Kelton Burnside is a second year PhD student in 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 doctoral study at Eastman, he taught secondary orchestra in Plano, TX. Kelton’s research interests include string pedagogy, equity and inclusion in music education, LGBTQIA+ topics in music education.

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. The community I have found at Eastman is a huge source of inspiration for me.” A fun fact about Kelton: “I have two cats named Rey and Raven that like to hang out with me while I work.”