Deborah Cunningham

Biography

Deborah A. Cunningham is a part-time instructor of music education in the Setnor School of Music and the School of Education. She brings over 30 years of experience teaching vocal and general music in New York State public schools and conducting children’s and youth choirs.

Well versed in active music making pedagogies, Cunningham earned approval as a Level I instructor for the American Orff Schulwerk Association. She participated in the International Summer Course at the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria, completed three levels of Kodály Teacher Training and holds Level I certification with Music Together. As a clinician, she has given numerous workshops for in-service and pre-service teachers across the United States and has presented her work at national and international conferences.

She is co-author of “Travel On and On: Interdisciplinary Lessons on the Music of World Cultures,” has published in Music Educators Journal and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, and has contributed to Activate! magazine. Her research interests include pre-service and in-service teacher education. She serves on the curriculum committee of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA).

Cunningham is deeply involved in the greater Syracuse musical community. She is organist and cherub choir director at Christ Episcopal Church in Manlius, New York, and works regularly as a collaborative pianist and organist throughout the region. At Le Moyne College, she serves on the applied music faculty (piano) and is also minister of music.

She received a Ph.D. in teaching and curriculum, an M.M. in music education, an M.M. in performance (piano accompaniment) and a B.M. in music education from Syracuse University.

Education

• Ph.D., M.M., M.M., B.M., Syracuse University