Biography

• PhD, Temple University
• MM, Emporia State University
• BME, Ft. Hays State University

Beth Bolton has served the Boyer College as Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs since 2006.   Prior to this appointment, she served as chair of the department of Music Education and Therapy from 2002-2006.  

Dr. Bolton is the curriculum director of Early Childhood Music Foundations at Temple Music Prep and serves on university and college committees. She has supervised numerous student teachers, advised ten completed PhD dissertations, one master’s thesis, and 3 masters final projects, and has served on numerous dissertation and final project advisory committees.

Her teaching focus is early childhood music development, measurement and evaluation in music, music learning theory, and research. Dr. Bolton is a senior author of Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum (GIA), a music series for elementary general music teachers; and is a co-author of Music Play (GIA), a teacher guidebook for early childhood music which has been translated and published in Lithuania, Korea, and China. She is a composer, having written more than 600 original songs for teachers, children and parents. The songs are compiled in five books: Musicianship, Katangaroo, Crazy Eights, L’albero delle canzoni (forthcoming, Orff Schulwerk Italiano), and Impressions of Spain (forthcoming, spring 2016). Recordings of Dr. Bolton’s original songs may be found in the CD recordings sets for Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum (GIA), Music Play (GIA), Pickles and Pie (Bestbael Music), Rock-A-Bye Blues (Julie Wylie Music, NZ), and L’albero delle canzoni.

Dr. Bolton is an internationally recognized lecturer and researcher. She has served as a featured presenter at universities, conservatories, workshops, and conferences throughout the United States, and in Australia, Brazil, China, the Dominican Republic, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Spain. Dr. Bolton is the honorary president of Musica in Culla (Music in the Crib), an  international organization of early childhood music associations in Italy and Spain. She is the founder and charter member of the international music education consortium One Vision, Many Mirrors, which includes members from the United States, Brazil, Israel, Italy, and Korea.  She teaches annually in Spain and in the Italian national didactic course in early childhood music. 

Works and Publications

Bolton, B. (ed.), Anselmi, P., Filsinger, K., Freire, R., Hefer, M., (2012, in progress) One Vision:  Many Mirrors. Songs and lesson plans for children of the world from teachers in the United States, Italy, Israel, Korea, and Brazil. 

Bolton, B. (2012, in progress) For the Children of Italy (working title).  A book of original compositions and interaction lesson plans for teachers and parents.  To be published by Orff Schulwerk Italiano, Rome.

Bolton, B., Anselmi, P., Maugeri, D., Mascarello, R. (2010) Musica in Culla: A Collection of Songs and Activities for Children. Rome, Italy: Orff Schulwerk Italiano

Bolton, B. (2010) Musicianship/Katangaroo Sampler CD. Arrangements and MIDI files of 48 songs from Musicianship and Katangaroo. Used in courses held at SUNY Buffalo, University of South Carolina, and GIML Certification in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Bolton, B. (2010) Musicianship: Development of Tonal and Rhythm Skill (3rd edition, 30 new songs). Sourcebook for developing aural skills in music. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania: Bestbael Music.

Bolton, B. (2010) Katangaroo: Songs with Words. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania: Bestbael Music.Used in 2010-2012 summer courses at SUNY Buffalo, University of South Carolina, GIML Certification at Bryn Mawr.

Bolton, B. (2009) Musicianship: Development of Tonal and Rhythm Skill (2nd edition). 
Sourcebook for developing aural skills in music. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania: Bestbael Music.

Bolton, B. (2009). The Creative Process: Suite Armadillo. Article in Vaiko Muzikos Pasaulis:  Vaiku Muzikinio Ugdymo Straipsniu Rinkinys. Vilnius, Lithuania: Kronta.

Bolton, B. (2009). Lesson Plans for Early Childhood Music. Article in Vaiko Muzikos Pasaulis: Vaiku Muzikinio Ugdymo Straipsniu Rinkinys. Pp. 151-157. Vilnius, Lithuania: Kronta.

Bolton, B. (2007) The Childsong Collection Book 3: Learning the Language of Music. A third volume of original songs in varied tonalities and meters with suggestions for simple vocal harmony and lyrics. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania: Bestbael Music.

Taggart, C., Bolton, B., Valerio, W., Reynolds, A., Gordon, E. (2006) Book 4, Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum. Fourth grade books and compact disc recordings. Music textbook series for kindergarten through eighth grade. Book four Teacher’s Edition, Piano Accompaniment Book, Student Book and compact disc recordings (co-producer). Chicago: GIA.

Bolton, B. (2006) The effect of live singing on mothers and infants. 9th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition Conference Proceedings: Bologna, Italy. August 2006. Refereed research conference. Presentation accepted by the conference, presenter unable to attend due to other professional commitments.

Bolton, B. (2005) Skittery Mouse. Original song recorded on the CD recording Teddy Bear’s Picnic. Christchurch, NZ: Julie Wylie Music.

Bolton, B. (2004). An Examination of Vocal/Verbal Responses in Infants and Toddlers
Attending a Music Class. Psychology and Music Education Conference Proceedings, University of Padua, Italy, November 2004. Refereed research conference.

Taggart, C., Bolton, B., Valerio, W., Reynolds, A., Gordon, E. (2004) Book 3, Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum. Third grade books and compact disc recordings. Music textbook series for kindergarten through eighth grade. Book three Teacher’s Edition, Piano Accompaniment Book, Student Book and compact disc recordings (producer). Chicago: GIA.

