Faculty

William Coppola is Assistant Professor of Music Teaching and Learning at the USC Thornton School of Music. His primary research interest examines the role of humility and egotism as they pertain to the ethical and prosocial development of musicians and music educators. His research has been published in the Journal of Research in Music Education; Psychology of Music; Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education; Music Education Research, the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education; Update: Applications of Research in Music Education; Jazz Education in Research and Practice; General Music Today; and the Journal of Popular Music Education.

Coppola is also co-author of two books within the seven-volume World Music Pedagogy Series, edited by Patricia Shehan Campbell: World Music Pedagogy, Volume IV: Instrumental Music Education (Routledge, 2018) and World Music Pedagogy, Volume VII: World Music in Higher Education (Routledge, 2020). Written at the intersection of music education and ethnomusicology, both volumes address practical strategies for developing culturally inclusive music curricula in instrumental ensembles and college-level music classes, respectively.

William Coppola holds degrees from the University of Washington (Ph.D., 2018), New York University (M.A., 2011), and Hofstra University (B.S., 2008). He is a certified Smithsonian Folkways World Music Pedagogy and Kodály educator, and was previously an elementary music director with New York City Public Schools.