Doctoral Students

Denise Apodaca received her Bachelor of Music from the University of California. She received her Master of Music in Piano Performance and a second Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy from Northwestern University. She is a first-generation student and is currently a doctoral student in Music and Music Education at Teachers College Columbia University. My research interests include healing-centered education and trauma-informed teaching. 

Denise has performed throughout the United States as a soloist and as a chamber musician. Demonstrating her expertise in Latin American music, she has given several concerts in Mexico and the U.S. She has been an adjudicator for several area music teachers’ associations and has given several workshops on piano technology, piano pedagogy, piano performance, and early childhood music. 

She won the Best Teacher of the Year Award in 2016, was a GRAMMY Music Educator Award Nominee, was awarded the College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching Award Winner, and Colorado State University Honors Professor of the Year. 

Dillon Beede (he/they), a Nebraska native, earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Hastings College and a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College. He currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Chair of Music at Wilson College (Chambersburg, PA), Artist-in-Residence at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (Hagerstown, MD), and Artistic Director of the Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus (Harrisburg, PA).

A current student in the EdDCT in Music and Music Education program, his research interests lie at the intersections of queer studies and music education, trans voice, and vocal/choral pedagogies. His current research focuses on the experiences of singers in trans and gender-expansive ensembles and the ways in which these communities may affect trans identity formation. Upcoming conference presentations include the College Music Society, Northeast Conference and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association State Conference.

Terion Cooper is pursuing his Ed.D in Music and Music Education at Teachers College. Prior, he was the Director of Choral Activities and an Assistant Professor of Music at Marian University, Indianapolis, Indiana. In the K-12 environment, he taught band and choir, among other courses, for over a decade in mostly public urban school settings and was on the founding faculty of a public International Baccalaureate high school. He holds Bachelor degrees in Music Education and French from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Arts from Teachers College. His research focuses on the Black aural-oral tradition, music literacy, and higher music education. Mr. Cooper has been influenced by his travels in Europe, South America, and New Zealand in pursuit of a good cup of coffee and conversation.

Hanan Aseelah Davis is a performing artist and educator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology from Spelman College, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Ohio State University, and a Master of Education in Music from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Additionally, Hanan has trained for over 20 years as a dancer, specializing in traditional West African dances.

Her educational interests are centered on music programs at historically Black colleges and universities, performance as pedagogy, culturally responsive pedagogies, and highlighting the contributions of marginalized groups in vocal repertoire, with an emphasis on composers who are women and composers of African descent.

Omar J. Dickenson is Director of University Choirs and Assistant Professor in the Department of Music at Hampton University. He serves as Music Director for the Choir Directors’ & Organists’ Guild of the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference. Prior to returning to Hampton, Dickenson served as Director of Fine Arts of The Bethel Church in Jacksonville, FL. He held a faculty appointment at Florida State College of Jacksonville as conductor of its Gospel and Concert Choruses.  Dickenson holds degrees in Mathematics from Hampton University and in Music from Edward Waters University. He also earned the Master of Music degree from Norfolk State University and Master of Education degree in Music and Music Education from Teachers College. He is a published composer and arranger and maintains an active schedule as a clinician and church music consultant. His research interests are focused on the music of American American church communities.

Richard Fields, a distinguished trumpeter based in New York City, showcases his virtuosity
across various ensembles. With Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Classical Trumpet
Performance from SUNY Purchase, he pursued advanced studies at Brooklyn College and
obtained a second Master's Degree in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia
University, where he is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree.

Fields currently teaches Band at Ponus Middle School, having previously pioneered the
instrumental music program at a Title I High School in Brooklyn. As the founder of Parallel
Brass, he leads the quintet in delivering master classes and concerts in the tri-state area.

His academic interests center on social justice within classical music and music education,
particularly in amplifying underrepresented voices. His dissertation, "An In-depth Exploration of
the Experience of Black Wind Musicians in Classical Music Education"; epitomizes his
dedication to addressing pertinent issues in the field, demonstrating his commitment to
inclusivity and equity.

Amanda is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Program Head of Musical Theater at Pace University and is the owner of a New York City private voice studio with clients performing on Broadway, Off Broadway, national and international tours, regional theatre, and with careers as recording artists. Amanda was the Production Vocal Coach for The Lightning Thief and Be More Chill, both on Broadway. Her experience working on Broadway is the focus of her dissertation at Teachers College. She hopes to learn more about how we can better protect performer’s voices while working on Broadway. Amanda’s research interests include belting, vocal health, assessment, vocal injury, and applied studio teaching. A recipient of the Van Lawrence Fellowship, Amanda is a published researcher and her first book, So You Want To Sing Musical Theatre, Expanded and Updated Version, was released in 2022.

