Alison Ackley

Alison Ackley joined the NVMS Faculty in December 2025. She is a doctoral candidate in cello performance at Stony Brook University where she earned her Master's in 2016. Alison has performed with the Three Village Chamber Players, Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players, Stony Brook Baroque Players, and the Emerson String Quartet. She is also a vocalist, cellist and assistant director of Taylor Ackley and the Deep Roots Ensemble, a group that specializes in performing traditional American music in classical music settings. Alison earned her B.M. at the Chicago College of Performing Arts under the tutelage of Chicago Symphony cellist Richard Hirschl. She has attended many summer music festivals such as the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Banff Centre for the Arts Masterclass Program, Interlochen Arts Camp and the Madison Early Music Festival. In addition to performing, Alison has taught musicianship at the Stony Brook University Young Artist Program and has coached chamber music through the Stony Brook Community Music Program. She is excited to start working with Chamber ensembles at NVMS.