Alumni

Robert Harrelson

Originally from Boiling Springs, North Carolina, bass-baritone Robert Harrelson graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a double major in biology and history. Two years later, while employed at the University of Virginia, he auditioned to be a volunteer chorister for the Ashlawn-Highland summer opera festival and was offered named roles. Since childhood he had dreamt of being a professional vocalist, and the early success at Ashlawn-Highland propelled Robert to study vocal performance at...

Mary Elizabeth Hirsh

Mary Elisabeth is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Performance (Voice). Originally from Durham, NC, she received her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Therapy at Appalachian State University in 2009. She has regularly performed in the shows of the Durham Savoyards Ltd. since 2010, including performing the role of Mabel in the organization’s 50th anniversary production of The Pirates of Penzance in 2013. Mary Elisabeth has been teaching private voice lessons in both Durham (Alderman Music...

Jake Keller

Jacob (Jake) Keller is a board-certified music therapist who is currently a graduate student pursuing a Master of Music Therapy degree and a Master of Arts in marriage and familiy therapy. Jake completed the Bachelor’of Music in Music Therapy from Appalachian State University. In addition, he graduated from Gardner Webb University with his Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance-Guitar. Other interests include being involved in church and on-campus ministries, hiking, guitar improvisation...

Jessica Kempton

Jessica is a Board-Certified Music Therapist from New York state pursuing Masters degrees in Music Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Appalachian State University. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music therapy from Montclair State University and completed her internship at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine in New York, NY. Since receiving her certification her clinical work has been with infants, children, and young adults.

Emily Pate Kiefer

Emily Pate Kiefer completed the combined Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy degree. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2015 with a BA in Music (Flute Performance) and Philosophy. Born and raised in North Carolina, she currently works as a music therapist and supervises interns for Trellis Support Services providing hospice music therapy in Winston-Salem, NC.

Anna Laura McAfee

Anna Laura McAfee earned her MMT degree through the combined Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy program. Originally from Greenwood, Arkansas, Anna Laura recently graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. While at UCA, she taught piano to people of all ages at the University of Central Arkansas Community School of Music. During her time at UCA, she also was a student in the Schedler Honors College and wrote her senior capstone project on...

Tanner McAteer

Tanner McAteer is a guitarist hailing from Fayetteville North Carolina and pursuing his Master's Degree in Classical Guitar performance. He earned his BA in general music at UNCW in May 2020 and played in both the guitar ensemble and the honors recital while attending. In scarce free time you might find him reading Tolstoy at a coffee shop or enjoying the natural landscape of Appalachia.

Christopher Moore

Christopher Moore is pursuing the Master of Music degree in Tuba Performance, and serves as a graduate assistant in Performance Events and the Tuba-Euphonium Studio. He graduated in 2019 from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Tuba Performance. As an undergraduate at Appalachian, Christopher performed with the symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, symphony band, marching band, and the Appalachian Tuba-Euphonium Collective, and was a winner of the 2016-2017...

Daniel Myers

Daniel Myers is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance. He recently graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Percussion Performance where he studied with Dr. Mario Gaetano. Daniel has been an active educator and performer throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia with great focus in the greater Atlanta and Western North Carolina regions. His work as a marching performer has brought opportunities to perform...

Molly Reid

Molly Reid is a pianist, music theorist, and educator from North Carolina. She is pursuing the MM in Piano Performance under Dr. Rodney Reynerson. After graduating from Appalachian with her BM in 2014 (summa cum laude, University Honors), she studied music theory and piano at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she received the MM in Theory in 2016. Molly also studied theory at the CUNY Graduate Center. After completing her piano MM, she hopes to pursue a DMA in...