Born in California, Ms. Allen recently graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 2023. As a child, she moved constantly between Anaheim and Yorba Linda. She has four younger siblings and is the first person in her family to earn a B.A. (Bachelor’s in Musical Education with a minor in Psychology).
Going to Skidmore College for a Summer Jazz Intensive was a formative life experience, where she heard and met some of her musician heroes, which convinced her to pursue a career in music.
For fun, she likes to read, draw, and play most outdoor activities or games (usually softball/baseball), rock climbing, and going for walks while listening to music. Of course, she also plays music in her free time but doesn’t lump it in with “hobbies” because it feels more serious than that to her.
At Belmont Hill, Ms. Allen will be directing and conducting many of the ensembles, including Orchestra, Middle and Upper School Jazz Bands, and Rock Band. Furthermore, Ms. Allen has talked about plans for a pep band and a possible musical festival (inviting other ensembles to come to BH and perform alongside our ensembles). Although these plans have not yet come to fruition, Ms. Allen is extremely excited about all the possibilities within our current music program and the endless new options it presents.
Ms. Allen wishes to make the best out of each ensemble while reaching out to broaden students’ horizons. Although at the moment, she is only here for a year, she is happily open to extending her stay.
