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 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 Winds and Strings Department Chair. Dr. Keyser received her bachelor's degree in music education from Virginia Commonwealth University and her M.M. and D.M.A. in trumpet performance with a cognate in instrumental conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she was the trumpet teaching assistant.  

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.  

Dr. Keyser currently performs as principal trumpet and assistant conductor of the Capital Region Wind Ensemble. She leads the SUNY Schenectady Concert Brass Quintet, plays principal trumpet with Albany Pro Musica, is a member of the Schenectady Symphony, and often performs with the Albany Symphony, Glens Falls Symphony, Saratoga Voices among many other fine ensembles in the area. She recently performed and recorded a new work with the American Modern Ensemble. 

Dr. Keyser 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, and CASDA conferences, as well as to area high schools and middle schools. Additionally, she often presents topics to area music programs on audition preparation, performance anxiety, and alternative careers in music. 

Dr. Keyser 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 their instruments, helping them learn to play with ease, and removing roadblocks so that they can fully enjoying the process of making beautiful music with confidence.