Colloquium Series: Events & Speakers: 2023-2024

Which Pitch Fits? Natural Singing Range and Key of Elementary School-Age Students
Presented by Jami Bolton

Abstract
Students in music classes are assessed by their teacher on a variety of music-making skills or abilities. Often, when students are asked to sing for an assessment, the teacher chooses the song and establishes the key. An area in need of investigation is the natural range, tonal center, and key of children’s singing when this is not established for them by the teacher. This study will be conducted by asking children ages 3-11 to sing a song that they know from a small selection of choices. The natural singing range and the key in which the children sing will be examined. How well the children maintain the tonal center and accurately sing pitches will also be examined. Data for this study will be collected through audio-only recordings, researcher field notes, and an online form to collect demographic data. Audio recording data will be analyzed using Praat software.

Biography
Jami Bolton taught band and orchestra in the Alexandria City Public Schools in Alexandria, Virginia from 2002-2012. She taught band at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India from 2012-2022. Ms. Bolton holds an Associate of Arts and Sciences in Music degree from Ricks College (1997), a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Brigham Young University (2002), and a Master of Music in French Horn Performance from The Catholic University of America (2005). She is currently a full-time doctoral student at Kent State University. Her research interests lie at the crossroads of music education and ethnomusicology.

Why Use Movement in Elementary Music Classrooms? A Review of Literature
Presented by Kristine Krejsa

Abstract
There is a Montesori quote that states, “it is impossible to educate the mind without involving the body. Learning is thinking and movement integrated.” Using movement to aid in teaching a concept is a natural way of learning for elementary age students. When the movement is purposeful, students can relate the concept to knowledge they already have and, therefore, can thoroughly understand and commit the concept to their long term memory. The purpose of this review of literature is to explain why movement in the elementary classroom is important, show how movement can be used to teach a concept, and also give reasons why some educators do not use movement in their classrooms. Research articles, journal articles, and book chapters were reviewed to come to the conclusion that movement has a positive impact on elementary students when it comes to retaining content knowledge. This investigation reveals the need for more research in upper elementary, middle, and high school settings when it comes to using movement in the classroom to teach concepts.

Biography
Kristine Krejsa is the elementary music director at Copopa Elementary School where she teaches kindergarten through fourth grade general music. She started teaching in the Columbia Local School district in 2004. She is a member of ASBDA (American School Band Directors Association) and the General Music Chair for OMEA District 4. She has also been a member of AOSA (American Orff-Schulwerk Association). Mrs. Krejsa has also completed all three levels of Orff-Schulwerk and completed John Feierabend Conversational Solfege level 1. Mrs. Krejsa started her teaching career instructing fifth through twelfth grade bands including marching band. She has also taught seventh through twelfth grade choir, jazz band, and pep band. She received her undergraduate degree from Baldwin-Wallace College and her Master’s degree in Music Education from The University of Akron. She started her doctoral studies in Music Education at Kent State University this past fall of 2023.

Count on it! An Exploration of Rhythm Syllable Systems
Presented by Melissa Fucci

Abstract
There are numerous techniques for teaching students how to interpret, read, and execute rhythms.  Music teachers often implement rhythm syllables to help learners achieve these goals.  The purpose of this literature review is to explore a variety of the rhythm syllable systems commonly used in music education in the United States.  Some educators use these systems to teach perception of meter, some to organize durations and subdivisions, and others use them as a stepping stone to decoding rhythmic notation.  Many teachers use variations of existing systems, and some invent their own methods.  This review focuses on systems associated with Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Kodály, Orff-Schulwerk, and Gordon Music Learning Theory, as well as Takadimi and numerical counting.  Some of these systems are beat oriented, helping students to hear and feel rhythms in relation to a steady pulse.  The syllables in these systems are not connected directly to note values and will shift according to the perception of the beat.  Other systems are based on Western music notation, assigning syllables to specific note values.  It is commonly accepted that rhythm syllables enhance music teaching and learning, but opinions vary widely on which is the “best” technique and there is little empirical research comparing the various systems.

Biography
Melissa Fucci is Associate Professor of Music at Kent State University.  She has filled many roles in the School of Music, the School of Theatre and Dance, and the Early Childhood Education Program.  Her areas of teaching at KSU have included music education, choral, world music, early childhood music, musical theatre, music theory, and more on multiple campuses.  Mel has been on Music Faculty at University School, a Music Mentor on the Music!Words!Opera! project with Opera Cleveland, and a Music and Movement Specialist at the Cain Park School for the Arts.  She has conducted a wide variety of choral and instrumental ensembles, music directed and played over 100 musical theatre productions, and is a collaborative performer and private instructor of piano. Mel earned her Bachelor of Music in Performance from Baldwin-Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music and her Master of Music in Conducting from Kent State University.

