Western Illinois University School of Music Professor and Director of Music Education Richard M. Cangro will deliver the Distinguished Faculty Lecture, “Creativity and Collaboration: Ways of Making and Sharing Music'' at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 in the College Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Recital Hall.

Prior to coming to WIU, Cangro taught at two public schools and six colleges. Cangro has many accomplishments, including 23 awards, grants and honors, including his most recent, the Illinois Community Arts Access Grant (Monmouth Orchestra), in 2022. Additionally, he has attended 56 conferences where he was invited and referred to, including the 2023 Oklahoma Music Educators Association State Conference (Tulsa, OK). Cangro was also invited and referred to at 19 international presentations, including the 2022 Bursa Uludag University, in Bursa, Turkey presenting “Profound Music Learning: Musicianship for a Lifetime” and “Models of Teaching and Learning.” Cangro has been a curricular consultant 23 times, including two sessions at Burlington Music Department in 2021.

Cangro began at WIU as an assistant professor and was promoted to professor in 2019. Over the years, he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Music Education, advised the collegiate music educators chapter, supervised student teachers and advised graduate students in the Master of Art in Teaching program. He served as a member of multiple department, college and University committees, as well as on numerous professional boards and committees. Cangro has been awarded multiple grants from domestic and international institutions and organizations, including two Fulbright awards, multiple community access grants from the Illinois Arts Council and two Title VI Communities as Agents of Change project grants.

During his career at Western, Cangro has chronicled a substantial record as a presenter, curriculum consultant, adjudicator, conductor and performer throughout the United States and internationally, including professional activities and keynote speaking engagements in 13 countries. Cangro has authored and published chapters in books, scholarly articles and commentaries and guest lectured at several universities. Musically, Cangro has conducted and performed with several orchestras and performing groups throughout Illinois.

“A large part of the reason for my involvement in music is the opportunity to collaborate with other musicians and to make a positive impact on listeners. As an educator and conductor, it gives me great pleasure to be a part of music making with student and adult musicians. In that musical moment, we all create an energy together that forms a lasting connection and lifelong memory for performers and hopefully our audience as well.” Cangro said

This engaging presentation will explore different facets of collaboration in creating and expressing music. Through a dynamic presentation of information, music examples and videos, attendees will not only learn about how artists collaborate in music but if appropriate, will also have the chance to experience collaboration in music in a fun, easy and meaningful way.

The lecture is open free to the public and will be live-streamed on WIU’s YouTube Channel.