Graduating Class

Alia Brand – Bachelor of Music Education
Ben Howard – Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory
Krista Petersen – Bachelor of Music Education
Chris Rathbun – Bachelor of Music Education

Degree:

Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance

About:

I started at MSU Denver in 2020 after doing 2.5 years at UNC studying music education. I fell in love with opera while there and as my love of performing grew through my school transfer, I decided to add a double major in vocal performance. When Covid hit, I decided to pivot to a sole major in vocal performance and focus my studies there. For the last couple years, I’ve been working as a musician both teaching and performing on a regular basis! I’ve been so fortunate to have many performance opportunities here at MSU Denver, including playing Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, The Mother in Hansel and Gretel, and Maguelone in Cendrillon. I’ve also had the pleasure of singing in the Chorale under the direction of MB Krueger for my entire time here, which has brought me countless friendships and so much joy!! I never expected my college journey to be this… extensive.. but I am so grateful for the amazing friends I’ve made and experiences I’ve had!

Future Career Goals:

After graduation, I plan to continue teaching privately and working for my amazing church choir as well as pursue an alternate teaching license to work as a choir teacher locally. I also plan to go to grad school to study choral conducting and/or music therapy!

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

Mentioned all above and special thanks to Dr. Bradley Thompson for being an amazing voice teacher, Gene Roberts for guiding me through opera, and MB Krueger for being the best choir director and helping me through my journey at MSU Denver. Thank you!

Degree:

Bachelor of Music Education

About:

I was born and raised in Arvada, Colorado. My parents met in the Arvada High School choir, at the same school I would end up graduating from in 2017. In high school, I was involved in band, orchestra, and choir. I always knew I wanted to go to college for music. I struggled in my young adult life financially and had to fight tooth and nail to get myself through college. At one point I was working three full-time jobs and taking 18 credit hours just to make my dreams reality. All that hard work has paid off. It doesn’t feel real but I’m so excited to graduate and start living the life I want to live.

Apart from music I also have two brothers, one older and one younger. Both of my brothers graduated from Arvada High School as well. My younger brother, Hunter, graduated at the top of his class. Hunter is the light of my life and I couldn’t be prouder to call him my little brother.

When it comes to talking about my life, I would be a fool to not include my wonderful and amazing boyfriend who has supported me every step of the way in my return to school. Due to COVID, I had to leave school for awhile but I always knew I wanted to come back and chase my dreams. Because of Dakota, I was able to do that. We have a wonderful life together in Westminster, Colorado and have many grand plans for our future together.

Future Career Goals:

I want to share music with students and create a safe place of learning and expression like my teachers did for me. Music is a part of the human experience that everyone should have access too. I hope to make music accessible for everyone that wants to experience it. I want to make an impact on students lives and dedicate all my time to making their musical experience a positive one of growth and self discovery.

While I will be happy and fulfilled in any music capacity, I hope to be a director of many ensembles in junior and/ or senior high school. While I have thought about teaching music at the college level, I do think my calling is in the K-12 setting.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

MSU Denver wasn’t the first college I have attended but it was for sure the greatest. The professors are the most caring and dedicated people on the planet. Mark Foster, the percussion instructor is the kindest and most warm person on the planet. He helped me grow not just as a musician, but as a person. Percussion ensemble and the percussion studio became my safe place where I could make friends and create connections that will last me a life time. Shout out to all the amazing friends I made at MSU Denver, there are too many to name but you know who you are. My peers have truly made my experience the greatest one I could’ve ever asked for.

Degree:

Bachelor of Music Education, Jazz & American Improvised Music emphasis

About:

Ever since I was inspired by my parents’ record collections as a toddler, music has been my first passion. My grandmother was a teacher, and as I attended school, I often considered teaching as a possible career. Music led me in another direction, as I played in a fairly successful band as I graduated high school. The band kept me from studying education when I got to college, instead focusing on my general requirements. I took music classes too, including a year of classes right here on Auraria Campus studying at CU Denver. I even had a class with Ron Miles. The trouble was, I was getting burned out. I decided to take a break from school and get some snowboarding done, moving to Breckenridge to take a “one year break”. That was 2001. Life happened, and I found myself working two decades in the hospitality industry before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down in 2020. Finding myself with time on my hands, I dove into playing music again after a long hiatus. My niece expressed interest in the ukulele, so I taught her how to play during the summer of 2020. The experience made it all very clear – my purpose is to teach music. Twenty years after leaving CU Boulder for my “one year break”, I started on my BME degree here at MSU Denver. I had finally found my place. Four years later, here I am about to graduate and already hired in a music teaching role!

Future Career Goals:

I am happy to say that I was able to secure a dream elementary music teaching position in a Jeffco public school before I even finished my degree here at MSU Denver!

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

There were a lot of special moments, and I can’t possibly include them all here. That said, I really appreciated the opportunities to compose in Theory classes, playing War Pigs on the stage at Dazzle with my amazing jazz combo (thanks, Patrick!), learning to use Ableton and performing electronic music in front of a packed house, arranging Radiohead tunes for electric guitar and euphonium, and many others.

