Jenny L. Neff, Ed.D is Associate Professor and Division Chair of Music Education at The University of the Arts School of Music. She also serves as Director of the Master of Music and Summer Music Studies programs at UArts. She previously taught music for 25 years in public schools at various levels (K-12) in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, primarily in instrumental music. Her most recent position was teaching instrumental music at Bala Cynwyd Middle School in the Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Neff was one of ten writers on NAfME's Teaching with Primary Sources project through the Library of Congress. She continues to share music education ideas for the Teaching With Primary Sources (TPS) website, as a monthly blogger for the UArts/NAfME partnership. Dr. Neff serves as the Eastern Division Representative for NAfME’s Council for Band and is the State Representative for Pennsylvania for Women Band Directors International. Previously, she served in roles of advocacy and professional development for PMEA districts. She is part of the PMEA Teacher Mentor Program and serves as a trainer for PMEA’s online Model Curriculum Framework tool.
In December 2017, Dr. Neff co-presented at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and has also presented sessions for music educators in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington D.C., and Delaware on a variety of topics, including: national music standards, curriculum, advocacy, assessment, instructional strategies, engaging students, embracing change, creating a collaborative culture, and teacher evaluation.
Dr. Neff’s doctoral research study was published in the peer-reviewed Pennsylvania Educational Leadership Journal. She has written articles for the PMEA State Journal, Teaching Music Magazine and Band Directors Talk Shop, as well as blog posts for Alfred Music, NAfME, Zeswitz Music, and J.W. Pepper. She has also been interviewed for the Everything Band, Working Musicians, and Marching Roundtable, and Music Ed Mentor Podcasts.
She conducted the Concert Band at New England Music Camp for four summers (2013-2017), and has been a guest conductor and clinician in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Previously, she toured Europe for five summers (2008-2012) with high school musicians as Symphonic Band Director and String Ensemble Director for American Music Abroad.
Dr. Neff received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University. She received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education from Michigan State University where she studied horn with Douglas Campbell and Neill Saunders, and played under the batons of Eugene Corporon, Kenneth Bloomquist, and Leon Gregorian in MSU's top bands and orchestra.
Certifications: Pennsylvania: Music K-12, Instructional II; Principal K-12, Administrative; Supervisor – Music; Previous certification in CT (PK-12, Music); Advanced Placement Music Theory Certification, Summer 1999
Dr. Neff was one of ten writers on NAfME's Teaching with Primary Sources project through the Library of Congress. She continues to share music education ideas for the Teaching With Primary Sources (TPS) website, as a monthly blogger for the UArts/NAfME partnership. Dr. Neff serves as the Eastern Division Representative for NAfME’s Council for Band and is the State Representative for Pennsylvania for Women Band Directors International. Previously, she served in roles of advocacy and professional development for PMEA districts. She is part of the PMEA Teacher Mentor Program and serves as a trainer for PMEA’s online Model Curriculum Framework tool.
In December 2017, Dr. Neff co-presented at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and has also presented sessions for music educators in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington D.C., and Delaware on a variety of topics, including: national music standards, curriculum, advocacy, assessment, instructional strategies, engaging students, embracing change, creating a collaborative culture, and teacher evaluation.
Dr. Neff’s doctoral research study was published in the peer-reviewed Pennsylvania Educational Leadership Journal. She has written articles for the PMEA State Journal, Teaching Music Magazine and Band Directors Talk Shop, as well as blog posts for Alfred Music, NAfME, Zeswitz Music, and J.W. Pepper. She has also been interviewed for the Everything Band, Working Musicians, and Marching Roundtable, and Music Ed Mentor Podcasts.
She conducted the Concert Band at New England Music Camp for four summers (2013-2017), and has been a guest conductor and clinician in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Previously, she toured Europe for five summers (2008-2012) with high school musicians as Symphonic Band Director and String Ensemble Director for American Music Abroad.
Dr. Neff received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University. She received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education from Michigan State University where she studied horn with Douglas Campbell and Neill Saunders, and played under the batons of Eugene Corporon, Kenneth Bloomquist, and Leon Gregorian in MSU's top bands and orchestra.
Certifications: Pennsylvania: Music K-12, Instructional II; Principal K-12, Administrative; Supervisor – Music; Previous certification in CT (PK-12, Music); Advanced Placement Music Theory Certification, Summer 1999
Jenny L. Neff Ed.D ~ Music Educator and Educational Leader
Jenny's Creative EDge Created 2018 ~ Jenny's Creative EDge L.L.C., established 2020
Jenny's Creative EDge Created 2018 ~ Jenny's Creative EDge L.L.C., established 2020
