Hayes School of Music Graduate Studies

T.j. Anderson

T.j. Anderson is currently pursuing his Master's of Music with an emphasis in Wind Conducting. In this position he serves as a graduate teaching assistant to the Appalachian Bands and studies with Dr. John Stanley Ross and Dr. Jason Gardner. A native of Conway, South Carlina, T.j. received his Bachelor's of Music from Coastal Carolina University where he studied percussion with Dr. Jesse Willis. He also spent time studying conducting with mentors including Dr. T. André Feagin, Mr. Garrett...

Alvin Carlisle

Alvin Carlisle III is a Winston-Salem native who recently graduated from the undergraduate performance program at App State and is now pursuing his Master’s in Tuba Performance. He enjoyed a varied undergraduate career which involved acting as music director for a campus A Capella group, studying orchestral conducting at the Conductor’s Retreat at Medomak, and acting in leadership roles in music fraternities, Phi Mu Alpha and Kappa Psi. In his music-making, Alvin is passionate about diversity,...

Emily Cheek

Emily Cheek is a board-certified music therapist from Charlotte, NC and is enrolled as a dual masters student in the Music Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy programs. She previously graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy as well as a minor in Psychology. Emily completed her clinical internship at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, primarily focusing in neonatal intensive care and cardiac intensive care. Emily recently...

Kendall Davis

Kendall Davis is a Graduate Student pursuing a Masters of Music in Trumpet Performance. He graduated from Appalachian State University in 2022 with a Bachelors Degree in Trumpet Performance. Kendall serves as a graduate assistant to the trumpet studio under the direction of Dr.Stokes. In his free time he likes to be outside fishing or hiking with friends and family.

Rebecca Dulaney

Rebecca (Becka) Dulaney is pursuing a Master of Music Performance with a Composition Concentration as well as a certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy Research and Practice. They recently graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music Education from The University of Wyoming in May of 2020. At UW, Becka conducted research, under the McNair Scholars Program, into the relationship between aleatoric music and folk perception. Their research has been presented with The National McNair Symposium, The National...

Clement Edet

Clement Edet is a dedicated and passionate Nigerian violinist pursuing his Master of Music Performance degree on the violin. He started playing the violin at the age of 16. He had his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music ( with a major in the violin) from the University of Uyo, Nigeria, and graduated with a first-class. He played for the Hope Waddell Society of Music Orchestra from 2013 - 2022 and was the concertmaster for the orchestra from 2017. He has also played for the KKB Philharmonic...

Erin Fanning

Erin Fanning, better known by her last name, is a graduate student in the Equivalency and Masters of Music Therapy program. She was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and went to The Ohio State University for an undergraduate degree in composition. Fanning has composed a variety of works for solos, duets, small ensembles, and released an album for solo piano, as well as electronic and experimental music singles. As a former elite artistic swimmer, Fanning enjoys physical activities and all...

Joe Figliolo

Joe Figliolo is pursuing a Master's of Music with an emphasis in Wind Conducting. He works with the Appalachian Bands as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and studies with Dr. John Stanley Ross and Dr. Jason Gardner. He is a recent graduate from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor's of Music where he studied music education with Dr. Evan Feldman and Mr. Jeffrey Fuchs. While at UNC, he received the “Earl Slocum Band Award” at the Chancellor Award Ceremony in 2022 and...

Anna Gonzales

Anna Gonzales is a graduate student studying in the Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy Program. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from Eastern New Mexico University in 2021. During her time at ENMU, she was a participant of University Singers, Chamber Singers, and Swanee Singers, and received the Friends of Music Scholarship Award. She performed lead roles in Bizet’s Le docteur Miracle and Giannini’s Radio Opera, Beauty and the Beast, with ENMU. Since graduating, Anna...

Kendall Hanson

Kendall Hanson is a board-certified music therapist originally from Acworth, Georgia. She is a graduate student in the Master of Music Therapy program. She recently completed the Equivalency program at App State. Kendall completed her music therapy internship with the Fulton County school system in Georgia, working in schools with children PreK-12 who had various mental and physical diagnoses. Prior to her music therapy studies, Kendall graduated from Jacksonville State University in...