Meet Our Staff:

Ms. Tabitha began teaching in 2019, and has drawn from over a decade of piano experience to teach kids and adults alike how to find joy through music. After growing her own studio for multiple years, Ms. Tabitha founded the Florence Music Academy in 2023 to give a wider access of quality music lessons to the community.

Ms. Tabitha has studied under many different styles of pedagogy throughout the years from teachers all around the US including world-class musicians such as Dr. Paolo Andre Gualdi at Francis Marion University, where she received her BSc in Music Industry with a focus in music technology. 

Mr. Griffin attended Francis Marion University where he studied Music Business and Theatre. Mr. Griffin has played drums in many bands throughout the years including concert band, marching band, pop rock bands, the FMU jazz ensemble, and at church. He is proficient in many different styles of playing including bossa nova, slow jazz (brushes), punk, rock and roll, country, and gospel, as well as various pop genres. Mr. Griffin has had the pleasure of playing drums with several different professors during his time at FMU such as Dr. Shane Reeves, Dr. Paolo Andre Gualdi and Dr. Brandon Goff. 

Mr. Griffin has been playing music since he was 3 years old, and has been playing the piano since around the age of 12, ultimately taking classes with piano professors at FMU. Currently finishing out his final semester, Mr. Griffin plays piano for the Music Industry Ensemble, as well as playing for the choir, special singers, and youth at his church. 

Dr. Reeves was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama and attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. He also holds a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Florida and a DMA in Percussion Performance from the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Reeves has performed with a variety of musical ensembles including the Central Florida Symphony, Fayetteville Symphony, Gainesville Chamber Orchestra, Palmetto Opera, South Carolina Philharmonic, Wilmington Symphony, J’Ouvert Steel Band, Pantasia Steel Band, Sunshine Steelers, Jacare Brazil, and the Woyate West African Drum and Dance Ensemble. As a member of the Florence Symphony Orchestra, He was featured as a soloist in a performance of Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto. As a member of the USC wind ensemble Dr. Reeves was the principal percussionist during the ensemble’s concert tour of China. He has performed at many conferences and conventions including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the College Music Society National Conference, the South Carolina Chamber Music Festival, the Society of Composers National Conference, the International Conference on Thinking, the North Charleston Arts Festival, the Savannah College of Art and Design International Festival, the McCormick Marimba Festival, the Florence Arts International Festival, and the Southern Baptist Convention. In addition, he has also given solo recitals and clinics at universities throughout the southern United States.

As an educator, Dr. Reeves has taught percussion at various middle and high schools in Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina. Currently, Dr. Reeves is on the faculty at Francis Marion University and is the principal percussionist for the Florence Symphony Orchestra, principal timpanist for the Masterworks Choir and percussionist with the Pantasia Steel Band. He endorses Black Swamp Percussion, Evans Drumheads, and Innovative Percussion and is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, the College Music Society, and the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors.

Most recently, Dr. Reeves has taken an interest in audio and video recording. He has created a Youtube channel called The Percussion Realm where he posts videos that are recreations of popular rock and pop songs using all percussion instruments. They are multi-track performances in which all of the individual parts are recorded separately and combined afterwards. These arrangements make use of a variety of instruments ranging from standard orchestral percussion instruments to more exotic instruments such as the steel pan, hammered dulcimer, mbira, djembe and musical wine glasses.

Mr. Shammond began playing the guitar at the age of 14 after being inspired by rock bands from the 90's and 2000's. After graduating from Hannah Pamplico High School, he began attending Francis Marion University where he is currently pursuing a Music Technology degree with a minor in business. He studies under the guitarist and professor John Ware (BAMM), anlongside others such as Dr. Paolo Andre Gualdi and Dr. Brandon Goff. 

During his time at Francis Marion University, Shammond has played shows with many ensembles including the FMU Music Industry Ensemble and the FMU Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Shammond is dedicated to spreading the joy of guitar playing to people of all ages and is happy to teach at the Florence Music Academy.

