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.
Steve Holley is a music educator/bassist/author living in Denver, CO. Steve holds a Ph.D. in Music Learning and Teaching from Arizona State University as well as a B.M. and an M.M. in Jazz/Classical Bass Performance from the University of Memphis. As a teacher, Steve previously served as the... Read More →
Steve Holley is a music educator/bassist/author living in Denver, CO. Steve holds a Ph.D. in Music Learning and Teaching from Arizona State University as well as a B.M. and an M.M. in Jazz/Classical Bass Performance from the University of Memphis. As a teacher, Steve previously served as the... Read More →
The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate student experiences in a bluegrass ensemble, Appalachian traditions, and the impact of ensemble participation on the students’ collegiate careers. As undergraduate music programs work to create more culturally relevant spaces, the question arises: What culture are we moving toward? While pop music may appeal to the masses, more localized forms of music also deserve attention. “In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky,” one university set out to study and play the music of the locals, both past and present. The University of Pikeville maintains traditional wind band and choral ensembles, but the school also embraces its history. Dr. John Eric Rutherford, whose family hails from Paintsville, KY, and Logan, WV, has worked to raise Appalachian cultural awareness with the practice of bluegrass music among his undergraduate students. The University of Pikeville is located along the Country Music Highway (U.S. 23) in southeastern Kentucky. Many of its students are first-generation college attendees with family roots within a 100-mile radius. The UPike Bluegrass Ensemble is student-driven, with song selection and arrangements determined by the students themselves. Some students are just learning to play “bluegrass” instruments while others have developed skills before attending college. Their set list consists of old bluegrass standards and new favorites, as well as covers of rock, pop, and folk songs arranged in a bluegrass style. Suggestions for implementing bluegrass, country, folk, and traditional old-time music ensembles are offered.
Music literacy is considered an important aspect of musicianship, and developing both auditory and written music literacy is a major component of undergraduate Ear Training (ET) courses. Unlike many college-level music programs in the U.S., contemporary/popular music schools, like Berklee College of Music, see a highly heterogeneous group of students. The daunting task for contemporary/popular music educators is how to develop music literacy skills in students with diverse musical backgrounds. In the current research, we identified two major groups of students who enter into our introductory ET courses: visually-trained musicians needing to develop auditory literacy, and aurally-trained musicians needing to develop written music literacy. There is a paucity of research considering the acquisition of ear training skills when coming from aural versus visual music backgrounds, and an incomplete understanding of best pedagogical practices to support student skill development. Considering prior research, two components were identified as being critically important to ET success for both aural and visual musicians: a) musical memory (remembering), and b) schematic knowledge (understanding). Over the course of one year, the current study implemented pedagogical techniques developed to target these areas, and considered the impact on musical working memory, schematic knowledge, and course-related skills including melodic dictation.
The "schoolification" of popular music refers to adapting popular music to align with the formal structures and requirements of educational institutions. While music educators widely acknowledge popular music's musical, social, and engagement benefits, resistance to its inclusion in traditional music education still persists. This reluctance often stems from limited exposure to popular music in music educator preparation programs, a lack of diverse professional development opportunities, and concerns about declining enrollment in traditional ensembles. These challenges raise a critical question: how can educators integrate popular music into formal educational settings in a way that is both educationally robust and authentically inclusive? As popular music education continues to grow, it is essential to identify, explore, and critically evaluate innovative approaches to teaching and learning through popular music. This presentation will provide strategies for fostering student-centered and culturally relevant performance- and creativity-based popular music programs. The ideas presented are drawn from experiences with a university-level pop ensemble called Versatile. Established two and a half years ago, the ensemble comprises music and non-music majors who excel as musical code-switchers. By embracing more flexible and authentic practices, educators can ensure that popular music education remains vibrant, engaging, and meaningful for students.
"In today’s diverse and ever-evolving music industry, voice educators are seeking new tools as they adapt their methods to meet the unique needs of contemporary singers. ""Rolling In the Deep: Diving Into a Culturally-Relevant Approach to Teaching Today’s Contemporary Singer” is a workshop for educators who are seeking culturally responsive strategies for coaching singers in genres like pop, R&B, gospel, hip-hop, and other popular music genres. Participants will dive into the vocal techniques, stylistic nuances, and cultural contexts that define these genres, gaining practical tools that educators can apply immediately. With 18 years of experience teaching students across diverse genres including pop, rock, gospel, classical, opera, R&B, and musical theater, the presenter, DeAnna Johnson, combines practical insights with a deep understanding of the unique needs of contemporary vocalists. This interactive session will also feature exercises and warm-ups from her recent book, ""I'm Just Warming Up: Pop Vocal Warm-Ups and Practice Guide for Contemporary Singers."" Through case studies, collaborative discussions, and practical activities, attendees will explore how to bridge traditional vocal training techniques with the unique vocal techniques that define contemporary music while fostering inclusive and supportive environments for students to learn. This workshop will empower educators to inspire creativity, build confidence, and ensure their teaching remains relevant in the modern musical landscape. It’s a must for any music educator seeking innovative approaches to connect with today’s contemporary singer.
Popular music education has long been vaunted for its capacity to reach marginalized populations within schools. By providing access to popular music education, school districts can more effectively engage students of diverse backgrounds by providing music activities that are more culturally and personally relevant. However, the inclusion of popular music as part of a school district’s offerings does not ensure equitability in terms of access nor in terms of support. In some rural areas, it is common for students to opt into vocational training during the school day that removes them from their primary school campuses and substantially limits their options for enrolling in music courses. Often, these students come from the most impoverished families, thus, access to music classes is defined in part by socioeconomic status. In this presentation, I explore and reflect upon this aspect of teaching and learning music in a rural, largely impoverished district. In my particular teaching context, a guitar class was offered as an alternative to the traditional large music ensembles, but due to district scheduling policy, this site for popular music education was often used as a “dumping ground” for students who needed to earn a music credit, including many who attended off-campus vocational training. Although the district’s inclusion of popular music provides an important outlet for the students who utilize it, I argue that the policies of the district and other districts in the area re-entrench the physical separation and cultural differences of student populations, largely along lines of class.
Researchers have found that popular music ensembles can increase participation in school music programs and often produce increased student engagement and motivation. Yet, as the number of ensembles grows, there is no standard format for how popular music ensembles operate, and teachers often lack training in popular music pedagogies. Little is understood about why students are motivated in these classes, and teachers can often conduct these groups in controlling ways that harm students’ motivation. Self-determination theory posits that students who experience support for their basic psychological needs will be more motivated in their classes, have increased well-being, and be more likely to continue engaging with music. Using the self-determination theory as a framework, I examined student motivation in three popular music ensembles in the Northeast United States. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with students and observations of each ensemble. Findings suggest that students enroll in these ensembles because of intrinsic desires to play music and learn to play instruments in a way that differed from their previous school music experiences. Classes incorporating more in-formal and non-formal music learning techniques better satisfy students’ basic psychological needs, thus helping students develop intrinsic motivation for making music. The psychological need for relatedness was the most common contributor to student motivation, yet students with less relatedness support often had lower competence satisfaction. More autonomy-supportive teachers had more high-quality engagement from students, whereas controlling teachers thwarted student motivation in popular music classes.
This workshop will focus on how students can create original music and learn music theory at the same time! Bandlab for education is a free cloud-based DAW ( digital audio workstation ), and Flat.Io is a notation program. The workshop will show you how to use these programs in your class and how both can be used together. Students can compose a melody in Bandlab and export it directly to Flat and see the notation! Students will understand music theory more clearly when they can apply it to their own creations! This workshop will explore ways in which your students can learn music theory concepts and apply them to creation and collaboration, which, in the end, will increase student motivation and engagement! Resources and lesson plans will be provided!
This literature review study, part of the author’s current PhD research, will explore current thinking on the feasibility and advisability of cross-training singing teachers between different genres. Recent research data has highlighted a growing need for pedagogical training in Popular Music singing. Reasons posited for this include the increase in PM courses at HMEIs across the West, declining interest in and careers within the once-dominant sphere of Western classical music, and student demand for better career-oriented preparation within the PM industry. Conversely, most singing teachers currently working in Western schools and colleges are likely to have been classically trained due to long-standing cultural hegemonies and the lack of a PM-specific voice pedagogy framework. This leaves a considerable gap between the demand for PM genre-specific voice training and the supply of appropriately trained teachers. Generic ‘functional’ voice training pedagogy and cross-training for classical singers and singing teachers have been suggested as suitable approaches to fill this gap. However, wider debates currently taking place concerning cultural context and authenticity in singing voice pedagogy render this solution potentially problematic: If cultural context and immersion are an essential part of PM voice education, how do we reconcile this with cross-training teachers who have been immersed in an entirely different culture?
