Research

Research in the School of Music takes a variety of forms and reflects the diversity of our musical scholars. For some, it leads to traditional types of scholarship, such as journal articles, books, and conference presentations. For others, it is about artistic creation that results in a new musical work, a recording of world-class performances, or collaborations that bring new music to life for audiences.

Soon, there will be a site dedicated to showcase School of Music research. In the mean time, here are some examples of recent research in the School of Music:

Scientific Experimentation:
- Bassoon professor, Dr. Ann Shoemaker, has been collecting data during the process of reed making using scientific equipment in order to quantifiably discover how best to make reeds.
- Voice Professor, Dr. Kimberly Monzón is conducting an interdisciplinary research study with the Baylor Departments of Theatre Arts, Communication Science and Disorders, and Nutrition Sciences on the effects of Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) on the quality and function of the singing voice.
Book Authoring:
- Ethnomusicologist, Dr. Monique Ingalls's book Singing the Congregation outlines her research: how performing contemporary worship music has changed US evangelical Christians’ understanding of worship and brought into being new ways of creating community.
- Piano Pedagogy Professor, Dr. Lesley McAllister’s new book Yoga in the Music Studio helps to improve students’ musicianship, while contributing to their lifelong health and wellness. Data collected from the study will provide an important next step for future exploration of how music can be used in medical therapies. In 2019, Dr. McAllister was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award in Research for Tenured Professors at Baylor University.
Music Composition:
- Composer, Dr. Scott McAllister was commissioned to write Flight of the Elephant (for wind ensemble), a collaborative symphony with art, film/animation, and music to bring awareness to the plight of the elephant for WILDAID.
Journal Article Authoring
- Musicologists, Dr. Jean Boyd and Dr. Alfredo Colman, co-authored an article to illustrate how instructors can design and develop a course on music and identity for any state or geographical region, and to provide an overview of Western Swing as a case study to illustrate historical events and beliefs reinforcing social and cultural identity in Texas.
Recording
- Dr. Kent Eshelman, associate professor of tuba and euphonium, and Dr. In-Ja Eshelman, adjunct lecturer in piano, have released their second CD of music for tuba and piano, on the Soundset Recordings label. “Message in a Tuba” features a variety of music by John Cheetham, Madeleine Dring, Martin Ellerby, Erik Leidzen, William Lovelock, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Frank Lynn Payne, Franz Reizenstein, and Joseph Turrin. Available from www.soundset.com.
Worship Initiatives
- In partnership with Lilly Endowment, Inc., The Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies (DCCMS) has developed a research project within Lilly's Strengthening Congregational Ministries with Youth Initiative to explore youth participation in worship. During this project, the Church Music department is working to design and implement programming and resources that directly support youth ministries and their leaders. The DCCMS project is titled Building Bridges to the Future and seeks to strengthen the participation of youth in the worship and music ministry of the local church. Worship Lab, a summer leadership event, serves as the foundation to this work and brings students and their ministry leaders to Baylor’s campus each July for a one-week training program. Worship Lab offers music rehearsals, classes on ministry-related topics, small groups and devotionals, concerts, worship gatherings, and more. Through the project’s church partnerships, Baylor DCCMS continues to build a network of church connections, allowing for future collaborations and youth and worship trainings. Learn more about this initiative by visiting: baylor.edu/ccms/youth.