Travis Marcum, Director of Education and Music & Healing

Dr. Travis Marcum is the Director of Education for Austin Classical Guitar and PhD in Music and Human Learning from The University of Texas at Austin. Since 2005, He has helped build hundreds of classroom guitar programs worldwide, his efforts contributing to a broad shift in music education course offerings across the U.S. beyond traditional band, orchestra, and choir. Dr. Marcum is founder and director of ACG’s Music & Healing Initiative, which provides unique music programming for Austin community members experiencing significant challenge or trauma. These programs include partnerships with Dell Children’s Hospital, Salvation Army Women and Children’s Shelter, Travis Co. Correctional Complex, The Livestrong Cancer Institutes, and Carnegie Hall among others.

As a researcher, Dr. Marcum has spent the last decade examining music teacher-learner interactions. He works with Dr. Robert Duke and The UT Austin Center for Perceptual Systems to analyze teachers’ moment-to-moment deployment of attention during instruction using eye tracking technology. The results of his research contribute to a growing body of work identifying specific characteristics of teacher expertise. Dr. Marcum has served as an Assistant Instructor at The UT Austin Butler School of Music, teaching Guitar, String Methods, Classroom Management for Arts Educators, and supervising student teachers for the dept. of Music and Human Learning.

Dr. Marcum frequently consults with school districts nationwide helping teachers develop their skills. He guest conducts regional and all-state guitar ensembles. Dr. Marcum is also co artistic director for ACG’s large, community-based art projects including I/We, Dream, and Together.

Email: travis@austinclassicalguitar.org