Teaching Music Theory: New voices and approaches

324 Pages·2020·20.803 MB·English

by  Jennifer Snodgrass

Teaching Music Theory
Teaching Music Theory
New Voices and Approaches
JENNIFER SNODGRASS
1
3
Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers
the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education
by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University
Press in the UK and certain other countries.
Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.
© Oxford University Press 2020
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the
prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted
by law, by license, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reproduction
rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the
above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the
address above.
You must not circulate this work in any other form
and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Snodgrass, Jennifer, author.
Title: Teaching music theory : new voices and approaches / Jennifer Snodgrass.
Description: New York : Oxford University Press, 2020. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019056812 (print) | LCCN 2019056813 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780190879945 (hardback) | ISBN 9780190879952 (paperback) |
ISBN 9780190879976 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Music theory—Instruction and study.
Classification: LCC MT6. S6748 T43 2929 (print) | LCC MT6. S6748 (ebook) |
DDC 781. 071—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019056812
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019056813
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Paperback printed by LSC Communications, United States of America
Hardback printed by Bridgeport National Bindery, Inc., United States of America
Preface
Introduction
In the past 20 years, the study of music theory pedagogy has become more
relevant in our daily lives as music theorists in the classroom. Faculty and
pedagogues are working to find new and innovative ways to teach concepts
and are eager to present and disseminate information to both their students
and colleagues using some of the new ideals presented in music theory peda-
gogy research. Based on the topics presented at the most recent Pedagogy into
Practice conferences and articles found in publications such as the Journal of
Music Theory Pedagogy and Engaging Students: Essays in Music Pedagogy, the
time for dialogue regarding new philosophies, teaching approaches, and cur-
ricula is now. Teaching Music Theory: New Voices and Approaches seeks to con-
tinue that dialogue with a comprehensive text highlighting general approaches
in teaching both music theory and aural skills, including topics in curriculum,
assessment, classroom environment, and other points of relevance such as un-
dergraduate research and professional development for the graduate student.
Effective Teaching Project
I was a fairly new professor when I first read Ken Bain’s book What the Best
College Teachers Do. The book transformed my approach to the classroom, and
it was this text, more than any other, that inspired me to think deeply about
my pedagogical goals as a music theorist. And while Bain’s book helped me to
develop some of my general teaching approaches in the classroom, I was eager
to learn more about how others were teaching within my own discipline. After
20 years of teaching at the university level, I noticed I had more questions than
answers. I decided to follow in Bain’s footsteps in order to better understand
what effective teachers of music theory and aural skills are accomplishing in
their classrooms to inspire their students in a meaningful way.
That decision led to the project that serves as the first premise for this text,
an overview of classroom approaches and pedagogical philosophies of some
x Preface
highly effective teachers in our field. During the initial stages of my research,
I sent out letters to 200 instructors of music theory, representing a wide va-
riety of physical locations, school types, and faculty ranks. I chose teachers who
were dedicated to the field of theory pedagogy and who had contributed schol-
arship in journals such as the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy or Engaging
Students: Essays in Music Pedagogy. I also reached out to instructors who
presented successful pedagogy sessions at the Society for Music Theory, the
College Music Society, or the Pedagogy into Practice conferences. I sought out
teachers who had won prestigious teaching awards at their university or were
quarter-fi nalists for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Finally, and maybe
most important, I reached out to instructors who I knew were making a differ-
ence in their classrooms based on conversations with alumni.
It is important to note that many effective theory instructors and, in fact,
award-w inning professors, were not contacted to participate in this initial
study, and no one instructor was left out intentionally. Several instructors
who are pioneers in the field of theory pedagogy are not represented in this
portion of the project, and I have purposely cited their work both in the text
and in the bibliography.
Of those 200 instructors who received a letter, 135 responded to a survey
that sought to highlight individuals’ thoughts on content, student success, and
general teaching practices. A copy of the survey and the initial letter can be
found in the appendix of this text. Based on these responses, I chose approx-
imately 90 instructors to highlight as effective teachers. I spent 2 years trav-
eling to 17 states in order to watch over 60 of these accomplished instructors
in their element, and in many cases I was able to interact with the students as
well. Unlike Ken Bain, who observed some of his “best teachers” for a semester
or more, I was only able to attend one or two class periods, so the commen-
tary presented in this text represents a snapshot of the classroom environ-
ment and approach. In some cases, I contacted specific instructors because
I wanted to see them teach a certain topic, such as aural skills in a popular
music course or counterpoint in a conservatory environment. But, overall,
I was more interested in seeing general teaching approaches, and the topic
taught by each teacher was merely the unit planned for the day I could visit.
For a few instructors involved in this portion of the project, I was unable to see
them teach in real time, but I was able to interview them in person in order to
expand on their responses to the survey. In many of these conversations, the
