National Association for Music Education Names Dr. Edwin E. Gordon 2015 Lowell Mason Fellow
RESTON, VA (PRWEB) November 13, 2015 -- On October 29, 2015, the National Association for Music Education announced its designation of Dr. Edwin E. Gordon as a 2015 Lowell Mason Fellow. This distinction is one of music education’s most important honors, and is designed to recognize the accomplishments of music educators, music education advocates, political leaders, industry professionals, and others who have contributed to music education in their unique way.
Dr. Gordon has been a pioneer in research into musical aptitude, the psychology of music, and how musical aptitude develops in the young child. His research into music learning theory, audiation, and the sequence of development of musical learning have provided the basis for much of what is taught, and how it is taught in our music classrooms today. Dr. Gordon’s stature as a researcher into how musical thinking develops makes him worthy of the designation of Lowell Mason Fellow.
His work reflects a deeply held philosophy about the value of music in the lives of all human beings: “Music is unique to humans. Like the other arts, music is as basic as language to human development and existence” (from Gordon, Edwin E. A Music Learning Theory for Newborn and Young Children. Chicago: GIA Publications, 1990, pp. 2-3).
“We applaud Dr. Gordon for his 61 years as a member of our association,” said Michael A. Butera, NAfME Executive Director and CEO. “He has worked tirelessly on behalf of the field of music education and has shown over these many years how music orchestrates success. We congratulate him on this well-deserved honor.”
The prestigious award is named for Lowell Mason, considered to be the father of public school music education in the United States. He has been credited with introducing music instruction to American public schools in the 19th century, and with establishing teacher training in music education. In 2002, the importance of his contributions to music education inspired NAfME to create the Lowell Mason Fellows award.
Lowell Mason Fellow designations also provide an opportunity to support the efforts of NAfME through the donation made in the honoree’s name. This donation goes to NAfME’s Give a Note Foundation (http://www.giveanote.org) to support future generations of music educators through the organization’s programs. Individuals or groups (corporations, universities, foundations, student organizations, etc.) may fund designations.
Read more about the Lowell Mason Fellows distinction and past recipients of the honor here: http://www.nafme.org/about/history/lowell-mason-fellows/.
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National Association for Music Education, among the world’s largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels; provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosts professional development events; and offers a variety of opportunities for students and teachers. The Association orchestrates success for millions of students nationwide and has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century. With more than 60,000 members, the organization is the national voice of music education in the United States.
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For additional information, contact Catherina Hurlburt at catherinah(at)nafme(dot)org or 703-860-4000, ext. 242.
Catherina Hurlburt, National Association for Music Education, http://www.nafme.org, +1 (800) 336-3768 Ext: 242, [email protected]
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