Associate Professor
Diehn School of Music

Douglas Owens

757-683-6562

1218 DIEHN CENTER
NORFOLK, 23529

Dr. Douglas T. Owens is an Associate Professor of Music, the F. Ludwig Diehn Endowed Chair of Instrumental Music Education, Graduate Program Director, and a past Chairperson of the 51Ç鱨վ Diehn School of Music. He earned the Doctor of Arts degree in Music with emphases in Music Education and Jazz Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado in 2003. Dr. Owens earned the Master of Music in Trumpet Performance in 1986 and the Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1983, each from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Dr. Owens is the director of the 51Ç鱨վ Jazz Orchestra, and teaches several music education courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. An experienced music educator since 1986, Dr. Owens previously taught at the University Massachusetts, Dartmouth and at the University of Southern Maine. He has been a music educator at the elementary, middle and high school levels in California and Wisconsin. Dr. Owens continues to serve as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator of wind ensembles, concert bands and jazz ensembles.

Dr. Owens has served as the conductor of the Maine All-State High School Jazz Band, the Maine All-State High School Band, and the Southeastern Louisiana University High School Honors Wind Ensemble. He has presented research and performed as Principal Trumpet of the Virginia Wind Symphony at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference. Additional research presentations include the national meetings of the College Music Society, the National Association for Music Education, the Eastern Division meetings of the National Association for Music Education, the Virginia Music Educators Association, the Massachusetts Music Educators Association, the Maine Music Educators Association, the National Hearing Conservation Association, the Health Promotion in Schools of Music Conference, the Performing Arts Medicine Association National Symposium, the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities, the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference and the University of Northern Colorado Research Conference.

Dr. Owens book chapter, "Interactive Composing in School Jazz Ensembles" appears in the Oxford Handbook of Music Composition Pedagogy, edited by Michele Kaschub. He has published musicians’ health related research appearing in the College Music Symposium, Medical Problems of Performing Artists, the National Band Association Journal and The Instrumentalist. Dr. Owens is the 2004 recipient of the Alice G. Brandfonbrener Young Investigator Award, presented by the Performing Arts Medicine Association for the paper "Sound Pressure Levels Experienced by the High School Band Director." His research on music entrepreneurship appears in the book Disciplining the Arts: Teaching Entrepreneurship in Context, edited by Gary D. Beckman.

Dr. Owens is a past member of the Virginia Wind Symphony. While lead trumpet in the Portland (Maine) Jazz Orchestra, Dr. Owens performed with Bob Mintzer, the New York Voices, Conrad Herwig, Wayne Bergeron, Greg Hopkins and Denis DiBlasio. He appears on the 2009 PJO recording "±·´Ç°ù’e²¹²õ³Ù±ð°ù." Additionally, Dr. Owens has been a member of the Thomas Snow Band, the Chris Humphrey Big Band, the Norumbega Brass, and the Washington Brass Quintet.

D.A. in Music Education, University of Northern Colorado, (2003)

M.M. in Trumpet Performance, University of Colorado Boulder, (1986)

B.M.E. in Music Education, University of Colorado Boulder, (1983)

Expertise

Music
Arts Administration, Music Education, Curriculum Development, Music Technology, Hearing Conservation, Music-Induced Hearing Loss, Jazz Ensemble, Music Program Administration, Jazz History, Student Teacher Coordination, Jazz Improvisation, Trumpet Performance and Pedagogy, Jazz Pedagogy, Wind Conducting, Marching Band