Authenticity is contested in educational settings, particularly in the contexts of musical expression and songwriting. Existentialist philosophy brings a nuanced perspective to these discussions by focusing on the tensions between the given conditions of one's existence and the individual's capacity to rise beyond these conditions through choice (Satre, 1944). In songwriting, this translates into an artist’s freedom to express personal truths rather than conforming to societal expectations. Heidegger (1962) adds that embracing one’s potentialities and confronting life’s uncertainties are key to authenticity—a concept reflected in music through emotional integrity and a willingness to face vulnerability. Existentialism enriches our understanding of how personal expression, emotional honesty, and creativity shape meaningful music. Sartre (1944) suggests that individual actions contribute to a collective human experience, which aligns with how artists use songwriting to contribute authentically to a cultural narrative. Through their unique perspectives, songwriters contribute by crafting songs that reflect collective experiences and personal truths. Music thus becomes a meaningful dialogue with listeners, emphasizing our interconnected existence (Sartre, 1944; Taylor, 1992). However, the distinction between ethical authenticity and exploiting personal suffering highlights the critical need to develop self-awareness and question what it means to engage ethically with the songwriting process. Current social climate also places an emphasis on the notion that people who have experienced trauma have more capacity for authenticity than others (Anderson & Peña-Guzmán, 2023), thus adding a further layer of complexity with regard to a so-called “ethics of authenticity”. Ethical authenticity calls for being genuine and true to oneself, but it also requires self-awareness, emotional regulation, and consideration for others. It involves sharing one's experiences and emotions in a way that is respectful, empathetic, and conducive to healthy relationships. In education, fostering authenticity means creating inclusive, supportive environments where students feel encouraged to explore their unique voices. Prioritizing authenticity in the classroom helps students embrace their individuality in the context of the collective, develop their unique artistic voices, and engage in personal growth—fostering both artistic expression and human connection.
Black kids are an underrepresented demographic in extracurricular piano study. Researchers have found low socioeconomic status to be a significant barrier to child participation in extracurricular activities (Kuhn et al., 2021), and Piano study as an extracurricular activity is amongst the least accessible due to financial barriers (i.e. instrument and lesson cost). These barriers have a greater impact on Black families in the U.S., as they are disproportionally below the poverty line (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). In K–12 school settings, Black children participate in music study less frequently than their peers (Elpus & Abril, 2019), and although many educators have attempted to mitigate financial barriers by offering scholarships and loaner instruments, Black children remain vastly underrepresented in piano studios across the country (Duke et al., 1997). Another barrier might lie in students’ musical identity and cultures. The predominant model of piano teaching in America is deeply rooted in the Western art music tradition, which can be alienating for students whose musical identities differ from that of the curricula (Wright, 2008). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of middle school beginner piano students participating in a free, community group piano program hosted at a predominately Black inner-city school, with an aural-centered and culturally responsive (McKoy & Lind, 2022) curriculum. The curriculum follows Lucy Green’s (2014) HeLP approach for classrooms . Data collection is currently in progress and will be ready for presentation in the Summer of 2025.
Hi All! My name is Eden and I am a doctoral candidate in music education and piano pedagogy at Louisiana State University! My research interests include piano education access and motivating pre-college and community piano students through culturally inclusive studio curricula and... Read More →
Thursday June 5, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT Classroom 113 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
Popular music is authentically learned in a non-formal environment among peers (Green, 2002), so it is important to consider that student success in non-formal music learning environments can be influenced by the interactions and interpersonal relationships among peers and their teachers. It is important for teachers to understand the relationship nuances that can impact learning. Therefore, the purpose of this multiple instrumental case study was to examine the dynamics of interpersonal relationships both between teachers and students, and also among students and their peers within non-formal music learning environments rooted in popular music pedagogy. More specifically, how did participants describe the influence of interpersonal relationships on students’ musical achievement? This multiple case study consisted of four cases of modern music programs including teacher and student perspectives. Data collection included teacher interviews, classroom observations with field notes, student focus groups, individual student interviews, artifacts, and a researcher’s journal. Student autonomy, interpersonal relationships, and musical achievement were topics explored from both student and teacher perspectives within each popular music program. A cross-case analysis was completed to highlight each program's similar and unique features and address the specific research question. The four teachers each utilized varying degrees of student autonomy within their program, but all had a strong focus on building relationships with and among their students. Emerging themes were empowerment, negotiation, authentic learning, and how relationships impacted musical achievement within those domains.
Performing music ranging from Usher to Herbie Hancock to Kendrick Lamar, STEM Beats takes pride in delivering only the highest quality. Hailing from Holyoke, MA, we are the music program at Holyoke STEM Academy, a public middle school with approximately 300 students. Every student at STEM Academy is part of STEM Beats for the entire year.
STEM Beats has performed at various local schools, Boston University, hosted music education classes, and much more. We perform music chosen and arranged by our students. Our group features keyboards, drum sets, singers, rappers, mallet percussion, bass, and guitar. We are not a band, we are not a choir—WE ARE STEM BEATS!
Versatile is a collective of talented musicians from Alabama State University. Established in the spring of 2022, the ensemble includes both non-music, music majors, and majors who excel as musical code-switchers. The group takes pride in their professionalism, creativity, and versatility as music makers and multi-instrumentalists.
New York University's Steinhardt School recently overhauled its core music theory and aural skills requirements. Rather than having a single Western tonal theory sequence required for all music majors, students can now choose between a popular music sequence, a non-Western music sequence, and the traditional tonal theory sequence. Teaching the pop theory and aural skills classes has required us to develop new teaching methods and examples, assignments, projects and tests, but it also requires us to ask larger questions: What is popular music theory? How is popular music theory different from traditional theory pedagogy? What topics should we cover? What approaches and examples should we use? What do we expect students to know when they complete the classes? How much emphasis should we put on notation versus other music literacies? This session will present materials that my NYU colleagues and I have developed for pop theory and aural skills, assignments and project prompts that I have used, and reflections on what has worked and what requires some rethinking. I also offer my perspective as a self-taught rock and pop musician entering the music theory classroom, and how it affects my relationships to students and to the material we are teaching.
Ethan Hein holds a PhD in Music Education from New York University. He is an adjunct professor of music at NYU and the New School, where he teaches songwriting, music theory and production. As a founding member of the NYU Music Experience Design Lab, Ethan has taken a leadership role... Read More →
Thursday June 5, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT Computer Lab - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
Gender issues in music, mirroring those in society at large, have existed for centuries (Green, 1997; Campbell, 2022). Although research regarding the gendering of instruments appears to have peaked by the 1990s (e.g. Byo, 1991; Delzell and Leppla,1992; O’Neill, 1997), the issue itself remains timely; sex stereotyping persists as women still lack equal representation in almost every aspect of the music profession in the Westernized world (Hallam, Rogers, & Creech, 2008; Sheldon & Price, 2005). Given the continued uneven gender balances in instrumental music, the purpose of this study is to explore the gender-related personal, social, and musical experiences of female-identifying and gender non-conforming (gnc) musicians in masculine-dominated areas, using the lens of feminist pedagogy (Lamb, 1991, 1996). The results of this study may be used to further the conversation regarding the social roles of women in music and music education at all stages and propel further action to effect social change. We created an exploratory survey, based upon the extant literature, designed to develop an understanding of how women musicians currently experience masculine-dominated music spaces. After IRB approval, online survey invitations will be sent to female drummers/ percussionists, guitarists, bassists, conductors, and brass musicians. The survey includes questions about experiences commonly associated with female-identified and gnc persons, both in general and as musicians. Topics include life-cycle events, identity, mental and physical health, and experiences such as discrimination, harassment, belonging, and equity. Participants will also be asked open-ended questions regarding their experiences with gender-related issues in the music field.
