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Theoretically Speaking...
lues guitarist B.B. King once said, “The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.” Apply that sentiment to the study of music theory and you have long-lasting knowledge and the basis for knowing what makes music, well-music. Dr. Jennifer Beavers, Associate Professor of Music Theory is an active music analyst, researcher, and educator. In less than a decade, she has created a name for herself and her work in the world of music theory. She has been published in music journals such as the Music Theory Online, Indiana Theory Review, and Journal of Music Teacher Education. She shares co-author credit with UTSA colleague, Dr. Susan Olson on the Routledge Aural Companion, has an upcoming chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Public Music Theory. Dr. Beavers’ latest triumph occurred in early September when she was invited to deliver the keynote address for the Music Theory and Musicology Society hosted by the Cincinnati Conservatoire of Music. The conference, “Conversations in Music” was held virtually, but in no way did that minimize the honor of being a driving part of its program. “This was a huge honor and the biggest accomplishment of my career thus far,” stated Beavers. “Due to Covid 19, it was conducted virtually, so I didn’t get to visit the city and instead presented from my dining room! “
Hers was an engaging multimedia presentation entitled “Ravel’s Sonic Illusions” that juxtaposed her analyses of timbre and orchestration using sound files, images, and videos. “It was positively received and generated a lot of new ideas. The work I presented there is going to be published at a leading journal in the field, Music Theory Online, in January 2021.” Music theory is not just something Beavers teaches in the classroom. One of her passions is working with students in the UTSA Music Theory Club, an extracurricular student group she advises. Current president Madeline Gonzales stated, “I joined the club after reaching out to Dr. Beavers. She said that as an aspiring professor of music theory, being a part of and leading this club would be a great way to start leading some research projects and getting my foot into the world of music theory.” Gonzales invites students with a penchant for music theory to join the next generation of members. Some of the items on the club’s agenda include conducting a research project, bringing in guest speakers to talk about their areas of research, and reaching out to under-represented public schools to help expand their theory curriculum either through tutoring, mini-lectures, or presentations. If you are interested in learning more about the UTSA Music Theory Club, contact Jennifer Beavers (jennifer. beavers@utsa.edu) or Madeline Gonzales (madgo94083@ gmail.com).
