Dr. Thomas Fitzstephens

Assistant Professor: Director of Music Education and Choral Activities

Office: Music Education 225
Visual and Performing Arts
College of Arts & Sciences
TFitzstephens@clayton.edu
Phone: (678) 466-4753

Biography

Dr. Thomas FitzStephens holds a Bachelor of Choral Music Education from The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, a Master of Music in Conducting from Michigan State University’s College of Music, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Music Teaching and Learning from Georgia State University. He studied conducting with Dr. Jerry Blackstone, Dr. Sandra Snow, Dr. Jonathan Reed, and Dr. David Rayl, and voice with George Irving Shirley and Molly Fillmore.
Dr. FitzStephens currently serves as Assistant Professor, Director of Choral Activities and Music Education, at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia. He also serves as Music Director of Harmonia Atlanta, and as Choir Director at Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia. Prior to CSU, Dr. FitzStephens served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Oglethorpe University and taught middle and high school music for seventeen years. Prior to his involvement in higher education, he taught in K-12 schools for 17 years. For a decade he served as Vocal Music Director at the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program at Berry College, working with Georgia’s most gifted high school students.

Education

Ph D, Teaching and Learning, Georgia State University, 2022

MM, Music Conducting, Michigan State University , 2010

BM, Choral Music Education, University of Michigan, 2004

Intellectual Contributions

Tom Fitzstephens, FitzStephens, Tom. (2021). Amateurism in Music Education (1967–2019): Three Calls to Action. Visions of Research in Music Education, 38., Visions of Research in Music Education – 2021

Tom Fitzstephens, FitzStephens, Tom. (2021). Teaching for Lifelong Musical Amateurism. Teaching Music, 29(1), 14–15., Teaching Music – 2021

Presentations

Tom Fitzstephens, “Amateurism in Music Education (1967–2019): An Examination of Three Calls to Action", Annual State Conference, Georgia Music Educators Association – 2019

Tom Fitzstephens, “Amateurism in Music Education (1967–2019): An Examination of Three Calls to Action”, International Symposium for Research in Choral Singing, American Choral Directors Association – 2020

Tom Fitzstephens, Amateurism in Music Education, Pass the Baton Episode 38, Pass the Baton – 2022

Tom Fitzstephens, Bringing Amateurism into the Choral Classroom to Inspire Lifelong Learners, Online Professional Learning Community Webinar, National Association for Music Education – 2022

Tom Fitzstephens, Research Presentation: (Pinho et al., 2014) “Connecting to Create: Expertise in Music Improvisation is Associated with Increased Functional Connectivity between Premotor and Prefrontal Areas”, Thinking Nobel Study Abroad, Georgia State University and The Karolinska Institute – 2019

Teaching Interest

Research Interest

Dr. FitzStephens is interested in researching quality teaching that inspires lifelong learning. Dr. FitzStephens’s writing is published in Visions of Research in Music Education, Teaching Music magazine, and his dissertation, Why do Adults Sing? The Impact of the High School Experience, is available in ScholarWorks. He has presented at state and international music education conventions.