Articles

Owens, D. T., Toy, B. J. and Parchman, T. (2023). The incidence of noise-induced hearing loss of freshman students who participated in organized music activities prior to attending college. . College Music Symposium 63 (2).
Toy, B. J., Owens, D. T. and Parchman, T. (2022). Repetitive stress syndromes: Defining, recognizing, preventing and addressing.. National Band Association Journal LXI (1) , pp. 40-47.
Kosnik, J. W. and Owens, D. T. (2022). Musicians’ health. The American Organist LVI (11) , pp. 74-75.
Owens, D. T. and Schwartz, K. (2021). The Incidence of Hearing Loss Among University Student Musicians. National Band Association Journal LXI (1) , pp. 40-47.
Owens, D. T. (2008). Hearing loss. A primer for the performing arts. Medical Problems of Performing Artists 22 (2) , pp. 147-154.
Owens, D. T. (2007). Making connections through long-distance mentoring. National Band Association Journal XXXXVIII (2) , pp. 51-52.
Owens, D. T. (2007). Noise-induced hearing loss. The Instrumentalist 62 (3) , pp. 23-28.
Owens, D. T. (2004). Protect your hearing during rehearsals. The Bulletin 40 (1) , pp. 26-29.
Owens, D. T. (2004). Sound pressure levels experienced by the high school band director. Medical Problems of Performing Artists 19 (1) , pp. 109-115.

Book Chapters

Owens, D. T. (2024). Interactive composing in school jazz ensembles. Oxford Handbook of Music Composition Pedagogy Oxford University Press.
Owens, D. T. (2010). Making the connections: Music education and arts entrepreneurship Disciplining the Arts: Teaching Entrepreneurship in Context Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.

Conference Proceeding

Beckman, G. D. ., Owens, D. T., Roscetti, D., Shah, A. and Zeisler, N. (2012). Summit handbook: A living document for the society, educators and future educators. From the 2010 Inaugural College Music Society Summit on Music Entrepreneurship Education (pp. 15) College Music Society.
Harding, R. A.. and Owens, D. T. (2004). Colorado music educators hearing threshold project Proceedings from the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities, Honolulu, HI, January 8-11, 2004.
Harding , R. A. . and Owens, D. T. (2003). Sound pressure levels experienced by conductors and students in collegiate music rehearsal settings Proceedings from the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities, Honolulu, HI, January 12-15, 2003.

