About
Lois has spent a lifetime devoted to children and youth in schools and teacher education. Her efforts in research, publication and education have resulted in new models of arts education, teacher preparation, and international programs. In recent years, she has developed a unique and effective learning community approach to educator preparation that has received national attention and interest. Under Lois’ effective model of experiential learning in music education, school educators, children and youth in schools, professors of education, and pre-service higher education students work together at a school site as a community of learners.
A veteran choral conductor and clinician, Lois is a frequent presenter for regional, state, national and international conferences on teaching and learning in the arts. She has authored numerous published articles, textbooks and provided chapter contributions for books on music and arts education. Composing and performing her own compositions in public since age 7, Lois’ songs, piano pieces, instrumental and choral pieces and musicals span a variety of levels of complexity, style, and instrumentation – from children’s songs and chamber pieces to works for full orchestra and double choirs.
Throughout her professional life Lois has taught private piano, voice and composition. She is an adjudicator for the National Guild of Piano Teachers and has worked for numerous organizations in the role of adjudicator for children and youth singers, pianists, composers and choral groups. During the 1990s she served as the Voice Chair and Outreach to Education Chair for the Illinois State Music Teachers Association and has served as an adjudicator for the National Student Composition Competition (National Association for Music Education) for 12 years.
Awards
- 2013 – Wisconsin Teaching Fellowship and Scholars SoTL Research Fellowship
- 2012 – Academic Service Learning Award, University of Wisconsin-Superior
- 2004 – Music Educators Ph.D. Fellowship, Northwestern University
- 2003 – Emily Boettcher and J. Yule Bogue Scholarship, Northwestern University
- 2000 – Music Educators Fellowship, Northwestern University
Education
- 2008 – Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Music Education, Music Composition and Musicology, Northwestern University
- 1978 – Master of Music (M.M.) – Western Michigan University
- 1974 – Bachelor of Music (B.M.) – Piano Performance and Vocal Music Education, Hope College