Voice Instructors at the Community Music School
Learn more about private music lessons here! Please note the instructor's level (Apprentice, Master, or Professional) to determine the rates for the lessons.
Apprentice
Caroline Hendren, voice
Caroline Hendren (soprano) is a senior Vocal Performance major at the Hayes School of Music, where she studies applied voice with Dr. Julia Pedigo. Caroline has been an active member of University Singers, Chamber Singers, Opera Workshop, and Treble Choir throughout her time at App State. She has recently completed her Vocal Pedagogy course and just finished her first year of teaching private lessons, where she offers training across a variety of techniques, genres, musicianship skills, and performance preparation. In Fall 2025, she will begin her Independent Pedagogy Study and Clinical Field Experience under the mentorship of Dr. Pedigo.
Caroline’s performance experience includes a range of operatic and musical theatre roles. Recent credits include Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, Amy in Little Women, Petra in A Little Night Music, Jennie in Down in the Valley, Lynne in A Grand Night for Singing, and Kim MacAfee in Bye Bye Birdie. Most recently, she performed as Charlotte in Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival.
Teaching Philosophy:
Caroline is deeply committed to the vocal arts, with a profound passion for both singing and pedagogy. She is dedicated to empowering students through evidence-based, sustainable vocal techniques that foster longevity, artistry, and vocal health. Her teaching encompasses both classical and musical theatre styles, and she enjoys working with a wide range of students. Caroline believes that building confidence, nurturing creativity, and preparing students for performance are at the heart of vocal study. She strives to create a student-centered, supportive, and inspiring environment where singers feel motivated to explore their full vocal potential.
Alexander Cox, voice
Bio and photo coming soon!
Kate Haycraft, voice
Bio and photo coming soon!
Master
Amber Joy Koeppen, voice
Amber Joy Koeppen (Carpenter), Instructor of Harp at the Hayes School of Music, is a harpist and vocalist and an avid teacher in both disciplines. She has received degrees in Harp Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from UNC Charlotte and a Masters in Music from the University of Michigan.
As a solo performer, she has been a prize winner in a number of national and international harp competitions, including being awarded First Place in the Rosen-Schaffel Competition for Young and Emerging Artists. As a recipient of this award, she has twice been a guest concerto artist with the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra under the direction of Gerard Schwarz. In addition to her extensive solo work, Mrs. Koeppen has also performed with the New York City Ballet, the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, and the Union Symphony Orchestra, as well as various chamber groups. She has performed across the United States and abroad, including the World Harp Congress in Sydney, Australia, and has lectured at the WAAE music education conference in Auckland, New Zealand.
Mrs. Koeppen also maintains an active teaching career. She has taught at various summer music programs including Interlochen Center for the Arts and the American Harp Society’s Camp Innovation, and she has helped to found and run Brush Strokes and Music Notes’ summer program for children which incorporates a diverse body of students from various backgrounds in a week of arts and music immersion. She has been the Music Director and a member of the vocal and harp faculty of GreenSpring International Academy of Music and also has a private music studio offering harp and voice lessons to both children and adults. Her students are active musicians who have been accepted into notable music programs, performed in venues such as the White House and Biltmore Estate, and have been prize winners in solo competitions.
Professional
Dr. Tyler Young, voice
Dr. Tyler Young is a Lecturer of Voice and Opera at the Hayes School of Music. See his full bio at the link!