Whatever the content, or the curriculum, perhaps the most important aspect of teaching regards HOW we teach. Music teaching, across the history of music education, has been dominated by teacher centered approaches. In a teacher centered classroom, the teacher tends to be in-charge of most, if not all, aspects of teaching and learning. This normally involves selecting music to be studied and performed, planning rehearsals/practices, teaching students correct pitches and rhythms, correcting performance issues, making creative decisions, planning concerts and designing assessments. This model of teaching is not the only choice. During this session, a specific learner-centered pedagogical approach, that features collaborative creativity, will be detailed. Learner-centered educational practices have roots back to John Dewey and Jean Piaget. In this setting, students are tasked with many of the duties traditionally reserved for the teacher. Thirty years of neuroscience, biology and cognitive psychology research findings, on how humans learn, offer one conclusion: It is the one who does the work, who does the learning. Included in the session will be an explanation of the elements that allow students to do the musical work, how to involve students with collaborative creativity, and real world examples. Time will be reserved for questions from attendees.
This presentation will explore the importance of incorporating racial trauma-informed strategies into music education, particularly in the context of popular music. By drawing on the rich cultural histories of Memphis and Chicago—two cities that have been at the forefront of racial integration and musical innovation—this session aims to equip educators with the tools to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.
The rapid evolution of the creative landscape, driven by technological advances and shifting industry dynamics, presents both exciting opportunities and significant challenges for student creators. This session, The Times They Are A-Changin: Future-Proofing Student Creators with Lessons from the Music Industry Past and Present, explores how past industry models, along with the innovations that have reshaped them, offer valuable strategies for students to not only navigate but also thrive in a constantly changing environment. We will discuss how artists, creators, and early disruptors shaped the industry, while exploring the developments of present-day tools and trends in social media, distribution, and direct-to-fan marketing that can help music students prepare for a fast-paced and unpredictable creator economy. Key focus areas will include personal brand development, creative autonomy, and adapting to ever-evolving business models like AI and streaming. This presentation and conversation aims to provide practical insights and actionable strategies to equip young creators with the skills needed to succeed and future-proof their music careers.
Brian Wilkins is a manager, educator, technologist, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the music, education, and technology. Brian has held executive and creative positions at major record labels (Sony Music Entertainment/Sony BMG/Universal Music Group), broadcasting/live... Read More →
Thursday June 5, 2025 2:00pm - 2:10pm CDT Classroom 105 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
Soulsville Strings Electric is a quintet comprised of some of our best string players. They perform various genres of music on an electric string quartet along with electric bass guitar.
The Art of Listening to Songs – Impactful Songwriting examines songs within their historical and social contexts, exploring musical choices that reflect the values and struggles of their eras. The workshop investigates the art of songwriting, especially the delicate balance between the ‘marriage of words and music,’ an essential element in creating songs that resonate emotionally with listeners. It highlights the alignment of melody, harmony, and rhythm with vernacular speech which lends an authentic flavor and feeling to songs that represent the culture and societal movements of their time. The workshop demonstrates how lyrics and music work together to convey deeper meaning. This session features selections from For My People – The Margaret Walker Song Cycle, a contemporary musical adaptation of the poetry of Margaret Walker, a Black poet from Jackson, Mississippi, who gave voice to the African American experience during the civil rights movement. The musical settings in For My People cross boundaries, drawing on popular, contemporary classical, gospel, and blues influences to paint and enhance Walker's poetry. The Art of Listening to Songs offers an immersive exploration into songwriting, guiding songwriters, music students, educators, and musicians on the value of learning to listen deeply to songs. The workshop aims to help creatives elevate their craft by making lyrics come alive to achieve truly impactful songwriting.
composer/pianist/author/educator, Randy Klein Music
Award-winning composer/pianist/author/educator - 4 Emmy - 2 Gold Records. Author: Quickstart Guide To Songwriting. Recordings: Millie Jackson (R&B Hall of Fame), Candi Staton, Lil Kim, Black Sheep, IRT, Savion Glover, Sesame Street. Musicals: Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas... Read More →
Thursday June 5, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT SPAC - Hodges Choral Room3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117
Music has always been the soundtrack to our lives; telling stories and histories of what’s happening, what could happen and how it can get better. Everyone always says “that ain’t nothing but the blues.” The reason is the Blues is the foundation of American music, however it took the UK musicians to reintroduce African-American master musicians and songwriters to white America in the 1960s, formerly known as the “British Invasion.” Many British artists and bands were idolized and paid homage to Delta Blues musicians like Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters and so many more. In his forthcoming documentary film, "Take Me To The River London," GRAMMY and SXSW Award Winner Martin Shore tells this story through a style he has pioneered, The Living Documentary, that incorporates new and original art that evolves during the film providing an interactive experience. By examining these musical traditions and cultures through audio/visual and music activities that bring parts of these cultures to life during the presentation participants will gain an understanding of how these traditions inspired and reminded being able to be carried through to current times, providing a runway to build cultural fluency with a multicultural awareness lens. This will be done with audio and visual from the forthcoming film "Take Me To The River London."
This panel explores the multifaceted approaches to critiquing and developing popular music ensembles, drawing from professional and educational perspectives. Featuring distinguished panelists Boo Mitchell, Grammy-winning producer and owner of Royal Studios in Memphis, and Steven Potaczek, Assistant Professor of Commercial Music at Samford University, the discussion will highlight the intersection of artistry, technical precision, and pedagogy in ensemble performance. The St. George’s Independent School American Music Ensemble (SGIS AME), under the direction of Artist-in-Residence J. Thomas Link, will serve as a live lab ensemble. As the 2022 and 2023 back-to-back DownBeat Student Music Award winners in the Pop/Rock/Blues Ensemble category, SGIS AME specializes in American genres, performing a repertoire that includes classic Memphis soul and contemporary popular music. The ensemble will perform live excerpts, providing a platform for real-time critiques by the panelists. Boo Mitchell will bring insights from the professional recording and performance world, emphasizing artistic interpretation, arrangement, and authenticity. Steven Potaczek will focus on educational methods for fostering student creativity, ensemble cohesion, and technical growth in a school setting. Together, they will provide attendees with practical tools for evaluating and enhancing performance quality in both professional and academic contexts. This session offers a dynamic, hands-on exploration of how professional standards and educational objectives can inform and enrich the critique process, ultimately bridging the gap between industry expectations and classroom realities. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to balance artistry with educational development, empowering musicians to excel across diverse performance environments.
Does theory knowledge still play a vital role in the life and practice of a professional musician? Did it ever, really? In a world where the majority of Pop/Jazz/Commercial musicians are sent reference recordings and YouTube links to prepare for a show, is it necessary to have studied notation, technique, history, traditional nomenclature, etc.? This dilemma is dealt with on a daily basis by thousands of musicians across the country. Does theory help? Can it make a difference? Can you be a professional player and not know anything about music theory? As broad a topic as this is, this 20-minute session will confront this issue to the fullest extent possible. There will be a brief presentation, followed by a discussion, time allowing.
Culturally responsive teaching is thought to connect student’s cultures, languages, and life experiences with what they learn in school. The human brain is wired to make connections between the known and the unknown, and it’s easier for our brains to learn and store information when we have a hook to hang it on. The hook, for most students, is the knowledge they bring into the classroom. Unfortunately, music educators have tended not to recognize what students know about music, and far to seldomly, do they champion student’s prior musical understanding in the classroom. This has been an ongoing issue in traditional ensembles such as band, choir and orchestra, where students encounter “quality” styles of music. These musics tend to be those that the teacher enjoys and values. On the surface it would seem that teachers of popular music classes and ensembles wouldn’t suffer from the same issues. After all, many students have significant understanding of popular musics and enroll in these courses for that reason. However, I suggest that too often popular music teachers bring their traditional ensemble roots with them when teaching popular music ensembles. They fail to allow students to make use of what they know, and as a result miss out on many culturally responsive opportunities. In this session, I will examine issues that limit culturally responsive teaching in popular music courses/ensembles, and I will suggest a strategy that approaches teaching and learning, in these classes, that can result in a deeper level of cultural responsiveness.
