Welcome to the APME Memphis 2025 conference. Here, you’ll be able to register for the conference and update your Sched profile. The conference schedule will be available in late spring 2025. At that time, you can view the schedule and select the presentations you’d like to attend. If you have any questions, please visit our conference website or contact us at conference@popularmusiceducation.org We look forward to coming together as a community June 4–7, 2025.
This study explored the transition of traditionally trained music educators from classical to popular music education, focusing on the factors that influence this shift, the challenges faced, and the perceived benefits for student engagement and learning. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with educators experienced in both traditional and popular music instruction, seven major themes were identified, including increased student engagement, a shift to student-centered learning, challenges in curriculum development, and misconceptions about popular music education. Findings reveal that personal passion, professional goals, and contextual support from administrators play significant roles in motivating educators to adopt popular music. However, the transition also involves navigating resistance from colleagues and adapting to a less structured, flexible teaching approach. Despite these challenges, educators reported that popular music education broadened access and enhanced relevance, especially for students who may not connect with traditional ensembles.
Associate Professor of Music Education, University of Northern Iowa
Kevin Droe, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Northern Iowa. He founded the UNI Spectrum Project, AmpCamp, and Spectrum JamFest, programs promoting accessible and popular music education. His research focuses on special populations and innovative... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am CDT Classroom 105 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
Gospel music has rich cultural roots in African American history, has connections to jazz and blues, and has influenced several popular music genres such as R&B, soul and funk. The existence of curricular gospel music programs at Canadian public postsecondary institutions is extremely limited. Furthermore, gospel music, like many other forms of Black music, has historically been deemed as not worthy of study in the academy (Boyer & Moore, 2010; Burke, 2021; Cox, 1996). The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and benefits of curricular gospel choirs amongst students who have been participating in such courses at the only three Canadian public postsecondary institutions currently offering them: York University, Humber College and the University of Toronto. This research was inspired by the work of Dawson (1986), Dilling (1995), McCrary (2001), Pinto (2022), Pope & Moore (2004), Sablo (2008) and Strayhorn (2011), who each conducted studies related to the perceptions and benefits of extracurricular and/or curricular gospel choirs from the perspective of student participants, and in some cases, additional stakeholders, at U.S.-based postsecondary institutions. Collective case study (Creswell & Guetterman, 2019; Stake, 1995, 2005) was the methodology employed to conduct this research and semi-structured interviews with current and former students from each of the three Canadian postsecondary gospel programs was used to facilitate data collection. This session will present initial findings from this study, which may inform Canadian and global postsecondary institutions who are considering the inclusion of gospel music studies to help diversify their music curricula.
Assistant Professor, Music Education, University of Toronto
Dr. Darren Hamilton is an assistant professor of music education and the founding director of the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir. His work with the gospel choir was featured in three recent CBC Radio documentaries and at the 2024 Toronto Jazz Festival. Dr. Hamilton’s... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am CDT SPAC - Hodges Choral Room3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117
Empower your students to take the reins of their musical journey with student-led bands! In this engaging presentation, Stephen T. Cox shares real-world strategies for guiding students to organize, rehearse, and perform as independent ensembles. Drawing from his experience facilitating student-centered programs, Cox will outline practical steps for creating a secondary program around this concept, fostering leadership, collaboration, and creativity in young musicians. The session will explore actionable strategies for setting up rehearsal spaces, helping students organize their bands, and creating meaningful performance and feedback opportunities. Additionally, attendees will learn methods to address common challenges such as managing student conflicts and promoting the program within the school and community. This presentation provides a roadmap for cultivating ownership, accountability, and teamwork, equipping educators to inspire the next generation of musicians to lead with confidence.
Discover how Modern Band programs can engage "the other 80%" of students and elevate music education. Learn tools, strategies, and pedagogy for live performance, contemporary music theory, studio production, and career-readiness. This session empowers you to implement Modern Band classes that enhance enrollment.
This presentation will help musicians and educators reconsider limits to where (and how) music can be made. It is intended for those seeking to build literacy in digital tools that enable dyads or small groups of musicians to play, rehearse, and perform together in real time over the internet. This practice, known as telematics or networked music performance (NMP), can be achieved using a variety of free software applications. In this session, presenter Seth Adams will make music with individuals hundreds of miles away using the music teleconferencing application FarPlay. (Other software will also be discussed; Dr. Adams does not work for FarPlay.) In addition to live performances with musicians at distant locations, there will be an explanation of the software and connection process (prioritizing sound quality and minimal latency), a description of the minimum requirements for low-latency success, and a discussion of implementation strategies for NMP in music education contexts. Music education applications can include private lessons, band rehearsals, real-time improvisation, composition, or songwriting sessions, pre-festival sectional rehearsals, and more. These digital tools can also be used to provide equitable access to music education for student musicians who are disabled, immunocompromised, or otherwise cannot always be physically co-present with their peers or teachers. Attendees will leave with innovative new strategies and knowledge of digital tools that can bring musicians of all ages together when they are apart.
Polar Drift is an extra-curricular ensemble at North High School that meets before and after school twice a week. A project many years in the making, Polar Drift was as an extra endeavor for solos and duets at Show Choir events. Polar Drift has now become a 30+ person ensemble of the music program and is now attracting students not participating in the curricular bands. Repertoire is selected through teacher knowledge and student input which fosters an active folder spanning multiple decades. Arrangements are primarily written by Mr. Hammerman, but students are given encouragement and tools to create their own.
