Email address: furbyvj@buffalostate.edu
B.M.E Capital University
M.A. The Ohio State University
Ph.D The Ohio State University
Dr Furby is the coordinator of Graduate Music Education, and is responsible for the oversight of SUNY's first 100% online Masters of Music in Music Education degree program. At the graduate level, Dr Furby teaches research methods and conducting courses. In addition to her responsibilities at the graduate level, Dr Furby is responsible for the choral department at the undergraduate level. She conducts two select ensembles, Chamber Choir and the vocal jazz ensemble Elmwood Swing, which she founded. She also teaches choral methods and choral conducting for undergraduate music education majors.
Dr. Furby has been an invited guest conductor and clinician for honor choirs and choral workshops both within and outside New York State and is also active in professional development for practicing music educators. Prior to her appointment at Buffalo State, Dr. Furby completed her graduate education at The Ohio State University where she focused on choral music education and conducted Mastersingers and Ladies First. She was awarded the Joseph Leeder Award and invited to join the honorary fraternities Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda. During her public school teaching career, Dr. Furby taught high school and junior high choirs that received superior ratings at both local and state levels.
In addition to her teaching and conducting pursuits, Dr. Furby is actively pursuing a research agenda related to sight-singing instruction and assessment at both the secondary and collegiate levels. In 2010, Dr. Furby was awarded the Carnegie Academy of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship. She has presented her research at numerous conferences including the NYSSMA Convention, the OMEA Convention, MENC Regional and National Conferences, ACDA Regional and National Conferences, the SMTE National Conference, and the ISSOTL International Convention. Dr. Furby is a member of MENC, ACDA, CMS, SMTE, and NYSSMA and is the Repertoire and Standards Chair of Youth and Student Activities for the NYACDA.
Email Address: renzonkb@buffalostate.edu
Kerry B. Renzoni is assistant professor of music and coordinator of the undergraduate music education program at Buffalo State.
Dr. Renzoni received a Ph.D. in music education from Temple University, where she was awarded a University Fellowship and the prestigious Presser Music Award. She holds a B.M. in both harp performance and music education from the Eastman School of Music, and an M.M. in music education from the Eastman School of Music.
For six years, Dr. Renzoni taught pre-kindergarten through fifth grade music in the Western New York area where she prioritized creativity and improvisation in music curricula. Additionally, she served as Lead Teacher for the Early Childhood Music Foundations program at Temple University and taught through the Early Childhood Music program at the Eastman School of Music.
Dr. Renzoni is an active researcher, conference presenter, and clinician at the state, national, and international levels. She has presented at ISME, NAfME, SMTE, MENC Eastern, NYSSMA, PMEA, NJMEA, CMEA, and the Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium. Recently, she also served as a music clinician in China. Her research interests include the role of environment in music learning, creativity, improvisation, and music literacy in early childhood and elementary music settings.