Meet Our Faculty
Dr. Rebecca Lanning
Professor of Vocal Studies and Music History
(rebecca.lanning@mga.edu)
Michael Gaffney
Lecturer of contemporary Musicianship
(michael.gaffney@mga.edu)
Dr. Justin McAdara
Assistant Professor of Music
(justin.mcadara@mga.edu)Dr. McAdara has had the pleasure of performing with several groups including The Pacific Symphony, Holland America Cruise Lines, Adam Rudolph’s Go Organic Orchestra, The Everyone Orchestra, and Renee Baker’s Chicago Modern Orchestra. Most recently, Dr. McAdara performed at The Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York with Russell Gunn’s Royal Krunk Jazz Orchestra which included special guests, Jazzmeia Horn, Steffon Harris, Leon Timbo, Jessica Care Moore, Craig Harris, Miles Griffith, Oliver Lake, and Weedie Braihmah.
Dr. McAdara is an endorsed artist with Best American Craftsman out of Kansas City, Missouri.
Melody Morrison
Piano
(melody.morrison@mga.edu)Melody Morrison, NCTM, is a recent graduate of Florida State University. She serves as an adjudicator for piano festivals in the state of Florida and is active on the board of FSMTA (Florida State Music Teachers Association).
Morrison, an experienced solo and chamber musician, has performed in several states across the U.S. and has appeared as a soloist with the University of Idaho Symphony Orchestra, Washington-Idaho Symphony, Corban University Concert Band, and Corban University Chamber Orchestra.
An active researcher, Melody has presented numerous sessions on various pedagogical topics at local, state, and national conferences across the U.S. and Canada. Her research has also been published in journals such as Update: Applications of Research on Music Education, Florida Music Director, and Piano Magazine.
Melody is passionate about applying her findings and research to her teaching to constantly enhance her teaching. She has several years of experience teaching collegiate-level group piano classes, aural skills, music theory, and applied lessons. She has also taught one-to-one piano lessons for over 10 years, and maintains a hybrid virtual/in-person studio with students from Florida and Oregon.
Morrison completed the Ph.D. in Music Education: Piano Pedagogy and a Certificate of Performance at Florida State University. Prior to her studies at FSU, Morrison completed the M.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogical Studies at the University of Idaho, the B.S. in Piano Performance from Corban University, and an A.A. in Business Management from Corban University, with a minor in Biblical Studies.
Terry cantwell
Classical Guitar, Msuic Theory, and Music Core
(terry.cantwell@mga.edu)Terry Cantwell earned both a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in performance at the University of Georgia. He is currently on faculty at ÃûæÂÖ±²¥, Mercer University and Wesleyan College, and has given concerts throughout the Southeast. His students have received awards at all levels and continue to earn; significant scholarships and assistantships for graduate schools at major U.S. music programs, including the conservatories of Eastman, New England, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Oberlin, Stony Brook, and Peabody.
Miguel Castro
Percussion
(miguel.castro@mga.edu)Miguel Castro studied music from 1977 to 1983 at the "Conservatorio Nacional de Musica" in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic earning a Master's Degree in Music Performance. After that, he went to New York to study at Drummers Collective International in 1984-85 where he had the opportunity to study with some of the world leading percussionists such as Steve Gadd, Doug Allen, and Frank Malabé to name a few. From 1989 to 1992 Miguel lived in Germany where he played in numerous Latin American, jazz, pop, and chamber groups as well as pursuing an extensive recording career. He performed on tour throughout Europe with various groups, including the Puerto Rican Salsa star Marvin Santiago. Miguel has been a recording artist with ARC Music record label since 1992 and has produced 15 Compact Discs with them.
He has performed with various professional orchestras including the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional of the Dominican Republic, the Swiss Philharmonic Orchestra, the Carol Morgan Operatic Society, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Maracaibo, the Macon Symphony Orchestra, and currently the Latin American Orchestra of Houston Texas. Mr. Castro served as Director of Percussion Studies at Mercer University in Macon for eight years and was Director of Percussion Studies and Jazz Band at ÃûæÂÖ±²¥ Georgia College in Cochran from 1998 to 2012. He is currently our lead percussion instructor and band assistant here at ÃûæÂÖ±²¥. He serves as the Percussion Coordinator for the Houston County School System. Mr. Castro is regularly in demand as a percussion clinician (Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Georgia Music Educators Association Conference, Georgia Percussive Arts Society Conference, and the Southeastern United States Band Clinic), adjudicator, composer, arranger and recording artist, maintaining a busy schedule in and outside of the United States.