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Andrea Creech

Academic title(s): 

Professor, Associate Dean, Academic and Student Affairs (Sabbatical leave, Fall '24/Winter '25)

Andrea Creech
Department: 
Music Research
Area(s): 
Music Education
Performance Science
Contact Information
Phone: 
514-398-1882
Email address: 
andrea.creech [at] mcgill.ca
Group: 
Faculty
Office: 
Rm. A-722
Salutation: 
Dr.
Biography: 

Dr Andrea Creech is Professor of Music Pedagogy at the Schulich School of Music, º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾. She formerly held the post of Professor in Didactique Instrumentale at the Faculty of Music, Université Laval (2016-2020), where she held a Canada Research Chair in music in community (funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada). Following an international orchestral and teaching career Andrea was awarded a PhD in Psychology in Education from the Institute of Education, University of London, where she subsequently worked, promoted to Reader in Education, in 2013.

Andrea’s research has covered a wide range of issues in formal and informal music education contexts, including interpersonal dynamics in instrumental learning and teaching, informal learning in school music, inclusion, and music for positive youth development. Her recent research has focused on intergenerational and lifelong music-making in community contexts, addressing questions relating to the social and emotional outcomes associated with music learning and participation, as well as the pedagogies and facilitation approaches that can support positive musical experience and lifelong learning. In her new role at º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾, Andrea is very excited to be researching innovative pedagogies and practices within tertiary music education. As part of this research strand, she is collaborating with international colleagues at Monash University, Australia, exploring signature pedagogies in creative collaboration.

Andrea has presented at international conferences and published widely on topics concerned with musical development and lifelong learning and participation in the arts, including the Music for Life Project, funded by the UK Research Councils and winner of the Royal Society for Public Health’s award for research in Arts and Health, 2014. She is Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy; Editor of Psychology of Music and Chair of the Scientific Committee for the International Society for Music Education World Conferences 2020 and 2022. She is co-author of Active Ageing with Music, and co-editor of Music Education in the 21st Century in the UK. Andrea's most recent book (2020) is Contexts for Music Learning and Participation: Developing and Sustaining Musical Possible Selves, where she and her co-authors explore the intersections between formal, non-formal and informal contexts and pedagogies in lifelong music education, and their implications for our musical possible selves. She has also co-edited the forthcoming Routledge International Handbook of Music Psychology in Education and the Community (in press).

Interviews: 

Teaching for Learning @ º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ | (January 13, 2022)

Selected publications: 

Books

Creech, A, Varvarigou, M., & Hallam, S. (2020). Contexts for Music Learning and Participation - Developing and Sustaining Musical Possible Selves. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Springer Nature.

Creech, A., Hodges, D. & Hallam, S., (Eds.). (2021, in press). Routledge International Handbook of Music Psychology in Education and the Community. London: Routledge.

Creech, A., Hallam, S., McQueen, H., & Varvarigou, M. (2014). Active ageing with music: Supporting wellbeing in the Third and Fourth Ages. London: IOE Press.

Hallam, S., & Creech, A. (Eds.). (2010). Music education in the 21st century in the United Kingdom: Achievements, analysis and aspirations. London: Institute of Education, London.

Book chapters

Creech, A. (in press). Instrumental music teaching: Contemporary research perspectives. In G. Spruce & N. Beach (Eds.), Instrumental music teaching: Perspectives and challenges. Trinity College Press.

Costa, J., & Creech, A. (2019). Teaching and Learning in Unfamiliar Territory. In G. G. Johansen, K. M. Holdhus, C. Larsson, & U. MacGlone (Eds.), Expanding the space for improvisation pedagogy. Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis.

Creech, A., & Tsaklagkanou, L. (2019). A National Orchestra for All: an ethos of inclusiveness within music-making for positive youth development. In B. Kaufman & L. Scripp (Eds.), Music learning as youth development. New York: Routledge.

Hallam, S., & Creech, A. (2019). Musical Futures: Informal group music making in schools as a context for youth development. In B. Kaufman & L. Scripp (Eds.), Music learning as youth development. New York: Routledge.

Creech, A. (2018). Community-supported music-making as a context for positive and creative ageing. Chapter 5 In L. Higgins & B.-L. Bartleet (Eds.), Oxford handbook of community music. New York: Oxford University Press.