ROCK ’N’ ROLL has been the soundtrack of youth rebellion for almost eight decades. It is one of the United States’ most powerful cultural exports to the world. It may seem cliché to say rock ’n’ roll is not just about music, but the moment it gripped a postwar generation of American teenagers, its anthems became words to live by—and future generations would never be the same. Kids questioned the establishment and decided they did not need to follow parental rules and expectations. They stopped accepting the status quo, and their outside-the-box thinking contributed to accelerated technological advancement. Talented Latinx and Indigenous musicians who crossed cultural boundaries played a big role in the rise of rock ’n’ roll, and all that came with it. When I was a teenager in the 1980s in an extremely violent Peru, rock’s metal subgenre provided some of us with shelter, pride, inspiration, and empowerment. It was one type of music that was so loud and powerful that it shielded me from the sounds of the violence going on outside in the streets. More than thirty years later, these musicians are still my heroes. But the tribal essence of Latinx in the metal lifestyle has not been understood properly by social scientists because its story has not yet been told. Latinx and Native American musicians are present at the beginning of some very significant eras of loud rock, and have contributed to rock’s evolution. Generational renewal has kept alive a music to which critics would tend to attribute only shock value, making it a sixty-plus-year sound institution. In a historical sense, metal and punk remain the most extreme cultural variations of rock. I would even venture that just as African Americans have preserved Gospel through various genres, including rock ’n’ roll, Native Americans are protecting some of their traditions using hard rock. Rudy Sarzo and Carlos Cavazo moved metal from underground to mainstream, and gave fuel to metal capitals like San Antonio and Los Angeles. Rock ’n’ roll has attended its own funeral at least four times that I am aware of. And in all those times, what saved the music and kept the flame alive were the loud rockers. The ones with the warrior mentality. Latinx and Native American musicians contributed to the innovation of the time. And I am happy to help tell their story.
Musicians who master the art of being a side musician—those who back prominent artists in high-stakes settings—gain access to unique professional opportunities. At Record High at Prudential Center, we developed an innovative approach to prepare young musicians for such roles. This presentation will spotlight a case study featuring a quartet of high school string players who performed with a well-known country artist on The Today Show. Through targeted workshops, rehearsals, and professional mentorship, we equipped these students with the skills required to thrive in a live performance scenario on national television. Participants will gain insight into how we focused on ensemble cohesion, adaptability, communication with headlining artists, and the professionalism required for fast-paced production environments. A 2-3 minute video will provide a behind-the-scenes look at this journey, showcasing the students' preparation and the on-stage results. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to develop similar programs, engage industry professionals, and create meaningful performance opportunities for their students. Whether you're an educator or program director, this session will inspire you to empower the next generation of versatile, career-ready musicians.
There is a need for music in retirement homes, especially memory units. This presentation offers ideas that APME educators can adapt to encourage students – soloists or combos of any genre of music – to share their music with seniors in a way that brings joy to everyone.
My name is Brian Wansink, and I’m a retired Cornell marketing professor who has published best-selling books and 200-some journal articles. Now, as a later-life musician, I play sax in a Motown band (and in a Grateful Dead band), and I research how popular music can be used to encourage... Read More →
Thursday June 5, 2025 2:30pm - 2:40pm CDT Classroom 105 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
This paper explores codes of conduct co-created by student bands to establish clear expectations and consequences for behaviour within rehearsals. While research literature on band rehearsals has emphasised the importance of respect, shared goals, and efficient time management in successful music ensembles, it has been comparatively silent regarding the implementation of structured frameworks for addressing common band problems such as unpreparedness, time-wasting behaviours, and unresolved conflicts. My research investigated whether implementing structured frameworks, such as codes of conduct, may provide a level of formalisation often lacking in student-led popular music ensembles, potentially leading to more formalised and productive rehearsal environments. To observe students (ages 16-19) co-creating and implementing their own codes of conduct for rehearsals, the year-long study tracked how these codes were created, amended, adapted, and in some cases, ignored throughout the year. Observations and interviews offered insights into the practical challenges, successes, and disappointments of student-led efforts to formalise their rehearsal expectations and conceptions of professionalism. The study also uncovered the impact of these codes on the dynamics of leadership and authority within the bands, examining how student-led agreements influenced decision-making processes and accountability. This presentation offers insights into how popular music bands can create and utilise written agreements over time to cultivate a more professional and productive approach to rehearsals.
Lecturer in Popular Music, LASALLE | University of the Arts Singapore
I am in Singapore working to develop a Popular Music programme at a quickly growing college that will soon become a university. I run the Ensembles & Aural Skills (ear training) modules.My interests are primarily in pedagogy: learning cultures, meaning-making, differences in student/teacher... Read More →
Thursday June 5, 2025 2:30pm - 2:40pm CDT Classroom 101 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
To more deeply engage with our host city of Memphis, we encourage you to visit some of the many music and cultural sites Memphis has to offer. APME has partnered with the following museums to offer a discounted admission rate to our conference attendees. Additionally, these discounts will be offered throughout the week of June 2. These partners include the STAX Museum of American Soul Music, the Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studios, the Smithsonian Rock n' Soul Museum, and the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. Be sure to show your conference badge to receive the discount!
Ticketed event featuring live music and an open bar on the rooftop of the Peabody Hotel, known as "The South's Grand Hotel" and famous for their resident ducks. The rooftop provides a stunning view of downtown Memphis and the Mississippi River. More information soon.
Thursday June 5, 2025 8:00pm - 10:00pm CDT The Peabody Memphis149 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
This presentation builds on Hertzog and Hunter’s (2024) study of jazz programs in higher education to address the many ways that higher music education plays the role of anchor institutions for popular music. As anchors, higher music education’s faculty and students contribute greatly to local music scenes as active creators and participants, and increasingly, the academic study of popular music produces the next generation of consumers and fans. Unlike classical music and jazz, the anchor institution role of colleges and universities is significantly underrealized for popular music. This presentation explores dimensions for building those roles such as the economic, the cultural, and the social. In the economic anchor role, institutions focus on greater employment of popular musicians in faculty and guest roles. The cultural anchor concept highlights the deeper inclusion of popular music into curriculum both for music creators and for all types of students. Finally, in the social role, the institution supports and advocates for popular music culture beyond simply “following the trends”. It is critical that institutions of higher learning view themselves as instruments to nurture culture, especially in their ability to drive equity work in the music industry. This includes equity practices for students, faculty, and communities – all of which are tied to popular music practice. Finally, this presentation includes practices for faculty and administrators to support traditional higher education work (e.g., fundraising) in the context of supporting popular music in institutions.
Interest in modern band is growing among music educators (Dorfman 2020; Powell 2023). In any such emerging subdiscipline, it can be fruitful to locate exemplars of performance and pedagogy for study. This intrinsic case study (Stake 1995) follows the UMass Lowell Album Ensemble, an elective collegiate ensemble dedicated to the live performance of iconic pop and rock albums in their entirety. Each year the group adopts the name of one artist (e.g., “The Peter Gabriel Ensemble”) and performs two complete albums on stage, one at the end of each semester. The purpose of this study is to understand how students and teacher experience the semester-long process of recreating a classic popular music album and to contextualize its learning and artistic outcomes. I explore how idiomatic scoring techniques, rigor toward rock recording artistry, and informal learning processes contribute to students’ musical experiences and development. Data collection methods include observations of rehearsals and performances, semi-structured interviews with faculty and students, an audience exit poll, and analysis of artifacts such as annotated scores and rehearsal recordings. Reflective narratives from participants further illuminate their lived experiences. Data analysis employs categorical aggregation and direct interpretation, producing thick descriptions of the ensemble’s processes while suggesting broader implications for popular music education and performance.
Uncritical habits of mind, institutionalized cultural scripts, and the tools of whiteness contribute to an educational status quo of ‘educational niceness’ that marginalizes culturally and linguistically diverse students. The development of critical consciousness through critical reflection, discourse, inquiry, and action has the power to transform music classrooms by transforming the hearts, minds, and worldviews of the music educators within them. Enacting critical consciousness is characterized by critical reflection, inquiry, discourse, and action involving: (a) critical reflexive work on identity, (b) analysis of power and privilege in macro and micro contexts, and (c) the problematization of taken-for-granted assumptions. McDonough (2009) explained that critically conscious educators demonstrate, quote, “an overall ability to think critically about a variety of issues of power” and embrace “a critical edge in their work.” Kohli et al. (2019) found that “teacher development for critical consciousness must involve cultivating teachers with capacities to recognize, interrogate, and transform injustice.” This session will explore critical consciousness from both a practical and theoretical perspective, guided by the findings of the clinician's autoethnography on critical consciousness in music education. The autoethnographer found three major themes of ‘nice’ dysconsciousness: (a) uncritical habits of mind, (b) institutionalized cultural scripts, and (c) tools of whiteness for maintaining White comfort. Disinvestment from the ‘nice’ White lady identity was a rigorous critically reflexive process that involved: (a) an evolving worldview in which I learned to sit with my own discomfort in order to grow; (b) the deliberate and critically conscious disruption of institutionalized cultural scripts and; (c) resistance to the ideological, emotional, and performative tools of whiteness through enacted critical consciousness.
