Artistic Leadership

Sean Hale

Founding Artistic Director

Since 2014, Sean Hale has been the Director of Music and Worship at First United Methodist Church of Arlington where he oversees all of the music ministries of the church which includes choirs for children, youth, college students and adults as well as orchestras. Under Sean’s leadership, the Chancel Choir and orchestra at FUMC Arlington has presented Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War and Lord Nelson Mass, Mendelssohn’s Christus and O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, Vivaldi’s Gloria, as well as other choral/orchestral works.

Sean received a Bachelor’s in Music Education from Sam Houston State University and a Master’s in Vocal Performance from Arizona State University. He has been fortunate to have tremendous musical mentors such as Dr. Allen Hightower (UNT), Dr. James Franklin (ECU), Dinah Menger, Denise Eaton, Dr. Robert Bode (Ohio St.), Dr. Pam Elrod Huffman (SMU), Dr. Kenny Sheppard (retired—formerly Southwestern University), among many others. Additionally, Sean has served as Director of Music at Salado UMC, Choir Director at Salado High School, soloist for Pinnacle Presbyterian Church (Scottsdale, AZ), and youth minister at FUMC Pampa, TX. Sean also currently works as a real estate agent serving DFW with his father Mike Hale.

Email me: AwakenEnsembleInfo@gmail.com

Mary Hale

Co-Founder of Awaken Ensemble

Mary Hale is a mother, wife, musician, composer, teacher, music therapist, entrepreneur, PTA volunteer, and nonprofit co-founder! She is the owner of Mary Hale’s Studio in Arlington, TX.  Mary is also the co-founder of Awaken Ensemble. When the studio paused in 2020 due to COVID-19, Mary Hale home-schooled her first-grader and became the marketing director for Mike Hale Realty. Mary Hale holds a bachelor’s in music therapy with a minor in vocal performance from Sam Houston State University. She has worked as a music therapist at Arizona Sate University under the nonprofit Higher Octave Healing. In addition, she has supervised music therapy practicum students through Arizona State University and West Texas A&M University, and has worked as a music therapist in hospitals, school districts, 1:1 home settings, and nursing homes. She started her own business in Salado, TX, as a music therapist/private music lessons teacher in 2011 and moved her business to Arlington, TX, in 2014.

Email me: AwakenEnsembleInfo@gmail.com