Alumni

Elizabeth Chapa (2016)

Elizabeth Chapa is a second year graduate student in the Music Performance program and also received her Bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University in Music Performance. She is a full-lyric soprano studying under the instruction of Mr. John Fowler. She is a member of the graduate vocal ensemble, Quintessential!, and has had the pleasure of teaching multiple levels of voice class for non-vocal majors. Ms. Chapa has performed roles including La Contessa in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro,...

Rebecca Gildea (2016)

Rebecca Gildea completed the Equivalency Music Therapy ASU in the Spring of 2016. She graduated in 2012 from Marlboro College in Vermont with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music with an emphasis in Voice Performance and Musicology. She is currently working as a music therapist at the Sonatina Center in Dover, New Hampshire. She has a passion for feminist music therapy, bridging the gap between mental health facilities and their communities, and social justice.

Miranda Grimmer (2016)

Miranda Grimmer is a board certified music therapist who completed her Master of Music Therapy degree with an expressive arts focus at Appalachian State University. She interned for music therapy at Lakemary Center in Paola, KS working with students with developmental, psychiatric, and behavioral needs. She received her Bachelor's degree from Pittsburg State University in Music Education with emphasis in Violin.

Kimberly Hilton (2016)

Kimberly Hilton is a first year graduate student pursuing a Master's of Music in Vocal Performance. She also did her undergraduate work at Appalachain State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Kimberly is a mezzo-soprano in ASU's graduate vocal group, Quintessential!, and is studying under the instruction of Dr. Joseph Amaya. This spring, Kimberly will be taking on the role of Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with Appalachian State University Opera...

Alyssa Kimpel (2016)

Alyssa Kimpel, MT-BC, completed the Equivalency program in Music Therapy at Appalachian State University. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with University Honors from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Music degree in music performance and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and Psi Chi, nternational honor societies in music and psychology, respectively. She is working as a music therapist at Innovations in Learning in Merriville,...

Caroline Kimrey Talbert (2016)

Caroline Kimrey Talbert studied with Dr. Steve Hopkins to complete her Master of Music in Choral Conducting in the Fall of 2016. During her graduate work, she served as the Music Ministry Director at First Baptist Church, West Jefferson where she led the Sanctuary Choir, Children's Choir, and Handbells. Caroline currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee while pursuing a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University. She is also a member of the Nashville Symphony Chorus.

Kristin King (2016)

Kristin King, 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 professional music with an emphasis in songwriting and a minor in visual culture and new media studies from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. She combined her passion for songwriting through her clinical work and her thesis, The Practice of Teaching Therapeutic Songwriting: A Survey of...

Cynthia Morris (2016)

Cynthia Morris, MT-BC completed the Master of Music Therapy degree at Appalachian State University in 2016. She obtained a Bachelor's in Music Education, with a general music focus, from the University of Tennessee at Martin in Martin, TN. She completed an equivalency in music therapy from Appalachian State in December 2014. Cynthia is a Creative/Expressive Arts Therapist at Central Regional Hospital in Butner.

Abby Neesen (2016)

Abby Neesen, MT-BC, completed the Equivalency program in Music Therapy at Appalachian State University.. She graduated from Christopher Newport University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Music with concentrations in flute performance and instrumental education and minors in leadership studies and psychology. She is currently employed as music therapist at the Genesee School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Onsby Rose (2016)

Onsby C. Rose hails from Royal Oak, Mi but grew up primarily in Abingdon, Va. Upon graduation from Abingdon High School in 1993, Mr. Rose attended the University of South Carolina as a music education major. After three years of studies, Onsby auditioned and was accepted a trombone instrumentalist for the US Marine Corps Fleet Band system. He then attended recruit training in Parris Island, SC, and Marine Combat training in Camp Lejurne, NC. Private First Class Rose was then transferred to...