Steve Kelly

Steve Kelly is a Professor of Music Education in the College of Music at Florida State University. He received bachelor and master degrees in music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the Ph.D. in music education from the University of Kansas. At FSU, Kelly teaches undergraduate and graduate music education classes, and coordinates in the music education internship program. Kelly is also the Director of the FSU Summer Music Camps.
Prior to his appointment at FSU, Kelly taught in the Virginia public schools and on the faculties at Brevard College (NC) and the University of Nebraska – Omaha. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, consultant, and guest conductor across the United States. His teaching and research interests include sociological issues in music education, teacher education, and effective teacher characteristics.
Kelly has published and presented papers in international and national journals, and at state, regional, national, and international conferences. He is the author of the book Teaching Music in American Society: A Social and Cultural Understanding of Music Education, and has served on the review boards for the Journal of Research in Music Education, Research Perspectives in Music Education, the Journal of Band Research, and the Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education. Kelly is currently a member of the executive board for the Society for Research in Music Education and is co-chair of the national NAfME Collegiate Advisory Council. Kelly is also a Past-President of the Florida Music Education Association.
Kelly has been recognized as the College Music Educator of the year by the Florida Music Education Association and has also been a recipient of the FSU University Undergraduate Teaching Award, the FSU College of Music Service Award, and the Community Music Service Award by Florida A & M University.
Publications
- Kelly. S. N. (2019). Teaching music in American society: A social and cultural understanding of music education, 3rd edition. New York, NY: Routledge Press.
- Kelly, S. N. (2019). Students’ perceptions of differences between high school marching band and concert band. Journal of Band Research, 55(1), 64 – 74.
- Kelly, S. N., & Veronee, K. (2019). High school students’ perceptions of non-traditional music classes. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 219, 77 – 89.
- Kelly, S. N., & Juchniewicz, J. (2017). An investigation of solo and small-ensemble experiences on the influence of musical development of undergraduate college music majors. Research Perspectives in Music Education, 19(1), 2-13.
- Kelly, S. N., & VanWeelden, K. (2017). Teaching teachers: Methods and experiences used in training doctoral students to prepare preservice music educators. International Journal of Music Education, 35(4), 490-499. doi: 10.1177/02557616667469
- Kelly, S. N. (2015). The influence of student teaching experiences in preservice teachers’ commitments to teaching. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 24(2), 10-22. doi: 10.1177/1057083713506120
- Kelly, S. N., & Belfast, M. A. (2015). Performance considerations of secondary school instrumentalists. In S. Cooper (Ed.), Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education: 2015 Proceedings, Tucson: University of Arizona.
- Kelly, S. N., & Heath, J. (2015). A comparison of nationally ranked high schools and their music curricula. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 34(1). doi: 10.1177/8755123314548042
- Kelly, S. N., & VanWeelden, K. (2014). Gender associations with world music instruments by high school music students from the United States. International Journal of Music Education, 32(4), 478-486. doi: 10.1177/0255761413515808
- Kelly, S. N., & Matthews, K. (2014). An investigation of hiring practices by secondary school principals of music teachers. Research Perspectives in Music Education, 16(1), 44-54.
- Juchniewicz, J., Kelly, S.N., & Acklin, A. (2014). Rehearsal characteristics of superior band directors. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 32(2), 35-43. doi:10.1177/8755123314521221
- Kelly, S. N. (2024). Post-COVID influences on students’ decisions to pursue music education as a college major. Presentation at the International Society for Music Education, Helsinki, Finland, July 2024.
- Kelly, S. N., & Veronee, K. (2024). An investigation of specific characteristics influencing undergraduate students’ perceptions of effective music teacher education professors. Paper presented at the 25th International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Asheville, NC.
- Kelly, S. N., & Juchniewicz, J. (2022). An examination of influences on collegiate music teacher identity. Paper presented at the 24rd International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Kansas City, MO.
- Kelly, S. N. (2019). Student perceptions of possible differences between high school marching band and concert band. Paper presented at the 23rd International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Estes Park, CO.
- Kelly, S. N. (2017). Perceptions of “Transcendence” Among Selected Variables During the Student Teacher Experience. Paper presented at the 22st International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Austin, Texas.
