CVSM ALUMNI NEWS

If you are a CVSM alumni, we would love to hear from you!  Please send updates and contact information to

phepfer @ cvsmusic . org

Jason Ankerbrand is pursuing a MuEd at Shepherdstown University.  He performs with the schools Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and the Orchestra.  In addition, he is a member of a classical trio known as Arpeggio 3 and a jazz trio, Jazz Alibi.  He also plays with the Piedmont Orchestra in Warrenton, VA.

Nicole Fitzsimmons Albright teaches for the Chambersburg Area School District as an elementary instrumental and general music instructor and assistant band director at Faust Jr. High School. She performs with the Hagerstown Municipal Band, CVSM Concert Jazz & Community Symphonic bands.

Andrew Bidlack graduated from Temple University in voice.  Currently he lives and studies voice in NYC.  He will return to the Sarasota Opera for his third season this January.  At the Spoleto Festival in Italy he sang the role of Guest in Gian Carlo Menotti's The Saint of Bleecker Street, which was recorded on the Chandos label.

Meredith Bowen is a graduate student in Choral Conducting at Michigan State University where she sings in two ensembles and directs two ensembles.  She will graduate in December.  She is the music director at a Methodist Church, artistic director of Sistrum, Lansing Women's Chorus, and works at Haslett High School assisting the Treble Chorus. 

Katie Bradley received her BFA in Music Theatre from Shenandoah University.  She is now pursuing her MFA in Theatre Pedagogy with a concentration in Music Theater at Virginia Commonwealth University.  This semester, she was made an adjunct faculty member at VCU, and will be flying out to Salt Lake City to be the Assistant C'horeographer at the Pioneer Theatre Company for their production of "Chicago".

Beth Dickinson, is in her 5th year at Shippensburg School District where she is the elementary string instructor and the Director of teh chorus and The Sharps, Shippensburg's select choir.  She is also a member of The Towne Singers and a frequent accompanist in the Shippensburg/Chambersburg area.  Beth was a 1997 graduate of CVSM, where she was a merit award winner and studied voice with Elise Overcash and piano with Jeffrey Noll.  She was a 2001 graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory.

Matt Dickinson will begin his 11th year at Lower Dauphin School District this fall, where he teaches General Music and is the Director of the Sixth Grade Chorus, the Seventh and Eigth Grade Chorus, and the Middle School Select Choir.  He is a frequent guest conductor at County Chorus events, and is the Director of the Lebanon Choral Society.  Matt was a 1991 graduate of CVSM, where he studied piano with Meagan Boozer, and a 1995 graduate of Lebanon Valley College.

Melanie Emig is pursuing a degree in vocal performance at Oberlin Conservatory.

Sarah Emig is a senior at Mansfield University where she majors in vocal performance.  She is a member of the Opera Workshop and University Choir.  She toured Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria with the Choir where they  participated in an International Choral Competition.

Nathanael Fickett is a sophomore at Messiah College studying Mathematics and Computer Science. He currently performs in the Concert Choir, Men’s Ensemble, and a Music Ministry group as a vocalist and violinist.

James Franklin is currently employed by Pella Corporation and sings in church with the choir and special music.  James and his wife recently had their first child, Adam Benjamin Robert Franklin.

Tim Franklin works as an audio engineer and as a musical artist.  He released a debut album "Hold Still"  available for sale in the CVSM office. He is currently writing and performing with his new band "Molecule".  Tim is studying voice with Craig Wich founder of The Opera Laboratory Theater Co.

Jessica Gardner is a senior at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and will graduate in the spring with a degree in Theater and a degree in Vocal Performance.  She is in the process of applying to graduate schools for next fall to pursue a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance.  She is preparing the role of Fiordiligi in Mozart's “Cosi fan tutte” for a December performance. This past summer, Jessica participated in the Bel Canto Institute in New Paltz, New York working with coaches from the Metropolitan Opera.

David Heckman was a 2000 graduate of Shippensburg High School.   While at CVSM David was a student of Richard Overcash and Joan Sachs.  David attended Mansfield University, and is currently a graduate student at Lancaster Theological Seminary working on a Masters of  Divinity.  David has been serving as the Senior Minister of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Newark Valley NY for the  last three years.

Chris Hepfer is a realtor with Long & Foster and plays guitar with the FUM Church Praise Team.  He performs with his Dad, Sam, and is currently working on a CD at M & M Studios - Mark Miller, engineer.

Eric Hepfer received his BS in Civil Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute, and is currently a Nuclear Submarine Officer on the USS Wyoming.  He resides in Saint Marys, GA wife his wife, Kristy.

Carla Jablonski is studying in Arthur Levy’s vocal studio at the Manhattan School of Music.  Levy works with many singers at the Metropolitan Opera, and Carla is really enjoying her experiences in New York.

Beth Jacobs graduated from Mansfield University with dual major of music ed and voice performance December of 2004.  She is employed by the Southern Tioga School District (Near Mansfield) teaching middle and senior high school choir and general music.   Beth sang the role of Inez in a fully staged production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore in Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.  She plans to audition for other opera programs and competitions to pursue a career as an opera singer.

Josiah Long attends Messiah College. He performs with the Guitar Ensemble and takes classical guitar lessons.

Kelly McNamee is pursuing a Bachelors degree at Indiana University of PA in Music Education.

Bridgette Miller is a Registered Nurse at Hershey Medical Center.  She works 7P-7A on the 4th floor.  She received her A.A. in Nursing from Penn State University, and will pursue a B.S. in Nursing in January, 2006 through Penn State Online. 

