Cat Bennettis an assistant professor of music education at Oakland University, where she teaches undergraduate introductory and capstone music education courses, choral methods, student teaching seminar, graduate music education courses, and supervises choral education student teachers in their internships.
Over the past 20 years, Cat has taught and studied vocal music in many countries around the world, teaching K – 12 general and choral music in Japan and Thailand and working as a volunteer music teacher in Honduras and South Africa. She has studied Hindustani Classical voice in India, choral music in South Africa, Tembang in Indonesia, Ewe music in Ghana, and various musical styles in Argentina. Cat has performed as a contemporary vocalist in Japan and Thailand and, prior to completing her PhD at the University of Miami, studied vocal jazz and Creative American Music. Cat also has a BME from Ithaca College and a MME from Indiana University, where she served as assistant director of the International Vocal Ensemble for two years.
Cat’s research centers around international, culturally responsible, and heartfelt music pedagogies and music teacher education. She is currently conducting phenomenological research with teaching artists in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has published in Update, the International Journal of Music Education (IJME), the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, and the Journal of Research in Music Education (JRME); she is also on the IJME editorial board and the Michigan Music Educator Journal editorial board.