The Limewires from P.K. Yonge in Gainesville, FL are: Makayla Moss, a senior vocalist and songwriter, is scared of birds, but loves Burgs; Diego Hernandez, a 2nd year guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who has released his first EP; David Demers, vocalist, guitarist, and newbie to the group plays music when not training for ridiculous athletic events; Luke Norcoss, a senior keys & bassist who hates Reeses?!?; Josh Guiterrez, our guitarist who missed his calling with Red Hot Chili Peppers; and Victor Malmgren, an imported Danish drummer who is working on borrowed time.
The ECCS Super Band is composed of Middle and High School students from the Eastern Carver County Schools. This group began as a WIN time activity during the 23-24 school year. Its intent was to open up creative space and perform rock and pop hits found outside of their band, choir, and orchestra repertoire. These high-achieving musicians have participated in regional and state honor bands, choirs, and orchestras and are excited to share their music and energy.
We live in a world of decreasing attention spans where entertainment media increasingly pervades our culture. Our students experience all of the “noise” of social media, tech devices, and other distractions throughout their day. In our classrooms, we are challenged to not only maintain their attention, but to also assure that the material we deliver in real time is retained and thoughtfully contemplated. Perhaps traditional means of presenting learning materials aren’t as useful as they once were. Understanding student expectations of what constitutes “good teaching” is key to an adoption of new practices. One possible approach to consider, especially among music business educators, could involve concepts we already teach. In many ways, what music fans expect from musicians and artists, particularly those that are successful, relate to what they expect from educators. In their performances, these stars have demonstrated how to engage (or not) audiences effectively. How could those practices also be applied in a classroom? Considering student observations and expectations of pedagogical practices, best practices, and current trends within academia, it’s interesting to compare those data to the practices of popular music artists. It might inform development of practices adaptable to classroom instruction. An understanding of how artists perform, how they are marketed, their fan interactions, and even how they create their content, might have application to teaching. Could success as a “rock star” in the music industry relate to a teacher’s success as a “rock star” in the classroom and within their academic environment?
Associate Professor, Music Business Program Director, University of Colorado Denver
Storm Gloor, MBA, is an associate professor and the program director of the Music Business department in the College of Arts and Media at the University of Colorado Denver and an instructor in the Business School as well. He was the recipient of the university’s 2018 Excellence... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:15am CDT Classroom 105 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
What does it mean to practice? We tell our students, “It’s Important “ “It is a requirement for the class” “It is important to the ensemble “ YES…all of these things are true. But when and how do students learn how to do this ? Who teaches them ? How do we engage students in learning that practicing their instrument or voice is more than just a chore or requirement for your class or ensemble. Using narratives from students from my school we will discuss what practicing means to them and the work that our music department is doing to model and encourage engaged practicing!
This session will explain and discuss the results from the first year of implementing The Record Company Game. Session participants will understand The Game Rules, The Rate Sheet, Timeline, Services Rendered Form, The Bank spreadsheet, and see student produced deliverables so they can implement The Game in their classrooms. Created by Barbara Freedman, the game is being played by students in the Greenwich High School Honors Electronic Music Composition & Studio Production classes. The purpose of the game is to give students real life experiences of what it is like to be an artist signed to a record company. Students play the role of the “artist” and be “hired” by the school Record Company for which they will receive a “Signing Bonus”. Students will produce professional level digital deliverables associated with the release of one musical recording (a “single”). Deliverables include the recording, social media posts, press releases, and other marketing tools. Students can earn “money” by doing work for other students the Record Company (Services Rendered). Bonuses and Late Fees may apply and are preset before the game begins according to the Rate Sheet. Prizes will be awarded for the student who engages the most number of students to work for them on their piece, the student who works for the most number of other students on their music, the composition itself, and other prizes that may be determined by the teachers along the course of the game.
Teacher/Adjunct, Greenwich High School/Montclair State U
Named the 2012 TI:ME Music Technology Teacher of the Year, Barbara Freedman has been teaching Electronic Music & Audio Engineering at Greenwich High School in Connecticut since 2001. She is the author of the book “Teaching Music Through Composition: A Curriculum Using Technology... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:15am CDT Classroom 101 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
Musicians and recording engineers have been confronted recently with a “significant increase” (Vanka et.al., 2023) of availability and use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in music production. At their best, AI-powered programs are powerful tools for the creative process. Programs such as the LANDR mastering program, for example, use AI to produce professional grade master mix. However, some fear that AI could supplant creativity through creating a dependency on technology with predefined parameters. While discussing the future of music and sound technologies, Bindi et al. (2023) argued that deep generative models “lack the required intentionality to pursue a true creative act” (p. 6). Stem splitting and sonic isolation are other useful AI tools for recording. The release of Now and Then by The Beatles (2023), for example, may not exist if it were not for these AI powered tools. Additionally, programs such as AIVA use AI to generate music. Regardless of one’s stance on the usefulness of AI in the recording process, it is likely that the use of AI will become even more ubiquitous. Therefore, we must seek to learn what AI-powered programs exist that could be useful in music recording, and work towards the goal of integrating these programs creatively and ethically. In this demonstration, I will discuss the AI-driven programs that are most relevant to music recording, provide current examples of how AI is influencing the popular music recording landscape, and offer suggested best practices for the use of AI in music recording.
The world of copyright, licensing, publishing, and digital music is often confusing or even scary to music educators. "What do I need to know about copyright licenses for the music I teach?" “How do I make my music available to others outside the classroom?” This conversational presentation helps to clarify these questions, highlight available digital resources, and offers self-publishing solutions for music educators, especially if they are arrangers, composers, or songwriters themselves.
Scott Harris offers expertise gained over his two decades in the music publishing business and is currently Head of Education & Self-Publishing at Hal Leonard. Scott holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Commercial Composition & Arranging from Belmont University, and has been a publisher... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:15am CDT SPAC - Hodges Choral Room3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117
At the heart of Hip Hop culture lies the practice of "digging in the crates," a term that refers to the art of exploring old vinyl records to uncover hidden melodies, rhythms, and sounds that can be sampled to create new compositions. This process has been integral to Hip Hop since its inception, as it connects past musical traditions with contemporary innovation. As a beat maker with over 25 years of experience, I’ve spent countless hours sifting through records from a wide variety of genres, discovering rare and often overlooked samples that form the foundation of my beats. Each crate dig is an opportunity to find a new sound or piece of history that can inform and elevate a composition. In this demonstration, participants will have the chance to observe firsthand how a beat maker listens to, chooses, and samples recorded material from vinyl records. They will see the process of identifying the most fitting and unique elements of a track that can be repurposed into something entirely new. Afterward, the audience will witness a condensed version of how these samples are layered, manipulated, and transformed to create a complete Hip Hop beat. By sharing both the music and the deeper insights behind the creative journey of the dig, I hope to provide the audience with a deeper understanding of how a Hip Hop producer listens to and engages with music, emphasizing the artistic value of this distinctive perspective.
Beyond catchy melodies and powerful lyrics, song form plays a vital role in shaping a listener's experience and connection. This presentation will explore the structural blueprints behind some of music’s most successful hits, unpacking the song forms that have captivated audiences across decades. From strophic to AABA to the straightforward verse-chorus patterns to the sometimes unpredictable structures of modern pop, this presentation will dive into how form has evolved—and why, when teaching songwriting, form can be one of the strongest tools to help students both engage with songwriting and write great songs. Song form is more than just a musical framework; it’s a narrative tool that invites listeners into a journey. How does a well-placed bridge or a powerful chorus bring emotional impact? What makes one song structure feel timeless, while another sounds fresh? Using examples from various genres, this presentation will examine the ways in which song form helps listeners make sense of music, guiding their attention, building anticipation, and delivering payoff. This session offers insights and practical approaches to teaching song structure’s influence on the listening experience as well as how to use song form when teaching songwriting.
This session takes a look at popular music and jazz education in Finland. First, I briefly present the history of the Pop & Jazz Conservatory in Helsinki which was one of the first institutions for popular music learning in Northern Europe in 1972. Second, I share an insider’s view of the current education at the Pop & Jazz Conservatory since I am a full-time lecturer at, and former student of, the affiliation. Third, I look into the future as I discuss my pedagogical research (Wahlström 2022), conducted at that institution. Based on my long pedagogical experience, I developed a fresh approach to actualizing student-centered instrumental popular music education. I call this innovative pedagogical design Student-Centered Musical Expertise. Why could this be important to an American and international audience? Finland is traditionally known as a superpower of education (e.g., Economist 2019; OECD 2019). In classical music, it has a long history in organizing cutting-edge education. This shows in the country’s unique system of extra-curricular after-school music schools as well as its free vocational and university studies that are publicly funded. Importantly, this background formed a firm breeding ground for popular music education (PME) when it emerged in the early 1970s and has developed ever since. Consequently, in 50 years’ time PME has spread like wildfire across the country, which has crucially elevated the level of pop musicians. I suggest that this history, current practices, and potential of PME in Finland could inspire educators to keep building the future of PME everywhere.
