Allyson Keyser

Professor

Wind Ensemble, Brass Tech, Trumpet, Music History, Aural Skills, Conducting

keyserab@sunysccc.edu
518-381-1231 ext. 5
School of Music, Room 103

D.M.A., M.M., University of North Carolina at Greensboro B.M.E., Virginia Commonwealth University
SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2017

Allyson Keyser is a tenured Associate Professor of Music at SUNY Schenectady County Community College where she instructs the trumpet studio, coaches brass ensembles, teaches core music classes, directs the Wind Ensemble, and is the Brass Department Chair. Dr. Keyser received her B.M.E. from Virginia Commonwealth University and her M.M. and D.M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she was the trumpet teaching assistant for five years. In 2017, Dr. Keyser won the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Prior to her appointment at SUNY Schenectady, Dr. Keyser taught trumpet, theory, aural skills, and coached brass ensembles at Virginia Commonwealth University as a sabbatical replacement for her former professor, Rex Richardson. She also performed as principal trumpet of the Richmond Brass Consort, Commonwealth Winds, Richmond Symphonic Winds, Richmond Philharmonic, Greene City Brass Quintet, and played regularly with Market Street Brass Quintet. Her past trumpet teachers include Gary Gompers, Rex Richardson, Ed Bach, and Julius Schaikewitz.

Dr. Keyser currently performs as principal trumpet in the Capital Region Wind Ensemble, SUNY Schenectady Concert Brass Quintet, Albany Pro Musica, and often performs with the Albany Symphony, Schenectady Symphony, and Glens Falls Symphony in addition to several local concert bands. She often presents trumpet masterclasses and conducting workshops at schools such as the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, Virginia Commonwealth University, Hartwick College, Skidmore College, NYSSMA, NYSBDA, CASDA conferences, as well as to area high schools and middle schools.  

During the summer of 2015 Dr. Keyser entertained patrons at the Saratoga Race Course as a bugler for their summer season, including the famous Traver’s Day, and at Belmont Racetrack. She has been featured as a soloist with the Richmond Brass Consort, the Capital Region Wind Ensemble, the Johnstown Civic Band, the Memorial Concert Band of Colonie, the Schenectady Unitarian Society, First Reformed Church of Schenectady, and was featured with Rex Richardson at SUNY Schenectady’s 45th Anniversary Gala. Dr. Keyser performs as an active freelance musician and maintains a trumpet studio of all ages and levels in the Capital Region of New York. Her specialty is working with students who have technical or physical challenges on the instrument and helping them learn to play with ease so they can fully enjoy making beautiful music.