Incorporating students with disabilities is critical for the authenticity of the learning environments for both disabled and non-disabled students. There are two keys an educator needs for unlocking true inclusion in the classroom: First, a deep understanding that inclusion is not a place; simply being in the room does not make a musician nor satisfy the requirements of inclusion. A safe environment to cultivate belonging, creative expression, and authentic contribution must be prioritized and created by the educator. Second, The educator must have or learn the skills and possess the physical materials to create such an environment. Many music educators, especially in the popular music space, inherently hold the first of these keys. They’re spending their careers working to create musical spaces that welcome and reflect every child. Unfortunately, preservice training rarely prepares its future educators to actually teach students with moderate to severe disabilities. This session will dive deep into the “how” with real life examples of modified instrumental curriculum and a peer mentoring structure that shares the work of teaching with the other musicians in the room, creating a transformative musical and social experience for everyone involved. The pedagogy will focus primarily on guitar and percussion, with discussion about the application of the form for any instrument, vocal, or general music setting.
This research explores the impact of including Louisiana music in schools. Among the participants in the study were the students and parents of an ensemble sponsored by the school that performs Cajun and Zydeco music. The impact that experiences in these ensembles had on participants’ cultural identity and musicianship was a primary interest. This study investigated the impact of this experience on the participants' family, cultural identity, knowledge of culture, language, and passion for Louisiana music. Impacts experience had on the musicality of participants in the areas of creativity and collaboration were also investigated. Furthermore, a comparison was made between the participants' experience with the Cajun and Zydeco ensemble and their school band programs. It is evident from students' responses that different methods of instruction were used, as well as different opportunities for students to explore music creatively.
Talented and Gifted Music Educator, Vermilion Parish School System
Gregg Griffin, Jr. has been a music educator for nearly 20 years. He graduated from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and earned a Master's degree in Music Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 9:30am - 10:00am CDT SPAC - Traicoff Music Hall3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117
Since the early 1980s, popular music has been integrated into music curricula around the world, yet it remains vastly underrepresented in the United States' music education systems. This study examines the potential barriers that prevent widespread adoption of popular music education in American schools and explores its global development. To gain more insight into current perspectives, I surveyed 120 music educators from various 10-year age brackets, ranging from 21-30 to 71-80, to assess their views on the value of teaching popular music. The survey investigates to what extent educators agree about the relevance of popular music in shaping music education, as well as the challenges and opportunities they perceive. By analyzing the responses from different age groups, my research aims to understand the generational trends in attitudes toward popular music pedagogy and to identify the barriers preventing it from widespread use and strategies for advancing its inclusion in U.S. music education programs.
Australian tertiary music programs often incorporate elements of songwriting, production, music industry studies, cultural awareness, entrepreneurship, and creative practice. These programs aim to prepare students for "portfolio careers" that blend diverse aspects of music, including performance, recording, teaching, community work, and digital presence. In alignment with this approach, SAE University College emphasizes innovative, real-world learning, fostering an environment where students experience hands-on, feedback-oriented projects that reflect current industry trends and challenges. This research showcases an innovative approach to music education through the “Rainbow Bop” YouTube series for children, where SAE Music students are engaged in a multidisciplinary industry project as part of their curriculum. "Rainbow Bop" is a 12-episode series designed for children ages 0-5, using music, puppetry, video, and animation to support educational pillars such as literacy, cultural awareness, numeracy, and social-emotional development. By integrating students into this project, SAE provides a unique experiential learning opportunity that allows them to apply and expand their skills in real-world contexts. Students involved in "Rainbow Bop" gain practical experience across a range of professional activities, such as original songwriting, arranging, studio recording, working with specific briefs, social media content creation, and project management. This multidisciplinary, community-focused project encourages students to think beyond traditional popular music production. Through “Rainbow Bop,” students gain insight into how music is valued by different societal groups and the impact it can have on communities. This experience equips students with a broader understanding of the potential for their creative skills to serve various audience needs, enhancing their adaptability and expanding their capacity for innovation in their future music careers.
The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of all published articles in the Journal of Popular Music Education since the journal's establishment in 2017. Given that JPME editors are focused on “defining the parameters of the field [of popular music education] and disciplines of its readership and contributors,” an analysis of the contents of this journal may provide insights into the types of research and topics that have been undertaken with this aim in mind. We designed this study using categories for analysis that would permit us to draw comparisons with the findings of content analyses that have been completed for the three NAfME research journals. Thus, the following research questions guided our investigation:
Research Question 1: What are the methodologies represented by the articles published, and have these changed over time? Research Question 2: Who served as the participants in the quantitative and qualitative studies published? Research Question 3: What were the topics addressed in the articles?
The identification of trends over time, and comparison of those with extant content analyses of other music education journals, may allow gaps in areas of research to be identified and help provide insights into any changing interests in the profession. These data may provide insights into the article types, participants, and topics of interest in research designed to inform in-service music teachers, provide guidance for authors seeking publication venues, and help students and researchers know where to find various types of articles and topics.
There are a growing number of Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered applications impacting the modern music landscape. As examples, music generators such as AIVA and stem splitters such as the one embedded in FL Studio are both engaging and easily accessible for the music enthusiast and educator alike. But while tools such as these are important to the creation and evolution of music, and a lot of fun to use, they do little to help the day-to-day logistical tasks faced by music educators. Further still, they do not aid music educators in important mandates such as regional and national standards alignments, assessment, or quantifiably reporting student progress. There are, however, a growing number of AI powered tools that can be harnessed and utilized by the music educator to accomplish all these mandated tasks, all while saving one often forgotten but highly valuable commodity, time. While ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI chatbots are powerful and useful tools, there are some AI powered websites such as MagicSchool.ai and Schoolai.com that are custom designed for educators. In this presentation, I will demonstrate how education focused AI powered tools can be used to enhance student engagement, easily align curriculum with state and national standards, and provide a simple and robust vehicle for music student assessment that is completely quantifiable, all while saving valuable time for the educator.