Ms. Emilierose has an extensive repertoire of varying vocal styles from contemporary, musical theatre and classical—as well as being a diligent song writer herself!

Ms. Emilierose has been singing since she could talk, beginning her studies in Coventry, RI, under Berkeley College of Music graduate Stan Mundslow from the age of 6 until the age of 15. During this time, she was accepted into the High school all-state choir and performed for Berkeley College of Music professors for judgment and critiques. 

Once she moved to Florence, SC, she began vocal training under Dr. Fran Coleman  at Francis Marion University, where she received her BSc in Music Industry. While studying at FMU, Ms. Emilierose participated in the FMU choir, FMU Select Choir, and FMU Music Industry Ensemble, where she is a lead vocalist and the FMU Percussion ensemble. Ms. Emilierose is a studio recording artist and released an album with the FMU Music Industry Ensemble. 

She performed Handel's Messiah with the Florence Symphony Orchestra, and travelled to New York and performed under conductor Sonja Sepulveda at Carnegie Hall. Ms. Emilierose also spent a year as a lead soprano for St. Mathews’s Apostolic church.

Outside of Music, Ms. Emilierose has extensive experience in child care. She worked for five years in children’s physical, mental and social development at the Little Gym of Florence. She has spent time working with and teaching children of all ages, as well as those with learning disabilities.

Ms. Emilierose is currently pursuing a Master’s of Music from Coastal Carolina University. 

Ms. Hanna graduated from Anderson University with a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy, with a minor in Theatre. She has earned honors through the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions. She qualified for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Student Auditions in both Musical Theatre and Classical in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and qualified for the National Student Auditions in Classical in 2020, in the Hall Johnson category in 2022, and in the Musical Theatre and Spiritual categories in 2023. She was also a finalist in the John Alexander National Vocal Competition in Musical theatre in 2022. 

She has participated in Opera Workshop productions, various choirs, and performed with the Jazz Band while at Anderson University. She was also a soloist with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra in 2022. She has also participated in Florence Little Theatre Productions. In the Summer of 2022, she studied with the International Performing Arts Institute in Germany. She continues her vocal studies under Deirdre Welborn, M.M, and is attending The Peabody Institute for her Masters in Music. 

Mrs. Katie grew up in the upstate of South Carolina and moved to Florence in 2023 with her husband, Clay. 

Mrs. Katie graduated from The University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology  with  a minor in Public Health, and comes from a musical background of playing the cello. 

Before moving to Florence, Mrs. Katie worked as a preschool teacher and camp counselor, and currently works as a Nutrition Educator for Florence County. 

She is excited to apply her past experience to help lead the Little Musicians classes at the Florence Music Academy!

Ms. Ashley Henry is a 2020 Francis Marion University alumnus, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Industry. After her time at FMU, She began building a portfolio for graduate school, pursuing a master's degree in music composition. In the spring of 2021, she received the Smit Composition Award.

Ms. Ashley was accepted to the University of Memphis to study under Dr. Kamran Ince in the compositional studies program and received her Master’s in Music Composition in May of 2024.

During her time at the University of Memphis, she took piano lessons under Dr. Jonathan Tsay. She has played the piano for seven years, assisting in teaching group piano, and performed piano recitals during her time at the University of Memphis. Ms. Ashley will continue studying composition while building her portfolio for her doctorate. 

As well as teaching at FMA, Ms. Ashley is currently an adjunct music professor at Francis Marion University. 

Sydney Osman is a student at Francis Marion University, majoring in Music Industry and will be fulfilling her internship requirement with us this year! She has loved music since she was little and found her love of singing when she was 6.

Sydney grew up in Florence where she attended West Florence High School, and was a part of Knight Edition, the school's show choir. While in Knight Edition she performed at Disney Springs as an honorary cast member, and other school performances, and in 2021 made the All State choir.

During her time at FMU she has been in choir, select vocal ensemble, and the Music Industry ensemble, where she is one of the lead vocalists. 

Sydney is the worship leader for Compassion Church’s youth ministry, and helps lead worship at FMU’s BCM.