Hayes School of Music

Jake Keller is an adjunct instructor in the music therapy program where he teaches both undergrad and graduate music therapy guitar courses. He has a passion for helping advance students’ guitar skills in preparation for advanced clinical work in music therapy. His favorite aspects of teaching are the moments when students grasp a skill or technique and show sudden excitement in their eyes. He is grateful for how much he learns from his students every semester. Jake also works for Youth Villages as a family therapist where he provides intensive in-home therapy services to youth and their families.

Jake became a board-certified music therapist after becoming a graduate of the Hayes School of Music where he received a bachelor’s degree in music therapy. In 2018 Jake was deployed with the NC Army National Guard to assist with engineer missions in Iraq. Upon returning from deployment, he received master’s degrees in both music therapy and marriage and family therapy at ASU. During that time, he also earned certificates in addiction counseling and systemic multicultural counseling. Prior to his studies at ASU, Jake received a bachelor’s degree in music performance with a concentration in guitar from Gardner-Webb University.

In addition to his work in music therapy and teaching, Jake is passionate about all that Boone has to offer and attempts to take opportunities to engage with his community and church network. Jake and his wife have a young daughter and are thankful for the welcoming community that Boone, North Carolina offers to residents and visitors of the area.

Education:

• 2021, MMT, Music Therapy, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
• 2021, MA in Marriage and Family Therapy, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
• 2021, Addiction Counseling Certificate, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
• 2021, Systemic Multicultural Counseling Certificate, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
• 2017, BM in Music Therapy, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
• 2013, BM in Music Performance, Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, NC

Presentations:

• Keller, J. M. (2021, April). The use of music for social connection on a military deployment: An ethnographic presentation of the lived experience of a music therapist deployed to Iraq as a soldier. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Online format.
• Leist, C. P., Keller, J. M., & Neeb, R. E. (2019, April). Music therapy for caregiver wellness. Presentation at the regional meeting of the Area Agency on Aging. Lenoir, NC.
• Keller, J. M., & Leist, C. P. (2019, April). Becoming trees: Multicultural music therapy in palliative care with an older adult of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Columbia, SC.
• Leist, C. P., Lingafelt, H. H., & Keller, J. M. (2017, March). Heavy metal to hip-hop: Sounding authentic within your guitar skill set. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Chapel Hill, NC.
• Spence, C., Keller, J., & McQuinn, H. (2016, April) For Those About to Rock: Practical Application for Electric Guitar Playing. Presentation at the meeting of the Southeastern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. Macon, GA.