Dr. Mary Ellen Cavitt

Conn Selmer Educational Clinician

Mary Ellen Cavitt is Professor of Music Education, Associate Vice President for Academic Success, and Dean of University College at Texas State University where she recently received the Texas State University Alumni Teaching Award of Honor, Everette Swinney Faculty Senate Teaching Award, Presidential Awards of Distinction in Service and Teaching, and the College Achievement Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activity. Dr. Cavitt received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in horn performance from The Juilliard School and Ph.D. in music education from The University of Texas at Austin. She is a 2013 graduate of Harvard University’s Management Development Program for higher education leaders. She has served as Director of Graduate Studies in Music, Associate Director of the School of Music, and Associate Dean for the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Texas State University.

During her tenure in the Texas public schools, she was named Outstanding Young Bandmaster of the Year at the Texas Bandmaster Convention in San Antonio. Dr. Cavitt has served on the music education faculties of Michigan State University, The University of Arizona, and The University of Texas at San Antonio and as an administrator of instrumental music for North East Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas. She is an active clinician and adjudicator, and her research has been presented at regional, national, and international conferences. She served as editor for the Texas Music Education Research Journal for 13 years and is past Chair for the Instructional Strategies Research Interest Group for the National Association for Music Education. Dr. Cavitt compiled and edited On Teaching Band: Notes from Eddie Green published by Hal Leonard and Music Theory for Beginning Instrumentalists: A Scripted Curriculum published in 2017 by RBC Music (JWPepper.com).