Biography
Clayton Dahm serves as lecturer & student teacher and assessment coordinator at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. He is a specialist in elementary and community music education, with particular interest in Keetman-Orff Schulwerk, World Music Pedagogy, and Popular Music Education. He holds degrees from the University of Chicago (BA); Teachers College, Columbia University (MA); SOAS, University of London (MMus); and the University of Washington (PhD).
Spanning ethnomusicology and music education, scholarly interests include curriculum development, representation, transmission, and the musical practices of families. Publications can be found in the International Journal of Community Music, Journal of Popular Music Education, Music Educators Journal, Music Research Annual, and The Orff Echo. An active clinician and presenter, he currently serves on the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Council for Innovations.
Before coming to Northwestern, Dr. Dahm taught at Gonzaga University and the University of Washington and previously worked as a public school elementary general music and instrumental educator in the United States and England.
Research
Selected Research
- Dissertation Research
- Dahm, C. & Campbell, P. S. (2022). Star-songs and constellations (SSC): Pathways for delivering musical diversity and ensuring cultural inclusion. Voice of Washington Music Educators, 66(3), 21-23.
- Dahm, L. C., Flesher, J., Cantarelli Vita, J. & Campbell, P. S. (in press; 2022). Families as small-community quarantine pods of sociomusical engagement. International Journal of Community Music.
- Campbell, P. S. & Dahm, C. (2022). Music in cultural context: The legacy of Alan Lomax. Kodály Envoy, 48(3), 20-22.
- Dahm, L. C. (2022). Exploring jeliya: Creative possibilities with a west African music tradition. The Orff Echo, 54(3), 38-43.
- Dahm, L. C. (in press; 2022). Contextualizing contemporary musicians: A case study of Oumou Sangaré. Journal of Popular Music Education.
- Campbell, P. S. & Dahm, C. (2021). Star-songs and constellations: Lessons from the Global Jukebox. Music Educators Journal, 108(1), 11-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/00274321211039492
- Campbell, P. S. & Dahm, C. (Forthcoming). Music in Schools: Principles, Practices, and Promises. Music Research Annual.
Courses Taught
Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
Adjunct Instructor
MUSC 139: World Music Methods - for Music Education Majors