We are Within, a group formed in the ALA Modern Band program in 2022. Our members are Viviana Villanueva (lead singer and bassist), Evan Bohmann (drummer), Kathleen Juarez (guitarist), and Marissa Esparza (guitarist and pianist). We have been performing covers as a band for 3 years, and play a wide variety of music genres ranging from rock, pop, and other famous classics. We have recently been writing our own songs and plan to continue writing more originals going forward. In our audition video, we will be playing one of our original songs called Scout.
This workshop explores the delicate balance between artistic expression and personal well-being. In a culture that often conflates one’s creative output with identity, artists and educators can struggle to set healthy boundaries between their work and their craft, leading to burnout, insecurity, imposter syndrome, and creative blocks. This interactive workshop, co-facilitated by Dr. Kat Reinhert and Dr. Sarah Gulish, empowers attendees to redefine their relationship with their work by focusing on process over product and craft over self. The session will include exercises to help participants identify their motivations, values, and obstacles in their creative journey. Through structured discussions and small-group collaborations, attendees will explore strategies to detach their self-worth from their artistic output while maintaining authenticity in their work. Practical tools for self-assessment, boundary-setting, and sustainable creative practices will be shared, offering a roadmap to foster resilience and growth as an artist. Participants will leave with a clearer sense of their artist identity, actionable strategies for boundary-setting, and an understanding of how to cultivate a thriving artistic practice while maintaining personal balance. This workshop is ideal for educators, musicians, and creatives seeking clarity and confidence in their craft as well as for educators seeking tools and ideas to empower their students to work with these concepts.
In songwriting there are three key ways lyrics and melody can come together in original music. Those three ways include the following: lyrics first, melody first, and music and lyric simultaneity. In reference to the 5th chapter “The Marriage of Lyrics and Melody” from my textbook “The Songwriting Breakdown: simplifying the art of creating original music,” we will explore the love story of how these pieces come together in “meet cute form.” I describe these different melodic and lyric connections as “saying I love you first,” “melodically setting the mood,” and “love at first sight.” In this workshop, each of these songwriting love stories will be examined and tried as a class. This will include listing the pros and cons of each “meet cute” melodic and lyric approach, examples from famous songwriters, as well as a short exercise, where attendees will try their hand at creating each of these different original music connections for themselves. Ideas specific for classroom implementation will be included, as well as variations for both larger and smaller groups, so that educators can implement these songwriting concepts at their schools right away. This presentation is meant to be fun and is meant to give educators ideas for incorporating creativity and songwriting in their music classrooms, and provide more tools for students to approach creating original songs of their own.
Taylor Miranda is a songwriter, singer and music educator. In the past 10 years she has written and produced 6 EPs of original music with different bands. She studied commercial music and writing at BYU and loved her time working as a producer at BYU Radio. Her primary focus in music... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT Classroom 113 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
Ever since the Civil Rights Act of the 1960s, many schools have become increasingly diverse. However, the majority of educators in the United States are white and attended primarily white institutions. Therefore, many of these educators approach instruction with a Eurocentric (classical music) approach. This would include a passive receptive approach to teaching like sitting and listening to a Beethoven Symphony. However, other cultures, such as African American, are more accustomed to a call and response (the Blues) approach in which they are engaged. Students of color are used to music such as the Blues, Soul, Funk, and Hip Hop that utilize polyrhythm, improvisation, and active participation. The lack of understanding of these musical concepts in genres like the Blues creates classrooms that are not culturally inclusive. In this engaging and participatory workshop, we will examine these musical elements and how they can be actively used in the classroom in any content area to create culturally relevant lessons and a welcoming environment for all students.
Vincent Sneed has been a music educator in public schools in Georgia for the past 21 years. He has taught both high and middle school which included teaching band, chorus, music history, music theory, music appreciation, and piano. Sneed also has provided music for churches across... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT SPAC - Hodges Choral Room3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117
Middle school and young high school students love forming their own bands, and if students and teachers aren’t careful, all the energy and enthusiasm can be sucked out of the project before it even gets off the ground. In this session educators Scott Prescott and Eric Songer, along with their students, will discuss and demonstrate how to make these bands shine. Topics will include philosophy, scheduling, collaboration, problem solving, song selection, and booking gigs. These points will include a variety of ideas and specific examples of what has worked for us including how we schedule and specific song titles. This will also include a short discussion on how popular music ensembles can co-exist and actually thrive in a traditional music program. We will demonstrate rehearsal techniques, teamwork, student leadership, and stage presence. These demonstrations will include examples of both teacher-led models and student-led models. Attendees will get an authentic demonstration of what works and where the common pitfalls are in popular music ensembles at this age. The young rock stars will also give a short performance. Time will be allowed for attendees to ask the students questions and for us to learn from each other.
Music Educator, Eastern Carver County School District
27 years is a long time to teach middle school music, but I love it. I was hired to direct concert bands, but the program is much more than that. Students write songs, produce, form their own bands, learn non-band instruments, rap, beatbox and more. Our students perform in rock bands... Read More →
Pulitzer Prize winner and multi-platinum Hip Hop artist, Kendrick Lamar, is an exemplary pedagogical model for practicing music educators. As a master composer, Lamar is known for rich and deeply layered metaphors and compositional experimentation. Additionally, Lamar demonstrates a sustained commitment to his culture, through both celebration and critique. The purpose of this session is to explore the ways in which Kendrick Lamar: (a) employs the 21st Century skills of creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and connection in his musicking and; (b) models exemplary pedagogy and praxis for general music educators.
