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Meet Our Team

Amy Munsell

Owner

Mrs. Amy Munsell grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and took up the saxophone when she was ten years old. In 2004 after leading the Cheyenne East High School Marching Band as drum major, she left for the University of Wyoming, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. During her collegiate career, she played her saxophone with many artists and traveled to play in regional quartet and national solo competitions. The highlight of Amy’s performances at UW was a victory in the Dorothy Jacoby Concerto Competition as the first saxophonist and the first Music Education major to win.

While teaching in Natrona County School District #1, Amy taught K-6 general music and beginning band at 21 schools and assisted the high school marching bands. Mrs. Munsell resigned in 2013 to open VIBES Fine & Performing Arts, LLC.

Since opening, VIBES Fine & Performing Arts has grown to hundreds of students in various lessons and classes. VIBES has served thousands of preschoolers through outreach programs to help serve the community and support children’s brain development through music.

Amy leads an Award-Winning Maestro Top Program (Top 1% Best Kindermusik Programs Worldwide) and promotes programs across the state as the Kindermusik Distributor of Wyoming.

In 2019, VIBES introduced a customized, clinical, and evidence-based music therapy program.  Amy is passionate about advocating and developing music therapy in our community. VIBES has become the leading provider in the state. Partnering with 15 community organizations across Casper, including Banner Health (Wyoming Medical Center), Wyoming Behavioral Institute, ACM, and more, our music therapists have treated and worked with all ages and populations, including developmental disabilities, emotional needs, social/ behavioral needs, sensory needs, cognitive skills, developmental needs, mental health, communication skills (verbal or non-verbal), etc. Amy and her music therapy team also serve on the Wyoming Music Therapy Task Force.

Through VIBES, Amy is involved in many charitable events and activities that contribute to the community each year, including working with children of varying disabilities, providing lectures for parenting, preschool, and pediatric centers, volunteering in various educational community events, and advocating for music education and music therapy.

 Amy also partners with local nonprofits to support their programs, supports local benefits with student and instructor performances, and brings in several professional guest performances free of charge to the VIBES members and the public.  She also serves on the Wyoming Community Foundation Casper board.

Amy is adamant about giving the VIBES students many opportunities to perform in public, including recitals, master classes, competing in various competitions at the state and national level, and community performances. Amy has planned large-scale events and collaborations with world-class professional musicians to motivate and inspire the community. Guest artists have included: The Blue Man Group, Denver Broncos Stampede Drumline, Denver Nuggets Skyline Drumline, the University of Wyoming Music Faculty, Geoffrey Castle, Brent Daniels, and more!

In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time with her family, snow skiing, and spending time outdoors.

Dylan Ashburn

Operations Manager & Kindermusik Instructor

Dylan is a native of Casper, Wyoming, and has been involved in music programs since his early childhood. A trumpet player initially, he played in various ensembles throughout his formative years, taking part in small wind bands and marching bands, eventually becoming a drum major for those groups. In high school he began to explore choral music as well, doing classical chorale and vocal jazz groups which he continued to participate in throughout college.

Dylan attended the University of Wyoming, graduating with a B.S. in Bio-electrical Engineering. During college he played in the Western Thunder Marching Band, and participated in the UWyo men’s choir, UWyo Vocal Jazz group, and the Happy Jacks men’s acapella group. He would go on to help found Black Tie Affair, a student-run co-ed acapella organization, where he also served as musical director.

Outside of music, you can find Dylan spending time at the gym, playing video games with his friends, or enjoying time outside in the fresh air!

 

Zane Rutledge

Music Therapy Supervisor, Board-Certified Music Therapist & Kindermusik Instructor

MT-BC

Zane Rutledge obtained a Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. His primary instrument of study during college was voice under Dr. Nicki Cohen, but he continued to devote more and more time to the guitar after discovering it in college. Zane discovered a love for music theory during this time and worked as a tutor and student assistant throughout his undergrad while also taking additional courses in composition under Dr. Paul Thomas. He also spent a large portion of his college years employed as an instructor for voice and guitar as well as a section leader in community and church choirs. During his college career, Zane was awarded TWU’s Presser Scholar Award, as well as, TWU’s Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award. These professional experiences combined with clinical exposure led to a very music-centered approach in his music therapy practice.

Zane received clinical training during his undergrad in a variety of locations, which included a public school, a juvenile detention facility, a memory care facility, and a psychiatric hospital. Each of these locations offered new challenges and learning experiences which helped to form his early music therapy philosophy. At the conclusion of his academic coursework, Zane was accepted for a clinical internship with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. There he spent three months working at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic leading group inpatient sessions and three months at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh providing individual music therapy sessions. These experiences further served to solidify his application and philosophy of music therapy.