A Comparison of Two Ways of Demonstrating Beat Competency Using Body Movement of Elementary Children
Presented by Lisa Heinrich

Abstract
Kinesthetic experiences with music can enhance a child’s sensitivity to music. Music educators frequently prompt students to align their body movement to external musical stimuli. A child’s developmental level affects which types of body movement they coordinate accurately to music. The purpose of this study is to compare two ways of demonstrating beat competency using body movement of children in grades 3-5. The research question to be answered is: Which full-body macrobeat movement: 1.) stepping in place and transferring weight from one foot to the other; or 2.) rising up on toes and coming back down on heels, do children in grades 3-5 perform more accurately?

Biography
Lisa Heinrich is in her 21st year of teaching and currently instructs K-5 general music in the Cloverleaf Local Schools. She previously held teaching positions with the Lakewood City Schools, Lakewood Congregational Church, and the Austrian Ministry of Education. Lisa has a Master of Music degree from Cleveland State University, as well as Bachelor of Arts in German and Bachelor of Music in Education degrees from Bowling Green State University. She completed various courses in Orff-Schulwerk, Music Learning Theory, and Eurhythmics. Lisa is the 2019 Medina County Teacher of the Year, a recipient of a Fulbright teaching grant, and is a doctoral student at Kent State University.

Time May Change Me: Preservice Music Teacher Efficacy During Student Teaching
Presented by Shawna Hinkle

Abstract
The purpose of the study is to intentionally identify emerging concerns affecting preservice music teacher efficacy during the student teaching experience that could assist in enhancing preservice music teacher preparation. Through designing a multiple case qualitative study following the framework of Fuller and Brown’s 3-stage Model of Teacher Development, results could assist in identifying developmentally appropriate interventions at particular points of time during preservice experiences to address specific concerns or needs. A purposeful sampling of preservice music teachers from a midwestern four-year music education institution will be asked questions designed to create a better understanding of the things that create difficulty before, after, and during their student teaching experience related to efficacy in student engagement, instructional practices, and classroom management. Research questions for this study will be: 1.) What does preservice music teacher efficacy look like in a midwestern university?; 2.) What factors impact preservice music teacher efficacy?; and 3.) In what ways does preservice music teacher efficacy change during the student teaching experience?

Biography
Shawna K. Hinkle is a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. She is at Kent State University serving as the interim choir director for the KSU Cantique Choir and teaching choral pedagogy courses for undergraduate music education majors while on sabbatical from Dover City Schools where she is the 6-12 vocal music director. She is also the Artistic Director for the Mount Union Alliance Chorale and director for the Buckeye Girls State Choir. She previously taught middle and high school vocal music for Brunswick City Schools and Copley Fairlawn City Schools, general and elementary music, and private keyboard. She holds degrees from Muskingum University (BME) and Kent State University (MME). Her research interests include student learning related to self-efficacy and middle and secondary choral rehearsal pedagogical practices.

Artist-Teachers in Popular Music Education: An International Perspective
Presented by Marty Ryan

Abstract
This qualitative research study, conducted with professional popular musicians who also work in education (“artist-teachers”), focuses on their identities within music education from an international perspective. Adolescents do not regularly have access to music instruction that caters to their personal music interests and informal music learning preferences in secondary school settings. As a result of this lack of availability, there has been a rise in popular music education organizations that operate both in and outside of public-school systems who often employ artist-teachers with relevant practical experience in these areas. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles & motivations of these educators from different countries, explore their teacher identities within music education and examine ways in which they compare and contrast between nations.

Biography
Martin Ryan is a music educator from Limerick, Ireland who specializes in teaching popular music education through technology. Martin has released four studio albums and toured the world with his musical outfits Anna’s Anchor and The Winter Passing. While pursuing music professionally, Martin also worked as a lead tutor with Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education outreach program funded by U2. He is currently a doctoral student of Music Education at Kent State University.

