Shenandoah University Music Therapy Program

04/26/2026

Another wonderful NW Works Chimers concert yesterday with a joyous, engaged audience. Supported by students from the music therapy, music education, music production and recording technologies and exercise sciences programs. Thank you to seniors for their leadership. Huge shout out to Fredrica Dooley-Brown for her leadership and commitment to Chimers and the Shenandoah community.

04/24/2026

We're excited for the NW Works Chimers concert tomorrow at 2:30pm in Armstrong! Come celebrate great music and community.

04/22/2026

We are excited to announce that Maevon Gumble, MMT, MT-BC, LPC, has been appointed to the full-time position as Assistant Professor of Music Therapy at Shenandoah University. Maevon's work centers on the intersections of gender, sexuality, identity, voice, embodiment, trauma and mental health. They completed the Master of Music Therapy with a Counseling Endorsement (2019) at Slippery Rock University and are a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Pedagogy candidate at Shenandoah University. In 2021, Maevon was awarded the Benedikte Scheiby Innovative Spirit Award by the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Music Therapy Association, and has published and presented regionally and nationally on topics related to gender affirming voicework, vocal pedagogy and queering music therapy practice. They serve on the editorial team for Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy and their current research interests center on perceptual listening competency development for music therapists learning how to facilitate gender affirming voicework.

04/21/2026

Congratulations to our seniors, awardees and newly elective members of the SUMTA Board. Seniors begin their internships this summer and Fall, and three students were honored for their contributions to the music therapy program. We also welcomed the new SUMTA Board, with Laeni and Maddie serving as President and vice-President for the 2026-27 academic year.

04/16/2026

Congratulations to Em and Barbara for successfully completing their junior recitals as part of the performance certificate program in the Conservatory. In addition to completing the Bachelor of Music Therapy degree, both are also continuing to perform and develop their crafts as vocalists and bassoonists. Their joint recital ended with a wonderful arrangement of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now.

04/14/2026

Shout out and thanks to Mary and Chris D'Amato Emmert for donating a beautiful native American drum to the program. Mary graduated from Shenandoah in 1987 and was a student of Mariam Sung. The drum has been in the family for over 20 years and used for drum circles and other gathering events. We're excited to introduce the drum and share its history in a special drum circle this Fall. Mary and Chris are pictured in the Mariam Sung Clinic in main campus.

04/01/2026

It's Chimers time! Please join us for the NW Works Chimers spring concert on April 25th at 2:30pm in Armstrong Recital Hall

03/30/2026

ATTENTION MUSIC THERAPY STUDENTS! NOMINATE YOURSELF/OTHER STUDENTS FOR SUMTA’s E-BOARD! Scan the QR Code or visit the link in our bio! DUE APRIL 5th @11:59pm!

03/23/2026

It's great to hear from music therapy student Lizzie Pearson about their experiences as a Music4Pain Research Fellow at McGill University in Toronto:
I have been loving my time doing research in the Roy Pain Lab at McGill University! Our lab’s research focuses on better understanding the neurological mechanisms of pain and how the presence of music can impact those experiencing chronic pain. I’m primarily involved with a study examining the impacts of music during routine ketamine infusions in chronic pain patients, as well as designing my own study comparing the effects of live versus pre-recorded music in stimulated-pain conditions. During my time here, I have presented at multiple conferences (including the Québec Pain Research Network - QPRN - conference), worked interdisciplinarily across four different labs, been involved with data collection on multiple studies, learned so much about fMRI and neuroscience, and served as a resource for others to learn more about music therapy.

03/20/2026

We had a wonderful week-long residency with Contra-Tiempo, an LA based dance collaborative. Students and faculty participated in three workshops and a collaborative performance Thursday evening with dancers from the ensemble. Exploring embodied movement, connection, creativity, and fun!

03/09/2026

03/08/2026

We are so excited to welcome Contra-Tiempo to campus for a residency from March 16-19. Dancers will lead our undergraduate and graduate students in 4 days of movement labs focused on a range of themes related to music therapy clinical practice. The culminating event will be Thursday March 19th at 7:30pm in Shingleton - it is free and open to the public. Come join us!