- Kelly, S. N. (2015, March). Psychosocial theory and the lifespan of a successful music teacher. Paper presented at the 21st International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Tallahassee, Florida.
- Kelly, S. N., & Heath, J. (2013, March). A comparison of nationally ranked high schools and their music curricula. Paper presented at the 20th International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Seattle, Washington.
- Bowers, J., & Kelly, S. N. (2011, February). The impact of collaborative field experiences on university and public school music student development. Paper presented at the 19th International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Barcelona, Spain.
- Kelly, S. N. (2009, April). An overview of teaching music in American society: A social and cultural understanding of music education. Paper presented at the 2009 18th International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, St. Augustine, Florida.
- Madsen, C. K., & Kelly, S. N. (2009, April). College music students as cross-age tutors within after-school setting. Paper presented at the 2009 18th International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, St. Augustine, Florida.
- Kelly, S. N. (2022). School music and student transition to college music majors. Research poster session for the 35th International Society for Research in Music Education, Virtual Format.
- Kelly, S. N. (2020). Perceptions of “Transcendence” Among Selected Variables During the Student Teacher Experience. Research poster session for the 34nd International Society for Research in Music Education, Helsinki, Finland. (Symposium canceled due to COVID)
- Murie, C., & Kelly, S. N. (2020). Teaching Music Internationally: What to Expect When Applying and Accepting an International Music Teaching Position. Research poster session for the 34nd International Society for Research in Music Education, Helsinki, Finland. (Symposium canceled due to COVID)
- Kelly, S. N., & Darrow, A. A. (2016, July). Body posture effects on preservice music educators’ professional presence and students’ evaluation of teacher effectiveness. Research poster session for the 32nd International Society for Research in Music Education, Glasgow, UK.
- VanWeelden, K., & Kelly, S. N. (2016, July). Experiences during doctoral music education students’ degree program: A comparison of perceptions. Research poster session for the 32nd International Society for Research in Music Education, Glasgow, UK.
- Kelly, S. N., & VanWeelden, K. (2014, July). Teaching teachers: Methods and experiences used in training doctoral students to prepare preservice music educators. Research poster session for the 31st International Society for Research in Music Education, Porte Alegre, Brazil.
- Kelly, S. N., & VanWeelden, K. (2012, July). Gender associations with world music instruments by high school music students from the United States. Research poster session for the 30th International Society for Research in Music Education, Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Madsen, C. K., & Kelly, S. N. (2008, July). College music students as cross-age tutors within after-school setting. Poster session for the 28th International Society for Music Education World Congress, Bologna, Italy.
- Kelly, S. N., & Juchniewicz, J. (2023). An examination of influences on collegiate music teacher identity. Research paper presented at the national meeting of the College Music Society, Miami, FL.
- Kelly, S. N. (2023). School music and student transition to college music majors. Research paper presented at the College Music Society Southern Conference, Jacksonville, FL.
- Kelly, S. N. (2023). A survey of bullying behaviors among high school music students. Paper presented at the 2023 Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, Phoenix, Arizona.
- Belfast, M. A., Kelly, S. N., & Scherber, R. V. (2023). Performance consideration of collegiate instrumentalists. Paper presented at the 2023 Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, Phoenix, Arizona.
- Kelly, S. N. (2021). School music and student transition to college music majors. Paper presented at the 2021 Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, Phoenix, Arizona.
- Kelly, S. N. (2019). Student perceptions of possible differences between high school marching band and concert band. Paper presented at the 2019 Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, Phoenix, Arizona.
- Kelly, S. N., & Veronee, K. (2017). High school students’ perceptions of non-traditional music classes. Paper presented at the 2017 Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, Phoenix, Arizona.
- Kelly, S. N., & Belfast, M. A. (2017). Perceptions of summer music camp influences on musical skills. Paper presented at the 2017 Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, Phoenix, Arizona.
- VanWeelden, K., & Kelly, S. N. (2016). Experiences during doctoral music education students’ degree program: A comparison of perceptions. Paper presented at the 2016 National Association for Music Education In-Service Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.
