Dr. Susanne Reid received her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Oklahoma, along with a Master’s and Bachelor's degrees of music from California State University, Fullerton.  Since coming to VU in the fall of 2004, her teaching areas include music history, art appreciation, introduction to the arts and teaching voice.  She also serves as the coordinator of the Worship Leadership Concentration.   In the year 2015, the music department achieved accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and granted the Single Subject Waiver for Music by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) – both spear-headed and written by Dr. Reid.

Dr. Reid has served as a vocal evaluator and choral clinician throughout her career. She was inducted as a Distinguished Member of Sigma Alpha Iota a national organization which promotes a commitment to music and campus life. She has enjoyed teaching remotely for the Bangalore Conservatory in Bangalore, India, working with master’s students in achieving the London College of Music Diploma.

Dr. Reid is an active member at her local church, serving on the worship team.  Her husband, Phillip, teaches as an adjunct in the VU department of physical sciences. Their daughter, Jane, is a nurse at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, who also serves VU as an adjunct in kinesiology and clinical instructor for VU nursing.  Needless to say, her family loves the students at VU and are thrilled to be a part of each student’s journey who walk with them along their paths. 

Dr. Jae Hyeok Jang is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities and Music Education. He received music degrees from Manhattan School of Music (MM) and Boston University (DMA). Dr. Jang brings rich experiences as a conductor, composer, music educator, and church music minister to Vanguard University. He has trained choirs and orchestras in a broad range of settings from college to secondary school to community music organizations to churches to professional ensembles. 

Prior to Vanguard, Dr. Jang taught at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago as Professor of Music for 12 years and served as the music director for the Candlelight Carols production, a major cultural event in Chicago. He guest conducted Jönköpings Orkesterförening and Jönköpings Kammarkör in Sweden and Bacau Philharmonic Orchestra in Romania and has served as the artistic director for GEMA Missions Choir and Orchestra for Guatemala, Exeter Symphonia, Boston Korean Chorus, Little OL Korea Arts Foundation of Chicago and churches in Boston and New York City.  

As a published composer Dr. Jang has been active in performing his compositions including commissions and giving lectures at national and international organizations. His book (co-authored with his wife, Dr. Yoojin Choi) about educating the whole person was published in Korea (2014) and Vietnam (2023).  Before Moody, he taught at Phillips Exeter Academy, a private high school in Exeter, NH.

As a Christian educator, Dr. Jang aims to be efficient, effective, and influential for educating the whole person with Christian faith through personal care for his students.

Dr. Robert Reno is Professor of Music Theory and Composition. He is a composer, arranger, and pianist, having composed music since he was in grade school. Early in his career, Reno played in several professional progressive rock bands.  A keen interest in orchestral music led him to Indiana University, Bloomington where he earned a Doctor of Music. He has been teaching music theory and composition since 1983 and has authored three music theory textbooks: Materials of Music, Foundations of Musicianship, and Foundations of Tonal Harmony. Materials of Music has been translated into Nepali for use at the Bangalore Conservatory.

He has composed music for orchestra, chorus, various chamber ensembles, and electronic media. His music has been performed and recorded by several ensembles throughout the United States, including the Shasta Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Indiana University Symphony Orchestra and New Music Ensemble. His music is recorded by the Contemporary Recording Society, Master Musicians Collective, and Ascension Sounds.

Kenneth R. Foerch, DMA, is Director of the instrumental field of Vanguard University. He earned a DMA degree from University of Southern California, MM from Eastman School of Music, and a BM from Michigan State University. 

He performs as an on-call saxophonist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Pacific Symphony. He has performed with the L.A. Opera, L.A. Chamber Orchestra, and Long Beach Symphony.  Dr. Foerch has appeared with leading artists Herbie Hancock, Elvis Costello, and John Legend,. He performs as chamber musician for the “Green Umbrella” series of the L.A. Philharmonic, Orion and Encore Saxophone Quartets, and has worked with international composers Andrew Morricone and Thomas Alves.

In 2008, he took Vanguard’s Jazz Ensemble to New York City to perform with legendary jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis and returned in 2019 with the VU Jazz Combo to perform at Carnegie Hall. Dr. Foerch resides in La Verne with his wife Michele and daughters Sophia and Lauren.