Do They Get It?: Assessment in the Choral Classroom, A Review in Literature
Presented by Andrea Mikolajczyk

Abstract
The purpose of this review was to examine literature from 1996-2023 relating to assessment in secondary choral music education in the United States. Artifacts surveyed included articles, journal submissions, dissertations, and textbooks. These were used to assemble a collection of current methods, trends, challenges, and recommendations for how choral educators use assessment in the classroom.  The information collected was organized into the following sections: (1) Why Assess? (2) Methods of Assessments (3) Dissemination and Grading (4) Challenges to Assessment (5) Recommendations for the Future. Overall findings indicated that research examining how teachers specifically use assessment in choral classrooms has been minimally represented in the past.  Much of the literature about choral assessment is presented from choral educators as recommendations from individual experiences in the classroom. Data from research studies often focus on individual case studies or specific types of assessment, such as sight-singing and performance assessments. Additional data is needed across larger populations to (1) represent a synopsis of current national choral assessments practices and (2) determine effective assessment methods for the choral education profession in the 21st century.

Biography
Andrea Mikolajczyk is the middle school choir director at Kenston Local Schools in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. In addition to teaching the 6th-8th grade students in the middle school choirs, she also music directs the middle school musical and assists with the high school choirs. During her seventeen-year career in education, Mrs. Mikolajczyk has taught general music, band, and choir at various elementary and high schools in the Cleveland area. Mrs. Mikolajczyk has participated in professional activities regarding music curriculum at the district and state levels, including work with the Fine Arts Standards Working Group: Music for the Ohio Department of Education. She has a Master of Music Education from The University of Akron (2012) and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with an art minor from Bowling Green State University (2006). Mrs. Mikolajczyk started her doctoral studies in Music Education at Kent State University in the fall of 2023.

I Heard it Through the Grapevine: Relationships Between Music Stores and School Music Programs in the Eastern United States 
Presented by Jacob Gibson

Abstract
While being a limited field of literature, music retailer organizations have typically produced literature regarding financial implications and product lines for consumers. This study will not be examining commercialism, but rather the relationships found between localized music store employees and school music teachers. At local music retailers, a variety of relationships are formed between the constituents of a K-12 music program (teachers, students, administrators, educational financial supervisors) and the constituents of the music retailer (owner, sales staff, lesson teachers, etc.). The purpose of this proposal is to explore the interactions between these relationships between K-12 school music constituents and localized music retailer constituents. This proposal is guided by two central research questions: 1) What do different types of relationships and interactions look like formed between constituents of the K-12 music program and constituents of the localized music retailer? 2) What relationships are most crucial between constituents of K-12 music programs and localized music retailers? A variety of categories of scholarly literature will be analyzed in this proposal. This is a qualitative multiple-case study. The primary mode of data collection will be through interviews in a variety of different groupings, as well as individual interviews with constituents between both parties. Data analysis will include use of the qualitative coding software, Nvivo, a transcription software program, member-checking, and expert-review to ensure triangulation of the data.

Biography
Jacob Gibson is a western Pennsylvanian native. He has earned a B.A. in Music Education with a concentration in saxophone performance from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (2016). While teaching in Pennsylvania as a middle and High School Band Director, he also earned a M.M. degree in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia (2018). Jacob's current research interests include social justice, repertoire selections, and sociological music education. He specializes in concert band/wind ensemble and jazz band instruction. Currently, Jacob is a 3rd year PhD student and graduate assistant at Kent State University in his final semester of coursework. Jacob lives happily with his wife Katy, an elementary music educator, and their 2.5-year-old daughter, Joelle.

Doin’ it Desi Style: Multi-Musical Identities of Indian Students and School Music Participation
Presented by Jami Bolton

Abstract
Students of Indian origin represent the largest subgroup of the Asian population in United States schools. Previous studies have investigated the multi-musical identities of Southeast Asian, Singaporeian, Malaysian, second-generation Chinese Americans, and Mexican American students and their involvement in school music programs. However, no studies have investigated the musical identities and musical experiences of Indian students who represent the world’s largest overseas diaspora. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the multi-musical identities of Indian students and the impact these identities have on participation in school music programs. Through this study the following research questions will be addressed. What are the musical experiences of Indian students? What factors influence the musical and multi-musical identities of Indian students? What is the impact of multi-musical identity on Indian students’ school music participation? The data for this multi-case study will be collected through interviews, focus groups, directed journaling, artifact gathering, interviews with parents, and other qualitative methods as they emerge from interactions with participants. The experiences and perspectives of these students may help inform the practice of school music teachers.