Electric Guitar Pedagogue, PhD, Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory
Kristian Wahlström, PhD, is an established guitarist and has played professionally for over 20 years in the Finnish music scene. As a freelancer, he has performed live with, e.g., Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks) and Perttu Kivilaakso (Apocalyptica) as well as recorded with Darude among... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT Classroom 113 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
This presentation, led by a K-12 music supervisor and a school administrator, will give an overview the practical steps involved in establishing a new music course within a school district. We will explore the critical initial phase of course conception, from identifying a curricular need to defining specific learning objectives. Next, we will discuss the process of course development, including curriculum design, lesson planning, and material selection. We will emphasize the importance of aligning the course with relevant state and national standards, ensuring that it meets the diverse needs of all students. The presentation will also address the logistical considerations necessary for course implementation. This includes securing necessary approvals from district administrators and acquiring adequate resources and funding. We will share effective strategies for communicating the value of the new course to stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and community members. Finally, we will examine strategies for assessing student learning and evaluating the overall effectiveness of the new course. We will share our own journey of integrating an enhanced music elective into the Computer Science initiative of the SmithTech Lab School.
Osceola Rocks! is a dynamic, student-based band program at Osceola Arts that nurtures young musicians in developing their skills, confidence, and passion for performance. This program provides a creative platform for Osceola students to explore various genres, including rock, pop, and fusion music. With students aged 8-19, Osceola Rocks! emphasizes collaboration, musicianship, and stage presence, fostering a sense of community and artistic growth. Students perform at local events, sharing their talents with the community and inspiring audiences of all ages. Osceola Rocks! celebrates the power of music to unite, educate, and empower the next generation of performers.
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 →
The Zoo Band at Music Box is a group of emerging-professional musicians, composed of middle and high school students. These are students that take instrument, vocal and music production lessons. The group's diverse and expansive contemporary music repertoire of covers and originals speaks to the complete human experience of identity, love, loss, longing, and good times. Music Box musicians meet weekly to learn, write and practice together, under the leadership and guidance of a Music Box Modern Band Educator. The band draws inspiration from past and present music legends, various cultures and music styles, and always seeks to further refine their signature sound, give back to their community, and use their skills and talents for good. The band has been playing together for over 3 years, and has several recorded originals that they also perform.
This research presents a critical examination of the UK Singles Chart (colloquially known as ‘the charts’). The research will consider how the charts present a cultural consensus on what is deemed to be popular and of use-value, the politics of challenging this consensus, as well as how charts influence popular music heritage and an understanding of the past. Charts encapsulate and promote cultural relevance and importance. For chart entries, it creates a historical context away its structural and compositional makeup. The story of the UK Singles Chart spans over 70 years of cultural history, and though the chart has served to reflect and influence popular music and societal shifts throughout this period, its function within popular culture is seldom explored directly in academia. This, arguably, is an unusual occurrence given how charts are crucial in both representing the taste of audiences while perpetually promoting chart entries even further. Though sales and consumption charts are not unique to the UK, the research will also detail how the British public embraced the charts as light entertainment, especially during its formative years, when charts were not just mechanism to present data but a weekly cultural event worthy of attention. 2025 will mark seventy years since ‘Rock Around the Clock’ reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart – the first American rock ‘n’ roll record to grace the UK’s top chart position. Amidst fellow UK chart toppers by adult-orientated singers such as Eddie Calvert, Alma Cogan, and Rosemary Clooney, its chart success symbolized changing times, youth culture disrupting the status quo, with the charts serving to document and further propagate these revolutions.
In a 1959 Esquire article, writer Ralph Ellison stated that “the jam session is…the jazzman’s true academy, ” referring to the legendary jam sessions at Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem during the early 1940s. Ellison explained that at the time, jam sessions were where jazz musicians learned “tradition, group techniques, and style.” Jam sessions have continued to exist since then and have branched out into other styles, like blues, classic rock, and funk, but are now better known as “open jams.” But unlike jazz in the 1940s, musicians can now learn popular music at a school. I have witnessed the powerful transformations that occur during open jams and believe they are fertile ground for musicians to hone their skills and talents. But recently, I have wondered how current popular music pedagogies could benefit from lessons learned at open jams. How do we best connect modern band, open jams, and PME? This presentation will draw on my experiences as a frequent attendee of open jams and as a popular music educator. I will describe where open jams and PME align, where they conflict, and suggest strategies on how they can complement one another to create a better “true academy.”
This presentation shows how hit songwriters and producers create musical focal points or “hooks” in pop songs. Numerous chart hits (spanning 1955 to 2024) will illustrate specific focal point devices, covering all aspects of music, including rhythm, melody, harmony, form, and timbre. Of particular interest is the musical quality of tension and resolution. Tension typically builds at the end of one section (verse or pre-chorus), grabbing the listener’s attention. This highlights the resolution at the beginning of the next section (usually a chorus), helping us remember whatever musical elements or lyrics occur at this point. The presentation starts by discussing short “hook phrases” (both instrumental and vocal), then the larger variety of hooks called “focal points,” starting with simple devices that help highlight or mark the chorus. Following this are five categories of focal point devices — 1. Rhythmic Tension/Resolution devices, including stop time (before chorus or song title phrase), suspension of the main groove, and moving from disjointed to solid rhythm patterns. 2. Harmonic Tension/Resolution devices, including the V to I cadence (verse to chorus), and the avoidance of the I chord. 3. Repetition devices including repetition of a single pitch in the melody, and the repetition of a short melodic phrase. 4. Ascending pitches in the melody. 5. Contrast in melodic contour. The entire presentation can be found on my website learnpoptheory.com. Just see the free sample for my book, "The Art of the Hook," (“Look Inside” button in the middle of the home page).
This session offers music educators an accessible introduction to the contemporary tools and techniques of DJ culture, tailored specifically for elementary and secondary classrooms. Participants will gain practical insights into selecting affordable and effective hardware and software, designing engaging curriculum, and developing assessment strategies that align with educational goals. Beyond the technical, this session situates DJing within a culturally responsive framework, illustrating how it connects to students’ lived experiences and fosters inclusivity. The session also examines how DJing embodies the National Core Arts Standards, with particular attention to the often-overlooked process components of creating and connecting. Educators will explore how to engage students in composing and improvising through DJing, while making connections to cultural contexts and personal expression. Whether you’re new to DJing or looking to expand your teaching toolkit, this session equips you with the knowledge and confidence to bring this vibrant art form into your classroom, inspiring the next generation of creators
Eli Yaroch spearheaded the creation of MusicReach Contemporary, a transformative program designed to provide underprivileged students with access to quality music education. Launched with a $25,000 grant, this initiative expanded the Shalala MusicReach program to include a dedicated contemporary music department. MusicReach Contemporary operates as a two-hour program tailored to foster musical growth and collaboration. In the first hour, students receive personalized lessons in a 2–5:1 student-to-teacher ratio, focusing on voice, guitar, bass, and drums. The teaching team, comprising four instructors, ensures each student receives focused, skill-based training. The second hour transitions into a band session, where students form two bands guided by the program’s administrator and teachers. This collaborative environment encourages creativity, teamwork, and real-world music-making experiences. Under Yaroch’s leadership, the program has grown from serving five students to over 50, providing invaluable musical opportunities to children from underprivileged backgrounds. MusicReach Contemporary not only develops technical and creative skills but also fosters confidence and a sense of belonging among participants. This innovative approach to contemporary music education exemplifies the power of focused, inclusive programming in bridging gaps in access to arts education. By integrating individualized lessons and ensemble-based collaboration, MusicReach Contemporary equips students with the skills and experiences necessary to thrive in music and beyond, setting a new standard for popular music pedagogy in community-based education programs.
