Samantha Copeland
Adjunct Instructor
College of Music & Performing Arts
MM in Composition, Belmont University; BM in Composition, Indiana University
Biography
Samantha Copeland is a composer, arranger, pianist, and music theorist based in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a Master of Music in Composition from Belmont University College of Music and Performing Arts. During her time at Belmont, her research involved both classical and commercial music. Her thesis research featured an analysis of Dr. Jeffery Ames’ “Requiem for Colour: A Journey Through Lament and Song” and its masterful blending of traditional liturgical music with Black musical traditions. She gave a SPARK presentation at Belmont University in April of 2026 showcasing Canadian indie-rock band Mother Mother’s song “Oh Ana” and its use of significant musical elements and their role in the lyrical narrative.
As a composer, Samantha specializes in choral and vocal music, writing and arranging for a variety of vocal ensemble settings and styles. She has worked as a pianist accompanying for Vocal Arts Nashville, St. Cecilia Academy, and two of Belmont’s own ensembles—Bel Canto and Chorale.
Samantha serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Belmont University where she teaches undergraduates in aural skills classes and music composition lessons. In her teaching, Samantha strives to make music theory and composition clear, approachable, and most importantly fun.