Hope Armstrong Erb, Artistic Director Emeritus

Hope Armstrong Erb is an active conductor, pianist, composer, teacher and lecturer, and has performed in the United States, Europe, and China. Critics have proclaimed her "a wonder" in her ability to maintain a high standard in both performance and teaching. Hope is equally enthusiastic performing music from ancient to modern and continually expands the diversity of her concert repertoire through research, composition, and collaboration with composers and performing artists locally and globally. With the aid of native speakers she has coached her singers to perform in over 40 different languages.

Hope takes great joy in nurturing top singers to achieve a level of musicianship comparable with the best singers anywhere, and to that end has received the highest honor in American choral music performance by being selected to perform at National and Regional ACDA conventions. Equally rewarding has been her enormous success in teaching “non-singers” to match pitch, read music and sing in harmony, many of whom have eventually progressed to the top choirs. Hope presented an interest session at the 2008 Southern Division ACDA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky entitled: “NOBODY’S HOPELESS! Everyone can learn to sing!” and she works continually proving it is so! In 2007-9 she served as the Virginia ACDA Repertoire and Standards Chair for Children’s Choirs, and delighted John Rutter in her preparation of the Voices United Children’s Honor Choir for a performance of his Mass of the Children.

Hope has served on the faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond and has taught in public and private schools, K-12 including over 20 years working primarily with middle and high school boys. At home, she maintains a private studio where she offers lessons in piano and theory, as well as vocal and instrumental coaching and accompanying. She is an active member of the Richmond Music Teachers Association and co-chair of the VMTA theory testing held annually at VCU. She has presented on a wide range of topics from the boy’s changing voice to classic sonata form to teaching a Chinese choir jazz style, and has given numerous lecture recitals related to history and art exhibits in venues such as the VA Museum of Fine Arts.
 
 As a pianist, Hope has been hailed for her “innate musicianship and graceful style” as well as her “robust, rhythmic, and excellent playing.” In great demand as a chamber musician and coach with instrumentalists and singers, Hope has performed over the years with numerous professional musicians including members of the Richmond Symphony and the Shanghai Quartet. Her sightreading, musicianship, and technical and pedagogical skills combine to make her a pianist of choice for recitals, competitions, and recordings.