Karen Howard teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education, choral courses, and diverse musics. She is research director for the Graduate Programs in Music Education, and facilitates the Smithsonian Folkways Certificate Course in World Music Pedagogy.
She was previously an early childhood music and movement facilitator, elementary school music teacher, and choral director. She is a regular presenter working with music educators to diversify repertoire and pedagogical strategies. Karen is the editor of the new series "World Music Initiative" through GIA Publications. While all music is considered under the title of "world music", this series focuses on marginalized and underrepresented music cultures featuring music educators collaborating with culture bearers.
Her research has been published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing, and the International Journal of Community Music. Her book "World Music Pedagogy: Secondary School Innovations" is published through Routledge, and "First Steps in Global Music" through GIA.
Dunyo, K. & Howard, K. (Fall, 2020). Dance Like a Butterfly:Songs from Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia. GIA Publications.
Howard, K. (2019). First steps in global music. GIA Publications.
Howard, K. & Kelley, J. (2018). World music pedagogy in school and community: Secondary school innovations. Routledge.
Howard, K. (2020). Variations on a dance of the Roma. General Music Today.
Howard, K. (2020). Traditional Japanese music in contemporary times, General Music Today, 33(3), 52-57.
Howard, K. (2019). Performing bateria rhythms in Brazilian samba. General Music Today, 33(1), 52-56.
Howard, K. (2020). Knowledge practices: Changing perceptions and pedagogies in choral music education. International Journal of Research in Choral Singing, 8, 2-21. https://acda-publications.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/IJRCS/volumeeight/Pages+from+IJRCS%2B8.1%2Bfinal%2B4_article.pdf
Howard, K. (March, 2020). Cultural appropriation vs. cultural appreciation: Understanding the difference. Music Educators Journal.
Howard, K. (2019). A singing dance from Bulgaria. General Music Today, 32(3), 31-36.
Howard, K. (2018). Puerto Rican plena: The power of a song. General Music Today, 32(2), 36-29.
Howard, K. (2018). Expressing culture: Teaching and learning music of Ghana, West Africa. General Music Today, 32(1), 26-29.
Howard, K. (2018). The emergence of children’s multicultural sensitivity: An elementary school music culture project. Journal of Research in Music Education. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/0022429418784594
Howard, K. (2017). Musical and sociocultural functions in children’s vocalizations: A literature review. Perspectives: Journal of the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association, 12(2).
Howard, K. (2014). Traditional music of East Africa: Experiencing nogoma in Tanzania. General Music Today, 27(3), 44-46.
Howard, K., Swanson, M., & Campbell, P.S. (2013). The diversification of music teacher education: Six cases from a movement in progress. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 24(1), 26-37.
Howard, K., Morford, J., & Campbell, P.S. (2013). Get-in-the-groove music: Rhythmicking with young children. International Journal of Community Music Vol. 6(3), 295-309.