Kevin Padworski is a freshman at Eastern College majoring in Music Education.

Brian Padworski is a junior at Geneva College and performs with the Stage Band and Choir.  He is now double majoring in Music Business and Accounting.

Rebekah Pasquarello is a junior at Grove City College majoring in music and business with a minor in theater.  She performs in several musical groups including Band, Orchestra, horn ensemble and wind ensemble.  She is a stage manager for the theater department.

Apple (Nichole) Reese is currently attending American University pursuing a MA in Arts Management.  After graduating from Point Park College BA in Theater Arts/Communications/ Secondary Education, she has taught English and Drama in Maryland, London, and Tokyo.  Recently she has performed with the Fredericktown Players as Gloria in “Damn Yankees.”   Apple dreams of creating and managing a performing arts group that will use multinational musicians to teach audiences about foreign cultures and promote world peace.

Paul E. Reese is a junior Contemporary Christian Music major at Greenville College.  A bass under the tutelage of Dr. Jeffrey Wilson (U of Ilinois Champaign Urbana), he studies the classical, jazz, and popular vocal repertoires.  He also is a beginning composer and songwriter.  Recent works studied include Bach's Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm, Handel's Arm, Arm Ye Brave, and the music of Chris Rice.

Emily Sanders is majoring in Music Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  She performs with the Marching Band, the Symphony Orchestra, and the String Ensemble.

Charlotte Sanfilippo is a sophomore at Lancaster Bible College.  Her major is Youth Ministry and is doing some accompaniment for vocal students for special music in chapel.

Leah K. Serr, mezzo-soprano from Shippensburg, is a voice major at the Peabody Conservatory where she is a student of Dr. Stanley Cornett.  In November, Leah will be performing the role of Mrs. Meg Page in Peabody’s main stage opera production of Verdi’s Falstaff.  

Lindsey Shoap is currently a junior at Vassar and is a member of the Vassar Choir.  The choir traveled to Rome and Florence over Spring Break 2005 – they performed at a number of cathedrals in Italy, including St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.  She has also performed in the casts of “Company” and “As You Like it.”  She will be performing in “Romeo and Juliet” this fall.

Jenny Kreyl Shoeman  began her third year as drama department director and full-time drama instructor (grades 1 – 12) at the Renaissance Academy in suburban Philadelphia.  She is the founder/ director of a children’s improvisational comedy acting troupe, The Class Clowns, which tours and performs around the Philadelphia area.  Two of her original plays have been produced in Chambersburg and Philadelphia.  This summer, she directed the second year of the CVSM Shakespearean camp, Spotlights.  She continues to act and sing in numerous venues.

Amanda Sick is a Senior Music Education Major with a Concentration in Flute, studying with Loren Lind, Principal Second Flute of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  She has many leadership positions at Temple and throughout Pennsylvania.  She has been a Section Leader in the Diamond Marching Band for three years and teaches private flute lessons in Chambersburg, PA.  In addition to Marching Band, Amanda has played in the Temple University Wind Symphony for the past 3 years.  Along with her musical activities, Amanda tutors Chinese immigrants in the ways of Naturalization, Citizenship, and English through “Project SHINE” (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders) in Philadelphia.  She is involved with the Franklin County Migrant Education Program through the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, teaching First Grade.  Amanda is also a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, an International Music Fraternity for Women.  Through this organization, she serves the local community in North Philadelphia by fostering music programs for women and children in need, along with many other philanthropic experiences using the nurturing power of music.  She served as Sergeant at Arms for Temple’s SAI chapter from 2005-2006, and currently serves as President for 2006-2007.  Amanda is a three time Merit Scholarship Winner at CVSM and a recipient of the Benjamin Rhine Award.

Lisa Turchi Smeltz  recently moved to New Jersey with husband, Andi – just 30 minutes outside NYC. She will be teaching voice in Bergen County and has a few auditions lined up next month  the NY opera company "Gotham Chamber Opera" (formerly "Henry Street Chamber Opera") accompany she has worked with previously and with  Opera Providence in Rhode Island. 

Robert Stike is band director at Spring Middle School, Williamsport, MD

Jonah (Justin) Speidel is a full time teaching artist with Rosie’s Broadway Kids, a non-profit arts education program for NYC Public school 5^th graders.  The group visits each class one time weekly for 15 weeks and culminates with a program presented by the class and a trip to see a Broadway Show.

Holly Stotelmyer, former student of Peg Weeks, has been asked to return for her second year at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC.  She will graduate April 27, 2006.

Adrienne Sussman graduated from Stanford University in June 2007 with a B.S. in Biology.  Previously, she received an A.A. degree from Simon’s Rock College of Bard.  She is currently living in Palo Alto, CA, and working on the Stanford campus, doing research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

Nigel Sussman graduated from California College of the Arts with a BFA in Illustration.  He lives in San Francisco, CA, where he works as an animator and  illustrator for the advertising agency McCann Erickson, freelances as an illustrator, and plays bass in the rock band As a People (www.asapeople.com) For more information visit his website at www.nigelsussman.com

Joshua Wenger is majoring in Music Education at Belmont University and studying voice with Ted Wylie.  He is involved in three choirs, which include: University Singers (Freshmen Choir), Oratorio Chorus, and Chorale (50 voice, auditioned choir).  Joshua encourages you to tune into Christmas at Belmont, aired on PBS near Christmas.