Biography
Jami Bolton taught band and orchestra in the Alexandria City Public Schools in Alexandria, Virginia from 2002-2012. She taught band at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India from 2012-2022. Ms. Bolton holds an Associate of Arts and Sciences in Music degree from Ricks College (1997), a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Brigham Young University (2002), and a Master of Music in French Horn Performance from The Catholic University of America (2005). She is currently a full-time doctoral student at Kent State University. Her research interests lie at the crossroads of music education and ethnomusicology.

Playing for Keeps: Relationships and Involvement in Elementary Music and Middle School Program Enrollment
Presented by William Kish

Abstract
Teachers of elementary general music are essential to the musical futures of school music students. After what is often compulsory school general music training, students at the middle and high school levels in the United States make decisions about whether or not to continue in their school district’s music program. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent that the level and type of activity in elementary general music classes is related to students choosing to continue in middle school music programs. In this quantitative study, school districts will be solicited for participation. Upon district approval, elementary general music teachers will be surveyed to determine the nature of and level of activity students experience in their elementary general music classes. Student middle school music class enrollment information will be gathered from the districts and assigned to each self-reporting elementary general music teacher. These results will be compared to determine whether the variable of teacher self-reported classroom activity level relates to the enrollment of students in middle school music classes.

Biography
Will Kish is a doctoral student at Kent State University and is a band director and general music teacher at Norwalk High School in Norwalk, Ohio. In 2008, he earned his master’s degree from Kent State University where he served as the graduate assistant in bands. His bachelor’s degree in music education is from The Ohio State University. His research interests include social justice in music education, new teacher induction, and several other areas including student retention.

Accordion to Al: An examination of the life of a culture bearer of traditional Irish music in America
Presented by Marty Ryan

Abstract
This qualitative narrative inquiry explores the life of Al O’Leary, a 97-year-old Irish accordion player living in Cleveland, Ohio. Through an investigation of the musical and life experiences of Al, this research paper examines the roles of a culture bearer living in a different country to the one that they grew up in. The aim of this paper is to identify motivations and methods in which Al has promoted traditional Irish music in Northeastern Ohio through his unique lifetime.

Biography
Martin Ryan is a music educator from Limerick, Ireland who specializes in teaching popular music education through technology. Martin has released four studio albums and toured the world with his musical outfits Anna’s Anchor and The Winter Passing. While pursuing music professionally, Martin also worked as a lead tutor with Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education outreach program funded by U2. He is currently a doctoral student of Music Education at Kent State University.

Traditionalism Versus Modernism Through the Lens of Lutheran Music
Presented by Faith Kaschube

Abstract
In many churches across the country, a common musical debate arises: what style of music is the best to reach their congregation? In the last few decades, contemporary Christian music has risen in popularity. Yet, there is value in the traditional hymns and liturgies as well. This paper compares the current musical contentions with those of the Protestant Reformation and seeks to offer potential solutions to best serve Christian communities.

Bio
Faith Kaschube is in her third year at Kent State University, studying Music Education with a concentration in instrumental music. She has played violin for 11 years and aims to become an orchestra director after graduation. Outside of school, Faith enjoys other artistic endeavors like painting and journaling. She was raised in the Lutheran church, inspiring her interest in the study of Lutheran music.

Visions and Their Effect on Hildegard von Bingen’s Musical Compositions
Presented by Joshua Weikert

Abstract
Hildegard Von Bingen is hailed as one of the most influential and prolific composers of the Medieval era. She composed over 70 compositions and is known for pushing the boundaries of her time. Hildegard is also well known to have had visions. She depicted them as being painful and bright. These visions heavily impacted her everyday life, including her religious beliefs, drawings, etc. Scholars often discuss her music and her visions as separate issues, but they are very much connected. This paper presents evidence of how Hildegard’s visions impacted her musical compositions.

Bio
Joshua Weikert is a Junior Instrumental Music Education Major at Kent State University. His main instrument is the saxophone. Josh performs with the Kent State Symphonic Band, the Kent State New Music Ensemble, the Kent State Saxophone Ensemble, and the Kent State “Impromptu” Saxophone Quartet. Josh has a passion for history as learning about it helps us truly understand and appreciate how music and society have changed over time. In his free time, Josh can be seen in the practice room or in Cincinnati attending a Reds or Bengals game.

Gender and Instrument Selection: An Inquiry 
Presented by Madison Zets

Abstract
Throughout modern music education, the formation of a concert band is standard. What has also seemingly remained standard is gender disparity in instrument selection. The purpose of this paper is to explore the history and link between gender and instrument selection within a band setting. This paper also explores whether this link is caused by internal factors, such as the desire to fit in with peers or what the student naturally gravitates towards, or external factors such as potential bias from students’ parents and band directors.

