Kelton Burnside is a fourth-year PhD student studying music education. He earned a Master of Music in music education from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, and a Bachelor of Music in music education from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies at Eastman, he taught secondary orchestra in Plano, TX. Kelton’s research interests include string pedagogy, equity and inclusion in music education, and LGBTQIA+ topics in music education. He has presented sessions at state, national, and international music education conferences.

Kelton chose Eastman “because of the connection I felt with the faculty, staff, and students. The Department of Music Teaching and Learning has always been a collaborative space, and I am thankful for the invaluable guidance of the faculty and the support of my peers at every step of the way.”