Presentations

Owens, D. T. (March , 2020). Hearing conservation for the musician: Protect your hearing for a Lifetime of musicianship Oral Presentation Association of Concert Bands National Convention, 2020 (cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic) Virginia Beach, VA.
Owens, D. T. (May 16, 2019). Q & A with Dr. Douglas Owens, All-State Band Conductor. Lecture Maine Music Educators Association In-Service Conference University of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Owens, D. T. and Schwartz, K. (November 19, 2015). The incidence of hearing loss among university student musicians. Poster 2015 Virginia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference Norfolk, VA.
Owens, D. T. (December 5, 2014). Hearing conservation strategies for the music educator Oral Presentation Southeastern Louisiana University High School Honors Wind Ensemble weekend Hammond, LA.
Owens, D. T., Toy, B., Parchman, T. and Kosnik, J. W. (April 10, 2014). Addressing the health related needs of college-aged music students through the academic curriculum Poster National Association for Music Education Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference St. Louis, MO.
Owens, D. T., Chesky, K. and Amlani, A. (December 18, 2013). Music-induced hearing loss: Adopting new techniques for safer ensemble rehearsals Oral Presentation The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference Chicago, IL.
Owens, D. T., Toy, B. and Parchman, T. (February 21, 2013). The Incidence of noise-induced hearing loss of freshman students who have participated in music activities prior to attending the University of Southern Maine or the University of Maine National Hearing Conservation Association 38th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference St. Petersburg, FL.
Toy, B. J., Owens, D. T. and Parchman, T. (January 12, 2013). Addressing the health related needs of college-aged music performance students Poster NATA Athletic Training Educators’ Conference Dallas, TX.
Owens, D. T. (March 2, 2012). Hearing Conservation for the Music Educator: Protect Your Hearing for a Lifetime of Music Teaching and Learning Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Conference Massachesetts.
Owens, D. T. (February 4, 2011). Hearing Conservation Strategies for the Music Educator New Hampshire Jazz All-State Conference New Hampshire.
Owens, D. T. (May 20, 2010). Music Teacher Education at the University of Southern Maine: Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century Teachers and Learners Maine Music Educators Association In-Service Conference Orono, ME.
Owens, D. T. (January , 2010). Impacting Music Sub-Disciplines: Entrepreneurship Education for Performance and Non-Performance Students College Music Society Inaugural Summit: Music Entrepreneurship Education, Catching the Second Wave Nashville, TN.
Owens, D. T. (January , 2010). Understanding the Music School College Music Society Inaugural Summit: Music Entrepreneurship Education, Catching the Second Wave Nashville, TN.
Owens, D. T. (November 7, 2009). Hearing Conservation Strategies for the Music Educator New England Area Collegiate MENC Symposium University of Southern Maine.
Owens, D. T. (October , 2009). Articulating Music Entrepreneurship Education Fifty-Second National Conference of the College Music Society Portland, OR.
Owens, D. T. (October , 2009). Standards Based Curricula: Incorporating Theory and Practice in Undergraduate Music Education Poster Fifty-Second National Conference of the College Music Society Portland, OR.
Owens, D. T. (May 21, 2009). Introduction to SmartMusic Maine Music Educators Association All-State Conference Gorham, ME.
Owens, D. T. (March 14, 2009). Develop your teacher toolkit: Make the connections Eastern Division Conference of the Music Educators National Conference Providence, RI.
Owens, D. T. and Harding, R. Al. (February , 2009). Music Educators Hearing Threshold Testing Project Poster Conference of the National Hearing Conservation Association .
Owens, D. T. (May 15, 2008). Hearing Health Strategies for the Music Educator Maine Music Educators Association All-State Conference Orono, ME.
Owens, D. T. (April 12, 2008). What? Hearing Health Strategies for the Music Educator The 61st National Biennial Meeting of the Music Educators National Conference Milwaukee, WI.
Owens, D. T. and Harding, R. Al. (April 10, 2008). Music Educators Hearing Threshold Testing Project Poster The 61st National Biennial Meeting of the Music Educators National Conference Milwaukee, WI.
Owens, D. T. (June 13, 2007). Music Education Technology Workshop: SmartMusic Thornton Academy/Saco Schools’ Music Department Saco, ME.
Owens, D. T. (March 23, 2007). Band Retention Workshop Scarborough School Department band directors Scarborough, ME.
  • 2010: MENC National Collegiate Chapter of Excellence Award, University of Southern Maine Chapter 226
  • 2004: Alice G. Brandfonbrener Young Investigator Award, Performing Arts Medicine Association
  • 2000: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Jazz Festival, Eau Claire, WI Excellent rating and outstanding soloist awards,
  • 2000: Wisconsin School Music Association Solo & Ensemble Festivals, local and state levels: chamber ensembles and jazz ensembles superior musicianship awards on a yearly basis from 1987-1989,
  • 2000: Wisconsin School Music Association Solo & Ensemble Festivals, local and state levels: Chamber and jazz superior musicianship awards,
  • 1999: Excellent musicianship award, Wind Ensemble, National Adjudicators Invitational Concert Band Festival, San Antonio, TX
  • 1998: Rolling Meadows H.S. Jazz In The Meadows Festival, Rolling Meadows, IL: Excellent rating
  • 1997: Superior musicianship awards: Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble I, Dixie Classic Concert and Jazz Band Festival, Richmond, VA
  • 1996: Excellent rating and outstanding soloist awards: Jazz Ensemble I, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Jazz Festival, Eau Claire, WI
  • 1995: Featured marching band, Epcot Center Futureworld March, Orlando, FL,
  • 1994: Excellent rating and outstanding soloist awards: Jazz Ensemble I, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Jazz Festival, Eau Claire, WI
  • 1988: Marching Band performance at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, New York, NY,

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