School of Music

Pursue Your Passion

Archives: People

  • Amber Grooms
    September 2, 2021 by

    Amber Grooms is a senior from Floyds Knobs, IN. Amber is a mezzo-soprano and is this year’s CNAfME Outstanding Future Music Educator Award winner.  “I have loved singing and reading music ever since I joined choir! My high school choral director has been an inspiration ever since middle school, and her exemplary model as a musician and as […]

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  • Matthew Ambrosen
    September 2, 2021 by

    Matthew Ambrosen is a senior Music Education major from Goshen, IN.   “I’ve been involved with singing every year since 5th grade, being active in IMEA’s Circle the State with Song, as well Choir in Middle School and High School. High School is where I got really into voice, being involved with the Advanced Choir, Show Choir, Men’s […]

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  • Alyssa Santiváñez
    September 2, 2021 by

    Alyssa Santiváñez is a senior from Fresno, California. Alyssa studies flute with Mihoko Watanabe and was recently announced as the 2021 Presser Undergraduate Scholar. “I began to play the flute when I was 10 years old and I credit my family for being so supportive to me. As one of the few musicians within my […]

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  • Jeffrey Clark
    September 2, 2021 by

    Jeffrey Clark is a Doctor of Arts candidate from Forth Worth, Texas. “I am in the third year of my doctorate in Music Theory and Composition, with a secondary in Emerging Media Design and Development. I’m originally from Fort Worth, Texas, but I’ve lived in a number of different states over the years. I moved to […]

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  • Emery Tackett
    April 26, 2021 by

    Emery Tackett is a senior music composition major from Clarksville, Indiana. “I chose Ball State because of its well-developed composition and theory programs, the variety of different composition professors here, and our wonderful facilities like the all-Steinway designated practice rooms and music media production studios. “My fondest memory at Ball State definitely has to be […]

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  • Jacob Smith
    April 19, 2021 by

    Jacob Smith is a junior majoring in jazz bass performance from Portage, IN. “My fondest memory at Ball State so far is being a part of Jazz 1 when we were selected to play at Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center in New York. The time leading up to that performance was some of the hardest […]

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  • Rachel Spodek
    April 13, 2021 by

    Rachel Spodek is a first-year master’s student in voice performance from Muncie, IN. “Because I grew up in Muncie, I actually began taking voice lessons with my current voice teacher, Dr. Mei Zhong, when I was a junior in high school. She really encouraged me to pursue music and voice in college and then encouraged […]

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  • JJ Peil
    April 5, 2021 by

    JJ Peil is a senior music education major (with a minor in Spanish) from Middletown, Ohio. “I have been studying piano since the age of 9, choosing to play because I had always loved listening to music and was fascinated by watching others perform. I originally wanted to play the violin, but my mom made […]

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  • Arterus Young
    April 5, 2021 by

    Arterus Young, a junior music media production major from Evansville, IN. “I chose Ball State for its music production program. I saw the studios for the first time and instantly fell in love with them. Seeing all the equipment really made me want to come here and learn as much of it as I could. I […]

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  • Kathy Spangler
    April 5, 2021 by

    Kathy Spangler is a 3rd year Doctor of Arts student with a primary emphasis in music education. She currently serves as the director of bands, assistant professor of music, and chair of the Department of Performing Arts at Marian University. “I have been teaching music for 23 years, 19 of those in public schools in […]

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