The department’s goal is for each of our students to become pedagogues who can effectively teach music in a variety of settings to people of all ability levels and at all ages and stages of life, cutting-edge researchers in the field of music education, and accomplished musicians who are equally well-prepared to be great teachers and performers.
The members of our music education department – faculty and students alike – are enmeshed in a culture of research and musicianship that continually enhances our curriculum going beyond the classroom to create new knowledge, promote novel ideas, and connect people. Through engaging in our monthly Colloquium Series, participating in our active National Association for Music Education Collegiate Chapter, and attending conferences both in Baltimore and beyond, our students build their professional networks as music educators long before graduation.
Rachel Brashier is the Chair of Music Education at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. Originally from Illinois, Brashier earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education at Eastern Illinois University and then taught K-12 music (general, vocal, and instrumental) full-time in the Chicago area for over 12 years.
Harlan Parker has been the conductor of the Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble and coordinator of the music education division at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University since the fall of 1990. From 2007 to 2016 he served as the conductor of the Peabody Youth Orchestra.
Laura Parker earned a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Washburn University, as well as a Master of Music Education degree and a PhD from University of Kansas, with an emphasis on flute performance. Parker is Pi Kappa Lambda and Phi Delta Kappa, and is the past president of MCUEA.
Sean Brennan is a multi-disciplinary guitarist and educator hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. As a performer, Brennan specializes in contemporary music, and regularly works with living composers.
Wesley Hamilton is a violist, violinist, educator, entrepreneur, and music theorist pursuing her DMA at Peabody Conservatory and Violin/Viola Adjunct Faculty at Howard Community College. Wesley has served as a Strategic Advisor for the Pava Center at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures since 2022, and is the founder of The Practice Peg, LLC.
Jonah Kappraff is a trumpet player and private instructor based in Baltimore, MD. After training at the Oberlin Conservatory and Boston University, Kappraff spent a decade freelancing in Boston before relocating to central Pennsylvania in 2015.
Mary Ellen Lewis is an adjunct faculty member who connects Peabody with the School of Education through the course Literacy in the Content Areas, a two-part course that is required for the credentialing of teachers in Maryland.
Gayssie Lugo is an accomplished artist, educator, and advocate for music and libraries based in the DMV area. Her career as a singer has taken her across the East Coast of the United States, where she has performed for and alongside renowned organizations such as the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
A highly skilled and creative music educator, Amy Weishaar (M.A.) specializes in neurodiversity, disability, and inclusion. Her career is devoted to helping educational professionals work towards equity.