The Winters School of Music

How we feel entering a new school year 🎶🤪

A great first recital class meeting of the year with our music majors and minors! We’re off to a great start and looking forward to all that’s ahead in 2026–2027!

Continuing our series celebrating recent music education graduates:

✨ Graduate Spotlight: Mattie Heiser

Congratulations to Mattie Heiser, recent Master of Music Education graduate, who will begin her position as PreK to 6th Music Teacher at North Forrest and Rawls Springs Elementary schools!

““My time at Carey truly shaped me. God wanted me there and He did a good work in me while I was a student. Now every day as I teach I strive to do it with musical excellence and passion for Jesus. The mission statement of the Winter’s School of Music basically became my Philosophy of Education! I will always carry it with me.”

Congratulations, Mattie! We are praying for as you begin your teaching career!

First day of school! :)

Many prayers have been prayed over these buildings and the students who will walk through their doors this year.

Carey Music is ready to welcome new and returning students for another year and we are excited for what God has ahead!

Welcome back, Carey Music!

Continuing our series celebrating recent music education graduates as they begin their teaching careers:

✨ Graduate Spotlight: McKenzie Hollman (Sullivan)

Congratulations to McKenzie Hollman, who recently earned her degree in Music Education and has accepted the position of Band Director at Clarkdale Schools!

“I feel that the biggest thing I have taken away from my time at Carey was small parts of each professor that taught me in some way. At Carey I learned leadership, communication, discipline and preparation, collaboration, patience, and confidence. Each of these things I learned through the teachers at William Carey, and I hope that I can pass these things down to my students.”

We’re proud to see the impact of Carey Music graduates into classrooms across the region.

Congratulations, McKenzie! We’re excited to see all that’s ahead for you!

Carey Opera & Musical Theatre is back - and we’re dying to have “One Normal Night!” 🖤💀

After an incredible season, we’re thrilled to be back in rehearsal, and The Addams Family is already shaping up to be a delightfully dark, hilariously strange, and unforgettable night of musical theatre!

🕸️ Save the dates:

October 29 - 31, 2026

Join Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Uncle Fester, and the entire Addams clan for a story about love, family, secrets, and what happens when the wonderfully abnormal tries to be…normal.

🎟️ Ticket information coming soon! Stay tuned for cast features, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and more as we count down to opening night.

They’re creepy. They’re kooky. And this fall, they’re coming to Carey. 🫰🫰

📸: Evans Expressions

The Winters School of Music Faculty & Staff is ready to welcome students back to campus for the 2026-2027 school year!

Read why we do what we do in the comments. Soli Deo gloria!

One of the greatest measures of a music education program is the success of its graduates. Over the next several days, we’ll be celebrating our recent music education alumni and the schools where they are beginning their teaching careers.

✨ Graduate Spotlight: Lillie Faith Mathis (Childs)

Congratulations to Lillie Faith Mathis, who recently earned her degree in Choral Music Education and has accepted her first teaching position at Oxford Intermediate School!

“As I begin my first year teaching, I carry with me the lessons I learned at William Carey University to give my students my very best, love them well, and inspire in them a lifelong appreciation for music because it is an outlet unlike any other. Music has the power to build confidence, bring people together, and provide a place where students feel seen and valued.

I pray that I show the love of Christ to my students each day through kindness, patience, and encouragement. Throughout my time at William Carey University, I learned that teaching is about much more than music notes, rhythms, and performances. My goal is to create a classroom where students feel safe to take risks and grow as musicians while helping them become confident leaders, caring individuals, and the best versions of themselves.”

Congratulations, Lillie Faith! We are praying for you as you begin this exciting new chapter.

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Melanie Freeman on her appointment as Interim Coordinator of Music Therapy at the Winters School of Music.

Since joining our faculty in 2021, Mrs. Freeman has invested in the education and clinical training of future music therapists through her teaching, mentorship, and professional service. Her experience in both the classroom and clinical settings, along with her commitment to advancing the profession, make her well suited for this leadership role.

We look forward to the continued growth of our Music Therapy program!

Read more about Mrs. Freeman in the comments below.

Congratulations to Dr. Tyler R. Brandon, Doctor of Arts in Music candidate, on successfully defending his thesis.

Thesis Title: "Perceived Benefits and Issues Associated with Representing Relevant Skills and Practices in the Pedagogy of Undergraduate Music Composition in an Online Format"

Committee members:
Dr. Jason Beghtol, Chair
Dr. Christina Mathis
Dr. Tae-Young Hong

Join us in congratulating Dr. Brandon!