Andrew Bajorek

Short summary: Researcher, creative thinker, musician, father, husband, lover of podcasts. Long summary: I am a music educator and teaching assistant at the University of Florida, where I am pursuing a Ph.D. In Music Education. I live in Gainesville, FL with my wife, Sarah, a neonatology fellow at Shands Children's Hospital, and our two sons. In June 2017, my family will relocate to Orlando, FL. My hometown is Fairview, PA which is located in the northwest corner of the state. My passion is creating experiences: through music, connecting with audiences, education environments, even in creating food. I am enthusiastic in discovering ways to connect preservice educators to the best practices of teaching musical concepts. My area of expertise includes elementary processes in teaching children to sing, keep a beat, and be expressive in music; instrumental conducting and exploring ways to better develop the musicianship of ensemble members; and teaching educators outside of the field of music how to incorporate musical concepts in their classroom. I have research interests in the processes that surround musical development for young children, including the exploration of the Matthew Effect phenomenon in music. My conference presentations include: “Music In Our Schools Month: Performance Opportunities for ALL Students”. Pennsylvania Music Educators Association State Conference, March 2014 “There’s An App For That 2.0”. Pennsylvania Music Educators Association State Conference, March 2014 “There’s An App For That”. Texas Music Educators Association / TI:ME State Conference – February 2013 Outside of my profession, I very much enjoy listening to a variety of podcasts, traveling with my family, and watching fireworks at Disney World with my wife and boys.