In both education and therapy, Zane chooses to utilize a primarily person-centered approach, which aims to treat each client or student as an individual instead of a diagnosis or skill level. Every person who comes to a lesson or music therapy session is unique and deserves to have their needs considered and addressed as such. This philosophy ensures that the client’s or student’s best interests are emphasized whether focusing on psychosocial, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, or educational goals. In therapeutic settings, these are achieved through receptive, recreative, compositional, or improvisation methods as dictated by the needs of each client. In his three years at VIBES, Zane has worked with a number of populations including dementia care, child and adolescent behavioral health, mental health, special education, disabilities, pain management, response to crisis and trauma, pediatrics/nursery, and more.  Zane currently works with a number of organizations including Wyoming Dementia Care, Banner Health/Wyoming Medical Center, Wyoming Behavioral Institute, ACM, and more throughout the Casper community.  Zane also does advocacy work for music therapy in our state by participating in the Wyoming Task Force for Music Therapy working with the American Music Therapy Association.  Zane is ecstatic to provide music therapy services to so many individuals throughout our community. 

 

Learn more about VIBES Music Therapy here

Marilyn Davidson

Administrative Assistant

Marilyn is a Wyoming native and has lived in Casper, Wyoming for more than half a century. Her appreciation of music began as a little girl growing up in a home that enjoyed and valued music as part of life.  As time passed, she participated in concert band, marching band, and choir throughout her high school years. She even competed at the state level in both vocals and clarinet in large and small ensembles.

Marilyn pursued her fondness of working around young children and serving others at the forefront of her career. She spent more than twenty-five years working with elementary-age students in a variety of positions at Sagewood Elementary School in the Natrona County School District #1.

Marilyn’s favorite thing is to be with her family. She is very proud of them and they bring much happiness, fun, and joy to her life.  In the summertime, Marilyn also loves growing and eating fruits and vegetables from her garden. She also enjoys activities like knitting, crocheting, and similar sewing projects. Marilyn has adored her time at VIBES working with the instructors and music therapists and getting to see both familiar and new faces! 

Nicasia Rivera

Board-Certified Music Therapist & Kindermusik Instructor

MM, MA, MT-BC

Nicasia Rivera grew up in Texas and her love of music began early in her life. Her mother was a soloist and music permeated through the house. The youngest of seven children, she was encouraged by all to follow a musical path.

She decided to make music her life’s passion after years as a member and leader of various ensembles. Nicasia received her undergraduate degree in Music Performance from Texas Tech University. This is where she discovered music therapy as a means to serve a community and was encouraged to do so by the music therapy coordinator for Texas Women’s University, Dr. Della Molloy-Daugherty. Nicasia received her Master’s Degree in Music Therapy from Texas Women’s University with a second Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance. Her primary instrument is voice, though, through her studies, she developed a love for guitar. 

Nicasia’s music therapy experience ranges from child development to inpatient behavioral to memory care services. After caring for her grandfather in hospice, music therapy in the memory care environment holds a special place in her heart. Through music therapy, Nicasia facilitates the actualization of a client’s individualized goals using clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions. In the words of Hans Christian Anderson, where words fail, music speaks. In her free time, Nicasia enjoys cooking for her friends and family and playing video games.

 

Karoline Thompson

Board-Certified Music Therapist, Voice, Piano, & Kindermusik Instructor

MT-BC

Karoline Thompson grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma where she began singing and performing at an early age.  Her love of theatre led her to attend the American Music and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, CA where she graduated with a BFA in Music Theatre. 

Although she still maintains a passion for the performing arts, Karoline felt called to pursue music therapy as a career.  Karoline graduated from California State University Northridge with a BA in Music Therapy.  While in school, Karoline had the opportunity to study under Ronald Borczon and Helen Dolas, two pioneers in the music therapy field.  

Upon graduation and board certification, Karoline began her career in the Oncology unit at Children's Hospital Orange County where she had the opportunity to use music therapy to support patients and families throughout the diagnosis and treatment process.  Although Karoline enjoys working with all ages, her passion is working with infants and children.

Karoline takes an individualized and strength-based approach to both her teaching and her music therapy practice.  She believes in the importance of building trust and genuine relationships to inspire and empower individuals to take an active role in their own journey. 

In her free time, Karoline enjoys getting outside as much as possible, doing yoga, reading, and cooking."

Mikayla Fulwider

Board-Certified Music Therapist, Piano and Guitar Instructor

MM, MT-BC

Mikayla Fulwider began playing the piano at the age of nine and quickly developed a passion for music. When she first learned about music therapy, she knew that this was the perfect field for her as it allowed her to pursue a career in music in conjunction with her passion for helping others. Mikayla received her B.M. and her M.M in Music Therapy from Sam Houston State University in her home state of Texas. Her primary instrument was piano, which she studied under Dr. Ilonka Rus and Dr. Josu De Solaun.

Throughout her studies at Sam Houston, Mikayla received clinical training in a wide variety of populations including in the preschool setting, in an assisted living home, hospice, in the prison system, at a children’s home, and with individuals with various intellectual disabilities. Working in each of these settings helped to mold how Mikayla approaches each music therapy session. While pursuing her masters, Mikayla worked as a graduate assistant where she supervised several undergraduate students leading music therapy sessions.

