Hayes School of Music Graduate Studies

Jenna Ames (2017)

Jenna Ames is pursuing a Master of Music in Viola Performance, and is a member of the Hayes Graduate String Quartet. She received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Appalachian State University in 2012. Since then, she has been teaching and performing around Boone, and is currently employed by organizations such as the James C. Harper School of Performing Arts, Symphony of the Mountains, and Western Piedmont Symphony.

Elizabeth Barmore (2017)

Lizzy Barmore, MT-BC received her Bachelor of Music at Sam Houston State University and is excited to continue her studies at Appalachian. She has worked with individuals in hospice and bereavement care, inpatient psychiatric care, and children and young adults with neurological differences. She currently is pursuing a dual master's degrees in music therapy and clinical mental health counseling. She is also an advanced trainee in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM).

John Camacho (2017)

John Camacho is a first year graduate student pursuing a Master's of Music in Piano Performance. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Florida International University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. A pianist since age five, he has performed as soloist or as a member of bands and touring Broadway orchestras in North and South America, as well as Europe. He is also a composer, songwriter and a poet. He looks forward to perfecting his art in the beautiful Appalachian mountains.

Benjamin Dawson (2017)

Benjamin Dawson completed his Master of Music in Theory/Composition in Spring 2017, studying with Dr. Ben Hjertmann. His master’s thesis was “Timbral Explorations for Wind...

Jessica Donley (2017)

Jessica Donley is a board-certified music therapist who completed the Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy degree at Appalachian State University. Jessica graduated from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2012 with her Bachelor's degree in Music Performance-Flute. She works as a contracts and grants manager for the College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University..

Reece Jennings (2017)

Reece Jennings completed the Equivalency in Music Therapy program in the Fall of 2017.  He currently works as a music therapist for Music Therapy Services of Greater Atlanta in Roswell, GA.  He graduated from Appalachian State with a BM in Music Education and the Jazz Studies Certificate in 2014, and taught in Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, NC prior to entering the Equivalency program.  He enjoys teaching trombone lessons, playing bass in jazz combos, and learning about...

Hannah Lingafelt (2017)

 Hannah Lingafelt, MT-BC, graduated from Appalachian State University in 2013 with her Bachelor of Music in music therapy iin 2017 with dual master’s degrees in music therapy and clinical mental health counseling.  She has worked with individuals in both medical and mental health settings and is interested in the intersection of music therapy, mental health, and physical health.  During her degree program she was a music therapy supervisor for pre-internship music therapy...

Kristin Neel (2017)

Kristin Neel, MMT, MT-BC, completed the combined Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy degree with a certificate in expressive arts therapy. Kristin earned her Bachelor’s degree in music with an emphasis in vocal performance and a minor in piano from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in West Chester, PA. She currently lives in Chapel Hill, NC and is employed as a Music and Movement instructor at Christ Church Preschool in Raleigh, NC.

Bethany Pastore (2017)

Bethany Pastore completed the Equivalency in Music Therapy. Bethany is from Somerset, Kentucky and graduated from the historic Berea College with her undergraduate degrees in both music and psychology. Bethany is a free-lance piano accompanist for Appalachian and the community. She has always had a passion for music therapy and is thrilled to begin her internship at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ. She is working as a music therapist in the psychiatric unit of a general hospital...

Kelsey Philbrick (2017)

Kelsey Philbrick completed her Master of Music in Violin Performance. During her time at ASU, Kelsey served as first violinist of the Hayes Graduate String Quartet and concertmaster of the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra and Opera Orchestra. Since 2012, she has performed with numerous local symphonies, and in 2016, was awarded the position of Assistant Concertmaster with the Western Piedmont Symphony. Kelsey graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance in 2014. In...