RESEARCH
Book:
How to Release Music:
A Guide for Educators, Mentors & Artists
Oxford University Press
Coming early 2025
Chapter in the book:
Teaching Instrumental Music: Concert Hall to Rock Stage
Popular Music Vocal technique for solo & ensemble
Coming 2023
Chapter in the book:
Commercial and Popular Music in Higher Education: Expanding Notions of Musicianship and Pedagogy in Contemporary Education
The Popular Music Vocal Studio:
Considerations for Creating an Effective Curriculum
Abstract
As higher popular music education (HPME) programs continue to make their way into academia, it is important to consider the different skills and knowledge that the vocalists moving through these programs will need. Due to the diverse amount of skills sets, creativity, needs and repertoire, these studios are not a one size fit all. In addition, students need to have more autonomy over their learning outcomes, creative process and direction. Also important is the awareness that the teacher in these spaces is more of a facilitator of knowledge – a guide and mentor helping the student discover their own path. This chapter will explore these considerations, offer ideas and resources for working in these spaces, examine how working with students within these spaces is necessarily different but can provide myriad new ways towards artistic expression, and provide possible aspects to include in the creation of a holistic curriculum for popular music voice studios within a larger HPME program.
Available for purchase here
Chapter in the book:
General Music: Dimensions of Practice
Demystifying Songwriting
Abstract
Writing songs is an essential first step in learning how to teach songwriting. Assuming that some educators have limited experience in songwriting, this chapter will guide music teachers through a framework for learning and teaching song- writing. All the pedagogical ideas in this chapter are meant to be applied with students who have already acquired the ability to read and write in a given language. The ideas presented are meant to inspire but they can also be used as is or combined with other ideas, adapted for different age groups, learning needs, and diverse backgrounds.
Available for purchase here
Chapter in the book:
Action Based Approaches in Popular Music Education
working with repertoire in large PME
Stephen Holley, Kat Reinhert & Zack Moir, Editors
ABSTRACT
Often, due to budget, faculty, curriculum and space, students are placed into large ensembles (25+) within school and university settings. While it’s great for student to teacher ratios, in popular music settings, the idea of having 25 students in an ensemble is not only daunting, it can seem like a losing battle with authenticity. Many teachers often choose to run the ensemble like a large orchestra because it feels familiar and they are able to maintain ‘control’ in a formal learning environment. However, this is neither authentic to the popular music experience as a whole (Hess, 2019; Cremata, 2019, Green, 2006), nor does it develop any of the skills popular musicians need (Lebler, 2006; Holley, DATE; Reinhert, 2018; Hess, 2019; Smith – success one). This chapter will offer an alternative approach that a) allows for informal, formal and non-formal learning modalities, b) employs scaffolded learning and c) allows for student autonomy and creativity, and d) helps students learn basic musicianship skills such as talking down a song, communicating in real time with band members, and responding and engaging with feedback from peers and experts.
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AS E-BOOK HERE
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AS PAPERBACK HERE
Book
Songwriting for Music Educators
F-Flat Books
Available for Purchase as Downloadable PDF Here
Chapter in the book:
Bloomsbury Handbook of Popular Music Education:
Singers in the Academy: Training the Popular Music Vocalist
ABSTRACT:
Many vocal pedagogues believe it is necessary to train all contemporary vocalists in a similar way – that they should all be able to ‘belt’, sing softly, ‘shift gears’ from one genre to another, and be skilled in multiple styles of singing simultaneously (LeBorgne & Rosenberg, 2014). For some singers, this is certainly a goal, and they may have the biology and drive to learn these skills. However, in this chapter, I offer an alternative – that we work with vocalists based on who they are and what they wish to achieve with their artistry. This chapter explores a brief historical overview of vocal pedagogy, proposes five categories of popular music vocalists, discusses general musicianship skills for these vocalists, and suggests ways in which these skills and this knowledge can be provided within a higher popular music education (HPME) performance program and popular music voice curriculum.
available for purchase here
article in Journal for popular Music education
lyric approaches to songwriting in the classroom
ABSTRACT:
Songwriting involves an understanding of form, structure, rhythm, harmony, melody, accompaniment, arrangement, and the propinquity of the lyric with all these elements propel a song into existence. Geared towards secondary and college settings, this article offers that starting the songwriting process lyric creation is an engaging alternative to starting with more harmonic and melodic based approaches. Group activities and teamwork can allow for a more broadly engaged class or ensemble, and has implications for parallel use in core academic areas such as English or Writing. Through discussing structure, forms, limiting and the creative process, this article will explore three lyric centered approaches to songwriting that can jump start lyric and song creation in a solo, ensemble or class setting.
available for purchase or download here
Doctoral dissertation
Developing Popular Music Programs in Higher Education: Exploring Possibilities
ABSTRACT:
Popular music programs continue to expand into higher education in the United States. By examining the who, what, when, where, how, and why of existing higher education popular music programs, information for future development and assessment can be provided. This qualitative multiple case study explored the creation, implementation and operation of two popular music performance programs in higher education in the United States: The Musicianship, Artistry Development and Entrepreneurship (MADE) Music Program at The University of Miami, Frost School of Music, and the Bachelor of Popular Music Program at The University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music. This study examined the curriculum, interactions, leadership, pedagogies, resources, perceived value and successes of these programs. Adding to the larger discussion of popular music in higher education, this study provides insights, ideas and resources for those institutions and individuals already operating or contemplating the development and implementation of popular music programs within higher education settings.
Download PDF
Chapter in the book:
The Voice Teacher’s Cookbook
Creating the Template: Guiding Songwriters in the Application of Vocal Technique to Address Artistic Choices and Sonic Expression in their Original Music
ABSTRACT:
When working with songwriters who are taking voice lessons and bringing in their original material, there is no template from which to work. They are the composer and the performer. There may be an idea of attitude of what the songwriter wants the song to emote, and there is certainly emotion behind the creation of the work, however, there is often a disconnect between what the emotion and lyrics imply and what is portrayed in performance. One way to help songwriters discover how to portray these emotions and lyrics effectively is by connecting vocal technique to sonic and emotional expression.