Dr. Sommer Helweh Forrester joining us as a tenured Associate Professor of Music Education

Since 2015, Dr. Forrester has taught undergraduate music education courses at the University of Massachusetts Boston. In addition, Forrester conducted the UMass Boston Orchestra and held leadership positions including Program Coordinator of Music and Music Education. In 2018, she was awarded the Community Engaged Innovation Teaching Award by UMass Boston.

As a scholar of music teacher education, Dr. Forrester’s research explores music teacher education and knowledge, curriculum development, and conducting pedagogy. She is invested in research to practice as a means of deepening the connections between higher education, pre- and in-service teachers, and community partners. Dr. Forrester is published in prominent peer-reviewed research journals and practitioner journals including the Journal of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, and the Massachusetts Music Educator. Dr. Forrester has presented her research to national and international audiences, and she currently serves on the executive board for the Society for Music Teacher Education and the editorial board for the Journal of Music Teacher Education. Dr. Forrester is an active guest conductor and clinician in North America and the Middle East. 

Dr. Forrester earned a PhD in Music Education with a cognate in Wind Conducting from the University of Michigan, as well as a Master of Music Education from the same institution; a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto; and a Honours Bachelor of Music Education from Western University. A former K–12 classroom teacher, Dr. Forrester taught music in Canada, Palestine, Israel, and Kuwait. 

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Forrester to the Faculty of Music community!