Musician 3rd Class (MU3) Alyse Merry benefited early in life from a vibrant and varied musical upbringing. Growing up in Media, Pennsylvania, Merry began studying piano with the late Maryanne Rietz-Dalton, whom she credits for instilling an early love of music. “Many of her students are very successful today. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she reflects. While her primary training was in classical piano, Merry also studied jazz piano, organ, voice and violin. She played violin in her school orchestra from third to twelfth grade and participated in her high school jazz band and choir.
Merry attended Duquesne University, earning a bachelor’s degree in piano performance while continuing her involvement in other musical pursuits. At Duquesne, she sang in a choir directed by Robert Kurth, who now serves in the Navy as a member of the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters chorus. “It’s a small world!” Alyse reminisces. After completing her undergraduate program, she pursued dual Masters degrees in piano pedagogy and piano performance at Temple University.
Before joining the U.S. Navy Fleet Bands, Alyse spent nearly four years as a dueling piano player performing in Philadelphia and Louisville. This experience honed her musical skills, expanded her repertoire, and prepared her for the demands of performing in the U.S. Navy Fleet Bands. However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted public performances, prompting Merry to set her sights on enlisting in the U.S. Navy as a musician.
Joining Navy music marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Merry’s life. After completing recruit training in Great Lakes, Illinois, and further training at the Naval School of Music in Little Creek, Virginia, she arrived at her first duty station in Naples, Italy, with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band. She now travels across Europe and Africa, performing much of the same music she learned during her dueling piano days.
“When I’m doing local engagements with the public, I really feel like we’re making an impact, even with language barriers, because music is universal,” she shares. Some of her most favorite moments include performing in Djibouti for International Women’s Month and playing violin on the Ukrainian song “Obijmy” in Helsinki, Finland, for Ukrainian refugees, a deeply impactful experience for both her and the audience.
Adding violin to performances has made her music more diverse and effective. It has been a great addition to the rock band environment, allowing her to connect with audiences worldwide in a unique way. Playing violin also enables her to step away from the piano and interact more with the band and audience, contributing to her continuous growth as a musician. “I never want to stop learning and expanding my musical studies,” Merry says.
Having been overseas for almost three years, Merry is now preparing for a new duty station in the U.S. While being away from home has its benefits and challenges, she looks forward to experiencing a stateside band and participating in local events like Navy Weeks. Although her Navy career has just begun, she hopes to lead a musical unit within a band of her own someday, using her extensive musical experiences to inspire, connect, serve her nation.
Navy.com/Careers-Benefits/Careers/Arts-Communications/Navy-Musician
