| Title: |
Professor
Director of Bands |
| Dept: | Music |
| Office: | MU 351 |
| Phone: | 216-687-3768 |
| Fax: | 216-687-9279 |
| Email: | B.BROWNING@csuohio.edu |
| Web: | http://www.clevelandwinds.org |
| Blog: | http://birchbrowning.net |
| Address: | 2121 Euclid Ave. MU 351, Cleveland, OH 44115 |
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| Education: | ||
|
Ph.D., Music Education, Florida State University, 2002
MME, Music Education, Florida State University, 1999 BME, Music Education, Florida State University, 1987 | ||
| Brief Bio: | ||
| Dr. Birch Browning is Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Cleveland State University, and Music Director of the Cleveland Winds, a professional wind band based at CSU. He taught high school band and orchestra in Florida prior to earning a Ph.D. in Music Education at Florida State University. A member of the faculty at CSU since 2002, he previously taught music education courses at Stetson University and FSU.
Dr. Browning is a member of the College Band Directors National Association Research Committee and has presented his research findings at numerous state and national conferences. His first book, Becoming a Musician-Educator: An Orientation to Musical Pedagogy, was published by Oxford University Press in April 2017. Dr. Browning served on the editorial board of Contributions, a research journal sponsored by the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA), from 2008 to 2020, including four years as Editor and six years as Associate Editor of the journal. Dr. Browning has served on the College Band Directors National Association Research and Editorial Review Committee since 2015. Along with his research work, Dr. Browning is in demand as a conductor and clinician. In addition to his conducting responsibilities at CSU, Dr. Browning founded the Cleveland Winds in 2009. The Cleveland Winds is the winner of The American Prize in the Band/Wind Ensemble Performance--community & school division and performed at the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference in Cleveland, Ohio in 2017. The CSU Chamber Winds performed at the same conference in 2005 and 2015. Dr. Browning's ensembles have given live performances on WCLV, Cleveland's Classical Music Station, on six occasions. The CSU Symphonic Band, CSU Chamber Winds, and the Cleveland Winds appear on the recently released recording Timothy Reynish International Repertoire Series, Vol. 12, which is available on iTunes and Spotify. Dr. Browning is the author of the online software application, eMirror, a multi-purpose research and instructional tool. eMirror is designed to assist in the process of obtaining quantitative time use and sequence data from video episodes and in creating self-observation assignments for students to promote data-informed reflection. Researchers and instructors design custom observation and assessment templates, allowing them to focus on the target behavior to be observed, quantified, and timed, and to encourage students to focus on specific aspects of their instructional delivery for subsequent improvement. Research on the use of eMirror also indicates that preservice teachers, specifically music education students, significantly modify their own instructional delivery through the use of targeted self-observation. A previous version of eMirror was useful on MacOS from 2005 to 2012. Version 2.0 for the web is in beta stage and has been undergoing extensive testing and use since Fall 2019. For information on using eMirror, contact Dr. Browning. | ||
| Honors and Awards: | ||
| The Cleveland Winds, which Dr. Browning founded in 2009 and serves as Music Director, was the winner of the American Prize in Band/Wind Ensemble Performance--Community and School Division, 2015. | ||
| Creative and Activities: | ||
| Dr. Browning is the founder/conductor of the Cleveland Winds. For more information on the Cleveland Winds, see http://www.clevelandwinds.org.
Sample recordings by the Cleveland Winds is available on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/clevelandwinds. Cleveland State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble - Music Director, August 2014 to present. Cleveland State University Chamber Winds - Music Director, August 2014 to present, 2003-2006. Cleveland Winds - Music Director and Founder, October 2009 to present. Recent: - Recording Project, Cleveland Winds recorded Dr. Andrew Rindfleisch's Three Lyric Songs for Solo Clarinet and Wind Ensemble, April 23, 2018. - Recording Project - Recorded compositions of Cedric Thorpe Davie, Adam Gorb, Christopher Marshall, Marco Pütz, and Guy Woofenden with Cleveland Winds, CSU Chamber Winds, and CSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble in collaboration with Timothy Reynish. CD was published by Mark Records as part of the Timothy Reynish's International Repertoire Recording Series. Recorded April 30 - May 2, 2017. CD released by Mark Custom Recording Service, 2019. - The Cleveland Winds performed at the 2017 Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference in Cleveland, OH. February 4, 2017. The CSU Chamber Winds performed at the same conference in 2005 and 2015. - The Cleveland Winds is the winner of The 2015 American Prize in Band/Wind Ensemble Performance: community & school division. | ||
| Research Interests: | ||
| Research in Progress:
Solving the problem of the large ensemble by creating community: A roundtable dialog on the future of large ensemble pedagogy. In 2008, a noted music education philosopher outlined a perceived problem with the band and, by extension, all traditional large-ensembles: the pervasiveness of dictatorial instructional methodology that promotes compliance rather than artistry from the ensemble members. Published responses to the first article, along with personal experiences by members of the panel, indicate that the dialog initiated by the first article has devolved into defensiveness and personal invective. The purpose of this round-table discussion is to initiate an international dialogue on the future of the large ensembles and to create a community to break the intransigence that has developed. Submitted for review to the International Society for Music Education for presentation at the ISME 2016 International Symposium for Music Education, Glasgow, Scotland. A pilot study of professional music ensemble performer expertise. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine professional instrumental ensemble member's perceptions of the factors that mediate their own ensemble performance expertise. Other research on professional music performers has examined their motivation for becoming a professional musician, their perceptions of their dispositions that enabled their career success, and social factors involved in ensemble music-making. There has been limited examination, however, of individual ensemble performance factors that enable professional ensemble musicians to perform at a world-class level, their "thought-in-action" that mediates those performances, and their perceptions of what differentiates their abilities from less-capable musicians. Spring 2016. | ||
| Teaching Areas: | ||
| Graduate and undergraduate courses in music education.
