Category Archives: School of Music, Theatre, and Dance





CSU Music student at Spur

Recent graduate Paul Beyer reflects on his first year teaching music

Recent graduate Paul Beyer reflects on his first year teaching music We recently connected with Paul Beyer, who graduated from CSU with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education in 2023. Paul reflected on his first year teaching elementary and middle school music in Colorado. Tell us a little about your job–where you teach, the […]


Phuong Nguyen headshot

Phuong Nguyen has built a classroom culture around high standards and making music fun

Phuong Nguyen has built a classroom culture around high standards and making music fun Dai-Phuong Nguyen (B.M.E. ’01, M.M.E. ’08) is a perfectionist as a performer of multiple instruments and genres and a music educator. He has created a classroom environment that balances high standards, curiosity, and interactive play. His range of musical interests is […]


Denver West High School

Hollie Ryckman embraces multiple cultures and student-led approaches in her Denver classroom

Hollie Ryckman embraces multiple cultures and student-led approaches in her Denver classroom Hollie Ryckman, M.M. in Music Education ’20 Many CSU music education graduates expand upon normalized approaches to music pedagogy to accommodate their students’ needs and interests. Denver music teacher Hollie Ryckman is part of this transformative movement. Ryckman’s teaching philosophy embodies a belief […]


Jana Webster Wheeler

Jana Webster-Wheeler’s experiences were a catalyst for teaching music and more

Jana Webster-Wheeler’s experiences were a catalyst for teaching music and more Jana Webster-Wheeler in her music classroom at Webber Middle School in Fort Collins, Colorado. As a woman with a rich history who has turned her trauma into a wellspring of wisdom, Jana Webster-Wheeler, B.M.E. ’00, has used her difficult experiences to teach so much […]


Promotional Photo for Hannah Steward CSU Music Major

Music major Hannah Steward accepted to National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute

Hannah Steward, a Colorado State University first-year trombone performance major, was one of sixty exceptional young musicians accepted to the prestigious National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute. Steward was excited to see her selection email from The Kennedy Center, especially given the large number of applicants. “Dr. Leslie made a difference just encouraging me to […]


Bellamy album cover

Dr. Cayla Bellamy releases new album of contemporary works for bassoon

Dr. Cayla Bellamy, CSU’s bassoon professor, has recently released an album titled “American Bassoon Voices, Contemporary Works for Solo Bassoon,” published by Mark Records and available on Apple Music and Spotify. Performing collaborators include CSU faculty pianist, Jooyeon Chang and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony from Iowa conducted by Jason Weinberger. Compositions include “There and Back, […]