Mark A. Belfast, Jr. is an assistant professor of music education at Florida State University, where he also serves as an assistant director of the FSU Summer Music Camps. Previously, he served as chair of the School of Music and coordinator of music education at Southeastern University. Belfast earned the PhD in music education from Florida State University, and he holds MEd in music education and BME degrees from Auburn University.
Belfast’s teaching experience includes undergraduate and graduate music education courses, as well as directing public school instrumental music programs in Alabama and Georgia. His research interests include teacher effectiveness, music teacher education, jazz pedagogy and performance, and music for special populations. Belfast has presented research and educational clinics in regional, national, and international venues, including the International Society for Music Education (ISME) Special Music Education and Music Therapy Pre-Conference Seminar, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference, NAfME Biennial Northwest Division Conference, Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, the Society for Music Teacher Education Symposium on Music Teacher Education, and the Florida Music Education Association Professional Development Conference. The results of his research have appeared in a variety of professional publications, including the Proceedings of the 24th International Seminar of the Commission on Special Music Education and Music Therapy,the Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education, the NBA Journal, The Journal of the Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education,and the Florida Music Director. In addition to his research and teaching, Belfast serves on the advisory board for the Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, as co-chair of the ISME Special Music Education and Music Therapy commission, he is the NAfME Collegiate advisor for the state of Florida, and he maintains an active agenda as a speaker, clinician and adjudicator.
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