Bio

Martin Norgaard is Associate Professor of Music Education at Georgia State University in Atlanta where he is collaborating with faculty in neuroscience, mathematics, computer science, occupational therapy, and physics to investigate the cognitive processes underlying improvisation and related therapeutic applications. He received the Dean’s Early Career Award in recognition of “outstanding work” as a faculty member of Georgia State University and is associate faculty of the Neuroscience Institute. In two recent studies involving electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Dr. Norgaard and his colleagues explored the brain networks underpinning musical improvisation. In another study, he showed that middle school children who receive training in musical improvisation score higher on measures of executive function compared to students who receive traditional music training. His research appears in the Journal of Research in Music Education, Brain Connectivity, The International Journal of Music Education, Music Educators Journal, The String Research Journal and the interdisciplinary journal Music Perception.

Dr. Norgaard is the author of ten jazz string method books for Mel Bay Publications including Jazz Fiddle Wizard and Jazz Fiddle/Viola/Cello Wizard Junior and the composer of several string orchestra pieces for The FJH Music Company and Alfred Music Publishing. Dr. Norgaard currently serves on the editorial committee for the Journal of Research in Music Education. Previously, he served on the Music Educators Journal advisory board and on the Emerging Ensembles Subcommittee writing the next generation National Standards in the Arts under the auspices of the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. Dr. Norgaard is a frequent clinician at state, national, and international conventions such as The ISME World Conference on Music Education, The Midwest Clinic, NAfME, ASTA, GMEA, and TMEA among others