The Salvation Army Carolinas Division Carolinas Division » Music & Creative Arts » Music Department Staff

Carolinas' Music Department Staff

Jamie Hood - Divisional Music Director

A native of Ayrshire, Scotland, Jamie started cornet lessons with his father James Hood at the age of four. He then started to play in the local Salvation Army Band when he was seven. In 1992 Jamie moved with his family to Alsace, France where he was influenced by Marc Ullrich (solo trumpet Basel Symphony Orchestra), Dr. Edward Tarr and Niklas Eklund (International Baroque trumpet soloist).

In 1999 Jamie left France and studied for two years at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with Nigel Boddice MBE and Dr. Roger Webster. Jamie then returned to Alsace and studied for two years in Freiburg, Germany with Anthony Plog before studying with French Master Trumpet teacher Mr. Pierre Thibaud in Paris. During his years of study with Mr. Thibaud Jamie was influenced by many of Thibaud’s former students including Mathias Persson (solo trumpet Monte Carlo Philharmonique), Jean-Christophe Haas (solo trumpet Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice) and Hakan Hardengerber (International Trumpet Soloist). In 2006 Jamie studied with Prof David King in Manchester,UK.

On December 1st 2006 Jamie immigrated to the USA where he took up the position of Performing Arts Director of The Performing Arts Academy for The Salvation Army in Houston, Texas. During his time in Houston Jamie worked as a freelance trumpet/cornet player playing with The Houston Grand Opera and was a private trumpet teacher for the local High Schools.

Jamie is now the Divisional Music Director for The Salvation Army in North and South Carolina where he continues to develop brass and vocal training within The Salvation Army as well as teach and play all over the east coast.

Daniel Simmons - Assistant Divisional Music Director

Daniel works as an administrator, helping coordinate music and arts programs for youth and adults in Salvation Army Corps (churches) and Community Centers across North Carolina and South Carolina, including The Salvation Army’s Carolinas’ Music & Arts Conservatory: a five week music and arts conservatory for youth that operates each summer at Camp Walter Johnson in Denton, NC.

Daniel serves as the bandmaster of The Salvation Army Charlotte, NC Temple Corps Band. He is also the solo horn player for The Salvation Army’s NC & SC Divisional Band. Daniel has served as a member of The Salvation Army’s “Southern Territorial Songsters” vocal group in 2007 and 2008, and performed with this group during their tour of Norway and Sweden in the fall of 2008. Daniel is also an alumni of The Salvation Army “Tournament of Roses” Parade Band. At the present time, Daniel is the first horn player in The Salvation Army's Southern Territorial Band, a brass band comprised of the finest musicians of The Salvation Army in the fifteen southern states.

Daniel’s educational background includes music education studies at the University of NC at Greensboro where he was lead trumpet with the UNCG Jazz Band, a member of the UNCG Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Trumpet Ensemble. Daniel is currently a senior at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC where he is completing his Bachelor of Arts in Music with minor studies in Business Administration.

Daniel’s professional affiliations include MENC: The National Association for Music Education, NC Music Educators Association (Past President- Collegiate), SC Music Educators Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Wendy Hood - Vocal & Piano Ministries Director

Wendy currently serves as an instructor and coordinator of piano and vocal ministries for youth and adults for The Salvation Army in North Carolina & South Carolina.

Wendy has performed with various vocal ensembles including the “George Mason University Chamber Ensemble”. She has also served as a vocal soloist while on tour in Europe with The Salvation Army’s “National Capital Band”. In addition, she also participated in a tour of the United Kingdom in the early 90’s with the “Southern Territorial Songsters”, and, in 1990, Wendy performed a vocal solo in the world-famous Royal Albert Hall in London, England as part of a tour with the “New South Singers.” She is also a trombonist and performed with the “National Capital Band” on their tour of Russia in 1994.

Wendy’s educational background includes studies in choral music education at George Mason University and International Studies (Spanish) at Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2000, Wendy graduated from The Salvation Army “Evangeline Booth College for Officer Training” in Atlanta, Ga. and became a Salvation Army officer. Since then, Wendy has left officership to take up her position in music ministries along with her husband, Jamie Hood.