Dr. Alfred S. Townsend

Associate Professor of Music
F. Ludwig Diehn Endowed Chair in Instrumental Music Education

Alfred S. Townsend is the first appointee to the F. Ludwig Diehn Endowed Chair in Instrumental Music Education in the music department of Old Dominion University where he teaches graduate and undergraduate music education courses. His current research includes developing a research-based philosophy of teaching and learning for instrumental music education, and creating a curriculum for teaching instruments in the elementary music classroom.For the latter area he is writing a textbook together with a veteran elementary music educator from New Jersey. He is also the lead researcher in a study that is investigating cultural influences on musical creativity and expression in public pre-school students of Latino heritage.

Dr. Townsend has written articles that have been published in such national journals as The Instrumentalist, Band and Orchestra, National Band Association Journal,MENC Teaching Music, and the ACDA Choral JournalHe is also author and editor of a comprehensive public school K-12 music syllabus, and undergraduate and graduate music courses.

Dr. Townsend received his Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Nyack College where he was a conducting, theory, analysis, orchestration, trumpet, and music education student of Lee Olson, J. Buchanan MacMillan, Harold Best, Marie Merk, and Dorothy Heir.His Master of Science degree in music education was earned at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York, College at Potsdam, where he studied conducting, orchestral performance, instrumental music education, contemporary music, and trumpet with Brock McElheran, Harry Philips, Gordon Mathie, Morton Feldman, John Schorge, and Willard Musser. Dr. Townsend earned his Ph.D. in higher education from New York University where he conducted research on the music of John Corigliano under the guidance of Roger P. Phelps, Richard Ellis, and Dinu Ghezzo.His Professional Diploma in Educational Administration was earned at Long Island University.Additional studies took place at the Free University, Amsterdam, Holland.

Dr. Townsend is former Professor of Music and Dean of Graduate Studies at Five Towns College, Long Island, New York where he was Director of the Music Education Research Center and supervised masters degree programs in music and music education.While at Five Towns College, he initiated and supervised four Doctor of Musical Arts degree programs: music education, performance, music history and literature, and composition. As professor of music he taught music education courses and conducted the FTC wind ensemble, concert band, and jazz orchestra. Prior to his association with Five Towns College, Dr. Townsend was District Director of Music and Art for the Baldwin Public Schools, Long Island, New York, where he supervised a comprehensive K-12 arts program.He is a lecturer and workshop leader for national and state arts standards and music education topics. As a distinguished bandmaster at the high school and collegiate levels, Dr. Townsend has been featured as conductor of all-county and regional music festivals, and serves as a highly sought after adjudicator for solo and ensemble festivals and regional band competitions.

Phone:
757.683.6562

Email:
ATownsen@odu.edu