Bio
Madison Zets is a junior Music Education major at Kent State University with an applied focus in percussion. She is a member of the Kent State Wind Ensemble and the Kent State Percussion Ensemble. Outside of her studies at Kent, Madison enjoys teaching private percussion lessons and playing with her dog, Willow.

The View from the Banyan Tree: Perspectives on Music Education from the Journal of the Indian Musicological Society 
Presented by Jami Bolton

Abstract
In 1970, the Indian Musicological Society was founded. That same year, the society began publishing the Journal of the Indian Musicological Society. According to its early volumes, the journal is “devoted to the study of Indian music and related arts.” R. C. Mehta, the Journal’s first and longtime editor, took a particular interest in music education and ensured that the topic was addressed regularly. Contributing authors in the journal include Indian scholars as well as Western scholars such as Abraham Schwadron and William Anderson. In all 76 of the issues that have been published, there are 506 articles. Over 80 of the articles address topics connected to music education in India and other parts of the world. This study examines the content of the journal and how the subject of music education is addressed.

Bio
Jami Bolton taught band and orchestra in the Alexandria City Public Schools in Alexandria, Virginia from 2002-2012. She taught band at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India from 2012-2022. Ms. Bolton holds an Associate of Arts and Sciences in Music degree from Ricks College (1997), a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Brigham Young University (2002), and a Master of Music in French Horn Performance from The Catholic University of America (2005). She is currently a full-time doctoral student at Kent State University. Her research interests lie at the crossroads of music education and ethnomusicology.

Mission Impossible: The Influence of Vanett Lawler in a Male-Dominated Era of Music Education 
Presented by Shawna Hinkle

Abstract
Vanett Catherine Lawler embodied the very essence of a quote by Robyn Rihanna Fenty: “There’s something special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer.”  In this paper, I seek to share a narrative of the visionary influence and leadership demonstrated by Vanett Lawler through the lens of women’s empowerment. The combination of intelligence and capableness in public relations, task management, and administration enabled Lawler to bring “order out of chaos.” She served a foundational role in the Music Educators National Conference (now NAfME), Pan American Union, and International Society for Music Education. Lawler humbly dominated a male driven arena. The questions guiding this narrative include: How did Vanett Lawler navigate the male-dominated field of music education through her career? In what ways did her visionary perspective influence the future of music education?

Bio
Shawna K. Hinkle is a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University and 6-12 vocal music teacher for Dover City Schools. While serving as a music education adjunct faculty member at Kent State University, she is also the Director of the Kent State University Cantique Choir, Artistic Director for the Mount Union Alliance Chorale, and Conductor of the Tuscarawas Philharmonic Orchestra Treble Chorus. Shawna previously taught middle and high school vocal music for Brunswick City Schools and Copley Fairlawn City Schools, general and elementary music, and private keyboard. She holds degrees from Muskingum University (BME) and Kent State University (MME). Her research interests include student learning related to self-efficacy and middle and secondary choral rehearsal pedagogical practices.

Building Human Connections: Teaching and Learning in the Music Episodes of Mister Rogers Neighborhood 
Presented by Tim Daniels

Abstract
Fred McFeely Rogers was responsible for one of the most influential children’s programs in the United States, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Music played an integral part in the show throughout its history. Rogers composed music for nearly every subject that a young person might encounter in their lives from, rather humorously, the fear of getting sucked into a vacuum cleaner, to more serious subjects such as divorce, death, and dealing with emotions. Significant gaps exist in the narrative surrounding his process of incorporating music into the show, and the reactions and takeaways of his young and adult audience members. The purpose of this study is to provide specific insight into the music education themes present in the planning, production, and airing of the music episodes of Mister Rogers Neighborhood (episodes 1546-1550), originally aired in 1985. These themes were illuminated through primary source documents from the Fred Rogers Institute including production notes, planning documents, and personal communications between viewers and Fred Rogers himself. The review of documents indicates Roger’s deep understanding of the power of words, how music is discussed, the importance of presenting widely varied musical styles, and the use of research backed educational strategies.

Bio
Timothy Daniels is a doctoral student at Kent State University and currently serves as the Director of Bands at Norwin High School (PA), where he directs the Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and teaches courses in music theory and music technology. Additionally, he serves as the PMEA District 1 Professional Development Representative and is the Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association. Tim earned degrees from Youngstown State University (BME) and Duquesne University (MM). Research interests include student motivation, assessment practices, high school band, and curriculum design.

