Skip to content

Contemporary Issues

Jazz, Democracy, & Education: Dr. Wesley Watkins and the Jazz and Democracy Project

Thanks to NPR’s The New & The Next I recently found out about Dr. Wesley Watkins’s work on the Jazz and Democracy project.  According to the project’s website: The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D) uses jazz as a metaphor to bring American democracy to life, enrich the study of U.S. History in elementary, middle, and high school, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their community.  Students explore the importance of Listening, Critical Thinking, Voice, Choice, Preparation, Participation,… Read More »Jazz, Democracy, & Education: Dr. Wesley Watkins and the Jazz and Democracy Project

Reflecting on the present and looking ahead: A response to Shuler

To Cite or Download the Article: Tobias, E. S. (2014). Reflecting on the Present and Looking Ahead: A Response to Shuler. Arts Education Policy Review, 115(1), 26-33. doi: 10.1080/10632913.2014.847356 If you do not have institutional access to Arts Education Policy Review and would like a copy of the article, contact me via email or with a note in the comment section. My article Reflecting on the present and looking ahead: A response to Shuler is now available in Arts Education… Read More »Reflecting on the present and looking ahead: A response to Shuler

Music Education + New Music + NewMusicBox = NewMusicBox Education Week!

As a longtime reader of the online multimedia publication NewMusicBox (from New Music USA), I’m thrilled to contribute to their special focus on Education:  How We Learn Now: Education Week (Sept 23- 27). My article, Inviting Possibilities for New Music and Music Education addresses three key themes: Contemporary pedagogy: shifting from a lecture, direct instruction, teacher-centered approach to one that is more project-based and student-centered Participatory culture: drawing on some of the themes I addressed in my MEJ article Toward… Read More »Music Education + New Music + NewMusicBox = NewMusicBox Education Week!

Upcoming Symposium on Music Teacher Education and “The State(s) of Music Education”

Curious about the latest research and thinking on music education from the perspectives of music teacher educators? Take a look at the schedule for the upcoming Symposium on Music Teacher Education taking place at UNC Greensboro Sept 26-28. The program looks fantastic and is sure to generate a buzz regarding the current state and future of music teacher education along with implications for K-12 music programs. I’m looking forward to presenting with my colleagues Marg Schmidt, Sandy Stauffer, and Jill… Read More »Upcoming Symposium on Music Teacher Education and “The State(s) of Music Education”

Eric Whitacre, participatory culture, and remixing the virtual choir

Music educators can embrace participatory culture and related musical engagement right now by providing students with the opportunity to remix Eric Whitacre’s composition Fly to Paradise, the fourth virtual choir piece. To assist in the remixing process Whitacre’s team made individual tracks of the final master available. Remixes can be listened to on a dedicated Soundcloud group. The process of remixing this music and all of the related discovery, performing, creating, responding, and connecting that occurs could be productive in… Read More »Eric Whitacre, participatory culture, and remixing the virtual choir