Shawn Royer, Ph.D.

Biography 

Musician, educator, and clinician, Dr. Royer (formerly “Goodman”), is an Assistant Professor of Music at Marian University in Indianapolis where she directs the jazz ensemble, teaches clarinet and saxophone, is a University Supervisor, and works with pre-service educators in music.  She previously served as an Associate Instructor of Music Education at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and served as Adjunct Instructor of Music at IUPUI and at the Butler University School of Music. 

Dr. Royer is as a Yamaha Performing Artist and Vandoren Artist Clinician. Her first solo album, Not Benny’s Goodman, was released in September 2013, and she is featured on two Wave Mechanics Union albums. 

In 2019, Dr. Royer presented research at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) National Conference in Reno and at the International Symposium on the Philosophy of Music Education in Canada.  She co-authored a book review the same year in the Arts Education Policy Review, "A Review of Music Education in an age of Virtuality and Post-Truth," and published "Rehearsing Ensembles Online" in the Music Educators Journal in 2020. Dr. Royer is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and recently co-authored an article with her wife, Sarah Breann Royer, entitled “Ways to Better Support LGBTQ+ Youth in Music Classrooms,” which was published online by Classical Music Indy in 2021. Her article, “David Baker: A Black Pioneer of Jazz in Academia,” was accepted by the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education for publication in April 2022.

Dr. Royer holds a Bachelor of Music in Education with a concentration in Jazz Studies from the University of Indianapolis and a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from the Butler University School of Music.  She earned a PhD in Music Education with a minor in jazz pedagogy and specialization in saxophone from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2022.

Dr. Royer founded and directs the SYO Summer Music Programs, a non-profit organization that offers full symphony orchestra, jazz ensemble, chamber ensembles, handbell choir, and adaptive percussion ensembles to middle school and high school musicians. She is also the Director of the 65th Street Klezmorim and the Swing Shift Indy big band and she maintains an active career performing jazz.

Education

• PhD Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, 2022
• MM Butler University School of Music, 2012
• BM University of Indianapolis, 2008

Affiliations

• President, SYO Summer Music Programs
• Member, Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Woodwind Manual Revision Committee
• Yamaha Performing Artist
• Vandoren Regional Artist
• Member, Jazz Education Nework (JEN)
• Member, National Association for Music Educators (NAfME)
• Member, Kappa Delta Pi
• Member, Pi Kappa Lambda (Delta Zeta Chapter)
• Member, Musicians Union, Local 3

Research interests / portfolio

• Historical research in music education
• LGBTQ+ issues in education
• Music and arts education policy issues

Publications

•  "A Step-by-Step Method for Teaching Jazz Improvisation" (Classical Music Indy, 2017)
  
•  "Review of Music Educationin an Age of Virtuality and Post-Truth" (Arts Education Policy Review, 2019)
  
•  "Idea Bank: Rehearsing Ensembles Online" (Music Educators Journal, 2020)
  
•  "Ways to Better Support LGBTQ+ Youth in Music Classrooms" (Classical Music Indy, February 2021)
  
•  "Differentiated Instruction in Music Classrooms" (Classical Music Indy, April 2021)
  
• "Inclusive Practices that You Can Incorporate Into Your Ensemble Rehearsals" (Classical Music Indy, June 2021)
  
• "Fix It: Clarinet Teaching Tips"  (Yamaha Educator Suite, September 2020)
  
•  "Teaching Jazz by Ear" (Teaching Music, April 2021)
  
•  "How to Rehearse Your Jazz Band Online" (Classical Music Indy, July 2020)
  
•  "Jazz Education: Teaching Students How to Play the Changes" (Vandoren Resources, 2018)
  
•  "5 Helpful Tips for Teaching High Notes on Clarinet and Saxophone" (Classical Music Indy, December 2020)
• "David Baker: An African American Pioneer in Jazz Education" (Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, April 2022 *In Press)