Every musician isn't a DJ, but musicians know how a good DJ moves a crowd. This proposal explores how music educators can transfer their skills in selecting music to choosing effective technology tools for the classroom. Music educators are trained to thoughtfully select music that engages students, fosters creativity, and supports educational goals. This same skill set can be applied when choosing technology, ensuring that tools are not only functional but also engaging and pedagogically valuable. The session will focus on three key areas of overlap between music selection and tech tool selection. First, creativity and flexibility: just as music educators select pieces that encourage creativity, tech tools should inspire innovation and critical thinking. Second, engagement: music is chosen to captivate students, and similarly, tech tools should prioritize student engagement, encouraging active participation in the learning process. Finally, educational value: music selection aligns with curricular goals, and the same approach should be used when evaluating tech tools to ensure they contribute to student learning and growth. By drawing parallels between music selection and tech tool selection, educators will gain a deeper understanding of how to make informed, intentional choices when integrating technology into the classroom. This approach will empower educators to select tools that enhance teaching practices, improve student experiences, and align with their educational objectives
SoundScape is Briarcrest Christian School’s premier commercial music ensemble. Founded on Jazz, Rock, Blues and popular music rooted in the rich musical culture of Memphis Tennessee, SoundScape is distinctly cutting edge in its content and approach, and embraces the principal musical movements of our time. Integrating live performance and studio recording, SoundScape performs a variety of musical styles, utilizes relevant technologies, and exposes its members to college and professional opportunities open to today's musician.
Director of Instrumental / Commercial Music, Briarcrest Christian School / The Univ. of Memphis
Michael Parsons, serves as the Director of Instrumental and Commercial Music at Briarcrest Christian School. Michael directs the Briarcrest Symphonic Band, Briarcrest’s commercial music ensembles, SoundScape and 76-South, Studio 73 Record Label and oversees all aspects of Briarcrest’s... Read More →
This session will focus on the transformative power of participatory music-making in fostering social-emotional development, enhancing musical fluency, and embedding culturally and linguistically sustaining practices (CLSP) in the classroom. Designed for educators across disciplines, the session will invite teachers to explore the value of integrating participatory music-making activities into their curricula. Through collaborative, real-time music creation, students can enhance their musical skills, build community, and develop critical thinking and growth mindsets, all while placing creativity and cultural identity at the center of their learning experience. Rather than relying on a traditional, performance-based teaching model, this session advocates for a facilitation-based approach where educators guide students through creative processes, encouraging experimentation, reflection, and personal growth. This shift promotes a student-centered learning environment where students take ownership of their creativity and are empowered to express their cultural and linguistic identities through music-making.
Popular music has transformed the way in which our society has learned about the impact of culture in the lives of Americans. How is popular music celebrated in the halls of our schools and more importantly in music classrooms? This session will highlight the journey of comprehensive infusion of popular music in the K-12 Music Ecosystem. Participants will explore methods to maximize the standards music genres post 1950-Present and embrace culture to support students in becoming arts appreciators. Highlights on the infusion of the ukulele program in Grade 3, explore ways to launch Modern Band and celebrate DJ culture & Hip hop, pop, Salsa, Rock and so much more!
Join us for an insightful journey behind the scenes of a recent #1 hit and discover actionable, innovative methods to bring modern music theory into your classroom. In this dynamic and interactive session, you will engage in a comprehensive, hands-on deconstruction of a recent Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit. Through a series of guided exercises, you’ll use the Hit Songs Deconstructed tools to analyze and visualize the song’s core musical elements—including hooks, melody, lyrics, rhymes, arrangement, and more—uncovering the foundational patterns and techniques that contribute to its success. Along the way, you’ll also explore cutting-edge approaches to teaching “pop theory.” The Hit Songs Deconstructed methodologies and visualization tools offer a fresh perspective on distilling complex music theory concepts into formats that are both accessible and engaging for students. By the end of the session, you will have gained innovative strategies and a practical framework for making music theory more relevant and engaging. Whether you teach songwriting, production, or music theory, these tools and techniques will empower you to help students connect with contemporary music on a deeper level—enhancing their critical listening skills and fostering greater creativity.
In this interactive 45-minute workshop, participants will explore practical and engaging approaches to integrating songwriting into classroom settings. Designed for educators of all musical backgrounds, this session will simplify the process of songwriting, making it accessible, enjoyable, and effective for students of all skill levels. Participants will be guided through key principles of songwriting, including developing ideas, selecting song forms, crafting lyrics, and creating basic chord progressions. The workshop emphasizes collaboration, demonstrating how students can work together to generate creative content quickly and confidently. Attendees will participate in a hands-on experience, collaborating to write several original songs during the session. These activities are designed to reflect real classroom scenarios, providing strategies that attendees can adapt to their unique teaching environments. “Songwriting for Classrooms Simplified” aims to demystify the creative process and empower educators to foster creativity, self-expression, and student engagement in their classrooms. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use tools, step-by-step frameworks, and newfound confidence to introduce songwriting projects that align with curriculum goals and resonate with students’ interests. By the end of the session, participants will have gained practical insights into streamlining the songwriting process and experienced the transformative power of music-making in a collaborative setting. Whether teaching in traditional music programs, modern band settings, or general education classrooms, this workshop will provide strategies for bringing songwriting to life.
The progress of popular music programs in the last decade have been the cornerstone and development of aspiring artists, songwriters, and music business careers. Modern degree programs are reflexive, designed in tandem with current industry trends and practices while incorporating modern academic and performative experiences. At times, this bespoke approach can be isolating, creating a silo whereby students pursuing the more traditional practices of classical or jazz music are unable to collaborate and create with their contemporary/popular peers. Unsurprisingly, the results such a collaboration are innovative and rewarding. Incorporating classical instrumentalists into popular music ensembles at the collegiate level bridges stylistic gaps, fosters musical versatility, and enriches creative collaboration. This presentation explores strategies for effectively blending classical instrumental timbres and textures with the dynamic energy of popular music, providing a new framework for both educators and students. While classically trained musicians often bring technical proficiency, interpretative depth, and unique tonal colors to contemporary ensembles, they may face challenges adapting to improvisation, rhythmically driven styles, and amplified settings. Furthermore, we will examine how classical musicians become involved in the writing and creative process. Conversely, popular music students gain exposure to the nuanced expression and discipline of classical traditions. The presentation examines practical solutions to these challenges, including writing/arranging techniques that blend classical and popular textures, fostering an understanding of diverse music genres, and designing ensemble formats that encourage mutual learning. As director of the Frost School’s Coffeehouse Ensemble, I will use select footage from our most recent showcase to share and discuss the process and journey of recruiting, integrating, and rehearsing a contemporary ensemble comprised of popular singer/songwriters and classical instrumentalists.
It is widely acknowledged that artificial intelligence (AI) is “the most outstanding and strategic technology for the 21st century” (EC, 2018). In music making and education, AI is still in an embryonic state, with both enthusiastic adopters and resistant detractors. However, as educators, it is crucial to understand this new technology and its ramifications for current and future generations of musicians. Dr. Tom Collins and Dr. Raina Murnak received a grant in 2023 to deal with these issues. In this presentation, we will introduce some of the key issues facing both educators, students, and music creators and discuss a project called CHAI (Concerts with Humans and Artificial Intelligence). The CHAI project’s elements include instruction of AI tools, measurements of student self-efficacy and affect, co-created AI composition and performance, research papers on new platforms for co-created music, work with external artists, the creation of a curriculum, and a collegiate ensemble. Our stakeholders consist of differing demographics of musicians including middle and high school, collegiate, and professional. We will give a brief overview of the tools used in this project including stem splitting, voice emulation, beat generation, lyric generation, and text to audio and describe some of the activities with which our cohorts are engaged.
News reports have indicated that the number of hit songs by bands have declined over time. Possible reasons for this are organized into five theoretical areas: a decline in the popularity of rock, technology allowing for solo projects, social media rewarding individuals, financial incentives being better for solo artists, and record labels not being interested in bands. Within these reasons, a portion of the blame has been pointed toward Spotify and their use of algorithms. A data set of the top 20 songs from Billboard’s annual Hot 100 chart for the years 1961 to 2023 was constructed and ordinary least squares was employed to test whether or not this decline in hits by bands had actually occurred. Next, a two sample t-test and the Mann-Whitney test was used to determine whether Spotify could be to blame. It was found that the number of hit songs by bands has had a statistically significant decline over the years included in the study. However, Spotify is not to blame for this decline as the trend began years before Spotify came to the U.S. There is evidence that points to changes in consumer tastes and preferences as the decline in hit songs by bands correlates to an increase in the number of hits made with collaborations, in particular an increase in hip-hop songs utilizing collaborations.
