Electronic Music School: A Contemporary Approach to Teaching Musical Creativity - Paperback

by Will Kuhn (Author), Ethan Hein (Author)

Electronic Music School: A Contemporary Approach to Teaching Musical Creativity is a practical blueprint for teachers wanting to begin teaching music technology to secondary age students. Will Kuhn and Ethan Hein inspire classroom music teachers to expand beyond traditional ensemble-based music education offerings to create a culture of unique creativity and inclusivity at their schools.

Part One offers an overview of the philosophical and institutional aspects of starting a music technology program, with a particular focus on the culture of electronic music surrounding digital music creation tools. Part Two dives deep into curricula for music lab classes, including several lesson examples and techniques. This section also includes abbreviated project plans for teachers who have fewer contact hours with their students. Part Three discusses how music technology courses can grow into a larger media creation program, how such a program can contribute to the broader school culture, and how project-based music learning effectively prepares students for careers in media. Electronic Music School also includes narratives from music technology students themselves, who often have an intuitive understanding of the future directions music technology programs can take.

Author Biography

Will Kuhn is the Department Chair and Music Technology instructor at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Ohio. In 2006, he designed an innovative Music and Media Tech curriculum focused on amateur music production, which now enrolls over 350 students annually. Nationally, he gives clinics and workshops on revitalizing school music programs for the 21st century. His book, Interactive Composition (OUP, 2015, with VJ Manzo), has become a widely used text on Ableton production and he serves as an educational advisor for Ableton's education initiative. He currently serves as the President-Elect of TI: ME (Technology Institute for Music Educators).

Ethan Hein is a Doctoral Fellow in music education at New York University, and an adjunct professor of music technology at NYU and Montclair State University. As a founding member of the NYU Music Experience Design Lab, he has taken a leadership ro le in the development of various technologies for music learning and expression. He has written for publications like NewMusicBox, Slate, and Quartz.