This session will explore the challenges and rewards of putting on live student concert events in the local community, based on recent experiences of Bergen Community College (NJ) faculty and students producing events at established venues and festivals as well as creating and producing their own local music festival. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit New Jersey in 2020, students were not only deprived of in-person instruction but also of opportunities to develop as performers and build confidence through live, on campus performances. In hard hit Bergen County, NJ, this prompted Bergen CC faculty and students to put on outdoor concerts in the community - curating, producing and performing at an event as part international Make Music Day as well as working with county officials to put on a concert series featuring both student and community-based songwriters at the county park amphitheater. These events, which build on Bergen CC’s tradition of putting on concerts for its Pop/Rock Ensemble and songwriting students at indoor community venues, shed light on the value of arranging student performances off campus. The presentation will discuss necessary funding, promotion, pre-production and day of event needs for putting on off-campus concert events, as well as possibilities for working these aspects of concert production into classroom instruction.
This presentation builds on Hertzog and Hunter’s (2024) study of jazz programs in higher education to answer questions about how popular music units are organized in the collegiate environment. Organizational structure and administrative units have played a large part in the history, mission, and success of popular music programs. As the field continues to grow and evolve and become present in more colleges, universities, and conservatories, this presentation seeks to provide organizational and administrative best practices for degree granting programs, building faculty, non-degree granting programs, and cross disciplinary collaborations. Through an in-depth look at schools of music, departments of music, and other common structures, this presentation provides groundwork for how to start popular music programs in traditional collegiate music spaces, and how to unite existing and emerging popular music disciplines to create coherent curriculum. Furthermore, this presentation presents methods for organizing popular music units to both complement existing programs, and maintain the flexibility needed to adapt to a dynamic music industry. Common challenges facing popular music program directors and administrators will be discussed, especially as these programs face unique obstacles when they are set inside larger institutions. Popular music, especially in new programs, can vibrantly fulfill institutional missions well also seeking to advance the music discipline in higher education. Building and organizing popular music in collegiate spaces is essential in these efforts.
This presentation will synthesize the findings of a representative national survey of music industry degree alumni regarding their career trajectories post-graduation, job satisfaction, perceived development of skills while pursuing their degrees, and extent to which they considered those skills relevant to their current work. Data for this presentation originated from the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project’s (SNAAP) 2022 survey of arts alumni. According to SNAAP, the goal of the survey program is to gather and analyze data to better understand “the professional success, educational satisfaction, and personal fulfillment of arts alumni” (https://snaaparts.org). The 2022 survey was distributed to 118 postsecondary institutions within the United States, with over 61,000 alumni responding. Data from respondents who indicated they earned an undergraduate or graduate degree in “music business,” “recording arts,” “arts administration,” “performing arts management,” or similar concentrations were included in analyses. Findings indicated that, although alumni reported moderate to strong job satisfaction, significant gaps existed between respondents’ perceptions of the skill areas most important to their current work in the music industry and the skills emphasized in their degree programs. If not addressed, this mismatch may jeopardize the relevance and attractiveness of postsecondary preparation for popular music-oriented careers. Demographic data comparisons will also be featured in the presentation to demonstrate the continuing need for greater equity, diversity, and inclusion in higher education and the music industry. Additionally, insights regarding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduates’ career activities will be discussed. To conclude, practical implications for faculty, students, and industry leaders will be offered.
Recent critics of the culture of competition in music education argue that it promotes a capitalistic, neo-liberal approach, prioritizing products over educational processes (Powell, 2024). One example of competition is all-state ensembles, where students audition for elite groups at state music conferences. Although participation in these ensembles can boost self-efficacy (Hendricks, 2016), foster ambition (Barnes et al., 2002), and provide social benefits (Burland et al., 2021; Hewitt, 2013), they also raise concerns about favoritism toward larger schools and barriers related to distance and instrument (Lien & Humphrey, 2001). There has been limited research on students' perspectives, with most researchers investigating adult perceptions of all-state groups (e.g., teachers, administrators, parents). Further, most studies focus on traditional bands, choirs, and orchestras rather than modern band. The Kentucky All-State Elementary Modern Band (KASEMB) offers a novel approach, diverging from traditional competitive structures (Music Will, 2024). Unlike conventional all-state ensembles, which follow a conservatory or competition-based model (Allsup, 2006; Powell, 2024), KASEMB auditions are equity-based, removing barriers like traveling for auditions and obscure repertoire; students submit video auditions with music of their choice. The selection of students is also equity-based, with round one adjudicated and then round two ensuring the final selection includes students from a diverse range of schools and backgrounds. Additionally, KASEMB rehearsals are organized and run democratically (Cremata, 2017; Dewey, 1916), with students selecting repertoire, establishing norms, and shaping the rehearsal process. This study explores how KASEMB functions as an all-state ensemble from the students' perspective. Data collection is ongoing and will be ready for presentation in Summer 2025.
Teaching the Pop classes at Toledo School For The Arts for the past 8 years has taught me a lot. In this presentation I'll run through what my year as a Pop Combo instructor looks like. We'll dive into the curriculum, end goals for students in the commercial music program, planning the our calendar, auditions, picking rep, and more. This is a brief look into how our program/classes run and hopefully helpful to anyone who may be teaching popular music already or looking to start their own program.
Music Box is a local music school of the future, that gives over 20K lessons, serves over 1K families & gives over 100 performances each year. The 400 current students learn music as a language, on a modern repertoire, in 1:1, group & Band settings, all while embracing music technology. Music Box offers a variety of instrument, vocal & music production programs to students of all ages, and runs nationally recognized kid camps & a Modern Band program. Both Germantown & Collierville school locations feature Music Production labs where students learn to make, orchestrate, produce, publish music, record, manage live sound, podcast, DJ & more. Music Technology has always been pivotal to all Music Box's experiences & instruction. The music production programs that Music Box offers have earned the school high praises from the community, partners and program graduates, and The NAMM Foundation. Recently, Music Box has become a proud recipient of a $400K TN DSEW grant (www.musicboxinc.com/music-production), which helps the school educate and up-skill 1.5K elementary, middle and high school age children. Music Box’s mission is to provide students with access to the tools, resources, and knowledge as they discover, get inspired by & thrive in the music industry as responsible musicians and young professionals. TN Grant programs are offered at 80% off tuition, feature over 20 instruction hours per course, include all the learning technology (hardware and software), recourses, tools and materials, with the objective of learning how to effectively and responsibly produce music, record and manage live sound.
