Uncrowned Community Builders

Manager for Joseph Wooten, Hands of Soul, Professional Services, Private Music Lessons & Instruction, Consulting, Creative Management, Music Education, administrative and marketing services, Advocate for children, young adults, and the Arts
Ms Appleby received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Music Education from Rosary Hill College, in 1974, with a concentration in classical piano performance, and a Masters degree in Student Personnel Administration from Buffalo State College in 1980. She also accumulated over 30 hours past her masters, in various courses, offered throughout the city, with a concentration in Special Education, advanced teaching practices and psychology.

Ms. Appleby's career has spanned teaching at numerous schools for the 40 years. She taught at the Frederick Law Olmsted #56, City Honors and South Park High School , as well as a number of other schools in the city. Students under her direction have had a wide and varied list of accomplishments ranging from performances at Kleinhan's Music Hall, Rockwell Hall, Shea's Theater, three professional Broadway shows, "Joseph and Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "Mama Dee's Girls" and "High School Musical",(2008) The Trafalmadore, Mayor Masiello's inauguration, and for the heads of state in Albany, Mayor Brown and Antoine Thompson, to name but a few. Students have also performed with and in conjunction with 10,000 Maniacs, Mary Ramsey, John Lombardo, Al Tinney, DoDo Green, Joann Lorenzo, Bilahl Abdullah, Douglas Trigger Gaston, Greg Piontek, Kevin Gaughan, Tim Webb, Odell Northington, DeShawn Jackson, Mary and Tom Stahl, Oscar Brown Junior, and Oscar Brown III, Sam Harris, Tom Dudziak, John Bacon, NFJC, Robbie Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls, Tony Scazarro, Rebecca Coups Frank, and 3 time Grammy Nominated artist, and keyboardist for the Steve Miller Band, Mr. Joseph Wooten.

At South Park High School, students were involved with the Music in Action Program, run by Mr. Bob James, where students learned first hand the music business of composing and producing their own original material, for production of their own CD, and concert presentation at BAVPA. As a teacher at City Honors School, Ms. Appleby formed the City Honors Gospel choir, which won high acclaim throughout the area and state, and became a group in high demand.

Ms. Appleby was director and co-founder of the former FAAB choir, (Foundation of Arts and Athletes in Buffalo) aka as the Buffalo Select Chorus, which encompassed 35 high school students from over 12 public high schools. These talented students performed at many venues throughout the city, as well as produced 6 cd's. from 2005-2011. This group performed at over 20 different venues, from Kleinhan's Music Hall, to opening for a nationally known gospel singer. In December of '08, BSC was the featured choir @the International Human Rights Summit for Children, where high tech media broadcasting enabled these students to be viewed throughout the world Program. Three time Grammy Nominated Artist, Joseph Wooten, also worked with these students from 2009-2011, under Ms. Appleby's direction.

For 22 years, Ms. Appleby was the director of music @St. Mary of Sorrows Parish, in Buffalo, before the church closed in 2007. During this ministry, her choir performed with the sister parish, St. Mary's of the Lake in Hamburg, uniting individuals of the inner city with a congregation in the suburbs to better foster a feeling of appreciation for people of all cultures, and was also involved with prison ministry, at the Alden Detention Facility. She was also the musical director for the annual Martin Luther King Mass for 2007, which encompassed a mass choir from throughout the Catholic Churches in the city of Buffalo. She was the part time music director, and choir director for Delaware Avenue Baptist Church from February 2008 to February of 2009 as well, and from 2010-2011, church director for the Lincoln Memorial Methodist Church.

At South Park High School in 2009, students were involved with the Music in Action Program, run by Mr. Bob James, and Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls, where students learned first hand the music business of composing and producing their own original material, for production of their own CD, and concert presentation at the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts.

For the past 5 years, (2009-2014)Ms. Appleby has facilitated the "Artist in Residency Program" that she wrote for the Buffalo Public Schools, wherein Mr.Wooten speaks to various schools regarding artistry, the music business, and what it takes personally and professionally to achieve and prosper not only in music, but in life as well. Thus far, over 30 schools have received this vital information, and have enthusiastically embraced this program.

From 2008-2014, Ms. Appleby has musical directed or played lead piano for the following shows:
Man of LaMancha (Niagara Community Theater)
Children of Eden (Niagara Community Theater)
Seussical the Musical (Theater of the Mist)
The Fantastiks (Red Carpet Theater Productions)
Honk (St. Mary's High School of Lancaster)
A Chorus Line ( Red Carpet Theater Productions)
Les Miserables for Theater of the Mist in October, 2013 (Theater of the Mist)
Footloose for St. Mary's High School of Lancaster (March 2014)

Ms. Appleby continues to run her own studio out of her home, where she is in constant demand for both vocal and piano studies, and for the past three years, has served as personal manager for three time Grammy Award nominee, Mr. Joseph Wooten under Soul Angel MGT.

Additionally, Ms. Appleby has most recently been appointed Adjunct Professor at Villa Maria College, where she serves as Gospel Choir Director for their newly formed performance group.


Ms. Appleby is the recipient of the WhoÃ?¢ââ??¬ââ??¢' Who of American Teachers award for 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2005, 2006, and 2007. She also received the WhoÃ?¢ââ??¬ââ??¢s Who of American Women for 2006, and Who's Who of American Educators for 2007, and The Women Builders of Communities and Dreams Award, 2006. She received the "Keep the Dream Alive Award" in 2002, from City Honors School, and the Iota Phi Lambda SororityÃ?¢ââ??¬ââ??¢s Apple award for out standing teacher of the year in 2004. In June of 2008, Mayor Brown presented Ms. Appleby with an Executive Chamber Proclamation for services rendered to the children of Buffalo. She is also the 2009 recipient of the NFJCs (National Federation of Just Communities) Community Leader award in the Arts, and the Reach out and Lift Award of 2012 presented by Will Holton.

Ms. Appleby is the proud mother of daughters, Venezia, who has her Master's Degree in Human Services Administration, and employed through People Incorporated, and Zuri, who after completing her 4 years with the USMC as a bassist, and vocalist, continues to be a powerful and well sought after bassist and vocalist locally, and beyond in the western NY area.

Professional affiliations include: MENC, Erie County Music Association, NYSMA, Church Musicians Guild of Western New York. ASCAP, and Choral Musicians Guild, and for 3 years has served on the Board of Directors for the Historic Colored Musician's Club