Having evaded majoring in music as an undergrad student at Vassar College due to the exclusion of popular music in the curriculum, I took a roundabout path to becoming a community college music professor only to find myself straddling parallel universes in the form of my open admission community college and the ultra-elite Ivy League through Princeton University’s Community College Faculty Program. In this session I explore how different approaches from disparate institutions can inform our inclusion of popular music education for a variety of students at all levels. The session will speak to this year’s conference theme focused on “History, Culture and Society in Popular Music” by comparing historical and current attitudes towards the inclusion or exclusion of popular music through the lens of my experiences as a student in a suburban New York public school system, at Vassar College and at Princeton, and as a professor at Bergen Community College in New Jersey. I will explore past and present course and content offerings at these institutions and how the philosophies and practices of these institutions affect student participation in music programs and empower or alienate students’ artistic expression and overall appreciation of the role of music in society.
What are the most useful keys and chord progressions a pop student musician should be able to play by ear? Knowing this could accelerate the progress or confidence of young student musicians to play in outside contexts (jam bands, pick-up bands, jam nights, etc.).
My name is Brian Wansink, and I’m a retired Cornell marketing professor who has published best-selling books and 200-some journal articles. Now, as a later-life musician, I play sax in a Motown band (and in a Grateful Dead band), and I research how popular music can be used to encourage... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 2:30pm - 2:40pm CDT Classroom 101 - Legacy Building3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111
This group is a course for students who wish to perform in the University of Pikeville Bluegrass Ensemble. This ensemble is a bluegrass band format and performs at UPike special events, concerts and other off-campus performances throughout the year. Instrumentation includes: upright bass, guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals, and other instruments as needed. Music is selected and arranged by students and is typically based on the instrumentation, make-up of the group, and performance opportunities.
The one constant in the music industry is change. At the university level, a contemporary music industry program requires elements that provide visibility into these dynamics. As music, media, and technology continue to converge, training needs to go beyond preparing students for fields in traditional recorded music environments, but across the industry of the arts. At Monmouth University, we've updated our program to stay in lockstep with this dynamic business. One of those components is Blue Hawk Records, the student-run record label. Blue Hawk Records carries out the functions of a commercial recording company, with students holding all requisite roles and positions inherent in the corporate model. Students are able to capitalize on this specialized experience as they participate in talent scouting, performing and recording, artist management, development, and live music promotion, as well as artwork, packaging, marketing, sales and distribution in all channels. Consequently, students encounter and must scale the types of business decisions, challenges, and protocols inherent in the industry. Such a model requires a hands-on and active management team to form around the mission of producing an album, with all its challenges and benefits. Modes of critical thinking are engaged, as students are required to evaluate the full range of considerations, (both tactical and strategic) that when integrated, culminate in a viable production process, and yield a recording of which all can be proud, and that obtains worldwide visibility, sales, and streams. The student-run record label has released 28 albums since its inception in 2013. As an innovative part of the Music Industry degree program at Monmouth University, Blue Hawk Records offers an immersive and collaborative opportunity for students to obtain real-life experience in the various aspects of a recording business venture. This presentation will discuss the context and rationale for developing the student-run record label initiative, along with the methods, outcomes, and challenges of this flagship university program. Attendees will learn how schools might develop and benefit from establishing a similar program.
This panel assembles a group of music educators, scholars, and practitioners to critically examine the complex landscape of music education, focusing on the critical intersection between traditional academic approaches and popular musical forms. By bringing together diverse perspectives from ethnomusicology, contemporary pedagogy, and performance practice, the panel aims to deconstruct long-standing barriers that have traditionally separated classical and popular music curricula. Participants will delve into the historical contexts that have shaped music education, exploring how institutionalized approaches have often marginalized non-Western and contemporary musical expressions. The discussion will address the evolving nature of musical literacy in a globalized, digitally connected world, where students increasingly engage with hybrid and multicultural musical experiences. The panel will highlight innovative pedagogical strategies that embrace musical diversity, emphasizing collaborative learning, interdisciplinary approaches, and student-centered methodologies. Practical recommendations will be presented for developing inclusive curricula that recognize the value of multiple musical traditions, from classical symphonic works to jazz, rock, electronic, and world music genres. By challenging existing paradigms, this panel seeks to inspire educators to create dynamic, responsive learning environments that reflect the rich complexity of contemporary musical culture.
Director of Instrumental / Commercial Music, Briarcrest Christian School / The Univ. of Memphis
Michael Parsons, serves as the Director of Instrumental and Commercial Music at Briarcrest Christian School. Michael directs the Briarcrest Symphonic Band, Briarcrest’s commercial music ensembles, SoundScape and 76-South, Studio 73 Record Label and oversees all aspects of Briarcrest’s... Read More →
Anyone can be an arranger. Couple aural skills with general musical knowledge, and you can immediately become an arranger or composer. You can increase your value exponentially and go from making standard contractor pay to arranger pay with possible residuals. Arranging, though, is nearly impossible without some functional knowledge of modern harmony, traditional and modern notation, and understanding of musical instrument families. Broad and varied stylistic experience is also crucial. Basically, if you're a musician who can read and who listens a lot, you've got a head start. Let's talk about the other things necessary.
The concept of a co-constructed curriculum, a novel approach that involves collaboration between teachers and students in secondary schools, is gaining traction. This shift is a response to education policies influenced by neoliberal ideologies. Discussions on student voice, agency, equity, and personalised learning are key to fostering inclusive and dynamic learning environments. Our workshop delves into the advantages of amplifying student voices in the classroom and equips you with practical strategies to engage students as active participants in their learning journey.
The workshop is an interactive session grounded in the principles of participatory education and democratic engagement. It provides a framework for understanding student voice initiatives and, importantly, offers a platform to share your experiences and research strategies. This collaborative approach supports the creation of platforms for student expression, involvement, and a sense of belonging.
Key elements of the workshop include:
- Foundations: Understanding the varying roles of student voice within education policy and practice. - Implementation: Strategies for creating platforms for student expression and participatory decision-making processes. - Discussion: Analysing successful models from diverse educational settings that effectively integrate student voices and discuss challenges and solutions.
The aims of this workshop are to: - Understand the theoretical and practical aspects of student voice in education. - Have discussed practical tools and strategies to utilise student voice within their context. - Have networked with other educators and researchers, sharing insights and experiences that can inform future practice.
This workshop is designed for researchers and educators committed to creating responsive, student-centred educational systems.
Music technology and production classes are, thankfully, becoming more prevalent within secondary schools. However, with a more general student population comes a greater need to diversify instruction and curriculum support for students with disabilities and various levels of English language proficiency. Without such supports, the classes that are meant to give students voice, choice, and meaningful musical engagement in their school day will fall short and potentially drive them away from making music in the future. Teachers can include everyone in the learning and making process with a variety of methods including visuals, translated handouts, color-coding, sheltered English immersion, partner work, peer mentoring, community-building, adaptive instruments, creative vocalizing, symbolic notation, fun use of audio effects, individualized projects, choice boards, and more! In this session, educators will be introduced to a wide variety of accessible teaching methods and materials for music technology and production, then collaboratively create materials to suit their specific needs. Educators will also learn how to effectively manage their preparation and in-class time with students to create and use adaptive and accessible materials. As a result of educators developing these skills and resources, their students will be more engaged, learning environments will be more productive and fun, and more students will make music that is meaningful to them.
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.
This research project aims to explore the pedagogical approaches, aims and attitudes of educators within undergraduate popular music education; additionally, this project looks to investigate the influences on these attitudes and approaches, and to explore the ways in which these influences and approaches interface with education policy in curriculum design. The research additionally aims to investigate and provide an up to date, in-depth re-evaluation of the pressures and issues facing educators and higher popular music education (hereafter, HPME) delivery in the UK today, building on the previous work of authors such as Cloonan & Hulstedt (2012). Data was gathered by means of a qualitative study, consisting of semi-structured interviews with educators involved in the teaching of popular music at HE level, each with a variety of experiences teaching in different HE institutions across the UK. Questions pertained to the participants’ pedagogical approach, perceived influences on this approach and key influences on curriculum design choices at both a departmental and institutional level. Preliminary findings highlight educators’ acute awareness of the pervasive economic agenda in which they are operating within in HE; ways in which this agenda often both implicitly and explicitly influences curriculum design and further evidence of the fact that that the existence of courses is increasingly rationalised through a vocational, employability-focussed lens at both an institutional and policy level.
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.
