Rate My Professor Debra Brown

Dr. Debra Brown is an Associate Professor of Music Education in the School of Fine and Performing Arts at Northwest Missouri State University, where she joined the faculty in 2017 and was promoted to her current rank in 2024. She also served as Associate Chair of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts from 2022 to 2025. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Kansas (2016), during which she served as a graduate teaching assistant from 2011 to 2015; a Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (1998); and a Bachelor of Music Education from Baker University. With over 45 years in the field, Brown’s career history encompasses an Assistant Professor position in Music Education at Ball State University (2016-2017), adjunct instruction at Johnson County Community College (2000-2018), and roles as elementary general music teacher and facilitator in the Olathe Public School District (1982-2011).

Brown’s academic interests center on elementary music education curriculum, teacher education, listening skills in music, undergraduate curriculum in music education, and integration of curriculum in education. A notable publication is her co-authored article “Navigating Curricular Revision in Music Teacher Education Programs” in Contributions to Music Education (2021). She has presented refereed posters and sessions at national NAfME and SMTE conferences, as well as state KMEA and IMEA events, and delivered invited presentations on general music curriculum, methodology, children’s chorus, and music listening integration. Brown teaches courses including Music in the Elementary School, Secondary General Music Methods, American Popular Music, and Intersection of the Arts. Her major awards include the 2024 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education, Northwest Missouri State University’s Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching, Diversity and Inclusion Award, and Faculty Advisor Award for Student Organizations for her leadership of the NAfME-Collegiate chapter. Through innovative teaching, curricular revisions, mentoring, Orff workshops, and fieldwork supervision, she has made significant contributions to music teacher preparation.