Most of all, I’ll remember the incredible people. Many of my peers shared most of the day’s classes together from the beginning until the end. I made music with so many combinations of amazing musicians. The faculty here and the friendships I made with many of them will always have a special place in my heart. In no order in particular, I’d like to give a massive thank you to Cherise Leiter, Chris Keelan, Carla Aguilar, David Kish, Gene Roberts, Dave Devine (you were born with it, holmes!), Patrick McDevitt, Mark Harris, Dawn Clement, Dru Heller, Carmen Sandim, David Farrell, MB Krueger, Tim Krueger, Peter Schimpf, Adjei Abankwah, Patricia Surman, Bradley Thompson, and Shane Endsley.

Degree:

Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance

Future Career Goals:

After graduation, I plan to apply to graduate schools for a masters in vocal performance. I would love to sing in professional opera productions, while also continue teaching private lessons.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

I have so many special moments from my undergraduate journey. I had so much fun with my close friends in opera productions Cendrillon, and Hansel and Gretel. Our music theory classes were so fun as well as my private lessons with Michelle Thompson. Some of my best memories are in the practice rooms jamming with my best friends.

Degree:

Bachelor of Music in Composition

About:

I grew up in music, starting on the French Horn in late elementary school. I fell away from the French Horn after high school, though I began writing music with a program called, “Mozart 2000.” Many years later, I enrolled at Metro to pursue a degree in Composition.

Future Career Goals:

I have happened across several competitions, websites that function as entry-level labels, various entry level teaching options that can be explored and using social media to find other options. Currently, I am looking at non-university related composition courses and am entertaining the possibility of a graduate’s degree.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

The class that really tied everything together for me was Counterpoint, especially third species which focuses on each individual beat.

Degree:

Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance; Bachelor of Arts in English

About:

I first entered the Music Program as a music minor. However, I loved it so much that I decided to double major in music, in addition to majoring in English. I’m grateful that life took me this direction, because I’ve found joy in creating music.

Future Career Goals:

I am thrilled to continue my education at University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music in the fall to earn my Master’s of Music in Piano Performance with a Certificate of Piano Pedagogy. I plan to broaden my horizons and gain new experiences with music, as well as continue teaching private lessons.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

I enjoyed many classes in my program, but lessons with Dr Shannon, collaborative piano, and music theory were highlights.

Degree:

Bachelor of Music in Composition

About:

Franklin has always been into art since his childhood. He loves to draw, write, perform and take pictures and it wasn’t until his later years that he discovered a passion for music. He found the love of ideas through art and manifested these ideas through different artistic mediums. He took a college-level audio course and a private composition lesson before MSU Denver only to realize that he as passionate about these ideas and about music composition. He used to write lots of 20 second songs when he was 12 years old and kept increasing his musical side as he joined high-school marching band, jazz band, and an acapella group. Ever since then, he has been constantly writing lots of different things such as: video game music, film soundtracks, TV show themes, birthday songs and classical music. He is currently a drum-set player for multiple rock bands as well as a composer.

Future Career Goals:

Franklin hopes to create more ideas about composition and challenge ways we approach making music academically or experimentally. The goal is to publish more music and invest in more opportunities that will benefit his comp career: call for scores, commissions, competitions and paid projects. He will be more involved in the composition community.

Franklin will take a year to think about these ideas and hone in his craft before heading into graduate programs for music composition preferably in Colorado.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

All of the music department has been nothing but amazing throughout my experience towards my degree. I have learned so much and felt like there is a lot of genuine, consistent positivity. For one of the best teaching experiences, I’d like to thank Dr. Kish, Dr. Mathews, Chris Keelan, Dr. Schimpf, Dr. Hengst, MB Krueger, and Nan Shannon. You have made a great impact on my musicianship.

Mark Foster is one of the most influential, genuine, caring and passionate teachers that makes the percussion department worth being a part of. I will always cherish the time you have spent teaching me.

I will always have a deep respect for the enthusiasm, mentorship, and gracious support from David Farrell and Cherise Leiter. You are absolutely wonderful faculty members and I will never forget all the creative ideas, encouragement and lessons that go far beyond just notes on a page. You are my greatest inspiration and be with me far along my composition journey. I cannot thank you enough.

I have so much love and dedication to my good friends at MSU Denver. There is no joy that can compare than the friendship, inspiration, ideas and beautiful moments that come from meeting thee wonderful people. I’d like to thank my good friends: Maxwell Shultz, Max Wink, Cass, Jaeden, Leila, Abby, Jesse, Kathryn Howard, Lily, Joseph Westerfield, Jakob, Matthew Vargas, Jose, Monty, Jenny, Fatima and others that meant a lot to me.

Degree:

Bachelor of Arts in Music and Marketing Minor

About:

I first started my journey with music back when I was only 9 years old when I began learning how to play the viola. I then picked up the guitar and piano when I was 14 and have been playing and writing songs ever since.

Future Career Goals:

I hope to continue writing and releasing music, as well as continuing to grow within my knowledge of music production, and marketing within the music industry.

Favorite Moments from MSU Denver:

I have had a lot of fun the last couple years being able to be immersed in a variety of different music including different genres and eras that I wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise.