“Music Technology in the Public School Classroom: Serving Underserved and Non- Traditional Music Students”

This session will serve as an introduction to the public-school music technology classroom. We will investigate current trends, building a program, technologies, pedagogies, and unique educational challenges as we explore the future of music education.

Dr. Chris Costigan proudly serves as the Director of Jazz Studies and Music Technology at Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. He earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Valdosta State University, and the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Saxophone Performance from The University of Georgia. Prior to his appointment at Brookwood, he served as the Director of Instrumental Studies at Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, Georgia. Additionally, Dr. Costigan has taught music/band at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. He is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, North American Saxophone Alliance, Professional Association of Georgia Educators, and Pi Kappa Lambda (UGA Chapter). Dr. Costigan is active as a clinician and performer. He has appeared on numerous jazz and pop recordings and maintains a regular performance schedule.

 “The Brain’s Crescendo: How Music Training Enriches Child Neurocognitive Development  – Evidence from Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Studies”

Join Dr. Assal Habibi, Associate Research Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Music, Brain, and Society at USC, for an online workshop exploring how music training enriches children’s neurocognitive development. Drawing from both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, this session will provide valuable insights into the cognitive and social benefits of music on young minds. The workshop will take place on Tuesday, February 18, 2024, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Ideal for educators, parents, and anyone interested in the impact of music on child development.

Assal Habibi is an Associate Research Professor of Psychology and the Director of the Center for Music, Brain, and Society at the University of Southern California. Her interdisciplinary research explores the impact of the arts, with a particular focus on music, on health and human development. She investigates how innate biological factors and experiential learning shape the development of cognitive, emotional, and social abilities across the lifespan. She has been a principal investigator on several innovative studies, including projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). An expert in electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods, her work extensively employs longitudinal and cross-sectional models to examine the effects of integrating music-based activities into school curricula and elder care, especially for those from underserved communities. Her research not only highlights the essential role of the arts in education but also explores the therapeutic potential of music for individuals across different age

 “Collective Applause in the Symphonic Concert Hall: How and Why do People Clap?“

Applause gestures such as clapping, standing ovations, and loud vocalizations are ubiquitous in Western concert culture. Perhaps so much so that we sometimes entirely forget to question these strange, ritualistic displays of enthusiasm occurring in response to demonstrations of impressive skills during large social gatherings. Even so, not every applause is the same. Rich anecdotes describe how different folks have expressed their enthusiasm in very different ways during different historical times and different cultural contexts. So why do people clap in the first place? And what underlies the vast diversity of applause behaviors? In this talk, I will present plans for a large research project funded to tackle these questions in 2025–2029. I will also share new findings on some intriguing contrasts in the applause habits of symphonic concert audiences in Northern and Southern Europe.

Niels Chr. Hansen (PhD, MSc, MMus) is an Associate Professor of Music Theory, History, and Analysis at The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus, Denmark, and Postdoctoral Fellow at Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body, & Brain, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. He is Vice-President of European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music (ESCOM), Editor-in-Chief of Empirical Musicology Review, and co-founder of the global MUSICOVID research network.

“Culturally Responsive Teaching with Popular Music and Media”

Have you ever wondered how to bring the music your students prefer into the classroom and why this might be important? Join me in examining the connection between popular music/media and culturally responsive teaching—using students’ customs, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives to provide better instruction. Learn how lessons with popular music and media can go beyond what is being taught to how things are taught in music classrooms. Learn how to create your own materials to authentically connect with students and help them learn.

Martina Vasil, PhD, is an associate professor of music education at the University of Kentucky, where she teaches courses in elementary music, modern band, Orff, and qualitative research. Previously, Dr. Vasil taught K–8 general music and 4–8 band and strings for seven years in Pennsylvania, working in a variety of settings. While at UK, she taught preK–6 music at Lexington Montessori School for seven years. Dr. Vasil’s research on popular music and Orff Schulwerk has been widely published. She holds degrees from West Virginia University and Eastman School of Music. Follow her on Instagram: @musicwithdrv