Harpsichordist Hila Katz is a Doctoral Candidate and Fellow in the Music and Music Education program, where she has earned a Master of Education degree. Her scholarly interests include assessment strategies in music education and student-centered instruction, and her dissertation focuses on reflective practices in applied instruction. Trained in piano and harpsichord, Hila studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where she obtained a Master’s degree in Harpsichord Performance and Certificate of Advanced Studies. She continued her studies at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, as well as completing a year of doctoral studies in conducting as full-scholarship student at the University of Toronto. Hila has performed, studied and taught music in five countries: England, The Netherlands, Israel, Canada and the US. She has taught in many settings including postsecondary institutions, K-12, and a school for historical performance that she established and directed in Amsterdam.

My name is Mari Kobayashi and I am originally from Japan. I grew up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Pakistan, and Taiwan. My passion for choral music led me to pursue my Music degrees in the US. I received my M.A and Ed.M. from Teachers College in 2005. I have been teaching PYP/MYP Music and Arts Integration at International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in China, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong for the last 16 years. My professional and academic interest is creativity in music education. I am currently working on my dissertation for my Ed.D. degree with a study titled: Inquiry into the perception and development of musical creativity: a constructive and reflective process of creativity within the MYP music curriculum.

After studying Applied Mathematics and Biology at Brown University, I went on to pursue two master's degrees in Music and Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. During my master's studies, I discovered a deep passion for educational research, which inspired me to pursue a doctoral degree. My professional journey includes five years at a charter school in NYC,  where I established a strings program to provide elementary school students with violin and cello private and group lessons. This experience underscored the importance of student-parent-teacher relationships, particularly evident during remote learning. Bridging my personal passion for music education with my professional experience, my doctoral research examines how these relationships influence learning outcomes during remote instruction.

Ryan José LaBoy currently serves as Artistic Director of Berkshire Children’s Chorus, Music Director of Berkshire Concert Choir, and Choir Director at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. Previously, Ryan served as Director of Choirs & Voice at North Hennepin Community College and as Founding Music Director of ComMUSICation – an El Sistema-inspired music program focused on social justice and youth empowerment. Such opportunities led him to work with several Grammy Award-winning musicians, including the Minnesota Orchestra and Leslie Odom, Jr (Super Bowl LII).

Ryan’s research interests center around a reconceptualization of community ensembles as community incubators in service of both individual wellbeing and societal transformation. This includes leveraging the process of musicking – through programs such as social prescription – and creative and highly collaborative concert programming that is both reflective of and responsive to the community in which it is made. 

Ryan holds degrees in Choral Conducting and Music Education from the University of Minnesota and Westminster Choir College.

Erin Little is a Los Angeles-based music educator and cellist with 14 years of public and private school teaching experience. Ms. Little teaches PreK - 5th-grade general music and orchestra at Sinai Akiba Academy. She works with Elemental Music as the Prelude program director, cello coach for Elemental Strings, and private teacher for the Bergmann Project. Originally from Detroit, Ms. Little taught elementary, middle, and high school orchestra with Birmingham Public Schools (Michigan).

As a TC doctoral student, Ms. Little's research interests have centered around excellence and innovation in string pedagogy, student-driven learning experiences, and learning motivation in young children. She has presented at the Michigan Music Conference, ARTS First! Conference, SCSBOA String Day, SCSBOA Conference, and the National ASTA Conference. Ms. Little is an avid reader and Argentine tango dancer. She enjoys pour-over coffee and eating her way through Los Angeles.

I was born in Tianjin, China, and started learning the pipa at four. I am recognized as one of the top ten pipa performers in China by China Central Television. I previously served as an associate professor at the School of Arts at Sun Yat-sen University. I am an associate professor of pipa at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. I obtained a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Pipa Performance from the Central Conservatory of Music. I later earned a Master's in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute. I have received numerous prestigious awards, including the Gold Prize at the Global Music Awards in the United States and the "Wenhua Award" Silver Award from the Chinese government.

My research interests include higher education and instrumental music teaching. I am currently focusing on integrating constructivism principles into the traditional Chinese "oral transmission and heart-to-heart teaching" method of pipa instruction.

