Dr Cynthia Stephens-Himonides

Contact

Cynthia Stephens-Himonides
About
Teaching and learning
Research

About

My background in higher education teaching has been as a teacher educator and researcher specializing in instrumental music teaching and learning. I have presented this research and contributed articles to the Music, Education, and Technology, International Journal of Music Education, Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, Update, Journal of Technology in Music Learning, Keyboard Companion, and Piano Pedagogy Forum, as well as chapters in the Routledge Handbook on Music, Technology, and Education and Leadership and Musician Development in Higher Music Education. Other teaching and research experience include serving as a Foreign Expert in China and as a research associate at the Institute of Education in London, UK. Currently, I'm serving on the Research Committee of the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy and am involved in a longitudinal study of keyboard skills development (US) and instrumental music teacher identity and adaptability since Covid-19.  Additional research areas include socio-cultural perspectives of teaching and learning and inclusive music teaching projects which brings together our department's Gamelan Ensemble and the Kingston community.

Academic responsibilities

Senior Lecturer, Course Leader MA Music Education, Course Leader MMus Performance

Qualifications

  • Doctorate of Musical Arts with specialization in Music Education/Piano Pedagogy - The University of Texas at Austin
  • Master's of Music in Performance - Rice University
  • Bachelor's of Music Education - University of Central Arkansas
  • SFHEA

Teaching and learning

Undergraduate courses taught

Postgraduate courses taught

Research

Recent publications include:

Young, M., Stephens-Himonides, C., Hilley, M. (2019). Leading Curricular Changes in Keyboard Skills Musicianship Classes.  Routledge.

Stephens-Himonides, C. & Hilley, M. (2017). Technology and Group Teaching. In A. King, E. Himonides, & S. A. Ruthmann (Eds.) The Routledge Companion to Music, Technology, and Education. New York: Routledge.

Stephens-Himonides, C. & Hilley, M. (2017). Beyond the Classroom. In A. King, E. Himonides, & S. A. Ruthmann (Eds.) The Routledge Companion to Music, Technology, and Education. New York: Routledge.

Hagen, S., Boot, W. R., McArthur, V., Stephens-Himonides, C., & Cremaschi, A. (2014). An Exploratory Study of the Effect of an Eye Guide While Sight Playing at the Piano. Proceedings of the Sempre MET2014: Researching Music, Education, Technology: Critical Insights.

Hagen, S., Cremaschi, A., & Stephens-Himonides, C. (2013). Effects of extended practice with computerized eye guides for sight-reading in collegiate-level class piano.  Journal of Music, Technology and Education, 5(3), 229-239.

RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

Mendonça, M. & Stephens-Himonides, C. (2022). Collaboration in Creation: Gamelan Performance and Alternative Education Provision for Disengaged Young People. Ethnomusicological Perspectives in Music Education: Fostering culturally diverse and inclusive teaching practices international conference, Universitat Siegen.

Stephens-Himonides, C. & Young, M. (2022). Teaching with Technology: Exploring a New Framework for Measuring Teacher Self-perceptions of Knowledge, Identity, and Adaptability. Sempre 50th Anniversary Conference. University of London.

Stephens-Himonides, C. &Young, M. (2021). Simply the Best: Analysis of Expert Teaching through TPACK and SAMR. Music, Education, and Technology Online Conference.

Stephens-Himonides, C., Young, M., & Hilley, M. (2020). Do student perceptions reveal diverse and inclusive musical study in group piano classes?. ISME Commission on the Education of the Professional Musician (CEPROM).

Young, M., Stephens-Himonides, C. (2018). Cart before the Horse: A look at technology use in keyboard classes. SEMPRE Conference: Researching Music, Education, Technology: Critical Insights, Institute of Education, University of London.

Young, M., Stephens-Himonides, C., Hilley, M. (2017). Time After Time: A Look at Music Majors Experience in Group Piano Classes. National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy, Lombard, Illinois, USA. (Chosen as Research Poster 2017)

Stephens-Himonides, C. & Young, M. (2017). Exploring Keyboard Musicianship Skills within the Musical Journeys of Tertiary Students. 10th International Conference for Research in Music Education, Bath Spa, UK.

Young, M., Stephens-Himonides, C., & Hilley, M. (2016). Shifting the Paradigm: Leading Curricular Changes in Keyboard Skills Training for the 21st Century Professional Musician. Poster presentation at the 32nd International Conference for Music Education World Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.

Young, M., Stephens-Himonides, C., Hilley, M. (2016). Shifting the Paradigm: Leading Curricular Changes in Keyboard Skills Training for the 21st Century Professional Musician. CEPROM

Stephens-Himonides. C. (2014). An Exploratory Study of the Effect of an Eye Guide while Sight Playing at the Piano. SEMPRE Conference: Researching Music, Education, Technology: Critical Insights, Institute of Education, University of London

Stephens-Himonides, C. (2013). Challenges for 1-1 teaching: One-to-One Piano Teaching from a Socio-cultural Perspective. The 8th International Conference for Research in Music Education, Exeter, UK.

Stephens-Himonides, C. (September 2012).  Exploring Piano Teaching and Learning from a Socio-Cultural Perspective. 40th Anniversary SEMPRE: Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research, London, UK.

Stephens-Himonides, C., Donald, S., & Chin, H.L. (August 2010).  "I played it better at home": Observation of Student Practice and Teacher Response.  ISME World Conference, Beijing, China.

Areas of specialism

  • Keyboard/Piano Pedagogy
  • Technology in Music Teaching and Learning
  • Group and Collaborative Learning in Music
  • Socio-cultural Perspectives of Music Teaching and Learning
  • Inclusive Music Learning and Teaching

Research student supervision