Chris Lee | Musical Theatre
Levi Kreis '17 | Musical Theatre
Broadway Tony Award Winner for originating the role of Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet, National Tours Rent (Roger), Hadestown (Hermes) Film Don’t Let Go, Frailty, A Very Sordid Wedding
"I’m a professional drummer and percussionist based in Nashville, TN specializing in live performance, touring, recording and clinics. I played with Keith Urban on the CMT Artists of the Year 2014, which was nominated for CMT’s Performance of the Year in 2015. I have played multiple times on the Grand Ole Opry, recently completed a two-year world tour with Barrage 8, and have hosted clinics and masterclasses at middle schools, high schools, and universities across the country. Because of Belmont’s location and its professors’ ties in the Nashville music scene, I was able to network, make contacts, record and play music to integrate myself into the music industry in Nashville while I was still a student. This aligned me for a successful transition into my professional career after graduation. The curriculum of Belmont’s Commercial Music program, professors like Chester Thompson and Dr. Christopher Norton and my fellow classmates (many of which I am still friends with and work with to this day) are all factors that importantly shaped me into the musician, person, and professional I am today."
Rebecca Covington Webber | Musical Theatre
Broadway Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Motown the Musical; National Tours Mamma Mia!, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Hamilton (And Peggy Tour)
Elias Salazar '13 | Music Education and Classical Performance
Elias Salazar is Director of Choral and Orchestral Music and Director of the School of Music at Ensworth School in Nashville. Elias served for five seasons as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Trevecca Symphony from 2017-2022 and as Music Director and Conductor for Belmont's Opera Theater during the 2021-2022 school year. Salazar is the founding Artistic Director and Conductor of the Nashville Collegiate Orchestra, which was formed during his Senior year at Belmont. Additionally, Elias has previously served as Conducting Fellow with the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra and on the Board of Directors for the Gateway Chamber Orchestra and the Tennessee American Choral Directors Association. On the side, Salazar works as a producer, session musician, and composer and performs regularly as a vocalist with the Nashville vocal group, Portara Ensemble, which has been featured at the 2017, 2018, and 2023 CMA Awards and the 2018 CMA Country Christmas program. Elias has also led the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra several times over the years as Guest Conductor for major concerts.
Keep up with Elias!
Instagram: @esalazarmusic
Website: http://www.eliassalazar.com
Kyle Pundez '18 | Commercial Music
In summer of 2018, Commercial Music alumnus and fiddle player, Kyle Pundez (2014) got the chance to play for the armed forces during two overseas base trips. He performed for the troops at the Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates bases along with fellow artist Jared Blake as part of a collaboration with Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE).
Cody Müller '14 | Music Performance
Cody Müller, 2014 Music Performance Alumnus, is currently touring and performing along the east coast including Eugene Onegin in January of 2022 with the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Müller sings Prince Gremin. Visit his website to see a list of his upcoming performances.
Ashley Crawford '14 | MM in Classical Flute Performance and Instrumental Pedagogy
Alumna Ashley Crawford (MM in Classical Flute Performance and Instrumental Pedagogy 2014) is a founding member of Nashville’s newest community ensemble. Crawford helped create the Nashville African American Wind Symphony- a new group made up of 52 Black classically trained musicians. Crawford is an accomplished instrumentalist and a professor of flute at Tennessee State University. Read more about the new ensemble below.
Delaney Gold '19 | Musical Theatre
Alumna Delaney Gold (Musical Theatre, 2019) is making her national tour debut in the cast of Tootsie the Musical. Laney is a member of the ensemble and understudies the supporting role of Sandy Lester, touring the country through June 2022.
Other Alumni Successes:
Kory Caudill, Commercial Music (2010) alumnus, was recently featured in an article with Medium. Kory discusses his journey from rural Appalachia to Belmont, touring after college, his current business projects and five things he wishes someone had told him when he was starting out. Kory is working on a project inspired by the architecture of Episcopal churches. View his performance of Song for Appalachia: Live from the Philadelphia Cathedral.
Russell Dickerson, Singer/Songwriter; recently featured in 'People' and 'Taste of Country.' More information here.
Rayvon Owen, American Idol XIV top 4. See what he's doing
Russell Terrell, Background vocalist and Curtain Call Award Recipient. View a documentary featuring Russell
Melissa Radke, Commercial Music Alumna on national book tour to promote her debut book "Eat Cake. Be Brave." Radke, along with her family will also be subjects of an unscripted family comedy on USA network premiering Fall 2018. More information here.
Brett McLaughlin, Commercial Music ('09) alumnus, celebrated "Miss Me More" reaching #1 on the Mediabase and Billboard Country charts, co-written by country music artist Kelsea Ballerini (ASAP), David Hodges (BMI), and Leland (Brett McLaughlin, ASCAP). "Miss Me More" is Leland's first No. 1 song.
Levi Kreis, Tony-Award winner and B.F.A. Musical Theatre alumnus Levi Kreis embarks on the 2021 touring production of "Hadestown."
BU School of Music Alum? We want to hear from you! Email chelsea.lomartire@belmont.edu and tell us what you're doing!
Contact Us
College of Music and Performing Arts
1900 Belmont Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212
School of Music: 615.460.6408
Department of Theatre & Dance: 615.460.5503
CMPA Admissions: 615.460.8116