Dr. Lester Green has joined the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra to infuse a fresh perspective into its artistic panel. With a decade-long tenure at the Music Ministry of the Historic Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C., Green oversaw the creation of cultural musical highlights that have become integral to the city’s annual holiday celebrations. Notably, the Metropolitan AME Church’s presentation of Handel’s Messiah, featuring an orchestra, mass choir, and talented soloists, including local professionals and gifted youth performers, has left a lasting imprint.

During his time at the church, Green also orchestrated the musical aspects of significant historical events, such as the funeral service of Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks, and two Inaugural Prayer Service events for former President Barack Obama and his family. In 2014, Green co-produced a concert with the U.S. Air Force Strings, showcasing works by black composers. The performance featured newly-commissioned orchestral arrangements of Margaret Bonds’ Three Dream Portraits, art songs based on the works of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes. Additionally, a newly-commissioned setting of the spiritual “A City Called Heaven,” and compositions by Afro-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor were also part of the concert’s highlights.

Following his departure from Metropolitan AME Church in 2014, Green assumed the role of artistic director for the Coalition of African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA), a non-profit organization aimed at celebrating the achievements of individuals of color in classical music. Through partnerships, performances, and educational initiatives, CAAPA aims to emphasize diversity and inclusion in the classical music realm. In 2018, Green extended his artistic contributions by joining the team at the Children’s Chorus of Washington, striving to provide exceptional community-based choral music education to the children of the nation’s capital.

Dr. Green’s influence extends to various academic institutions, where he has served as artist faculty. This includes notable institutions such as the Peabody Institute, Morgan State University, Howard University, and the Duke Ellington School for the Arts. His role as Vocal Coach in the UMCP School of Music’s Division of Voice and Opera began in January 2020. He also maintains a voice studio at Morgan State University and a coaching studio at Peabody.

Notably, Dr. Green’s own artistic endeavors encompass an array of genres. He has presented solo piano, chamber, and vocal music recitals, contributing significantly to the music landscape. His experience as a performer includes conducting opera performances in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, as well as involvement as a coach and assistant conductor in opera companies and initiatives on a national and international scale.

Educationally, Dr. Green holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano Performance from the University of Maryland College Park (2005), a Graduate Performance Diploma in Piano (1999), a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Peabody Conservatory (1997), and an undergraduate degree in Piano Performance with a secondary focus in German Language Studies from the University of South Carolina (1995).