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Ben Bolden

Professor of Music Education

Graduate Supervisor

Music Education

ben.bolden@queensu.ca

613-533-6000 ext. 77762

A215

People Directory Affiliation Category
Faculty
Graduate Supervisors

BMus (Carleton), B.Ed. (OISE/UT), MMus (British Columbia), PhD (Toronto)

Professor of Music Education, Graduate Faculty

Dr. Benjamin Bolden, music educator and composer, is an associate professor and UNESCO Chair of Arts and Learning in the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University, Canada. His research interests include arts education, music education, the learning and teaching of composing, creativity, arts-based research, teacher education, teacher knowledge, and teachers’ professional learning. As a teacher, Ben has worked with pre-school, elementary, secondary, and university students in Canada, England, and Taiwan. Ben is an associate composer of the Canadian Music Centre and his compositions have been performed by a variety of professional and amateur performing ensembles.

Research Interests

  • arts education
  • music education
  • the learning and teaching of composing
  • creativity
  • arts-based research
  • teacher education
  • teacher knowledge
  • teachers’ professional learning
Selected Publications
  • Bolden, B., & O’Farrell, L. (2019). Intercultural understanding through the intervention of a culture bearer. In C. Lum & E. Wagner (Eds.), Arts education and cultural diversity: Policies, research, practices and critical perspectives (pp. 65-78). Singapore: Springer.
  • Kukkonen, T., Chang-Kredl, S., & Bolden, B. (2019). Creative collaboration through young children’s playful group drawing: The beehive episode. The Journal of Creative Behavior. DOI: 10.1002/jocb.418
  • Wearing, J., Ingersoll, M., DeLuca, C., Bolden, B., Ogden, H., & Christou, T. M. (Eds.). (2019). Key concepts in curriculum studies. London: Routledge.
  • Xing, D., Bolden, B., & Hogenkamp, S. (2019.) The sound of silence: A musically enhanced narrative inquiry into the academic acculturation stories of Chinese international students with low spoken English proficiency. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 16(2). DOI: 10.1080/15505170.2019.1627616
  • Beach, P., & Bolden, B. (2018). Music education meets critical literacy: A framework for guiding music listening. Music Educators Journal, 105(2), 43-50.
  • Ijdens, T., Bolden, B. & Wagner, E. (Eds.). (2018). Arts education around the world: Seven years after the Seoul Agenda. Münster, Germany: Waxmann.
  • Kukkonen, T., & Bolden, B. (2018). Teaching lives: An arts-informed exploration of teacher experience. Art/Research International 3(2), 150-171.
  • Bolden, B. (2017). Music as method: Musically enhanced narrative inquiry.  International Journal of Education & the Arts, 18(9), 1-19.
  • DeLuca, C., Bolden, B., & Chan, J. (2017). Systematic professional learning through collaborative inquiry: Examining teachers’ perspectives. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 67-78.
  • Bolden, B. & DeLuca, C. (2016). Making space for the magical: Leveraging assessment as an incitement for emergent learning. Assessment Matters, 10, 52-71.
  • Bolden, B., Linton, L., Younker, B. A., Willingham, L., Nifknafs, N. & Bartel, L.  (2015). What in music is going in? How teachers engage students with music in Ontario. The Recorder, 58(1), 12-21.
  • Bolden, B. & Nahachewsky, J. (2015). Podcast creation as transformative music engagement. Music Education Research, 17(1), 17-33.
  • Bolden, B., Linton, L., Younker, B. A., Willingham, L. Niknafs, N., & Bartel, L. (2015). What in Music is Going On? How teachers engage students with music in Ontario schools. The Recorder, 58(1).
Selected Musical Compositions & Notable Performances

  • Bolden, B. (2018). Twilight, for TTBB choir. 

    • Finalist in the Chor Leoni C-4 Canadian Choral Composition Competition
    • Premiered by Chor Leoni, Vancouver, February 2018.

  • Bolden, B. (2016). Sing It Together, arranged for SATB choir and piano. 

    • Commissioned by the Coalition for Music Education. 
    • Performed by elementary and secondary school choirs across Canada for the 11th annual national event: Music Monday, May, 2017.

  • Bolden, B. (2016). Tread Softly, for SATB choir. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwPdDUDIybo

    • Winner of the 2016 Choral Canada Competition for Choral Writing.
    • Premiered by the National Youth Choir of Canada, Edmonton, AB, May, 2016.
    • Broadcast on CBC Radio 2, July 3 & September 4, 2016.
    • Published by Cypress Choral Music Publishers: Vancouver.

  • Bolden, B. (2016). Harvest, for SATB choir. 

    • Winner of the 2016 NewWorks Canadian Choral Composition Competition.
    • Premiered by Da Capo Chamber Choir, May 6, 2017, Waterloo, Ontario.

  • Bolden, B. (2016). Boundless, for SATB choir and piano. 

    • Commissioned by the Wilfrid Laurier University Singers (director Lee Willingham). 
    • Premiered at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, January 31, 2017.

  • Bolden, B. (2013). Winter Child, for SATB choir and piano.

    • Commissioned by Mark Sirett and Cantabile Choirs of Kingston, 
    • Premiered at Sydenham St. United Church, December 2013.

  • Bolden, B. (2013). Is Somebody Singing (ISS), arranged for SATB choir and piano (original song composed by Ed Robertson and Chris Hadfield). 

    • Commissioned by the Coalition for Music Education. 
    • Performed by elementary and secondary school choirs across Canada with Astronaut Chris Hadfield live streamed from aboard the International Space Station (!) for the 7thannual national event: Music Monday, May 8, 2013.