Dr. Charles Staples has been Director of Music Ministries at Trinity since 1991 and has led its choirs and ensembles in worship and in concerts for nearly 3 decades. Aside from its yearly services of Lessons and Carols, the choir has performed numerous major choral works and has even participated in a concert in Carnegie Hall under John Rutter.
With his doctorate in piano performance, his playing has been described in the Richmond Times-Dispatch as “forceful…but unforced, as natural as breathing.” A native of Alabama and honors graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts, Staples won the Van Cliburn full tuition scholarship to the Cincinnati College-Conservatory and completed his graduate work at Stony Brook University, training under David Bar-Illan, Martin Canin and Bernard Greenhouse. Aside from solo and chamber performances too numerous to count, Staples has been soloist in concertos with the Richmond Symphony as well as the CCM Concert Orchestra, the Congress of Strings, the North Carolina Symphony and University of Richmond Orchestra. He recently made his 6th appearance with the Richmond Philharmonic playing the Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto. He has also performed recitals in New York’s Town Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and in live broadcasts and concerts on WGUC (Cincinnati), WQXR (NYC) and VPM in Richmond.
He teaches on the piano faculties of VCU and the Greenspring International Academy of Music. [He] “proved yesterday to be fully up to the technical and expressive demands of the Rachmaninoff concerto … the pianist lifted more than 300 listeners out of their seats in a cheering ovation after a performance that was both bravura and lyrically sensitized.”
Aaron is a musician with a heart for the church and a love for congregational singing. Having a deep appreciation for ancient hymns and spirituals as well as modern songs and fresh expressions of faith, he has led worship and song in both contemporary and traditional settings.
Aaron studied music at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem and holds a B.A. in History from Columbia College. After working several years as a freelance artist, performing and teaching music in Atlanta, Georgia and Tampa, Florida, Aaron went on to serve United Methodist Churches in Florida and Kansas as a music and communications director. In August 2019, Aaron moved to Richmond to join Trinity’s staff team.
Aaron enjoys exploring God’s green earth, making music, and sharing life with his wonderful wife (and dearest friend) Brandy. He also enjoys reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Patricia Price Ruscus is the Assistant Director of Music and has been a member of the Trinity Staff since 2006. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Westhampton College of the University of Richmond. Pat is a retired elementary music teacher from Henrico County Public Schools.In 1997, while teaching in Henrico, she was named “Music Educator of the Year.” Her staff responsibilities include assisting the Director of Music with the Adult Choir, coordinating the kid’s choirs, and directing the Treble Singers.
The daughter of a United Methodist minister, she is a native of Virginia. She and her husband, David, who is also a retired Henrico educator, live in Goochland County with their two border collies, Piper and Patches.
As director of operations, Bill says he knows just enough about the church’s building and grounds to be dangerous. This includes empty encounters with the Wesley brothers who ride the church’s elevators. Bill and his wife, Betsy, have three grown children and three grandchildren with a fourth on the way. His hobbies include reading, yardwork, writing, and learning from his grandchildren.
