Br. Aelred Woodard, O.S.B.

Br. Aelred Woodard, O.S.B. is a choirmaster of St. Martin’s Abbey and teaching Religions Studies at Saint Martin’s University. He is a monk of the Order of St. Benedict at St. Martin’s Abbey since 1973.

After graduation from high school in 1961, he pursued seminary/university studies in philosophy and theology at institutions in Baltimore, Hartford, and Ottawa, Ontario.

In 1968 he was drafted into the United States Army. During the three years of duty, he won the first prize for classical vocal soloist in each of those years: 1st Army – 1968, and 6th Army – 1969 and 1970.

In 1972, while attending St. Martin’s College on the GI Bill, he was district winner of the Metropolitan Opera audition in Seattle. During the years 1971-1972, he was Post Music director at Ft. Lewis, Washington. He received his MA in theology with honors from St. John’s University in 1989.

Br. Aelred has given numerous recitals in Washington, California, Missouri, Michigan, Main, Vermont, Washington D.C., as well as Abbeys and churches in England, Belgium, Spain, France, Austria and Bavaria. He has performed works from the period of plainchant to works composed for him, specializing in the sacred works of Bach, French melodie, lyric operatic arias, and the vocal works of Benjamin Britten. He was selected to participate in master classes given by Robert Gartside, John Wustman, and Gwendolyn Koldfsky.