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Where the most Inspired Musicians
become the most Inspiring Music Teachers

VanderCook College of Music

Faculty & Staff

Dr. Alice Hammel

MECA Instructor

Grammy Award Nominated music educator, Dr. Alice Hammel, was the 2023 National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Lowell Mason Fellow, Virginia Music Educator Association Outstanding Educator (2018), and is the current Past-President of the Virginia Music Educators Association. She is a widely known music educator, author, and clinician whose experience in music is extraordinarily diverse. She is a member of the faculty of The University of Arkansas, and has many years of experience teaching instrumental and choral music in public and private schools. 

Dr. Hammel has put these varied experiences to great use while compiling a large body of scholarly work. She is a co-author for many texts:

  • Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities: A Label-free Approach (third edition), 
  • Teaching Music to Students with Autism (second edition), 
  • Winding It Back: Teaching to Individual Differences in Music Classroom and Ensemble Settings
  • Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities: A Practical Resource (second edition)
  • Universal Design for Learning and Music Education. 

Dr. Hammel is Past-President of the Council for Exceptional Children – Division for Visual and Performing Arts Education and was recently awarded their Past President Award for Excellence. Dr. Hammel has served NAfME as a member of the National Executive Board, The Equity Committee, and The Music Teacher Initiative. She is a proponent of Music Will and the Modern Band movement.

She is a co-author for many texts:

Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities: A Label-free Approach (third edition), Teaching Music to Students with Autism (second edition)

Winding It Back: Teaching to Individual Differences in Music Classroom and Ensemble Settings

Teaching Music to Students with Differences and Disabilities: A Practical Resource (second edition) and Universal Design for Learning and Music Education

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3140 South Federal Street
Chicago, IL 60616-3731
(312) 225-6288

The mission of VanderCook College of Music is to enrich the lives of present and future generations by developing uniquely skilled music teachers who exhibit strong character, professionalism, and a commitment to excellence.

© 2025 VanderCook College of Music. All Rights Reserved.
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