topic of curriculum came to the forefront; based on input from these effective
instructors, I decided to also include syllabi, course and degree outlines, and
overall curriculum at several institutions within the text. It is my hope that
Preface xi
these materials will prove to be helpful for those just beginning a career in
music theory or those at institutions currently involved in conversations and
dialogue regarding curriculum change. As my observations began, I chose to
focus only on topics taught in the traditional undergraduate core, so this text
is not meant to speak to the pedagogical approaches and practices of all topics
taught in undergraduate and graduate classrooms, nor does the absence of
these topics indicate a lack of importance in content.
Project Participants
The result of the initial search, including those who responded and were
chosen, led me to a relatively well-b alanced list representing teachers in a
variety of settings. It was crucial to me that participants in this project repre-
sent teachers at all levels (Advanced Placement, 2- year community colleges,
4- year state colleges and universities, private universities, and conservatories
of music). From those just embarking on a career in our profession, to the
most seasoned instructor, to the high school teachers who prepare students
for the university classroom, I believe that the opportunity to connect with
the effective practices of our field can be a launching point for affirmation of
teaching philosophy and methodology.
The following list includes the teachers represented in this text, whether
through an on-s ite observation, in conversation, or in survey responses:
High School Theory Instructors
Alex Alberti Longleaf School of the Arts (North
Carolina)
Heather Copley Apex High School (North Carolina)
David Anthony Dehner Monte Vista Christian School
(California)
Sarah Harrison Cherry Creek High School (Colorado)
Steve Holley Kent Denver High School (Colorado)
Don Emmons Littleton High School (Colorado)
Kenneth Bedwell St. James High School (South Carolina)
Matt Carraher Central Dauphin High School
(Pennsylvania)
Deana Graham Ripley High School (Tennessee)
Peter Holsberg Berkely Carroll School (New York)
Aaron Kohen Calabasas High School (California)
xii Preface
Nick Little Campbell County High School
(Kentucky)
Melissa Livings J.J. Pearce High School (Texas)
Erik Lynch Verona High School (New Jersey)
Cory Neville Quaker Valley High School
(Pennsylvania)
Greg Priest Aiken High School (South Carolina)
Phillip Riggs North Carolina School for Science and
Math (North Carolina)
A. J. Roberts Dorsey High/L assalette K-8 (California)
Dina Rosas Atlanta International School (Georgia)
Kyle Rupley Cherokee Trail High School (Colorado)
Peter Sampson Whiteland Community High School
(Indiana)
Akira Sato Plano West High School (Texas)
Robert Stahly Longmont High School (Colorado)
Neil Swapp New Mexico School for the Arts (New
Mexico)
Josh Torres Center Grove High School (Indiana)
Rebecca Wade- Chung Atlanta International School (Georgia)
Tyler Wigglesworth West Covina High School (California)
Community College/ 2- Year Institutions
Nathan Baker Casper College (Wyoming)
Patricia Burt Harford Community College (Maryland)
Liberal Arts/ Private Colleges/ Private Universities
Claire Boge Miami University of Ohio (Ohio)
Juan Chattah University of Miami (Florida)
Craig Cummings Ithaca College (New York)
Richard England Freed- Hardeman University (Tennessee)
Christina Fuhrmann Baldwin- Wallace University (Ohio)
Jeffrey Gillespie Butler University (Indiana)
Richard Hoffman Belmont University (Tennessee)
Tim Johnson Ithaca College (New York)
Jeff Lovell Lebanon Valley College (Pennsylvania)
David McKay Belmont University (Tennessee)
Elizabeth Medina- Gray Ithaca College (New York)
Preface xiii
Jana Millar Baylor University (Texas)
Cora Palfy Elon University (North Carolina)
Crystal Peebles Ithaca College (New York)
Deborah Rifkin Ithaca College (New York)
Barbara Wallace Dallas Baptist University (Texas)
Jennifer Weaver Dallas Baptist University (Texas)
John White Ithaca College (New York)
4- Year State Institutions (Teaching Intensive)
Travis Alford East Carolina University (North
Carolina)
Sara Bakker Utah State University (Utah)
Poundie Burstein CUNY– Hunter College (New York)
Amy Carr- Richardson East Carolina University (North
Carolina)
Tim Chenette Utah State University (Utah)
Stacey Davis University of Texas, San Antonio (Texas)
Cynthia Gonzales Texas State University, San Marcos
(Texas)
William Harbinson Appalachian State University (North
Carolina)
Melissa Hoag Oakland University (Michigan)
Thomas Huener East Carolina University (North
Carolina)
Edward Jacobs East Carolina University (North
Carolina)
Frank Martignetti University of Bridgeport (Connecticut)
Greg McCandless Appalachian State University (North
Carolina)
Rachel Mitchell University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley
(Texas)
Michael Oravitz Northern Colorado University
(Colorado)
Carissa Reddick Northern Colorado University
(Colorado)
Mark Richardson East Carolina University (North
Carolina)
Jena Root Youngstown State University (Ohio)
xiv Preface
Mark Taggart East Carolina University (North
Carolina)
Gene Trantham Bowling Green State University (Ohio)
Lori Wacker East Carolina University (North
Carolina)
4- Year Institutions (Research Intensive)
Janet Bourne University of California, Santa Barbara
(California)
Patricia Burt University of Delaware (Delaware)
Michael Callahan Michigan State University (Michigan)
Philip Duker University of Delaware (Delaware)
Rebecca Jemian University of Louisville (Kentucky)
J. Daniel Jenkins University of South Carolina, Columbia
(South Carolina)
Stan Kleppinger University of Nebraska, Lincoln
(Nebraska)
Benjamin Levy University of California, Santa Barbara
(California)
Sarah Marlowe New York University (New York)
David Marvel University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)
Meghan Naxer Oregon State University (Oregon)
David Paul University of California, Santa Barbara
(California)
Susan Piagentini Northwestern University (Illinois)
Nancy Rogers Florida State University (Florida)
Jennifer Shafer University of Delaware (Delaware)
Gordon Sly Michigan State University (Michigan)
Daniel Stevens University of Delaware (Delaware)
Cara Stroud Michigan State University (Michigan)
Leigh VanHandel Michigan State University (Michigan)
Conservatories
Charlene Baughan Romano Shenandoah Conservatory (Virginia)
Steven Laitz The Juilliard School (New York)
William Marvin Eastman School of Music (New York)
Jan Miyake Oberlin College and Conservatory
(Ohio)