MARCI
MAJOR
Chair, Department of Music Education and Music Therapy
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR - MUSIC EDUCATION
250, Swope Music Building
610-436-3030
MMajor@wcupa.edu
Education
- Ph.D., The Ohio State University
- M.M., Michigan State University
- B.S., West Chester University
Biography
Dr. Marci Major serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair of Music Education and Music Therapy at West Chester University. Additionally, she founded and directs Music Service Learning, a non-profit organization that provides music teachers with support from college students who collaboratively create resources, plan events, and give an extra hand where needed. At her philosophical core, Marci aims to use music as a vehicle to build connection and community with musicians and music enthusiasts of all ages.
Marci believes strongly in the power of collaboration to creatively solve problems, develop programs, increase DEI, and constantly adjust to meet the ever-changing needs, cares, wants, and concerns of all stakeholders. Through her work, Marci has facilitated hundreds of partnerships resulting in increased teacher support, more musical access for K-12 students, the development of cutting-edge collegiate curriculum, and the creation of new paid hands-on experiences for pre-service teachers. She does this while simultaneously keeping an active artistic life as choral conductor and music education researcher.
Recent musical engagements include co-presenting an interest session at National ADCA, co-authoring the book Choral Connections: Enhancing choral experiences from a distance, and serving on the editorial board for the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing. Beyond music, Marci was awarded the Faculty Fellowship Program in Israel and named one of West Chester's University "Most Influential 150 Women." Marci and her team have also enjoyed the recognition for their hard work with Music Service Learning. Marci appeared as a panelist for the Cottrell Business Center's Women's Entrepreneurship Conference, and the team facilitated a session on Collaborative Ideation at the BPHL Innovation Festival, won third place at the West Chester University Business & Social Innovation Competition, and was first runner up at the Philadelphia Social Innovation Competition.
Marci earned her B.S. in music education from West Chester University, her M.M. in choral conducting from Michigan State University, and her Ph.D. in music education from The Ohio State University. Prior to collegiate teaching, Marci taught middle and high school choir in Michigan. Marci resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with her husband, son, and daughter.
Refereed Research Publications
- Major, M. & Hedgecoth, D. (2018). Revisioning and reinstating: Music education after the Great Recession. Arts Education Policy Review. DOI: 10.1080/10632913.2018.1468838
- Major, M. & Dakon, J. (2017). Chorister Perceptions of Top-Level Choral Experiences: Replication & Extension. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education. DOI: 10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.212.0027 https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.212.0027
- Major, M. (2017). Building Identity in Mid-Level Collegiate Choral Ensembles: The Director’s Perspective. Journal of Research in Music Education. doi: 10.1177/0022429416672891
- Major, M. & Dakon, J. (2016). Singers perceptions of collegiate mid-level choral experiences. Journal of Research in Music Education. doi: 10.1177/0022429416639232
- Major, M. & Baughman, M. (2015). The Effects of Nia Movement on Collegiate Female Choral Singers. Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education.
- Major, M., & Silvey, B., (2014). Undergraduate music education majors’ perceptions of their development as conductors: Insights from a basic conducting course. Research Studies in Music Education. doi: 10.1177/1321103X14523532
- Major, M. (2013). How They Decide: A Case Study Examining the Decision Making Process for Keeping or Cutting Music in a Selected K-12 Public School. Journal of Research in Music Education. doi: 10.1177/0022429412474313
Refereed Research Presentations
- Major, M. & Parker, E. (2018). A choral world without hierarchy: The story of Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School. Paper presented at the Symposium on Research in Choral Singing, Evanston, IL.
- Major, M. & Parker, E. (2018). A choral world without hierarchy: The story of Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School. Paper presented at American Education Research Association, New York, NY.
- Major, M. & Dakon (2016). Chorister Perceptions of Top-Level Choral Experiences: Replication & Extension. Paper presented at the International Society for Music Education Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.
- Major, M. & Hedgecoth, D. (2016). Where do we go from here?: Moving forward after funding reductions. Paper presented at the National Association for Music Education National Conference, Atlanta, GA.
- Major, M. (2014). Building Identity in Mid-Level Choral Ensembles. Paper presentation accepted at the International Society for Music Education Conference, Puerto Alegra, Brazil. Could not attend due to medical reasons.
- Major, M. & Dakon, J. (2014). Building Identity in Mid-Level Collegiate Choral Ensembles; The Student’s Perspective. Poster presented at the National Association for Music Educators National Conference, St. Louis, MO.
- Major, M., & Silvey, B.A. (2012). Undergraduate Music Education Majors’ Perceptions of their Development as Conductors: Insights From a Basic Conducting Course. Paper presented at the International Society for Music Education Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Major, M. (2012). Identity in Mid-Level Collegiate Choral Ensembles – The Director’s Perspective. Poster presented at the National Association for Music Educators National Conference, St. Louis, MO.
Recent Guest Conducting Engagements
Central Dauphin Honors Choir Festival – Select Women's Ensemble
Central Dauphin, Pennsylvania, Forthcoming February 2019
Luzerne County Chorus
Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, October 2018
Massachusetts Music Educators Association Northeaster District Junior Choral Festival
Wakefield, Massachusetts, March 2018
Red Clay Consolidated “Sing Into Spring” Choral Festival
Wilmington, Delaware, March 2018
PMEA District 12 7/8 Grade Chorus Fest
Interboro, Pennsylvania, February 2017
Maryland Cecil All-County Middle School Choir Festival
Perryville, Maryland, November 2016
Delaware ACDA Festival For Women’s Voices
Hockessin, DE, November 2016
MCDA All Suburban Women’s Honors Choir
Pattonville, Missouri, November 2015
Recent Practitioner Presentations
"Rote Gone Rogue." Co-presenting with Amelia Garbisch.
- Interest Session at NAfME Eastern Division Conference, Pittsburg, PA. April 2019
- Discussion Session at Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium, Tampa, FL. February 2019.
- Interest Session at NJMEA, East Brunswick, NJ. February 2019
- Interest Session at PMEA-District 12 Inservice, Malvern, PA. November 2018
- Interest Session at PMEA, Lancaster, PA. April 2018.
“The Quiet Conductor: Succeeding in an extroverted world.” Interest Session at ACDA Eastern Division Conference. Pittsburg, PA. Co-presenting with Hilary Apfelstadt, March 2018.
"Moving Forward: Music education advocacy for a new age." Co-presenting with David Hedgecoth.
- Discussion Session at Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium, Tampa, FL. February 2019.
- Interest Session at OMEA. Columbus, OH. February 2018
Reading Session. PMEA District 12 In-service. Unionville, PA.
- November 2018
- November 2017
- November 2016
“Discussion Panel for Co-ops, Supervisors and Student Teachers.” PMEA District 12 In-service. Unionville, PA. November 2017.
“Building musical and literacy independence in a K-12 choral setting.” Interest Session Practitioner with model choir for OAKE National Conference. Co-presented with Eileen Keller and Nancy Lineberger. March 2017.
Choral Invitational Performances
Bel Canto, Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus
NAfME Eastern Division Conference, April 2019
Bel Canto, Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus
NJMEA State Conference, February 2019