Ethnomusicology Professor Robin D. Moore has received the College of Fine Arts’ Distinguished Teaching Award for 2024 for his demonstrated excellence in teaching and innovation.
Moore, who joined the faculty in 2005, teaches in the Musicology and Ethnomusicology division in the Butler School of Music. His research interests include the music of Cuba and the Caribbean, music of Latin America, music curriculum reform and music and race. He also leads the Hispanic Caribbean Ensemble in the Butler School of Music.
“I enjoy and am deeply committed to teaching because it is the most direct way that we as faculty affect the lives of others,” Moore said. “In all of my undergraduate courses, I make an effort to expose students directly to Spanish-language music making through participatory activities in the classroom. We don’t just discuss Latin American bolero history in terms of the creolizing of Spanish-derived traditions, for instance. Instead, we listen to examples and then try performing the music ourselves, learning to pronounce the lyrics, trying each vocal line individually and then as a group in harmony with one another. Similarly, we don’t just discuss African influences in the Caribbean and the centrality of Black religions to the perpetuation of such heritage. Instead, we clap out rhythms and sing sacred melodies as a complement to academic research. We don’t just watch or read about the centrality of dance to Hispanic heritage, but also learn typical steps, turns and eventually everyone takes part in group dance activities such as Cuban-style rueda de casino. I strive both to get students excited about the topics they study and make them active participants in the learning process.”
As editor of the Latin American Music Review journal, Moore also frequently collaborates with graduate students in the Butler School of Music to provide important professional training for them.
Sonia Tamar Seeman, an associate professor of ethnomusicology in Middle Eastern Studies, was one of Moore’s nominators for the teaching award. In her nomination, she highlighted his strong mentorship of students, particularly Ph.D. candidates, and how he helps them become stronger writers, thinkers and scholars.
“Professor Moore's students have secured prestigious positions in universities in the United States and abroad due to his excellent mentorship,” Seeman wrote in her nomination letter. “His contribution in music performance ensembles has been remarkable, and his efforts in this area have significantly expanded the opportunities for professional development within the division of musicology and ethnomusicology.”