Bridging Traditional and Commercial Worlds and Music Together in the Music Theory Classroom

Authors

Jennifer Snodgrass
Pedagogy Arts Collective

Files

Presenter Bio

Jennifer Snodgrass is the academic director in the School of Music at Lipscomb University where she teaches music theory and aural skills to undergraduate music majors enrolled in the classical, commercial, and musical theater programs. Snodgrass has received many awards recognizing her excellence in undergraduate education and has written several textbooks for music theory instruction. She was also named an official finalist for the Grammy Foundation Music Educator Award for her work as a transformative educator bridging the worlds of traditional and innovative education.

Presentation Description

This presentation will focus on several elements of teaching music theory to both traditional and commercial students. Focus will be placed on creative and pedagogically sound assessments, implementation of play and musical experiences, and how to use backwards design to make meaningful learning objectives for musicianship courses. Through my own journey as a classically trained opera singer and music theorist to my current position in Nashville where I interact with commercial writers, producers, and performers on a daily basis, I have developed a true appreciation on how to effectively blend these populations in a meaningful musicianship learning experience.

Post-Session Exercise

• Plan one lesson in which you use one commercial piece and one classical piece to teach a similar topic.
• Discuss why you chose each piece and how each highlighted the musical topic.

Keywords

music theory; assessments

Publication Date

3-25-2024

Campus

Berklee Online

Recommended Citation

Snodgrass, Jennifer and Pedagogy Arts Collective, "Bridging Traditional and Commercial Worlds and Music Together in the Music Theory Classroom" (2024). Pedagogy Arts Collective. 9.
https://remix.berklee.edu/pac/9