Byron Almén, Ph.D.

As a teacher of music theory, I am dedicated to helping talented and intuitive musicians integrate their performance abilities with a knowledge of musical style, giving them tools to make effective interpretive choices, fostering their ability to communicate these choices through music-making, speech, and the written word, and modeling skills for working creatively with other musicians. I attempt to create a welcoming and positive environment where students feel safe and respected, to inject humor, to convey enthusiasm, and to foster collegiality. I consider myself fortunate to be able to work with intelligent, insightful, and talented students in a challenging academic environment on a daily basis.