Ashira Mothersil is a vocal performer, educator, and second year doctoral student in music and music education at Teacher's College Columbia University.  During her time there she has developed a platform that merges her studies in music education with her passion for Black Feminism and Hip Hop Pedagogy.  Born in a Haitian household in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, Ashira's love for music was inspired by her multicultural upbringing which embraced the artistry and diverse cultures of the African Diaspora. Today, she uses this foundation to not only engage audiences as a performer, but also to lead and inspire youth throughout New York City as a music educator.  Ashira’s research focuses on social justice, cultivating classrooms that empower the voices of Black girls, and the importance of centering the narratives of Black women in music education.

I enjoy a multifaceted career as a conductor, composer, music educator, soloist, and clinician.  I have degrees in voice performance, choral conducting. I have been featured on the TEDx stage, Creative Mornings, have performed and presented at national and division ACDA conferences, and have served as a guest lecturer at the National Universities in Costa Rica and Colombia. Currently, I am Professor of Voice and Choral Music at Sacramento City College and Founder & Music Director of a professional women’s ensemble, Vox Musica.

My research interests include Culturally Responsive Vocal Pedagogy and Repertoire, Vocal Pedagogy for trans students, Peer-to-Peer Learning and Mentorship, Collaborative Composing in the Choral Classroom, and Accessible, Equitable, and Inclusive Music Education. 

My dissertation research at TC investigates how California Community College music faculty prepare music students for transfer to four-year institutions when their institutions are not afforded funding for one-to-one instruction in applied music.

Dylan Parrilla-Koester is a doctoral music education student at Teachers College where he is pursuing research on college athletic bands and higher music education policy and admissions under the guidance of Dr. Patrick Schmidt; there he also teaches instrumental conducting. He serves as Assistant Director Bands at Tulane University where he instructs the athletic and concert bands including the Tulane University Marching Band. Prior, he served as Director of Instrumental Music at Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, CA where directed the 5-time state champion Hoover Tornado Marching Band, concert band, string orchestra, and jazz band. Dylan was a Graduate Instructor at the University of Colorado Boulder where he conducted the wind bands and assisted with the athletic bands. Dylan’s drill designs and music arrangements have been performed by high schools and universities across the country. Dylan has presented at state music education conferences including the Colorado State Music Educators Association conference in Colorado Springs, CO.

Caroline worked as a tango violinist for 20 years while based in France and the UK, performing in festivals, on TV, radio and more than 15 different countries. She founded the non-profit Creative Caminito in London in 2022 promoting tango music education in the UK. In 2023 she won a Fulbright scholarship to do her EdD, which explores how to use transmedia storytelling to teach tango music techniques and style from a decolonized perspective, revealing the aesthetics, creativity and epistemologies inherent within the genre.

I am a mature student, pursuing an EdD to work in higher ed.  I am Canadian, and have lived in Toronto for my entire life up until my move to NYC for my degree. My work related background is teaching elementary music (JK-Gr. 8) for 25 years for the Toronto District School Board, including teacher-training for both musicians and non-musicians alike.  I am Faculty at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and teach Orff Levels courses and workshops across Canada, and China. I have written three books for elementary music classrooms, and have a fourth in process. Throughout my career I have conducted choirs from second grade to high school; from fifteen elite singers to 150 singers combined, from unison-six parts.  My research interests are in emotion, empathy and music, and how creative agency supports socio-emotional development. 

Research Interests: What does music education afford for emotional education?

Adrian currently works at The Juilliard School where he enjoys reimagining education in the arts. As Director of Community Engagement, Adrian works with college students across artistic disciplines to (re)engage their artistry through educational programming, interactive performance, and teaching artistry. He is also on staff with the Music Advancement Program (MAP) in Juilliard’s Preparatory Division as Manager of Curriculum and Family Advisement, developing innovative curricula to ensure the holistic progress of young people from communities and demographics underrepresented in classical music. Adrian serves on music faculty in the College Division as founding director of the Juilliard Community Chorus—a chorus for faculty, staff, and students—and in the Preparatory Division as MAP Chorus Director. 

Adrian is currently a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he draws on interdisciplinary studies to explore how values and ideals interact to shape music institutions, communities, and leaders. His current research lies at the intersection of cultural capital inherent in marginalized communities, grassroots policy, and reimagining in higher music education.

