Brian A Moon
- Associate Professor of Practice
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
- (520) 626-2033
- Slonaker House, Rm. 210
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- bmoon@arizona.edu
Biography
BA Emory University (Guitar Performance)
MSM Emory University (Choral Conducting)
PhD University of Colorado (Musicology)
Brian Moon is a musicologist who specializes in America's music. He attended Emory University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in music and classical guitar. Later, he returned to Emory to earn a Masters of Sacred Music degree focusing upon choral conducting. Moon attended the University of Colorado for his Ph.D. in musicology, where he was a fellow in the American Music Research Center. Moon taught briefly at the University of Colorado, and has taught at the University of Arizona since 2004. Currently, he holds the title of Coordinator of Music in General Studies, and his focus has been upon the general education. This position feeds Moon's passion for improving student learning and reflects his extensive experience in both online and in person classrooms.
In addition to teaching, Moon remains involved in the performance of music through local and state choirs. The Unitarian Universalist Association has credentialed him as a music professional for his decades of experience as a church music director. He participates in the Association of Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries.
Moon's reseearch encompasses: the African American spiritual, the reception of the black spiritual among white southerners, the Harlem Renasissance, record stores, Capital Records, Nelson Riddle, Harry Burleigh, Frank Sinatra and the history of Rock 'n Roll. He has spublished articles in the Black Music Research Journal, the Encyclopedia of African American Music, the Bulletin of the Society for American Music, and the Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd Edition. Moon also wrote a textbook enttitled How Rock Rolled: A History of American Music, which entered it's 2nd edition in 2017. Moon's analysis of how Big Data shapes the music industry was read by over 30,000 readers in the online magazine the Conversation.
Degrees
- Ph.D. Musicology
- University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.
- The Old Songs Hymnal: Harry Burleigh and the Spiritual During the Harlem Renaissance."
- M.S.M. Choral Conducting and Sacred Music
- Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
- N/A -- A recital featuring Benjamin Britten's "Rejoice in the Lamb," 18th Century New England Psalmody, and 19th century Moravian Music occurred instead.
- B.A. Music
- Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
- N/A -- a Guitar recital was required instead.
Work Experience
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2014 - Ongoing)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2003 - 2013)
- University of Colorado, Division of Continuing Education (2001 - 2002)
- Graduate Teacher Program, University of Colorado (2001 - 2002)
- School of Music, Unversity of Colorado (2000 - 2001)
Licensure & Certification
- Credentialed Music Professional, Unitarian Universalist Association (2017)
Interests
Research
Moon's reseearch encompasses: the African American spiritual, the reception of the black spiritual among white southerners, the Harlem Renasissance, record stores, Capital Records, Nelson Riddle, Harry Burleigh, Frank Sinatra and the history of Rock 'n Roll. He has spublished articles in the Black Music Research Journal, the Encyclopedia of African American Music, the Bulletin of the Society for American Music, and the Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd Edition. Moon also wrote a textbook enttitled How Rock Rolled: A History of American Music, which entered it's 2nd edition in 2017. Moon's analysis of how Big Data shapes the music industry was read by over 30,000 readers in the online magazine the Conversation.
Teaching
I seek to actively engage students in the class room, whether in person or online, and to constantly improve my approach to teaching and ways I assess student's learning. I would like to know that students think more critically by the time they leave my class room. Each year I incorporate new approaches to teaching classes not only to make the process dynamic for me, but to insure that I engage data driven methods to increase student learning.
Courses
2025-26 Courses
-
American Pop Music and Society
MUS 109 (Fall 2025) -
Learn Music Guitar+Songwriting
MUS 360 (Fall 2025) -
What is Jazz?
MUS 231 (Fall 2025)
2024-25 Courses
-
Frank Sinatra Voice of an Arti
MUS 328 (Summer I 2025) -
American Pop Music and Society
MUS 109 (Spring 2025) -
Frank Sinatra Voice of an Arti
MUS 328 (Spring 2025) -
Learn Music Guitar+Songwriting
MUS 360 (Spring 2025) -
American Pop Music and Society
MUS 109 (Fall 2024) -
Learn Music Guitar+Songwriting
MUS 360 (Fall 2024) -
What is Jazz?
