Barbara Ryland Wells is the Program Head for Music, and Professor of Music in Keyboard, Theory and Composition. She holds a Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of the Musical Arts degrees in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Maryland. Her piano teachers and coaches include Stewart Gordon, Roy Hamlin Johnson, Elvin Schmitt, and Nina Sveltanova; her composition teachers include Larry Moss, Lester Trimble, and Ema Lou Diemer.

She has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Virgin Islands. At her 1984 debut at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater, Dr. Ryland premiered the Sanlucar de Barrameda sonata by Joaquin Turina.

Again at the Kennedy Center, in 1987, she gave the Washington premier of a sonata by Miklos Rozsa. The Washington Post review of that concert stated "Schumann's Carnival, Op. 9 . . . was given a splendid performance. By almost underplaying the first few movements, Ryland lured the listener with a deceptive simplicity that intensified the exciting and beautifully paced finale and lent a palpable sense of drama and adventure. . . .Ryland also excelled in the Washington premier of "Sonate" by Miklos Rozsa, best known for his film scores('Ben Hur', 'The Bible' and almost 90 others)".

Kenneth Townsend of the Alexandria Gazette wrote that the Rozsa performance was "technically superb; the demanding score played seemingly effortlessly. The juxtaposition of the composer's ideas and Ryland's expert phrasing was challenging to the ears and the intellect without being harsh or unsettling to the emotions".

Dr. Ryland has received numerous grants and awards including Outstanding Services to the College (1995). She regularly judicates for area competitions that have included the National Symphony Concerto Competition.

She has authored seven music theory books and two ear training books with CD's that are currently used on the Alexandria Campus.

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