Lois Hunter

A talented musician and maestra, Lois Hunter is the guiding force behind Emory’s exceptional music program. Each week she fills our church and our hearts with the inspiring sounds of voices, piano, organ from our own church choir as well as frequent treats from guest soloists and ensembles. Lois studied music with Rudolph Ganz at the Chicago Musical College and with Frances Adaskin in Vancouver, but now she considers Maryland to be her home.

She has accompanied many professional vocalists, instrumentalists and choral groups. Before becoming musical director here at Emory she was musical director at the Church of the Redeemer in Bowie and Glen Mar United Methodist Church in Ellicott City. She led successful fundraising activities that bought new organs for all three churches. To raise the funds at Church of the Redeemer, located on Race Track Road, she wrote a popular series of musical comedy productions, from which one of her songs has become a standard – The Little Brick Church by the Track (Come to the Church not the Track). Lois also taught music at two Nursery Schools, so that now, wherever she goes in Ellicott City, some young person will say “Look Mom – there’s Miss Lois”. At the other end of the age spectrum, she was also director of the Senior Songsters in Howard County. Meanwhile, she gave private piano lessons in her home while raising two fine kids (now adults), Watson and Ellie, with her husband, Lawrence, who also plays piano(jazz, as an amateur, he emphasizes).

But perhaps the highlight of her musicallife is the Nightingales, a group of female vocalists sponsored by Emory that she had directed and accompanied for over 10 years. The Nightingales perform two major concerts each year at Emory. The Nightingales, accomplished musicians on their own, come from many careers and religions, and simply get together to sing, with only one hitch, namely, what to wear.