About the Clinician
Richard M. Cangro, Ph. D., is a Professor and Program Coordinator for Music Education and Director of the Community Music School at the Western Illinois University School of Music. He was formerly a public school band and orchestra director for 15 years in Connecticut, as well as a youth ensemble conductor and chamber music coach for the Hartt School Community Division, University of Hartford (West Hartford, CT). While teaching in Connecticut, he also worked for 10 years as an assessor for the Connecticut State Board of Education beginning teacher licensure program and was the professional development chair for the Connecticut Music Educators Association. Dr. Cangro received a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, a Master of Music Education from the Hartt School, and a Ph.D. in Music Education also from Hartt. With his dissertation focusing on applying cooperative learning strategies to instrumental music learning, Dr. Cangro continues to investigate the nature and effects of student interaction at all levels of music learning. He has served several years on the executive board for the International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education (IASCE).
A two-time Fulbright grant recipient, Dr. Cangro is active as a presenter, curriculum consultant, adjudicator, and conductor. He has presented workshops and sessions for several school district in-services and at numerous music educator conferences throughout the US, as well as presented professional development to teachers and students in Canada, China, Ecuador, England, Myanmar, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Taiwan (ROC), and Thailand. His articles on music learning and teaching have been published in journals including: UPDATE: Applications of Research in Music Education; Selected Papers from the 6thInternational Symposium on Assessment in Music Education; American Music Teacher; and Music Educators Journal.
Musically, Dr. Cangro has a wide range of performance experience as a trumpet player and conductor. He is a member of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony, performs with the Quincy and Jacksonville Symphonies, and has been an active orchestral player and chamber musician for over 25 years. He has conducted several school, festival, community, and adult ensembles, and is currently the music director/conductor of the Monmouth Civic Orchestra and the Quincy Area Youth Orchestra.
At WIU, Dr. Cangro teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in music education as well as directs the Community Music School, advises the Collegiate NAfME chapter and the Mariachi group Mariachi de Oro, and supervises student teachers. He serves on several university committees and is president of the Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society Eta Epsilon chapter, promoting and supporting internationalization efforts in the community.