This all 8th grade band will amaze you with their versatility, creativity and style. From 80s rock to current hits and pink guitars to punk attitudes, you'll fall in love with their show. Covers and originals. Formed through the school's innovative flex time initiative, it's amazing what this group of 13 and 14-year-old superstars from Prince's backyard in Minnesota have created.
Music Educator, Eastern Carver County School District
27 years is a long time to teach middle school music, but I love it. I was hired to direct concert bands, but the program is much more than that. Students write songs, produce, form their own bands, learn non-band instruments, rap, beatbox and more. Our students perform in rock bands... Read More →
From proper intonation to creative improvisation, popular music ensembles offer a unique opportunity to meet educational standards at all levels. When curriculum is intentionally designed and employed, these ensembles can also enhance students’ social, technological, and business acumen—skills often overlooked in traditional music settings. In this engaging presentation, Samford University professors Steven Potaczek and Theo Metz introduce a dynamic model for expanding the educational objectives of PMEs beyond music alone. With a modest budget and basic musical equipment, students can create and assess real-world marketing campaigns, harness digital and analog technologies, and develop critical interpersonal skills. Attendees will learn how to guide students in promoting concerts through social and traditional media, utilizing various music technologies, evaluating non-verbal communication strategies, and more—transforming music education into a comprehensive, skill-building experience.
With the exception of jazz, the electric bass has essentially replaced the upright bass in popular music in the mid 20th century, and has always been an underrated and misunderstood instrument. The fundamental structure of popular music necessitates a modest and simplistic bass line that supports the principal melody. Thus, bass players have garnered a reputation as the least important member of the band. Hence, it is no surprise that bass players are often the subject of ridicule from the general public, and even other musicians. Paul McCarney, one of the best bass players of all time, said: “None of us wanted to be the bass player . . . he was the guy who always played at the back.” When a bass player tries to break out of his/her simplistic and supportive role, the integrity of the song is often sacrificed. The bass player, therefore, should not draw any attention and stay in his/her lane. As a veteran electric bassist with over 40 years of performance experience across North America and the Caribbean, I would like to offer my personal, professional, and philosophical perspectives on all things involving the electric bass, an instrument that is an indispensable and fundamental component of popular music. Specifically, I would like to address the following three questions: (i) Why have electric bass players garnered such an undesirable reputation? (ii) What function and form does the electric bass serve in popular music? and (iii) What are some practical tips for beginner electric bass players?
An important step to further legitimizing popular music education as a scholastic performing art is to have a standard assessment system for making value judgments about the quality of ensemble performances. After all, within the United States, many states have assessment systems for their concert bands, jazz bands, and even marching bands. Often, the assessment is competitive; other times, it is non-competitive. It stands to reason that regional and state assessment must become common with school-based popular music ensembles, too.
More informally, as schools or school systems host popular music festivals that allow scholastic ensembles to compete, the basis for success needs to be more educationally-sound than “the judge enjoyed it.” Much literature on educational assessment speaks to the “positionality” of the evaluator as important to the integrity of assessment.
Educational assessment of popular music ensembles must be structured well and executed with educational integrity. This presentation (in the demonstration category) will . . . . • provide an assessment approach for strong educational assessment of popular music ensembles; • share a resource that details criteria for assessment that is broadly applicable within instrumental popular music ensembles but specific enough to be widely applied; and • provide an explanation of the techniques for structuring assessment of popular music ensembles for competitive purposes and non-competitive assessment.
The presentation should help attendees consider the value of assessment and competition for popular music ensembles. Furthermore, the presentation should lead attendees to think about the “values” inherent to how achievement within popular music ensembles is considered and credited.
This study investigates how music teachers are integrating music technology and artificial intelligence (AI) into their classrooms, examining perceived benefits and drawbacks. Driven by the rapid growth of AI’s usage as a generative tool in the creative process, this study explores current usage patterns of AI and music technology applications and assesses teachers' understanding of these tools. The study involves a survey of high school and collegiate music teachers, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative collection methods. Quantitative data is analyzed to identify trends in AI adoption and usage patterns across various teaching areas, while qualitative data provides insights into the perceptions of teachers regarding AI's role in music education, including perceived benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations. Open-ended survey questions provide valuable insights into the perspectives of both AI adopters and non-adopters. This study aims to inform the development of effective strategies for integrating AI and music technology into music teacher education programs and empower pre-service teachers to utilize these tools effectively and ethically in their future classrooms.
This all 8th grade band will energize you with their driving rock, attitude and fun personalities. From early 2000s punk to current rock hits this all-girl band will make you fall in love with their show. Formed through the school's innovative flex time initiative, it's really amazing what this group of 13 and 14-year old superstars from Prince's backyard in Minnesota have created.
