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Amanda Gentile (2015)
Amanda Gentile completed a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance. She received her Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Psychology degrees from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and received a Graduate Certificate in Violin from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Amanda has held the concertmaster position of the UNC Charlotte Chamber Orchestra and Opera and currently holds the concertmaster position of the Appalachian State Orchestra. She is currently a graduate... -
Mary Royall Hight (2015)
Mary Royall completed her Master of Music in Vocal Performance at Appalachian State University. In May 2013, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and her K-12 Licensure. Mary Royall is a Presser Scholar and a member of Pi Kappa Lambda. Most recently, she received the role of Adele in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus with the Appalachian State University Opera Theater. She studies with Dr. Julia Pedigo and works as a graduate... -
Farren Hilliard (2015)
Farren Hilliard is a mezzo-soprano from West Columbia, South Carolina. She recently completed a Graduate Vocal Performance degree at Appalachian State University, studying with Ms. Mary Gayle Greene. Farren is a recent graduate of Campbell University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Comprehensive Music in Voice. She began her solo career in voice at the University of South Carolina Aiken, where she originally had interests in marketing. Farren has been a vocal scholarship recipient at... -
Christopher McKinney (2015)
Christopher McKinney started his career as a K-5 general music teacher and middle school band director and is now a middle school band and orchestra director. He has developed his own method for the recorder to help students learn to play wind instruments in fun and exciting ways. He has level II certification in Creative Motion and has served on the faculty of the Windswept Creative Motion Conference. He holds a bachelor's degree in Instrumental Music Education from Appalachian State... -
Sarah Renshaw (2015)
Sarah Renshaw, MT-BC, completed the Master of Music Therapy degree in 2015. She completed her internship at the Albert J. Solnit Psychiatric Center for adolescents, and she has an interest in child and adolescent mental health. She is currently working as the music therapist for Caldwell County Schools and is adjunct faculty in the Music Therapy Program at Appalachian State University. -
Alex Sidwell (2015)
Alex Sidwell is seeking his Masters of Music in Percussion Performance at Appalachian State University under Dr. Rob Falvo. At Appalachian State, Alex has performed as principal percussionist of the ASU Wind Ensemble and principal timpanist of the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra. Alex is currently a substitute percussionist with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, and was awarded an assistantship at ASU in both percussion and music theory. In 2014, Alex was the recipient of the third place and... -
Chelsea Stith (2015)
Chelsea Stith completed the combined Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy program in May of 2015. She completed her music therapy internship at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Missouri in December of 2013. Her thesis explored psychophysiological responses to different elements of music for her thesis. During her time at Appalachian, Chelsea served as the district music therapist for Caldwell County Schools and worked as an arts critic for CVNC writing reviews of local... -
Nick Stow (2015)
After graduating from Landrum High School in 2008, I attended Clemson University as a performing arts major. Emphasizing in music, I studied saxophone under Dr. John Bleuel, whom also has a studio at Western Georgia University. Ensembles that I took part in early on were jazz band, TigerBand, and saxophone quartet. In my last years at Clemson, I joined the concert band, played in the pit for the student production of Guys and Dolls, and played in a gigging cover band. As I was playing with all... -
Cynthia Tate (2015)
Cindy Tate has worked as a music therapist since 2005. She completed the Master of Music Therapy degree with a focus on body-centered therapy at Appalachian State University in 2014. She currently serves children with autism and other developmental disabilities through the public school systems in Watauga county, as well as in private practice. As lecturer in the Music Therapy Program, Cindy teaches Functional Piano and supervises undergraduate music therapy practicum students. Cindy is also an... -
James Van Druten (2015)
Praised by Stephen Robinson for playing with "great expression and feeling", guitarist James Van Druten has delighted audiences with his mature and refined style of playing. James is currently completing a Master of Music Degree in guitar performance under Douglas James at Appalachian State University. In 2013, James graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor of Music Degree. As a soloist, he has won numerous awards including Fourth Prize in Division I of the 2014 Appalachian State...
