Biography
Samuel Tsugawa is an associate professor of music education and holds Bachelors and Masters of Music Education degrees from Brigham Young University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in music education from Arizona State University. As an orchestra teacher in the public schools for 28 years, ensembles under Dr. Tsugawa’s baton had a reputation as outstanding performance groups.
Recognized by his colleagues as an accomplished classroom teacher, Dr. Tsugawa has received state educator of the year honors as Phi Delta Kappa’s Utah Walmart Teacher of the Year. State arts and music education organizations have presented Dr. Tsugawa with the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Legacy Award for Excellence in Arts Education, the Utah High School Activities Association Distinguished Service Award, and music educator of the year honors from the Utah American String Teachers Association and Utah Music Educators Association.
Dr. Tsugawa has a growing number of publications and has presented papers and workshops at national and international research and practitioner conferences. He has published in the American String Teacher, International Journal of Community Music, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, Research Studies in Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, and the International Journal of Music Education. His teaching interests, research, and publications focus on older adult music learning, music teacher education, popular music, action research, and orchestra classroom pedagogy. Dr. Tsugawa served as president of the Utah Music Educators Association and Western Division President for the National Association for Music Education and as a member of NAfME’s National Executive Board.
Research Interests
Older adult music teaching and learning, gerontology, music teacher education, action research, popular music.Teaching Interests
Instrumental (band and orchestra) music teaching, conducting, research methods, music psychology.Education
- Doctor of Musical Arts, Music Education , Arizona State University (2009)
- Master of Music, Music Education , Brigham Young University (1993)
- Bachelor of Music, Music Education , Brigham Young University (1987)
Honors and Awards
- Hall of Fame, Utah Music Educators Asssociation (2024 - 2024)
- Inspiring Learning Award--Nominee, BYU Experiential Learning & Internships (2022 - 2022)
- Outstanding Music Educator, Utah Music Educators Association (2022 - 2022)
- Distiguished Service Award: Music Educator of the Year, Utah High School Activities Association (2016 - 2016)
- Resident Artist, Springville City (2015 - 2015)
- Beverly Taylor Sorenson Legacy Award for Excellence in Arts Education, Beverly Taylor Sorenson Foundation & the Utah State Office of Education (2013 - 2013)
- Educator of the Year, Utah American String Teachers Association (2011 - 2011)
- Outstanding High School Music Educator, Utah Music Education Association (2011 - 2011)
- ArtsWorks Research Award, Arizona State University Herberger College of Design and the Arts (2007 - 2007)
- Superior Accomplishment Award, Utah Music Educators Association (2006 - 2006)
- Utah Teacher of the Year, Phi Delta Kappa/Walmart (2006 - 2006)
- High School Teacher of the Year, Utah American String Teachers Association (1998 - 1998)
Memberships
- American String Teachers Association (1996 - Present)
- Utah Music Educators Association (1990 - Present)
- National Association for Music Education (1988 - Present)
Professional Citizenship
- Board Member, State of Utah, Utah Arts Advisory Board (2024 - Present)
- Committee/Council Member, American String Teachers Association (2023 - Present)
- Committee/Council Chair, National Association for Music Education: Adult and Community Music Education Special Research Interest Group (2020 - 2022)
- Board Member, National Association for Music Education (2016 - 2022)
- Officer, Western Division President, National Association for Music Education (2018 - 2020)
- Board Member, Utah Music Educators Association (2011 - 2017)
- Officer, President, Utah Music Educators Association (2013 - 2015)
- Board Member, Utah Music Educators Association (1999 - 2003)