Music Educator, Eastern Carver County School District
27 years is a long time to teach middle school music, but I love it. I was hired to direct concert bands, but the program is much more than that. Students write songs, produce, form their own bands, learn non-band instruments, rap, beatbox and more. Our students perform in rock bands... Read More →
Gospel music has its roots in African American culture and history. As an aural tradition, gospel music’s performance practices and musical characteristics are closely related to blues and jazz. As a form of cultural music, gospel music has played a significant role in the development of many North American popular music genres (i.e., R&B, soul and funk0, although historically, often receives little credit for its contributions. Although gospel music has been slowly making its way into some American and Canadian postsecondary music programs, very few music educators are equipped with the knowledge and skills to teach gospel music in their classrooms. As a result, gospel music continues to have very little presence, if any, in elementary, secondary and postsecondary curriculum. As a Black music educator and gospel music practitioner, I will draw on my 30+ years of experience learning, performing and teaching gospel music to present pedagogical approaches for teaching gospel music in school and community settings. This session will be a modification of similar workshops presented at the PODIUM and OMEA conferences. Through engaging is a simple contemporary gospel song, I will engage workshop participants in rote learning and the development of aural musicianship skill. Participants will also learn and engage in gospel music performance practices such as swaying, clapping and the application of facial expressions and hand gestures to communicate lyrical content. Participants will leave the session with a better understanding of how to authentically teach and perform gospel music.
Assistant Professor, Music Education, University of Toronto
Dr. Darren Hamilton is an assistant professor of music education and the founding director of the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir. His work with the gospel choir was featured in three recent CBC Radio documentaries and at the 2024 Toronto Jazz Festival. Dr. Hamilton’s... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT SPAC - Hodges Choral Room3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117
In today's polarized political climate, students are often exposed to a wide variety of political thought but are not often taught to engage with political expression responsibly, thoughtfully, and creatively. Further, how might we encourage students to bridge divides, engage in responsible creative output, become passionate about issues of activism and social justice, and engage in democratic practices through the study of popular music? This session teaches attendees how to use popular music education, modern band, and secondary general music courses as a means of teaching students to be engaged and active citizens in their local political scene. I focus on the history of pop music as a tool for resistance, the role of songwriting in expressing political sentiments, performance as art, activism, and protest, and how we can encourage students to be responsible and engaged citizens through the study and performance of popular music. Attendees will be led through a brief history of the role of popular music in America’s long political history, participate in a political songwriting activity that they will share with each other, and engage with a sample project that showcases the potential for using popular music education for activism and citizenship.
Music teacher educator and researcher with a passion for interdisciplinary approaches to music education, policy, and research! To see this in action, come to my session entitled "Pop Off Sis!: Teaching civic engagement and political action through popular music."
Saturday June 7, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT Classroom 105 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
Students come to school already musical with their own identities shaped by what they listen to and years of musical experiences. Tapping into students' musical familiarity and taste is not only a great teaching strategy for validating their sense of self and broadening their musical knowledge, but also a formidable technique that supports their holistic well-being. This workshop will focus on the research behind how popular music and well-being are connected, alongside hands-on activities participants can immediately apply in their teaching. Worksheets and tools will be offered to accompany the workshop activities centered around making musical decisions with students, learning about each other through playlists, and being able to identify signs of or barriers to well-being in music education contexts.
Social Justice in Popular Music Education requires more than learning to play songs from diverse genres of music, and developing this movement into a staple of the institution of Music Education. Social Justice requires honoring the ancestors and culture bearers from which Popular Music, the music of the people, came. Social justice is understanding and choosing to respect the difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation, and to invest in culture bearers. To be an agent of Social Justice is, at the minimum, a dual effort: 1) facilitating the learning of the artist’s stories and the history of popular music tied to socio-political history; and 2) empowering our students’ voices to use music to interpret and express their lived experiences. Many issues inherent to a postcolonial society working towards Social Justice—a society wrought with mass shootings, suicides, drug abuse, racism, divisive politics, and enslavement thinly vailed as a criminal justice system— complexify our students’ access to actively engaging in a musical life. Everyone deserves access to a music education embedded with social justice, and there needs to be a concerted effort to increase access in underserved and historically marginalized communities from which this music came.
In a world where popular music continually evolves, music educators need tools that keep pace with this transformation. This hands-on workshop explores how ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) can be game-changers in the music classroom. From streamlining lesson planning and grading to inspiring creativity in songwriting and analysis, AI can revolutionize the way we teach and engage with students. Participants will discover how to harness the power of AI to create engaging lesson plans that dive deep into the cultural, historical, and social contexts of popular music. This session will show how ChatGPT can help students explore these connections while enhancing their musical skills. Through interactive demos, real-world applications, and collaborative brainstorming, attendees will leave with practical strategies to integrate AI into their classrooms. Whether looking to free up time for more student-centered instruction or to bring a fresh, tech-driven approach to your curriculum, this workshop will give you the tools to remix your teaching for today’s learners. Bring your creativity, curiosity, and an open mind as we explore the future of music education with ChatGPT!
Fine and Performing Arts Resource Specialist, School District of Osceola County
Christopher Burns is currently the Fine and Performing Arts Resource Specialist in Osceola County, Florida. He received his B.M.E. from the University of Central Florida and his M.M.E. from Boston University and holds a PhD in Music Education from the University of South Florida with... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT Computer Lab - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
This session delves into a two-semester Musicianship course sequence, tailored to support Commercial Music students from diverse musical, educational, and cultural backgrounds. This holistic praxial approach combines music theory, keyboard harmony, and aural skills, laying a strong foundation for careers in popular music performance, production, songwriting, and studio writing and scoring. Through hands-on music making, students from varied musical backgrounds develop a versatile toolkit of musical skills, irrespective of their formal training or traditional musical literacy. Students harness their unique strengths and experiences to gain a practical understanding of chord types, functions, and relationships. From their first week of study, students learn to play common chords, progressions, and voicings, quickly enhancing their skills in harmonic analysis and chord realization using jazz symbols, Roman numerals, and Nashville numbers. Working in contemporary and culturally relevant musical styles, students also develop practical keyboard and aural skills and grow their musical literacy through the use of both traditional notation and MIDI roll patterns. This session outlines this inclusive and adaptable pedagogy, shares outcomes from over a decade of implementation, and explores future possibilities with emerging technologies.
