Joseph Abramo

Associate Professor of Music Education

Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI)

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Title:

Associate Professor of Music Education

Academic Degrees:

Doctor of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
Master of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
Master of Music, Music Theory, Michigan State University
Master of Music, Music Performance, Michigan State University
Bachelor of Music, Music Education, Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam

Areas of Expertise:

Music Education

Qualitative Research

Social Justice and Equity

Biography:

Joseph Abramo, Ed. D. is an Associate Professor of Music Education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, where he teaches undergraduate courses in instrumental methods and graduate courses in the theoretical foundations of music education and popular music and informal learning, and supervises student teachers. His areas of research include equity in music education, music teacher preparation, and popular music.

Dr. Abramo has published over 35 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and books. He is the co-author of the book Music Teacher Evaluation: A Guide for Teachers in the U.S. published by Oxford University Press. His articles include publications in Music Educators Journal; The Journal of Research in Music Education; The Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education; Music Education Research; The Philosophy of Music Education Review; Research Studies in Music Education; The Journal of Music Teacher Education; Action, Criticism, Theory in Music Education; Arts Education Policy Review; The Journal of Popular Music Education; Music Education Research International; Qualitative Research in Music Education; and Vision of Research in Music Education. He has also presented at various international, national, and regional conferences.

Dr. Abramo currently serves on the National Association for Music Education’s (NAfME) Equity Board. He is also co-chair of the Connecticut Music Educators Association’s (CMEA) Equity and Advocacy Committee. He is also a Past Chair of the Philosophy Special Research Interest Group of the National Association for Music Education and served as an early reviewer for the new national standards in music. He served on the State Education Department’s Arts Leadership Team, charged with adoption of new arts standards for the state of Connecticut. He also served as a co-chair of Gender Research in Music Education (GRIME) and a co-editor of its on-line, peer-reviewed journal Gender, Education, Music, Society.

Dr. Abramo is Senior Editor of Visions of Research in Music Education. He is serving or has served on the editorial boards and committees of Music Educators Journal; The Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education; Journal of Music Teacher Education; Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education; Visions of Research in Music; and Journal of Popular Music Education.  He holds degrees from Teachers College of Columbia University, Michigan State University, and the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. He previously served as an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York.

Dr. Abramo records electronic music under the pseudonym Lords of Sounds and Lesser Things. 

Selected Publications:

Books

Bernard, C. F., & Abramo, J. M. (2019). Music teacher evaluation: A guide for music teachers in the U.S. New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press.

Peer-Reviewed Articles and Chapters

Abramo, J. M. (2022). Who’s aloud* to have fun?: On covers and identity crossing. Journal of Popular Music Education, 6(3), 329–348. https://doi.org/10.1386/jpme_00095_1

Abramo, J. M., (2021). Whence culture and epistemology?: Dialectical materialism and music education. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 29(2), 155-173. doi:10.2979/philmusieducrevi.29.2.03

Abramo, J. M., & Bernard, C. F. (2020). Barriers to access and university schools of music: A collective case study of urban high school students of color and their teachers. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 227, 7-26.

Abramo, J. M. (2020). The ‘Social Justice Plot’ in learning, consuming, and (re)creating music on social media. Journal of Popular Music Education, 4(2), 193-210.

Abramo, J. M., & Abramo, M. N. (2020). Reexamining “gifted and talented” in music education. Music Educators Journal, 106(3), 38-46 doi:10.1177/0027432119895304

Abramo, J. M., & Coates, D. M. (2019). “Nothing without Joy”: A High School Chorus Teacher’s Use of Aphorisms to Create Identity, Told in Sonata Form. Qualitative Research in Music Education, 1(1), 29-57.

Abramo, J. M., & Campbell, M. R. (2019). What Preservice Music Teachers Say about Educative Mentoring Before Student Teaching. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 219, 7-26.

Campbell, M. R., & Abramo, J. M. (2018). What cooperating music teachers say about educative mentoring: A focus study research project. Research Studies in Music Education, online ahead of print. doi:10.1177/1321103X18773106

Abramo, J. M., & Tan, L. (2017). A cross-cultural interview study of Singapore and US general music teachers’ “pedagogical creativity.” Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 214, 41-61.

Abramo, J. M. (2017). The phantasmagoria of competition in school ensembles. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 25(2), 150-170.doi:10.2979/philmusieducrevi.25.2.04

Abramo, J. M. (2016). #MarchOnRome: Of alterity, (social) media, and marching bands. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education, 15(3), 113-131 doi: 1545-4517.

Abramo, J. M. (2016). The development of “core practices” in music teacher education methods courses. Visions of Research in Music Education, 27, 1-24. doi: 1968-2065

Abramo, J. M., & Campbell, M. R. (2016). Four notions on the qualities of cooperating music teachers. Arts Education Policy Review, 117(2), 117-129. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10632913.2015.1051257

Abramo, J. M. (2015). Learning to teach music in the context of high-needs schools in a post-student teaching internship. Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, 206, 41-59. doi:10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.206.0041

Abramo, J. M. (2015). Gifted students with disabilities: “Twice exceptionality” in the music classroom. Music Educators Journal, 101(4), 62-69. DOI: 10.1177/0027432115571367

Abramo, J. M. (2015). Negotiating gender, popular culture, and social justice in music education. In P. Schmidt, C. Benedict, G. Spruce, & P. Woodford (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of music education and social justice. New York, NY: Oxford.

Abramo, J. M. (2014). Application of sound studies to qualitative research in music education. In C. Randles (Ed.), Music education: Navigating the future (pp. 271-291). New York, NY: Routledge.

Abramo, J. M., & Reynolds, A. (2015). ‘Pedagogical creativity’ as a framework for music teacher education. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 25(1), 37-51. DOI: 10.1177/1057083714543744

Abramo, J. M. (2014). Music education that resonates: An epistemology and pedagogy of sound. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 22, 78-95.

Abramo, J. M., & Austin, S. C. (2014). The trumpet metaphor: A narrative of a teacher’s mid-career pedagogical change from formal to informal learning practices. Research Studies in Music Education 36(1) 57–73.

Abramo, J. M., & Pierce, A. E. (2013) An ethnographic case study of music learning at a school for the blind. Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, 195, 9-24.

Abramo, J. M. (2012). Disability in the classroom: Current trends and impacts upon music education. Music Educators Journal, 99(1), 39-45.

Abramo, J. (2011). Queering informal pedagogy: Sexuality and popular music in the schools. Music Education Research, 13(4), 447-459.

Abramo, J. (2011). Gender differences in the popular music compositions of high school students. Music Education Research International.

Abramo, J. M. (2011). Gender differences of popular music production in secondary schools. Journal of Research in Music Education, 59(1) 21-43.

Abramo, J. (2010) Popular music and the guitar classroom. In A. Clements (Ed.) Alternative approaches in music education: Case studies from the field (pp. 15-28). Reston, Va: MENC: the National Association for Music Education.

FUNDED RESEARCH:

Bernard, C. F. & Abramo, J. M. (2018). Diversifying Music Educators: Creating Frameworks and Best Practices for Recruiting and Retaining Urban and Rural Students and Students of Color. National Association for Music Education’s Research Projects on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Music Education    ($9,999).

Bernard, C. F. & Abramo, J. M. (2017). Diversifying Music Educators: Creating Frameworks and Best Practices for Recruiting and Retaining Urban Students and Students of Color. Funded by the Dean’s Research Incentive Award, Neag School of Education ($4,334).

Honors/Awards:

Outstanding Emerging Researcher Award

Curriculum Vita