Paul R. Lehman


Paul R. Lehman is an American music educator.
As a result of his commitment to both music and education he has devoted his career to promoting music and the other arts as essential disciplines in the elementary and secondary schools of the United States. He served as president of the Music Educators National Conference from 1984 to 1986, which was a particularly challenging period for arts education because of the emphasis on ”back to basics” that resulted from the landmark report, ”A Nation at Risk”, published in 1983 by the National Commission on Excellence in Education. Through his speeches, writings, and other advocacy efforts for more than fifty years he has contributed in important ways to the continuing effort to ensure that the arts remain a part of the education of every child in America.

Early life

Paul Robert Lehman was born on April 20, 1931, in Athens, Ohio. His father, Harvey Christian Lehman, was a Professor of Psychology at Ohio University in Athens. His mother, Vera Marjorie Simmons Lehman, died of breast cancer as Paul was about to enter grade three. On June 28, 1953, he married Virginia Ruth Wickline, whom he had known since their days together in high school band. They have two children, David Alan and Laura Ann.

Education

Lehman received his high school diploma from Athens High School in 1949. He enrolled at Ohio University as a major in music education and received his B.Sc. degree in 1953. Following two years of service in the U.S. Air Force, he began graduate work at the University of Michigan, where he received his M.Mus. degree in Wind Instruments in 1959 and his Ph.D. in Music Education in 1962. His principal mentors were his high school band director, William C. Fingerhut, and his professors at the University of Michigan, William D. Revelli, Allen Britton, and Marguerite Hood.

Work experience

He taught instrumental and vocal music in the schools of Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio. Following his graduate work, he received appointments as instructor at the University of Colorado, as Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky, and as Professor at the Eastman School of Music. While on leave from the University of Kentucky in 1967-68 he served as Music Specialist in the U.S. Office of Education in Washington, D.C. Returning to the University of Michigan as a Professor in 1975, he became Associate Dean of the School of Music in 1977 and was appointed to the newly created position of Senior Associate Dean in 1989.
He served as Project Director for Phase 2 of the Goals and Objectives Project of the Music Educators National Conference in 1970, and he was chair of the MENC National Commission on Instruction, which developed the pioneering publication The School Music Program: Description and Standards in 1974. He served as Project Director for the three sessions of the National Symposium on the Applications of Psychology to the Teaching and Learning of Music in 1978, 1979, and 1982. He served as the initial Chief Reader for the Advanced Placement Examination in Music of the College Board, as a consultant in the music assessments of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and as a member of the committee to revise the Music Education Test of the National Teacher Examination of the Educational Testing Service. He also performed as a bassoonist with various orchestras.
He was chair of the music task force that wrote the national voluntary standards for K-12 music, Opportunity To Learn Standards for Music Instruction, and National Performance Standards for Music. He is the author of more than 200 articles and other publications, and he has delivered more than 300 lectures on education in nearly every state of the USA and more than a dozen other countries. Since his retirement in 1996 he has taught a variety of continuing education courses in music.

Honors and awards

Honorary Life Member of the International Society for Music Education
Member of the Music Educators Hall of Fame
Distinguished Service Award, Music Industry Conference
National Citation, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity
Citation, National Federation of Music Clubs
Citation, Foundation for the Advancement of Education in Music
Lowell Mason Fellow, Music Educators National Conference
The National Symposium “Aiming for Excellence: The Impact of the Standards Movement on Music Education,” cosponsored by the University of Michigan School of Music and the Music Educators National Conference, was dedicated to him on the occasion of his retirement from the University of Michigan School of Music

Selected publications

"Reforming Education Reform," Music Educators Journal, 101, 3, 22-32.
"How Are We Doing?" Music Assessment and Global Diversity: Practice, Measurement and Policy. Ed. by Timothy S. Brophy, Mei-Ling Lai, and Hsiao-Fen Chen. Chicago: GIA Publications, Inc., 2014, pp. 3–17.
"Getting Down to Basics," Assessment in Music Education: Integrating Curriculum, Theory, and Practice. Ed. by Timothy S. Brophy. Chicago: GIA Publications, Inc., 2008.
"Advocacy for Music Education: Ten Tips To Protect and Strengthen Your Music Program," International Journal of Music Education, 23, 2, 175-178.
"A Personal Perspective", Music Educators Journal, 88, 5, 47-51.
"Stability and Change in the Role of the Musician," The Musician's Role: New Challenges. Ed. by Giacomo M. Oliva, Malmö, Sweden: Malmö Academy of Music , pp. 29–34.
"The Power of the National Standards for Music Education," Performing with Understanding: The Challenge of the National Standards for Music Education. Ed. by Bennett Reimer. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 2000, pp. 3–9.
"The Status of Music Education in the United States," Report of the International Forum of Music Education in Okayama 1997. Ed. by Yasuharu Takahagi and Tsuneo Nakajima. Tokyo: Foundation for the Promotion of Music Education and Culture, 1998, pp. 27–35.
Performance Standards for Music: Strategies and Benchmarks for Assessing Progress Toward the National Standards, Grades PreK-12. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1996.
"Control of K-12 Arts Education: Who Sets the Curriculum?," Arts Education Policy Review, 97, 2, 16-20.
"The National Standards for Music Education: Meeting the Challenge," The Quarterly VI, 2, 5-13.
National Standards for Arts Education. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1994.
The School Music Program: A New Vision. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1994.
Opportunity-To-Learn Standards for PreK-12 Instruction in Music. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1994.
"Why Your School Needs Music," Arts Education Policy Review, 94, 4, 30-34.
"Curriculum and Program Evaluation," Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning. New York: Schirmer Books, 1992, pp. 281–294.
"Winning and Losing in the Struggle To Reform Education," Design for Arts in Education, 93, 5, 2-11.
"What Students Should Learn in the Arts," Content of the Curriculum: 1988 ASCD Yearbook. Ed. by Ronald S. Brandt. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1988, pp. 109–131.
"A Music Education View of the World," International Music Education--ISME Yearbook Vol. XV, 1988: A World View of Music Education. Ed. by Jack Dobbs. Canberra, Australia: 1988, pp. 24–32.
Music in Today's Schools: Rationale and Commentary. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1987.
Who Cares About Quality in Education?, Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1986.
"Quality versus Superficiality in Arts Education," Design for Arts in Education, 86, 5, 8-9.
"Excellence in Arts Education: Does the Nation Really Want It?," Design for Arts In Education, 85, 2, 40-42.
The School Music Program: Description and Standards. Vienna, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1974.