What Our Grads Say

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Esther Ting '18

Esther Ting

B.S. in Music Performance – Roberts Wesleyan University '18
M.M. in Choral Conducting -- Eastman School of Music (in progress)

Esther Ting was president of her youth choir in Malaysia and began leading rehearsals when she was sixteen. She came to the United States to attend Roberts and studied conducting with Dr. Paul Shewan during her time here. Upon graduating from Roberts, Esther was accepted into the Master in Choral Conducting programs at the Eastman School of Music and Georgia State University (with full scholarship and stipend), as well as the Master in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy program at Westminster Choir College.

"I am thankful for the opportunity to study at Roberts, especially because of the music faculty. I am very fortunate to have met some of the best teachers in my life at Roberts. They have equipped me well, not only for graduate school but for the professional working environment after graduation. The classes I have taken at Roberts, such as Music History, Music Theory, Conducting, Orchestration, and private organ and voice lessons, have laid a firm foundation for me as a young musician. I believe that has been the most important factor in helping me gain acceptance into a number of graduate schools throughout the country. I came from barely being able to keep a four-beat pattern at an even speed to standing in front of an ensemble and conducting. My voice grew from being tiny and tense to what is now a fully resonated voice. I came from not knowing what a cadence was to being able to do a full harmonic analysis of Mozart's C Minor Mass, and I came from not knowing the difference between a symphony and a concerto to being a Music History tutor... Roberts professors have taught me a lot."


Chris Belluscio

Chris Belluscio

Trumpet Performance - Roberts Wesleyan University

Chris Belluscio studied at Roberts between September 2000 and May 2002 as a trumpet performance major. He transferred to Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music after this and later completed his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at the Hartt School of Music and Boston University, respectively. Chris is a full-time trumpet performer living in Boston, Massachusetts, and he specializes in period instrument performance. He performs throughout the country as an orchestral musician, recitalist and lecturer. His more complete bio can be found at chrisbelluscio.com.

"Paul Shewan was THE reason I attended Roberts. In addition to being a consummate musician, as a teacher he gave me the encouragement and guidance I needed as a young musician trying to figure out a path into such an uncertain field. I do my best now to instruct my students in a similar manner and often find myself passing along lessons he taught me. It was just what I needed at that point in my musical journey. Encouragement from Paul and other members of the faculty helped me gain confidence as a performer and helped me think beyond the walls of my practice room."


Jessica Moss '13

Jessica Moss

B.S. in Vocal Performance – Roberts Wesleyan University '13
M.M. in Vocal Performance – Peabody Conservatory '17

Jessica Moss performed the title role in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas as a Young Artist in the Miami Music Festival's 2018 season. She recently performed the role of The Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Amalfi Coast Festival and in 2018 presented a recital in Houston, TX, accompanied by Megan Glikes (former Roberts piano professor). In 2017, Jessica completed her Master's degree in Vocal Performance at the Peabody Conservatory, where she performed the roles of Fiordiligi in Mozart's Cosí fan tutte and Gretel in Humperdinck's Hansel & Gretel. Jessica was the Grand Prize winner of the 2015 Charleston Symphony Young Artist Competition.

"Constance Fee cultivated not only my vocal abilities but also the strength of character and backbone needed to trust myself and survive in this competitive, cut-throat business. Through all of the faculty at Roberts, I was taught to trust God and cherish this gift He has given me. This gift should be used to glorify Him, whether that is in a church service or on stage singing Mozart, Puccini, or Wagner. Because of this strong foundation, I can take on any challenge that my career path presents!"


Brittany Hebel ‘10

Brittany Hebel

B.S. in Music Performance – Roberts Wesleyan University '10
M.M. in Vocal Performance – DePaul University '15

Brittany Hebel was invited to join the Young Artist program of the 2018 inaugural season of Teatro Nuovo, a bel canto opera festival founded by Will Crutchfield, a former music critic of the NY Times. The new program, which took place in Purchase, NY, was a continuation of his Bel Canto at Caramoor Festival, where he was music director for over 20 years. Currently a resident of Chicago, IL, Brittany was the soprano soloist in Handel's Judas Maccabeus in December 2017 with the Rochester Oratorio Society. In 2015, Brittany was featured in recital with The Musicians Club of Women and The American Opera Society of Chicago as a top award winner in both competitions, as well as being a resident Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera.

"I cannot begin to describe the impact that my degree at Roberts has had on my career. In addition to learning an abundant amount of fundamental skills, my education at Roberts gave me courage: to take risks, to be strong, and to show compassion."


Seth Rawleigh ‘13

Seth Rawleigh

B.S. in Music Performance – Roberts Wesleyan University '13
M.M. in Orchestral Tuba Performance - Zürich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in Zürich, Switzerland '16
M.M. in Solo Tuba Performance - Zürich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in Zürich, Switzerland '18
Certificate of Advanced Studies in Performance (in progress) at the Zürich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in Zürich, Switzerland, where he studies with Anne Jelle Visser

  • Finalist, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Principle Tuba Audition 2018)
  • Finalist, Norwegian Radio Orchestra (Principle Tuba Audition 2017)
  • Semi-Finalist, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Principle Tuba Audition 2016)
  • Won the tuba internship with the Sinfonie Orchester Biel Solothurn for their 2017-2018 season
  • Won a coveted internship playing tuba with the Bern Symphony Orchestra and City Theater for their 2015-2016 season
  • I had the honor of being selected by my school to perform Roland Szentpali's Tuba Concerto with the Akademisches Orchester Zürich for 3 performances. The concerts took place in Zürich Tonhalle Maag, St. Gallen Tonhalle, and Uster Stadhofsaal.
  • My wife, Audrey Schult (a Roberts alumna), is also recently finished her masters here in Biomedicine at the University of Zürich (UZH).

"My primary teacher, W. Craig Sutherland was an essential inspiration to my development as a musician and tuba player. I chose Roberts because of my career goals. I gained fundamental performing experience through a variety of regular performance opportunities, including departmental recitals, Wind Ensemble concerts, orchestra concerts, and Westside Brass Quintet recitals."

Related Majors

Music - As a Music major, the B.A. in Music degree offers broad musical preparation which can lead to any number of career interests, including private music teaching and graduate school.
Music Education - Successful completion of the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education can help you on your way to becoming a music teacher, and teach music in a K-12 setting.
Music Therapy - Become a Music Therapist with a Music Therapy degree that prepares students for board-certification by thoughtfully combining coursework in Music Foundations, Psychology, Human Development, and Music Therapy.
Music, Jazz, and Theatre Minors - Roberts Wesleyan University has options for those interested in minoring in music, such as a general music minor, as well as a minor dedicated to jazz studies.
Music, Jazz, and Theatre Minors - Roberts Wesleyan University has options for those interested in minoring in music, such as a general music minor, as well as a minor dedicated to jazz studies.
Department of Music and Performing Arts - 585.594.6101 - dinsmore_andrew@roberts.edu