Valerio, W. H., Reynolds, A. M., Bolton, B. M., Taggart, C. C., and Gordon, E. E. (2004) 
Muzikos zˇaismas [Music play], Regina Poskute-Grun (Ed.). Vilnius, Lithuania: Kronta.

Valerio, W. H., Reynolds, A. M., Bolton, B. M., Taggart, C. C., & Gordon, E. E. (2004). Yinyueyouxi [Music play], translated by Gan Wang and Hao Liu. Beijing: China Translation and Publishing Corporation.

Bolton, B., Wylie, J., Rankin, B. (2003) Rock A Bye Blues. Compact disc recording for early childhood music. Includes 7 original compositions by Beth Bolton. Christchurch, NZ: New Zealand Musical Parenting.

Bolton, B. (2002) The Childsong Collection Book 2: Learning the Language of Music. A second volume of original songs in varied tonalities and meters with suggestions for simple vocal harmony and lyrics. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania: Bestbael Music.

Valerio, W. H., Reynolds, A. M., Bolton, B. B., Taggart, C. C., & Gordon, E. E. (2002). Music Play. (Helen K. Yi, trans.). Hanam-city, Korea: IEC Music English.

Bolton, B., Taggart, C., Valerio, W., Reynolds, A., Gordon, E. (2001) Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum. Second grade books and cd recordings. Music textbook series for kindergarten through eighth grade. Book 2 Teacher’s Edition, Piano Accompaniment Book, Student Book, and compact disc recordings. Chicago: GIA.

Bolton, B., Taggart, C., Valerio, W., Reynolds, A., (2001) Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum. Producer, author, and performer on compact disc recordings for the second grade books in the textbook series. Chicago: GIA .

Bolton, B. (2000) Pickles and Pie Composer, performer, producer. Compact disc recording and songbook for early childhood music teachers and families. Blue Bell, PA: Bestbael Music.

Bolton, B. (2000) Neonates and Music: Providing a Sound Environment. Invited paper for the conference monograph. Topics in Creative Arts Therapy in Neonatal Intensive Care Conference, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY.

Bolton, B. (2000) “Harmonic Development: Music’s Impact to Age Three. Sound Ideas: Canterbury Studies in Music Education. Volume 3, No. 3. Christchurch: New Zealand.

Bolton, B. (2000) Musicianship: Development of Tonal and Rhythm Skill. Sourcebook for developing aural skills in music. Blue Bell, PA: Bestbael Music.

Bolton, B. (2000) Autumnsong: Early Childhood Music Guidebook for Teachers and Parents. Original songs and lesson plans for children age birth to four years. Blue Bell, PA: Bestbael Music. 

Gordon, E., Cameron, C., Bolton, B., Hicks, W., Taggart, C. (2000) Vaiko muzikalumo puoselejimas: dainos ir skanduotes. (1999) Publication of the Early Childhood Experimental Song and Chant Book 1 in Lithuania. Vilnius, Lithuania: Kronta.

Taggart, C., Bolton, B., Valerio, W., Reynolds, A., Gordon, E. (2000) Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum. First grade books. Music textbook series for kindergarten through eighth grade. Book 1 Teacher’s Edition, Piano Accompaniment Book, Student Book, and compact discrecordings. Chicago: GIA. 

Bolton, B., Taggart, C., Valerio, W., Reynolds, A., (2000) Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum. Producer, author, and performer on compact disc recordings for the first grade books in the textbook series. Chicago: GIA.

Reynolds, A., Valerio, W., Bolton, B., Taggart, C., Gordon, E., (1998) MUSIC PLAY: The Early Childhood Music Curriculum. Compact disc recording features six songs composed by Dr. Bolton. Chicago: GIA.

Bolton, B. (1999) The Childsong Collection Book 1: Learning the Language of Music. 103 original songs without words in varied tonalities and meters with suggestions for simple vocal harmony and lyrics. Blue Bell, PA: Bestbael Music. 

Bolton, B. (1999) “An Investigation of Children’s Readiness to Improvise Harmonically” research abstract in Coffman, D. “Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Musicality: The Seashore Symposium” Council for Research in Music Education Bulletin, No. 140. Champaign, IL. School of Music, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Reynolds, A., Valerio, W., Bolton, B., Taggart C., Gordon, E. (1998) MUSIC PLAY: The Early Childhood Music Curriculum. textbook and compact disc recording. Chicago: GIA. 

Bolton, B., Taggart, C., (1998) (Eds) GIML Research Monograph Number 2. “Music, The Brain, and Music Learning” Eckart Altenmüller and Wilfried Gruhn, and “Taking Another Look and the Advanced Measures of Music Audiation” by Edwin E. Gordon. GIML: Chicago: GIA.

Bolton, B. (1997) “Review of Research in Instrumental Music” PMEA News, Journal of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. Fall 1997.

Bolton, B. (1997) “Listen and Move: Preparing Your Students for Instrumental Music Classes” The GIML Audea Volume 3, Number 2. 

Bolton, B. (1996) “Was That A Musical Response? Eliciting and Evaluating the Earliest Musical Behaviors in Very Young Children” Early Childhood Connections Journal for Music and Movement.

Bolton, B. (1995) “Singing Melody and Harmony: A Middle School Vocal Experience” The GIML Audea, Volume 1, Number 4.

Bolton, B. (1995) “Effective Teaching Through Audiation and the National Standards in Music” (Winter 1995) The GIML Audea Volume 1, Number 2. 

Gordon, E, Bolton, B., Taggart, C., Hicks, W. (1994) The Early Childhood Experimental Song and Chant Book 1. Chicago: GIA.