Ereni Sevasti Rosenthal is a singer, actor, musician, and singing teacher whose performance highlights include The Bacchae (Shakespeare in the Park); and Lili in Carnival! (Kennedy Center). In her solo show, Ereni Sevasti Sings Joni Mitchell: Stepping Out of Blue, she celebrated the life and times of the great singer-songwriter while accompanying herself on guitar, dulcimer, and piano. Ereni teaches singing at Montclair State University and Teachers College, where she is enrolled in the doctoral program. Her research entitled “Musical theater voice education: A grounded study to examine treble voiced alumni perspectives of vocal needs in a professional setting” seeks to discover the relationship of what these voices learned in college and how it translates to the professional setting. Ereni is recently married and a new mom - and loving every second!

Priscila Santana is a multifaceted conductor, curator, educator, and researcher, dedicating over a decade to leveraging music as a catalyst for social change in Brazil's favelas and communities in the USA. Currently serving as the Programming Operations Manager at SummerStage and Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in New York City, she coordinates the Kilomba Collective, a coalition of Black Brazilian Women in the USA.

In Brazil, Priscila was the artistic/ pedagogical director and conductor of Prima, a governmental arts program for low-income youth and communities, with more than 1500 students from 24 cities in Paraiba. 

A current student in the Ed.D in Music and Music Education program at Teachers College at Columbia University. Her research interests lie at the intersections of black feminist studies, cultural policies, and leadership in music education. She was born and raised in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. A native of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, she finds solace in spending quality time with her daughter and exploring the diverse culinary offerings of NYC during her free moments.

John Schmergel (he/him), raised and currently residing in New York, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Theory from New York University in 2010, a Master of Arts degree in music and music education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2017, and a Master of Education degree in music and music education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2021. He currently serves as an Adjunct Lecturer within the music department at CUNY’s Queensborough Community College, Lead Guitar Teaching Artist at Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and Applied Lesson Instructor (guitar and voice) at Teachers College, Columbia University. 

A current student and doctoral candidate (ABD) in the EdDCT in Music and Music Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University, his research interests focus on contemporary songwriting pedagogy amongst adolescents and adults and the development of emotional support strategies for community college populations. His current dissertation research focuses on the lived experience of contemporary emerging singer-songwriters: their perceptions on the development of their compositional and musical prowess and the possible socio-emotional benefits of engaging in singer-songwriter composition. John is also a published academic author: his chapter on empathetic teaching tactics for community college students is included in the forthcoming textbook, “Teaching Community College and Historically Underserved Students: Innovative, Inclusive, and Compassionate Pedagogy,” scheduled to be released by Palgrave Macmillan in mid-2024. 

Matthew Tiramani is a musician currently residing in New York.

Matthew holds an M.M. in Composition/Theory from the Pennsylvania State University and a B.M. in Music Composition from Susquehanna University. He has completed commissions for musicians throughout the United States, and has written for films including award-winning documentaries and shorts. 

Matthew also holds teaching certification and an Ed.M. degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. He previously served as the Rooke Chapel Director of Music at Bucknell University, where he was awarded the Barry R. Maxwell Award for Exceptional Collaborative Efforts.

Currently, Matthew works in New York City as a middle school chorus teacher, and is pursuing an Ed.D. degree at Teachers College. His research concerns adolescent singers’ identity development, especially in relation to vocal technologies. His research with Dr. Goffi-Fynn was accepted by the International Society for Music Education for presentation at its 36th World Conference.

Micah Volz has taught for 24 years as the Director of Bands at St. Clair High School in St. Clair, Michigan. The band program's success is evident in its consistent musical excellence, demonstrated through superior performances, innovative programming and active community engagement. Micah is a proud graduate of Farwell High School in Farwell, Michigan. He earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from Central Michigan University in 2000 and a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University in 2005. Since 2006 he has served on the adjunct faculty of Central Michigan University Global Campus. Micah is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Music Education at Teachers College. His research interests include the working lives of music educators, music teacher preparation, and rural music education. The greatest source of joy in life is his wife Amanda and their two children.  As a family they enjoy traveling and spending time with friends and family.

Chris teaches choir, music fundamentals, digital music technology, and AP Music Theory at Trumbull High School in Trumbull, CT, where he directs five different vocal ensembles. He has held this position for four years, having previously taught choir and general music at Eastern Middle School in Riverside, CT for six years. Chris has also served as assistant conductor and section leader for Tapestry in New York City, A Viva Voce in New York City, Vallis Musicae in Hartford, CT, and the Vernon Chorale in Vernon, CT. Having started both teaching high school and pursuing his EdD during the height of the pandemic when in-person singing was not possible, he became interested in non-traditional choral music education models, particularly those predicated on collaborative composition and democratic norms. His research examines the influence of critical pedagogy on a collaborative songwriting curriculum.