Meaningful Traditions: Evolution of Shape-Note Singing in the Early Black Church 
Presented by Maura Saint

Abstract
Shape-note singing became an integral part of Christian worship in the United States with the establishment of settlements in the northern states. As the tradition migrated south, the African American population began to assimilate the four-note singing style into their services. Over time, the four shape-note singing system evolved to a seven shape-note system and was used as Gospel music became the preferred musical style. This study aims to address two research questions: (1) what changes did shape-note singing undergo in the early black church, and (2) what changes did the original shape-note system undergo during its assimilation in the nineteenth century? Starting from the foundation of “African American Practice of Shape-Note Singing in the United States,” this paper examines the importance of shape-note singing practices in the early black church and reports on the transition of shape-note singing in the United States during the nineteenth century.

Bio
Maura Saint is the Choral Director and Director of the Music Academy at Blackhawk High School in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Maura graduated from Duquesne University with a degree in Music Education (’03) and The University of Pittsburgh with a Master’s in Education and Administration and Policy Studies (’08). Maura is currently a Doctoral Student in Music Education at Kent State University. Her research interests include music literacy, music theory and history, as well as choral pedagogy and musicianship.

Try To March In Time: A Look Into the Music of an Italian Festival in Ohio 
Presented by D.J. Colella

Abstract
Across the globe, there are an incredible number of musical practices and traditions surrounding the Catholic liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. These practices and traditions vary from culture to culture, and even from town to town. This means that celebrations of this kind can be incredibly unique. The purpose of this research is to study the history of one of these festivals, the Mt. Carmel festival of the Italian Fraternal Home (IFH) in Girard, Ohio. By looking at artifacts collected by libraries and personal archives, researching local newspapers, and interviewing people who have a generational connection with the festival, this research will look at how these practices and traditions may or may not have changed over time. This includes what the practices and traditions are, their purposes, and what they mean to the people who celebrate this festival. This research concludes that the IFH Mt. Carmel festival has characteristics of Italian musical traditions while still maintaining a uniqueness only found with this festival specifically.

Bio
Since 2015, D.J. Colella has served as director of bands at Girard City Schools where he teaches band for grades 6-12. He attended Youngstown State University, earning both his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education (‘15) as well as his Master’s Degree in Conducting Performance (‘19). He performs in multiple groups around the Northeast Ohio region, including the St. Margherite Blue Coat Band, the Lowellville Mt. Carmel Band, and he sings and plays trombone in the local rock group Guys Without Ties. He also serves as assistant conductor with the Canfield Community Concert Band.

I Don't Fit in Nobody's Scene: The Musical Mission of GG Allin
Presented by Brian Laakso

Abstract
GG Allin's early songs set out to shock the audience by including sexually suggestive lyrics. As he aged, the lyrics became more and more explicit. Finally, in his later years, his lyrical themes turned to violence and destruction as did his stage performances. He was known to punch, kick, and fight audience members, cut himself with broken glass, and defecate onstage as a means of extreme self-expression. However, it was not without purpose. This research attempts to discover how GG Allin formulated his rock n roll mission in the early 1990s, and in what way was it indicative of his mental pathology?  Music was GG's only balm to deal with the internal personal conflict of his mental illness. His music was an expression of his turmoil. Through drug use, a traumatic childhood, and a series of increasingly violent actions, some of which landed him in prison, he began to formulate his rock n roll mission.  This is described in his own words: "My body is the rock n roll temple and my flesh, blood, and body fluids are a communion to the people... Rock n roll is my revenge. My mind is like a machine gun, my body is the bullets and the audience is the target." This research examines how music can act as a release for mental illness, and how music may allow an individual with such tendencies to break down the barrier between fantasy and reality, bringing the chaos and violence expressed in music into the real world, with consequences for people around the artist. It is important to study a figure like GG Allin because it can help us understand how music enables and individual to bring the fantasy of songwriting into the realm of lived reality.

Bio
Brian Laakso founded the Music Technology program at McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio where he is in his 19th year of teaching. He holds two degrees from Kent State and is now pursuing a doctorate in Music Education. He is the author of Alfred's Music Tech 101. He has entertained nearly a million people as a dueling pianist. He is the music director for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron, a home for all faiths as well as the non-religious. He lives on a genius compound in Akron, Ohio with his wife of 21 years, three brilliant children, two clumsy kittens and two dopey dogs.