CSU Chamber Winds. | ||
| Professional Affiliations: | ||
| Ohio Music Education Association
MENC: The National Association for Music Education Society for Music Teacher Education Instrumental Music Teacher Educators College Band Director's National Association World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles | ||
| Professional Experience: | ||
| Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio 2002 - present
Associate Professor of Music Assistant Professor of Music (2002 - 2008) Graduate Faculty Status Graduate Music Program Director (2003 - present) CSU Chamber Winds, Music Director (2003 - 2006, 2008 - present) The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 1998 - 2002 Teaching Assistant (Music Education) Ph.D. in Music Education - 2002 Master's Of Music Education - 1999 Summer Music Camps, Assistant Director (2000 - 2002) | ||
| University Service: | ||
| Music Department Promotion and Review Committee, Chair, 2018 - present.
Music Department ad-hoc Assessment Committee, 2018 - present. Member of the CSU AAUP Executive Committee and Grievance Officer, 2018 - present. Chair of the Department of Music: 2012 - 2014 University Computational Services Committee 2006 - 2009 (Chair, 2007 - 2009) CSU eLearning Student Services Team, member 2008 - present College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) eLearning Committee Co-chair, 2007 - 2009 PeopleSoft Update Implementation Committee 2007 - 2009 (projected) Ad Hoc General Education Implementation Committee Summer 2007 College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) Curriculum Committee 2004 - 2005 Chair, Music Department Graduate Committee 2003 - present Collegiate MENC: The National Association for Music Education, CSU Student Chapter, Advisor 2002 - present Department Search Committees: Music Student Recruiter 2006 Music Student Recruiter 2004 Assistant Professor: Chair, Jazz Studies and Applied Saxophone 2004 Assistant Professor: Music History 2003 Visiting Professor: Jazz Studies and Applied Saxophone 2002 | ||
| Professional Service: | ||
| College Band Directors National Association: Research Committee Member and Editorial Review Committee (2015- Present)
Contributions to Music Education, Associate Editor (2014-present); Editor (2010-2104); Associate Editor (2009); Editorial Board Member (2008-2020). Ohio Music Education Association Research Committee: Chair, 2012-present. Member, 2009-2020. Cleveland Music Therapy Consortium: Board Member, 2012-2014. | ||
| Community Service: | ||
| Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) District 4 & 7 Mini-conference and Honors Ensembles, Coordinator and Host (2009-present).
Each fall, the Department of Music at Cleveland State University hosts the OMEA Districts 4 & 7 Honors Festival, an event that includes two honor bands and one honor choir. The event brings approximately 300 HS students to our campus. Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) District 4 Mini-conference and Honors Ensembles Coordinator and Host (October 2008). Coordinated the development of El Sistema @ CIS, an after-school string orchestra in collaboration with the Rainey Institute. CSU music education majors observe and do micro-teaching segments at El Sistema @ CIS. I am regularly invited to give master-class rehearsals with local high school ensembles. I average about 15 such clinics per year. | ||
| Research Grants: | ||
| Cleveland State University Undergraduate Research Grant: Action Research with Chamber Music Ensembles, Summer 2007 - Transferring theory to practice. Undergraduate music education majors served as instructors at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Junior High Summer Music Camp. The purpose of this project was to investigate the effect of computer-assisted self-observation and deliberate reflection on their instructional behaviors. Awarded $12,400.00
Cleveland State University - University Center for Teaching and Learning (UCTL) Teaching Enhancement Grant, Fall 2005. Development of a software-assisted approach to teaching observation and self-evaluation skills to undergraduate music education majors. This grant provided Dr. Browning with the opportunity to obtain software development training at The Big Nerd Ranch. Awarded $3800. Cleveland State University - University Center for Teaching and Learning - Teaching Enhancement Grant, Fall 2003. A systematic approach to student portfolio development for undergraduate music education majors: Awarded $4,906.94 | ||