Artistic disposition has a profound impact on how we engage and identify with music in a complex and pluralistic musical culture. The American public music educator, as a member of a pluralistic musical culture, is responsible for providing an accessible music education for all students. As such, the educator must provide an education that reflects each student’s identity within a multitude of cultural intersections. The opportunity for each student to engage with a comprehensive music education in order to cultivate individual artistic dispositions is an educational necessity that has been articulated and reified by contemporary philosophers in the music education community. Emphasis of an artistic mindset in secondary music education settings can facilitate the realization of an individual’s identity and cultural belonging by providing a means of expression through musical expression. However, while contemporary music education philosophers implore practitioners to nurture every individual’s artistic disposition, addressing these issues is limited by curricular design, teaching processes, and learning experiences of the student and the music educator. The purpose of this workshop examines the intersection between Community Responsive Practices, American National Arts Standards, and Elemental Process Teaching to cultivate individuals’ artistic dispositions in order to address the challenges that music educators currently face in preparing graduates for successful engagement in a diverse array of contemporary American musical cultures.
The last two decades in North America have seen a resurgence of scholarly and practitioner activities advocating for integrating more popular music in music classrooms both through repertoire and pedagogy (Niknafs, 2019). The groundbreaking Tanglewood Symposium held in Massachusetts in 1967 engaged with matters related to “Music in American Society” and intended to raise awareness of the issues related to music activities in American culture and to discover ways in which music educators could be more effective (Choate, 1968). The parties involved in the symposium generated a “Tanglewood Declaration” of eight items that highlighted a greater need for the “music of all periods, styles, forms, and cultures” (Choate, 1968, 139) in the school music curriculum and encouraged music teachers to expand the musical repertory to include a variety of contemporary music across genres and locations; also contributing insights to assisting in the solution of urgent social problems. The purpose of this study was to examine research on the practices and perspectives of integrating more popular music into the learning environment to explore its rich variety of genres, stories, cultures, and creative expressions into the music classroom. Music educators have been called to change their practices—to broaden what and how they teach to create more authentic music-learning environments and to draw more students into school music programs. Experimenting with alternative types of music classes, integrating contemporary popular musics, and incorporating more informal music learning practices are crucial if more students are to be involved in school music programs (Green, 2008).
There are longstanding assumptions of artificial intelligence being a technology resource that promotes societal objectivity and neutrality. Formalized education is the instrument utilized by the socioeconomically dominant to socialize curriculum and pedagogy to their benefit. Generative AI in education could be creating predictive outcomes that are exacerbating racial disparities when using historical data to create new algorithms. Wealthier schools tend to benefit substantially from more advanced AI tools. Digital access varies by socioeconomic status, because underserved populations tend to have less than reliable internet connectivity, and are more than likely having to complete larger tasks on a cell phone instead of a desktop or laptop computer. Even if learners gain access to a laptop, research indicates that Black and Brown student learners are still underserved in advanced curriculum resources and qualified teacher instruction, which leads to greater opportunity gaps in the workforce where AI is an important tool for work competency. The purpose of this study is to identify racially discriminatory behaviors and practices associated with generative AI in music education. This study also considers next steps in eliminating racial biases, and providing more equitable opportunities for underrepresented populations to be situated in the leadership and creation of AI resources in music education.
This workshop will demonstrate a new, teacher-created and student-centered approach to music theory instruction. The curriculum is based on my experiences teaching audio and music production in a diverse urban setting. In my classroom, it is common to have students with a wide variety of experience levels in music. Some have taken lessons on an instrument for years, while others have had no formal training at all. Some students are part of their school’s music program, but most are not. Often, my class is the first music class students have taken since elementary school. Even though students may not participate in their school music program, that does not mean they are not musically curious or creative. Sometimes, the most musical students elect not to join the school band or choir because the setting or repertoire does not appeal to their musical sensibilities and goals. But without some training, creative students are left to guess how to put musical elements together in a cohesive way. In order to meet students where they are, at whatever ability level, I have designed a music theory course that eschews the Western staff in favor of the MIDI editor. We use Ableton Live, but the concepts may be realized through any digital audio workstation (DAW).
Audio Production Instructor, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center
Ryan Van Bibber teaches audio and music production at the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center: a large, urban, public high school in Columbus, OH, USA. He has degrees in music education from Ohio University and The Ohio State University, a master certificate in music writing... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 3:15pm - 3:45pm CDT Computer Lab - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
This all 8th grade band will dazzle you with their energy, attention to detail and passion. From their love of Disney to their obsession with Taylor Swift, plus their combination of woodwinds and brass with traditional rhythm section groove, you'll fall in love with their show. Pop tunes with a movie favorite or two mixed in. Formed through the school's innovative flex time initiative, it's really amazing what this group of 13 and 14-year old superstars from Prince's backyard in Minnesota have created.
Music Educator, Eastern Carver County School District
27 years is a long time to teach middle school music, but I love it. I was hired to direct concert bands, but the program is much more than that. Students write songs, produce, form their own bands, learn non-band instruments, rap, beatbox and more. Our students perform in rock bands... Read More →
Many teachers of popular music have the job of helping young guitarists, when they themselves don't play guitar. Many of these students may have their own teachers, but those that don't often turn to YouTube videos that promise that "These 3 easy chords are all you need!" or "You can learn guitar in 15 minutes!" This demonstration will bridge that gap, and help teachers with a basic understanding and language for student guitarists in popular music ensembles that will help them know what and how to play for the given repertoire, but also pave the way for greater guitar proficiency.