Since graduating, Mikayla has worked at a psychiatric hospital where she mainly used the psychoeducational and DBT philosophical approaches to help clients regulate their emotions and to deal with life’s hardships. Mikayla has now relocated to Casper where she is excited to work with all the talented students and clients at VIBES Fine & Performing Arts.

In her free time, Mikayla can be found going on long walks with her dogs, improvising fun melodies on the piano or guitar, or sitting down with a good book.

 

Ryan Bell

Percussion Instructor

Drummer and percussionist Ryan Bell has been an active musician for over 10 years in the Rocky Mountain region. Having both parents as music educators and musicians, Ryan has always gravitated toward a career in music. In addition to teaching at Vibes and NCSD, he has played in a multitude of musical groups and genres, ranging through orchestras, hip hop, EDM, jazz, pop, rock, and country. During his time at the University of Wyoming, he performed in the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble, UW Symphony Orchestra, and was a member of the premier jazz combo. Ryan has also performed and taught in Europe, and was part of the American Jazz Collective, a group that was assembled to play and teach a camp in Guatemala through the IGA (Guatemala American Institute) academy. Ryan has had the pleasure of sharing the stage, performing, and studying with a variety of artists including, The Yellowjackets, Bob Reynolds, Gerry Schwartz, Ben Markley, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Will Kennedy, Tris Munsick, Tom Amend, Jay Shogren, Cody Johnson, and the Eli Young Band. Currently, Ryan is heading his own musical project and focusing more on writing and arranging.

Watch Ryan perform here

Daniel Galbreath

Strings Instructor

Daniel Galbreath is a teacher, conductor, musicologist, and nonprofit professional. He received a BM in viola performance from the University of Wyoming, where he also participated in the String Project at UW, an intensive laboratory string pedagogy program. He holds master’s degrees in musicology and choral conducting and a PhD (musicology/performance research) from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (UK). He has published in the fields of choral performance and pedagogy and performed as a conductor, string player, and singer throughout the UK. 

Happily back in America, Daniel works on contract for advocacy-focused nonprofits in the area. He is also Director of Music at First Christian Church and conducts for St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. He will serve as a Clay Teaching Fellow for the University of Wyoming Honors College in the winter of 2024. In his free time, he spends time with his husband and pursues overambitious garden projects.


 

Michael Johnston

Piano, Guitar, and Winds Instructor

Michael Johnston is a musician and teacher with a passion for music in
the classical and jazz worlds. He loves to share that passion with his
students, and strives to instill that passion through collaboration
and interaction. He makes a strong priority to learn his students’
personal goals, and find a clear path to help them achieve those goals
through collaboration in lessons, and individual practice.

Michael graduated with his Master’s in Music from the University of
Wyoming in the Spring of 2022, and quickly moved to the Kansas City
area. After two years of teaching and performing around the midwest,
Michael relocated back to his home state of Wyoming. A versatile
musician, Michael has performed with everything from classical
orchestras to jazz bands, R&B groups, blues bands, and even latin
ensembles. This wide range of musical experience gives Michael the
ability to teach students of any musical temperament.

Lorrie Morgan

Piano Instructor

Lorrie Morgan graduated from Bethel University with a B.A. in Music, piano emphasis. She is an active collaborative pianist for voice and instrumental students at Casper College and middle and high school choirs in Southeast Wyoming. She has been a piano teacher since her college days and enjoys working with students of all ages. Lorrie is inspired by witnessing the successes of young musicians and encouraging them further in their musical studies.

Lorrie began her accompanying journey and also competing on piano while in high school. She has been in choirs since junior high and played the clarinet and later bass clarinet in college. Her highlights in secondary school include attending band, choir and piano camps each summer. Lorrie takes her musical inspiration from her grandpa, with whom she spent many hours at the piano bench during her growing up years. These mark some of her fondest memories, and she can’t imagine a life without music!

In college, Lorrie thoroughly enjoyed her employment as accompanist for two church children’s choirs as well as rehearsal accompanist for the Metropolitan Boys Choir. She went on to be employed as a children’s worship leader for a large Minneapolis church, along with spending 7 years as a Kindermusik educator. Lorrie values the importance of early music education for brain development, body awareness, creative expression and the sheer joy of it!

Today, Lorrie accompanies honor choirs and musicals, works in theatre and teaches piano classes at MAT Camp in Evanston each summer. She is thrilled to be a member of The VIBES teaching staff! In her spare time, Lorrie delights in making music with her three children along with boating and enjoying her family’s acreage near Guernsey. She also loves trips to Denver with her husband for some culture and tasty ethnic cuisine!

Watch Lorrie perform here

Gabe Dunbar

Guitar Instructor

Gabe was introduced to classical guitar with the NCHS Guitar Ensemble, and then received scholarships to Casper College for guitar performance. He then graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2009 with a Bachelors in Music. Soon after graduation he became a founding member with John Kirlin and the High Plains Drifters in Casper, Wyoming. Gabe is excited to work with students at VIBES Fine & Performing Arts!

Watch Gabe perform here