Communities of Singing: A Democratic Approach

BETTY ANNE YOUNKER, Ph.D. (Northwestern University), is an Assistant Professor at The University of Michigan. Previous university posts include The University of Western Ontario and The University of Prince Edward Island. During her tenure at The University of Western Ontario, she was awarded the Pedro Goldman Teaching Award from the Faculty of Music. Public school teaching experiences include nine years in band, choral and general music settings at the elementary and secondary levels while flute teaching experiences have occurred with beginning to university level students. Betty Anne’s research areas include philosophy and pedagogy of music education, and critical and creative thinking. Her writings have been published in a variety of publications including Research in Music Education, Canadian Music Educator, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, and Music Education Research. Her most recent chapter publication, “Critical Thinking” is in the New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning (R. Colwell & C. Richardson, eds., Oxford Press). She has presented papers at multiple conferences including the Second International Research in Music Education Conference, European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music, American Educational Research Association, Music Educators National Conference, the College Music Society, the Canadian University Music Society, and the National Kodály Music Educator’s Conference (Canada). As a musician, Betty Anne is a member of the Vocal Arts Ensemble in Ann Arbor, Michigan, gives recitals in collaboration with a Canadian harpist, and adjudicates and clinics with bands.