This demonstration will cover topics such as: - Basics of technique: why a lot of beginner’s notes don’t resonate - The technical aspects of tone - The option of starting with Drop D for easier chords - Setting manageable steps and goals for students’ practice
JMC Academy, a creative arts higher education provider with campuses in multiple states in Australia, has developed a unique model for its flagship post-graduate course, the Master of Creative Industries (MCI). Students are supported throughout the course to imagine, develop and deliver ways to collaborate across a broad spread of disciplines. This is not a discipline specific course. Most students have already established some level of portfolio career by the time they enter the course. The curriculum, however, drives collaboration throughout the two years, resulting in some truly cross-disciplinary results. As an example, in the graduating class at the end of 2024, a completed project, led by a student with a foundation in music and composition, released a 4 track EP. The student partnered with in-class colleagues with backgrounds in design, photography, videography, and creative writing to develop a marketing kit, complete with publication-ready photos, short length and song-length videos. This student then supported their colleagues by providing composition support to a 2d animation and created a series of soundscapes in collaboration with a video game designer. Without the in-built collaboration through the two years of this course, these outcomes across the cohort would have never been achieved. This presentation will explore how this curriculum has been developed and refined since initial delivery 8 years ago and will prompt others in education to pursue ways to engage in striving for meaningful cross-discipline outcomes.
The purpose of this session is to introduce innovative piano teaching methods and activities that leverage popular music to engage students and build essential musical skills. Participants will learn how to teach various piano accompaniment patterns in styles such as R&B, pop, and rock, empowering students to accompany songs effectively. Moving beyond traditional approaches, this clinic emphasizes practical techniques like ear training, improvisation, and rhythmic variation, which foster creativity and confidence in students while making piano playing more enjoyable and relevant. Through hands-on demonstrations, attendees will explore different methods and teaching activities for both group settings and one-on-one private lessons, including piano accompaniment, ear training, and improvisation. The session will provide step-by-step guidance on integrating these activities into various teaching contexts, equipping educators with practical tools to develop well-rounded piano players and musicians. Participants will engage in brief exercises, group discussions, and receive real-time feedback, ensuring they leave with actionable strategies to enhance their students' learning experiences. Aligned with APME's mission to promote and expand access to popular music education, this clinic empowers both piano and non-piano teachers with contemporary approaches that resonate with today’s learners. By incorporating popular music as a dynamic tool for teaching core musical concepts, participants will gain ideas for creating inclusive environments that cater to diverse student backgrounds and interests. Whether participants are teaching piano in schools or private studios, this session offers valuable insights and practical strategies to help their students thrive and become versatile, confident musicians.
Graduate Part-Time Instructor, Texas Tech University
Phu Vu, A native of Saigon, Vietnam, Phu Vu graduated from Saigon University, where he received his Bachelor of Music in May 2018. In Vietnam, Phu was a music teacher, collaborative pianist, and professional music producer. He worked professionally at various levels, from college... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 3:45pm - 4:15pm CDT Classroom 113 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
School music educators are often seen as occupying one of two distinct “camps”. This dichotomy has been characterized as “preservation vs. progress” or “tradition vs. change”. On one side are those concerned with the maintenance of traditional ensembles and the curricular foundations of Western music history and notation. On the other side are those driven toward curricular reform that nurtures students’ agency and imagination. Popular music educators usually identify with the latter side and employ distinct curricula and pedagogy to pursue its goals. However, this empirical study of 22 high school music students in Toronto found that using popular music pedagogies (PMPs) can enhance, rather than take away from, students’ ability to achieve traditional curricular goals such as performing Western European Art Music (WEAM) in large ensembles. More specifically, students’ experience with PMPs helped them to proactively identify and correct their own mistakes, better understand the stylistic characteristics of the music, and develop a greater sense of responsibility to master their parts. One implication of this finding is that popular music educators can more easily justify using PMPs in the classroom, as doing so can contribute to the achievement of traditional learning goals. Another implication is that traditional music educators can feel more confident to explore PMPs, as doing so won’t necessarily detract from their pursuit of teaching excellence in WEAM.
This study examines the experience of building a network of songwriting classroom educators from around the United States. In many parts of the country, songwriting is not a common curricular offering in K-12 education. In some cases, there may be only one songwriting teacher in an area. Because music teacher preparation programs and professional development in popular music education can be difficult to find, the author set out to build a network of songwriting educators. The purpose of this network evolved to support each other’s classroom and personal songwriting work, share ideas and challenges, and discuss contemporary issues in songwriting, music education, and the music industry. The insights from this community are used to redesign the author’s songwriting curriculum. Some areas of redesign include student choice, scaffolding, and personal vulnerability. This session will discuss the question: How might a community of songwriting teachers, who are also classroom teachers, develop ways to support each other and ways of teaching that might support the development of songwriting pedagogy among American music educators? Topics to be discussed include the process of recruiting members of the group, meeting formats, themes that emerged from the conversations, and how this can move forward to further influence the field of songwriting education.
This presentation examines how generative AI songwriting tools, such as Suno, impacted students’ self-perception of creativity in a large-enrollment undergraduate course, Popular Music Survey: The Eras of Taylor Swift. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to measure changes in students’ self-perception of musicality and creativity. At the start of the semester, students completed a survey assessing their creative confidence and self-perception of musical skills. Throughout the course, they learned to use Suno to compose original, diaristic song lyrics, with AI tools providing instrumental, vocal, and production support. Students submitted a final AI-assisted songwriting project, and post-surveys evaluated shifts in their self-perception in creativity and music-making skills. This study offers practical strategies for integrating generative AI into popular music education, highlighting its potential to empower students to experiment, create, and see themselves as songwriters. Preliminary findings suggest that integrating AI tools positively impacts students' self perception of musicality, particularly for students with no prior musical training.
