about

Benjamin Rybolt currently teaches at School of the Arts in the Rochester City School District (RCSD), where he teaches music theory and piano. He previously taught secondary general music and guitar classes at World of Inquiry School No. 58 and James Monroe High School (RCSD). He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Crane School of Music at State University of New York (SUNY) Potsdam (BM ‘13, MM’ 15). He maintains a small teaching studio of private guitar students.

research & presentations

Ben has had many opportunities to present on music education in the 21st century including the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Conference, the Society for Music Teacher Education Symposium, the New Directions in Music Education Conference, the SUNY Potsdam Research and Learning Fair, and the Julia E. Crane Music Education Symposium. Presentations include:

  • “Effect of Power: Inclusion & Equity Reform in Music Teacher Education.” Panel presentation at the Society of Music Teacher Education (SMTE): Cultivating Perspectives and Practices, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, September 2019.

  • “Ideology and the Music Curriculum: Gender and Equity in Music Education.” Joy Douglas Visiting Master Teacher, Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, August 2019.

  • “Equity, Inclusion & Diversity in Music Education.” Joy Anthony Douglass Visiting Master Teacher, Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, March 2019.

  • “Enacting Diversity and Inclusion: Matters of Policies and Practices.” Panel presentation at the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Conference, Rochester, New York, November 2018.

  • “The Personal Musicianship Project: Teaching Multiple Forms of Music Making within the College Music Education Curriculum.” Panel presentation at New Directions in Music Education: Teaching Composition, Improvisation and the New Musicianship, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, March 2014.

  • Creative Technologies, Creative Pedagogies: The Need For New Versions of Musicianship. Research Team: John Bernstein, Matthew Wurtzel. SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2013.

  • Three Dilemmas in Teacher Education and the Impact they have on Preservice Teachers’ Understanding of their Preparation as Music Teachers. Research Team: John Bernstein, Matthew Wurtzel. SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2013.

  • Stories of Learning to Teach Music: Four Narratives in Search of an Audience. Research Team: John Bernstein, Genevieve Brigida, Nicholas Murray. SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2012.

Student Choreographer’s Concert @ SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2014.

Student Choreographer’s Concert @ SUNY Potsdam, Spring 2014.

performance

Ben often performs with many Rochester-area theater productions, with Gavin Barry’s Rebel Banjo Circus, and as a solo guitarist. He has had the pleasure of performing at the Lake George Music Festival (Lake George, New York), The Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) Regional Symposium (Manhattan, New York), the Wrigley Mansion (Phoenix, Arizona), and the Japanese Friendship Garden (Phoenix, Arizona).