MUS 231 (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
-
Frank Sinatra Voice of an Arti
MUS 328 (Summer I 2024) -
American Pop Music and Society
MUS 109 (Spring 2024) -
Learn Music Guitar+Songwriting
MUS 360 (Spring 2024) -
Preceptorship
MUSI 391 (Spring 2024) -
What is Jazz?
MUS 231 (Spring 2024) -
Frank Sinatra Voice of an Arti
MUS 328 (Fall 2023) -
Learn Music Guitar+Songwriting
MUS 360 (Fall 2023) -
What is Jazz?
MUS 231 (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
-
Frank Sinatra Voice of an Arti
MUS 328 (Summer I 2023) -
American Pop Music and Society
MUS 109 (Spring 2023) -
Mus Fund Thru Experience
MUS 360 (Spring 2023) -
What is Jazz?
MUS 231 (Spring 2023) -
American Pop Music and Society
MUS 109 (Fall 2022) -
Frank Sinatra Voice of an Arti
MUS 328 (Fall 2022) -
What is Jazz?
MUS 231 (Fall 2022)
2021-22 Courses
-
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Summer I 2022) -
American Pop Music and Society
MUS 109 (Summer I 2022) -
Independent Study
MUS 499 (Spring 2022) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Spring 2022) -
Mus Fund Thru Experience
MUS 360 (Spring 2022) -
Practicum
MUS 694 (Spring 2022) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Spring 2022) -
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Fall 2021) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Fall 2021) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Fall 2021)
2020-21 Courses
-
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Summer I 2021) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Summer I 2021) -
Underst Mus thru Listng
MUS 107 (Summer I 2021) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Spring 2021) -
Mus Fund Thru Experience
MUS 360 (Spring 2021) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Spring 2021) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Fall 2020) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Fall 2020)
2019-20 Courses
-
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Summer I 2020) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Summer I 2020) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Spring 2020) -
Mus Fund Thru Experience
MUS 360 (Spring 2020) -
Practicum
MUS 694 (Spring 2020) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Spring 2020) -
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Fall 2019) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Fall 2019) -
Practicum
MUS 694 (Fall 2019) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Fall 2019)
2018-19 Courses
-
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Summer I 2019) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Summer I 2019) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Spring 2019) -
Mus Fund Thru Experience
MUS 360 (Spring 2019) -
Practicum
MUS 694 (Spring 2019) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Spring 2019) -
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Fall 2018) -
Internship
MUS 693 (Fall 2018) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Fall 2018) -
Practicum
MUS 694 (Fall 2018) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Fall 2018)
2017-18 Courses
-
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Summer I 2018) -
Survey Mexican Folk Mus
LAS 337 (Summer I 2018) -
Survey Mexican Folk Mus
MAS 337 (Summer I 2018) -
Survey Mexican Folk Mus
MUS 337 (Summer I 2018) -
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Spring 2018) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Spring 2018) -
Jazz History
MUS 231 (Fall 2017) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Fall 2017)
2016-17 Courses
-
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Summer I 2017) -
Amer Pop Mus:Sinatra Era
MUS 328 (Spring 2017) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Spring 2017) -
Internship
MUS 693 (Fall 2016) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Fall 2016)
2015-16 Courses
-
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Summer I 2016) -
Internship
MUS 693 (Spring 2016) -
Rock & Amer Pop Music
MUS 109 (Spring 2016)
Scholarly Contributions
Journals/Publications
- Moon, B. (2014).
Media Review: The Beatles and McLuhan: Understanding the Electric Age
. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, 36(1), 87-88. doi:10.1177/153660061403600108
Creative Works
- "Hip Hop"; Electronic; Great River Learning; September 2012; How Rock Rolled: A History of American Popular Music; I published the textbook "How Rock Rolled: A History of American Popular Music" in the Fall of 2012 with only 8 chapters. In the previous several years, I've added chapters (currently 12).The textbook is now being used in my classes, and in an American Popular Music course at the University of North Colorado.
- How Data is Transforming the Music Industry; May 2017; The Conversation; This article reached over 30,000 indivdiual readers. Please give it a read at: http://theconversation.com/how-data-is-transforming-the-music-industry-70940
- The economic effect of withdrawal rates haunts me; Times Higher Education; August 2019; Time Higher Education; This op ed addresses some of the changes in General Education as it moves predominantly online. It resulted in fruitful talks on retention with the Office of Instruction and Assessment, the Writing Center, and the Vice Provost for Student Success and Retention.
