APME Memphis 2025: Full Schedule

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.

12:00pm CDT

Exploring the "Ideal Music Room" for Teachers Using PME Methods

Thursday June 5, 2025 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT

Virtual Pop 10!

Vasil (2015) notes that access to conducive physical spaces is a vital consideration for teachers choosing to employ methods associated with PME. In her discussion of ‘utopian’ music education Wright (2019) highlights that the ideal music building for teachers employing PME methods may include access to quality equipment, additional break-out spaces, and soundproofing. However, not all schools are able to provide ideal music spaces, and teachers must negotiate their pedagogical aims within the physical limitations of their environment. This research explores the ways in which physical space informs the teaching practices of seven educators employing PME methods in Victoria, Australia. These educators took part in semi-structured interviews, and were asked to engage with arts based methods during an activity in which they drew their “ideal” music building. These interview transcripts and artworks are analyzed to explore the ways in which the pedagogical aims of educators are aided and/or mediated by the spaces in which they work. Additionally Schmidt’s (2020) concept of policy knowhow is utilized to explore the ways in which these educators have facilitated changes and alterations to physical spaces to aid in their implementation of PME methods. PME is linked to higher levels of engagement (Wilson, 2018) retention ( Jeanneret, 2010) and student cohorts more inclusive of marginalized populations (Byo, 2018; Claus, Beard & Chadwick, 2017). Consequently, exploring ways in which physical spaces may aid or inhibit the implementation of these practices is increasingly necessary as PME advocacy continues to influence the practices of music educators.

Speakers

Rhiannon Simpson

Thursday June 5, 2025 12:00pm - 12:30pm CDT
Virtual Pop 10!

K-12 Education, Virtual Pop 10!

2:10pm CDT

Do Commercial Musicians Still Need Theory?

Thursday June 5, 2025 2:10pm - 2:20pm CDT

Classroom 105 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Matt Tutor

Thursday June 5, 2025 2:10pm - 2:20pm CDT
Classroom 105 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Pop 10!

2:20pm CDT

From Classroom to Center Stage: Preparing Students for Professional Side Musician Roles

Thursday June 5, 2025 2:20pm - 2:30pm CDT

Classroom 105 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Mark Conklin

Thursday June 5, 2025 2:20pm - 2:30pm CDT
Classroom 105 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Pop 10!

10:15am CDT

Reflect, Discuss, Inquire, Act! Critical Consciousness as a Framework for Transformative Music Education

Friday June 6, 2025 10:15am - 10:45am CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Macy Bell

Friday June 6, 2025 10:15am - 10:45am CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Research

10:45am CDT

The Record Company Game: Gamification of Project-Based Learning

Friday June 6, 2025 10:45am - 11:15am CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Barbara Freedman

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 Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Demonstration

11:30am CDT

A New Chord: A How-to Guide for Expanding Course Offerings in Our Schools

Friday June 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 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.

Speakers

Helen Sapieka

Orion Burke

Friday June 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Demonstration

2:00pm CDT

MusicReach Contemporary Method

Friday June 6, 2025 2:00pm - 2:10pm CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Eli Yaroch

Friday June 6, 2025 2:00pm - 2:10pm CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Pop 10!

2:00pm CDT

Bridging the Gap: Hip-Hop Music Education in the Classroom

Friday June 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

SPAC - Hodges Choral Room @ 3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

Hip-Hop is the most listened-to genre worldwide, yet its integration into education remains a challenge. This panel—featuring practitioners, researchers, scholars, and experts—explores innovative ways to implement Hip-Hop Music Education Guidelines, incorporating MCing, Beat-Making, and DJing to foster student engagement, creativity, and culturally responsive learning in music classrooms.

Speakers

Martha Diaz

Carla Becker

Scott Burstein

Friday June 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
SPAC - Hodges Choral Room 3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

K-12 Education, Panel

2:00pm CDT

Songwriting for Classrooms Simplified

Friday June 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

SPAC - Traicoff Music Hall @ 3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

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.

Speakers

Stephen Cox

Friday June 6, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
SPAC - Traicoff Music Hall 3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

K-12 Education, Workshop

3:15pm CDT

Arranging: The Modern-era Skill Set Everyone Should Have

Friday June 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Matt Tutor

Friday June 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Workshop

3:15pm CDT

Student Voice In The Music Classroom

Friday June 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

Classroom 113 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Chris Ricketts

Friday June 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Classroom 113 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Workshop

9:00am CDT

Kids In Charge: Facilitating Student Led Bands

Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am CDT

SPAC - Traicoff Music Hall @ 3800 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.

Speakers

Stephen Cox

Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
SPAC - Traicoff Music Hall 3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

K-12 Education, Demonstration

9:00am CDT

Reaching More Students with Modern Band

Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am CDT

Computer Lab - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Jim Frankel

Sponsors

LearnPopTheory.com

Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
Computer Lab - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Workshop

9:00am CDT

One Chord at a Time

Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Julie Duty

United Sound

Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Workshop

11:30am CDT

Student Perspectives of the Kentucky All-State Elementary Modern Band

Saturday June 7, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

David Dockan

Martina Vasil

Associate Professor, Music Education, University of Kentucky

Martina Vasil, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Music Education and Director of Graduate Studies for the University of Kentucky (UK) School of Music. She directs the summer music education program at UK, which includes training in Modern Band, Orff, and Dalcroze. She teaches... Read More →

Saturday June 7, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Research

11:30am CDT

Teaching Pop Combo : Planning The Year

Saturday June 7, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Classroom 113 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Megan Heer

Saturday June 7, 2025 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Classroom 113 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Demonstration

11:30am CDT

Social Justice in Popular Music

Saturday June 7, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

SPAC - Traicoff Music Hall @ 3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

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.

Speakers

Katrina Hedrick

Saturday June 7, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
SPAC - Traicoff Music Hall 3800 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

K-12 Education, Workshop

2:00pm CDT

Popular Music as a Vehicle for Student Well-Being

Saturday June 7, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 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.

Speakers

Giulianna Conti

Saturday June 7, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Workshop

3:15pm CDT

Identifying and Dismantling Racial Disparities of AI in Music Education

Saturday June 7, 2025 3:15pm - 3:45pm CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Adrian Davis

Adrian Davis, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, is a proud resident of the Minneapolis northside. He is currently the Music and Arts Facilitator for Minneapolis Public Schools. He is also a newly appointed Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Minnesota, and the... Read More →

Saturday June 7, 2025 3:15pm - 3:45pm CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Research

3:45pm CDT

Building a Network of Songwriting Classroom Educators

Saturday June 7, 2025 3:45pm - 4:15pm CDT

Classroom 101 - Legacy Building @ 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

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.

Speakers

Joshua Emanuel

Saturday June 7, 2025 3:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
Classroom 101 - Legacy Building 3775 Central Avenue 129 Music Building Memphis, TN, 38111

K-12 Education, Research

APME Memphis 2025

From $50.00