Creech, A., & Hallam, S. (2017). Chapter 3: Facilitating learning in small groups: Interpersonal dynamics and task dimensions. In J. Rink, H. Gaunt & A. Williamon (Eds.), Musicians in the making: Pathways to creative performance. New York: Oxford University Press.

Creech, A., Gonzalez, P., Lorenzino, L., & Waitman, G. (2015). Social development through intensive music education: The influence of participation in El Sistema-inspired programmes on individual and community wellbeing. In S. Clift & P. Camic (Eds.), Oxford textbook of creative arts, health and wellbeing (Chapter 32). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Creech, A. (2015). Chapter 21: Understanding professionalism: Transitions and the contemporary professional musician. In I. Papageorgi & G. Welch (Eds.), Advanced musical performance: Investigations in higher education learning. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate.

Creech, A., & Papageorgi, I. (2015). Chapter 7: Concepts of ideal musicians and teachers: Ideal selves and possible selves. In I. Papageorgi & G. Welch (Eds.), Advanced musical performance: Investigations in higher education learning. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate.

Creech, A., Lopez-Real, C., Paterson, K., & Sherry, R. (2013). Creative assessment of creativity in musical performance. In P. Burnard (Ed.), Developing creativities in higher music education: International perspectives and practices (pp. 318-329). Abingdon, Oxford: Routledge.

Collens, P., & Creech, A. (2013). Intersubjectivity in collaborative learning in one-to-one contexts. In H. Gaunt & H. Westerlund (Eds.), Collaborative learning in higher music education: Why, what and how? (pp. 151-164). London: Ashgate.

Creech, A., & Gaunt, H. (2012). The changing face of individual instrumental tuition: Value, purpose and potential. In G. McPherson & G. Welch (Eds.), Oxford handbook of music education (pp. 694-711). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Journal Articles

Creech, A., Larouche, K., Generale, M., & Fortier, D. (in press, 2021). Creativity, music and quality of later-life: A systematic review. Psychology of Music.

Martin-Gagnon, G., & Creech, A. (2019). Cool jazz: Music performance anxiety in jazz performance students. Music Education Research, 21(4), 414–425. ;

Creech, A. (2019). Using music technology creatively to enrich later-life: A literature review. Frontiers iPsychology - Performance Science, Online 30 January 2019 |

Boucher, M., Creech, A., & Dubé, F. (2019). Video feedback and the self-evaluation of college-level guitarists during individual practice. Psychology of Music, Online April 2019.

Hallam, S., Creech, A., Varvarigou, M., & Papageorgi, I. (2020). Are there differences in practice depending on the instrument played? Psychology of Music, 48(6), 745-765. doi:10.1177/0305735618816370;

Hallam, S., Creech, A., Varvarigou, M., & Papageorgi, I. (2020). Gender differences in musical motivation at different levels of expertise. Psychology of Music, 48(5), 657-673. doi:10.1177/0305735618815955

Hallam, S., Creech, A., & McQueen, H. (2015). What impact does teaching music informally in the classroom have on teachers, and their pedagogy? Music Education Research, 1–18. JOUR.

Creech, A., & Hallam, S. (2015). Critical geragogy: A framework for facilitating older learners in community music. London review of education. London Review of Education, 13(1), 43-57.

Creech, A., Varvarigou, M., Hallam, S., McQueen, H., & Gaunt, H. (2014). Scaffolding, organisational structure and interpersonal interaction in musical activities with older people. Psychology of Music, 42(3), 430-447.

Creech, A., Hallam, S., Varvarigou, M., Gaunt, H., McQueen, H., & Pincas, A. (2014). The role of musical possible selves in supporting subjective well-being in later life. Music Education Research, 16(1), 32-49.

Creech, A., Hallam, S., Varvarigou, M., & Gaunt, H. (2013). Active music making: A route to enhanced subjective well-being amongst older people. Perspectives in Public Health (Special Edition), 133(1), 36-43.

Creech, A., Hallam, S., McQueen, H., & Varvarigou, M. (2013). The power of music in the lives of older adults. Research Studies in Music Education, 35(1), 83 - 98.

Selected talks and presentations: 

´¥ÌýIntegrating principles of well-being and assessment, with Professor Andrea Creech

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