neil Tilkens Ron Warren, and Dan Lau. His beginnings were at the Ottley Music School as a child. 

Mr. Griffiths has performed on The Bobby Jones Gospel Hour, The Breath of Life Telecast, The Three ABN Satellite Network, The Hope channel, and local news and public interest programming. His music video, Let Your Heart Be Broken, has opened doors for David's music to be enjoyed by even wider audiences.  

David recently finished working on a joint Gospel CD with acclaimed Rwandan singer, Jean Paul Samputu.  Their CD blends the rhythms and melodies of Africa with the sounds of Gospel music today, encouraging us to learn to forgive and seek God for healing.  They worked with David's mentor, two-time Grammy Award winning producer, Greg Lukens.  The CD is set for release this fall.Mr. Griffiths returned to the Ottley Music School this winter as voice, piano, composition teacher.  We are proud to present one of our own who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the school and is dedicated to impart that knowledge to children, youth, adults and seniors at OMS. 

Theory and Compositions/arranging

Anwar G.M. Ottley, B. Mus., M.Mus.

ANWAR GABRIEL MYRON OTTLEY, M.Mus., Steel Drums, is a product of the Ottley Music School where he took piano lessons with his aunt, Nevilla Ottley since he was in elementary school. For four years, he conducted the 35-voice Black Student Union Chorale of Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, MD in command performances of music of Black Composers from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic to the present day, a cappella or with symphony orchestra and/or with band. His degree is in organ performance, after switching from Music Education.Anwar Ottley joined the Ottley Music School faculty in the summer of 2004, teaching steel drums, after having taught it for two years before at Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church, in the MSSO II. His effective work with the youth and adults of the Ottley Music School camps has produced students who are excited about studying it privately in the school year. The summer 2006 voice, drama and dance camp students pans played for the opening of the University Town Center Towers, with the present and former governors of the State of Maryland in attendance, as well as the Mayor of Hyattsville, and the County Executive of Prince George's County. He was the teacher of the pilot program in Prince George's County Public Schools, teaching the students of Paint Branch Elementary School in College Park at OMS. They now have incorporated that program as part of their core curriculum, being the first and to date, May 2008, the only school in the Prince George's Public School System to have the pans in their school. Besides teaching steel drums at the OMS, he has established an Ottley Music School Steel Ensemble that performed locally. Mr. Ottley is working on his masters at Andrews University. 

PIANO (Classical)

Anton Martinez, B.A.

ANTON MARTINEZ, B.A., came to the Ottley Music School in August, 2000, a wonderful, experienced, young piano performer, having had just a little experience teaching, but with a lot of piano performance training and experience, and with a strong desire to learn how to teach. Over the years he has been with the OMS, he has not only taken well to his teacher training and experience, but also has grown into a fine teacher, as can be attested by the results of his students many of whom test with high marks in the annual National Guild of Piano Teachers auditions.

Mr. Martinez began studying piano as a child with Emilio del Rosario at the North Shore Music School in Illinois. He then studied for 4 years under Theodore Edel at the University of Illinois in Chicago, then went to study with Madame Larisa Dedova at the Moscow State Conservatory for two years, then was again her student at the University of Maryland. He has done his 4 years as a piano student at the U.Md., and switched to Pre-law there.  From 1991-1996, Mr. Martinez won the 1st prize at the annual Judson College Piano Competition for 6 consecutive years. He constantly brings a fresh, youthful yet serious enthusiasm to the OMS and to his students, and his students score high on the National Guild auditions.

Leonard Higgs, B.Sc., Theory

LEONARD HIGGS, B.S., Baritone was a psychology major at Howard University and graduated from the former Federal City College (now the University of the District of Columbia). He studied voice with the famed coloratura and master teacher, Charlotte Wesley Holloman for more than 10 years. He is in demand throughout the Washington, D. C. area as a sacred soloist. He is presently a professional member of the Heritage Signature Chorale in Washington, D. C. under the baton of Stanley Thurston.Mr. Higgs performes arias of both opera and oratorio from Handel's Messiah, Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle to name a couple, and played the role of Simon, the conjuror in Scott Joplin's opera "Treemonisha" with the Nevilla Ottley Singers, and Ned, the father in the same opera with the Municipal Opera of Baltimore. He sung the Priest in Carlos Gomes' opera, "Colombo" with the NOS. He had sung the role of King Melchior in Menotti's Christmas opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors", and most recently sang King Balthazar in the Ottley Music School's production of that opera. He has also served as a choir director for several years, teaching the music and developing the voices of his youth and young adult choirs and has been a fine addition to the music voice faculty at OMS since 2003.