About Me

I currently serve as Associate Professor and Director of Music Education at George Mason University.  Prior to joining the faculty at Mason, I was Associate Professor and Coordinator of Graduate Music Education at the University of Oklahoma. Throughout my career, I have (a) taught numerous graduate and undergraduate music education courses; (b) supervised graduate research (dissertations and theses); (c) supervised student teachers in the areas of choral, instrumental, and general music; and (d) organized numerous outreach efforts, which offered high quality laboratory experiences to undergraduate students majoring in music education.  My public school teaching experience is quite extensive and includes a comprehensive background in educational technology. While employed with the Ann Arbor Public Schools, I was able to create an innovative and comprehensive music curriculum in the areas of general and instrumental music.

An active researcher, I specialize in jazz improvisation achievement, self-perception, and performance assessment. My main line of research includes the development of an educational theory pertaining to the teaching and learning of jazz improvisation. The results of these efforts are designed to help jazz educators diagnose the musical imperfections exhibited by beginning improvisers with the intention of creating appropriate solutions. In addition, music educators can utilize these results to develop innovative curricula that can be used effectively to teach the art of jazz improvisation to their students.

My research has been presented at numerous regional, national, and international conferences, and I have articles published in the International Journal of Music Education, Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, and Contributions to Music Education.  I am also a former member of the editorial board for UPDATE: Applications of Research in Music Education.