- Kelly, S. N., & VanWeelden, K. (2015, September). Teaching teachers: Methods and experiences used in training doctoral students to prepare preservice music educators. Paper presented at the 2015 Symposium on Music Teacher Education, Greensboro, North Carolina.
- Kelly, S. N. (2015, February). Psychosocial Theory and the Lifespan of a Successful Music Teacher. Paper presented at the 2015 Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium X: Music Lifelong Learning Conference, Tampa, Florida.
- Kelly, S. N., & Belfast, M. A. (2015, February). Performance considerations of secondary school instrumentalists. Paper presented at the 2015 Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Education, Tucson, Arizona.
- Kelly, S. N., and Veronee, K. (2024). An investigation of the extent that specific skills/ behaviors influenced undergraduate students’ perceptions of music teacher education professors’ teaching effectiveness. Research poster session for the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Tabone, J, & Kelly, S. N. (2024). Student perceptions of large ensemble assessment. Research poster session for the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Kelly, S. N., & Belfast, M. A. (2023). Bullying in the high school music classroom. Research poster session for the Society for Music Teacher Education 2023 Symposium on Music Teachers Education, Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Kelly, S. N., & Juchniewicz, J. (2022). An examination of influences on collegiate music teacher identity. Research poster session for the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Washington, DC.
- Kelly, S. N., & Juchniewicz, J. (2022). An examination of influences on collegiate music teacher identity. Paper presented at the annual meeting f the North Carolina Music Educators Association meeting, Winston Salem, NC.
- Kelly, S. N. (2021). School music and student transition to college music majors. Research poster session. Research poster session for the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Orlando, FL.
- Kelly, S. N. (2019). Perceptions of “Transcendence” Among Selected Variables During the Student Teacher Experience. Research poster session. Research poster session for the Northwest Division of the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Portland, OR.
- Kelly, S. N. (2018). Perceptions of transcendence among selected variables during the student teacher experience. Research poster session. Research poster session for the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Kelly, S. N. & Belfast M. A. (2018). Perceptions of summer music camp influences on musical skills. Research poster session. Research poster session for the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Belfast, M. A., Kelly, S. N., & Scherber, R. (2018). Performance considerations of undergraduate instrumental students. Research poster session. Research poster session for the National Association for Music Education National Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Kelly, S. N. (2024). School music teaching: Addressing the teacher shortage. Presentation for the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Schools of Music, Chicago, IL.
- Kelly, S. N. (2024). Society for Research in Music Education State Research Chairs. Presentation at the 2024 National Assembly of the National Association for Music Education, Atlanta, GA.
- Kelly, S. N., & Cox, K. (2024). The Collegiate Leadership Advocacy Summit. Presentation & facilitator at the national meeting of the National Association for Music Education, Reston, VA.
- Kelly, S. N, (2024). Teach Music Florida Coalition to address the recruitment and retention of music teachers. Presentation at the Florida Music Educators Association Conference, Summer Institute Think Tank, Tampa, Florida.
- Kelly, S. N., Cox, K., Gray, L. (2024). Transitioning to becoming a teacher. National webinar presentation sponsored by the National Association for Music Education.
- Kelly, S. N., Sanz, K., Weaver, J., & Reynolds, J. (2024). The future of Florida music education: Attracting and retaining teachers. Presentation at the Florida Music Educators Association Conference, Tampa, Florida.
- Kelly, S. N. (2023). Addressing the music teacher shortage: Recruiting and retaining music educators. Presentation & facilitator at the Florida Music Educators Association Conference, Summer Institute Think Tank Tampa, Florida.
- Kelly, S. N. (2021). Points of pride for leaders. Invited presentation for the Florida Music Educators Emerging Leaders Summer Conference. Virtual presentation.
- Kelly, S. N. (2020 June). From the top: A president’s view. Invited presentation for the Florida Music Education Association’s Emerging Leaders Workshop. Virtual presentation.
- Kelly, S. N. (2019 October). President’s Vision: Past, Present, & Future, Invited presentation for the Florida Music Education Association Summer Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
- Kelly, S. N. (2019 October). Developing future music educators. Keynote presentation for the Florida Collegiate National Association for Music Education Fall Conference, Lakeland, Florida.