NATIONAL NEWS
greater understanding of our complex world to my students through music. As the universal language, I believe that music is a common thread, transcending culture, race, gender, and sexual orienta- tion, driving each participant toward a collective understanding and apprecia- tion of each other. There have been many challenges and even more successes along the way. One of my greatest challenges to date has been reframing the contributions of Black composers and musicians for white audiences, while simultaneously creating space for musicians formed in Western European hegemonic traditions to engage with Black music openly through authentic performance experiences. My body of research also requires a dismantling of embedded rac- ist myths regarding the ability of black musicians to engage with music at a high academic level. Regarding my successes, I feel I have been highly effective in bringing folks from all walks of life into these con- versations in a non-threatening way, thereby creating allies in the field who are learning to share in the justice work associated with music education in the 21 st century. I am grateful to have amassed quite a bit of notoriety in choral music for someone of my age and experience in the field. I have been invited to conduct and perform in 29 states and 10 countries to date and was named the 2021 GRAMMY © Music Educator of the Year.” Journal: Describe your impact you have on the musician community at the University. Murdock: Students who have taken my classes have noted that there are things they’ve experienced in my courses that have impacted them greatly as teachers and humans. One of my recent stu- dents, a white male, went on to teach in Harlem because he was so impassioned by my teachings on culturally relevant pedagogy and social emotional learning
that he wanted to be impactful to mar- ginalized populations in a real, tangible way. I consistently have the highest professor evaluation ratings possible from students who take my courses. One student in particular noted, “I feel confident in saying that my experience in the master’s program was enhanced by Dr. Murdock’s presence. Dr. Murdock has gone out of his way countless times to ensure that I was signed up for the correct courses and to make sure that I was aware of any upcoming deadlines or materials for my thesis. During my time at the Univer- sity of Arkansas, I was also teaching full time. Dr. Murdock made every effort to carve out weekly meeting times and class times to accommodate my crazy schedule. Aside from making a weekly meeting time, I can recall a phone call at least once a week, if not more, to check in and make sure that I was on track and feeling good about the direc- tion of classwork or my thesis. I am 100% certain that he not only cares about his students on an aca- demic level, but also on a personal level. He is extremely approachable and makes learning a relevant and enjoyable experience. I cannot thank him enough for his dedication to my success at the
University of Arkansas. He is truly one of a kind.
Another student wrote the following: “It is not in vain. These moments, these times, they are all of worth. To us, to you. I remember when I first realized who I was the weight behind the color of my skin... I'll never forget that day. Then, I felt weak and helpless, unsure of how far it would take me or how much it would hinder me. But today... I feel strong. I feel empowered. I feel capable. I feel competent. Sure. Steady. Undefeated. People with my melanin decided to grow, prosper, and flourish despite the odds. That is beautiful. That takes courage. It takes boldness and recklessness to display such a level of bravery. Today... I have the power to do the exact same thing...so that little girls and boys can also feel empow- ered...unstoppable, even. Someone has been waiting for this moment. I know I was. Thank you, Dr. Murdock. Thank you for this group, for this community, for pushing for change and representa- tion on the U of A campus and beyond. Things are changing. Slowly, but surely, gears are grinding. Folks are waking up and sticking to what they believe in. May tonight be no different. I am a part of history. We are a part of history. A
THE JOURNAL ♦ SUMMER 2022 | 17
PUBLISHING ACHIEVEMENT IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs