Jennie M Gubner
- Assistant Professor, Music
- Chair, Applied Intercultural Arts Research - GIDP
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
- (520) 621-1655
- Music, Rm. 109
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- jgubner@arizona.edu
Biography
Jennie Gubner is a socially engaged interdisciplinary scholar, violinist, and visual ethnographer with a PhD from the UCLA Department of Ethnomusicology. Her research interests include Latin American popular music with a focus on intergenerational tango music scenes in Buenos Aires, creative approaches to the study of music and dementia and aging, and ethnomusicological filmmaking. At Indiana University Bloomington, Gubner designed and taught an innovative ethnomusicology and filmmaking course about music and dementia. In 2018 she was recruited to San Francisco to help lead a clinical study about music in dementia caregiving relationships in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics. In 2019, she became an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute at UCSF Department of Neurology, where she has been training alongside an international cohorts of scholars, clinicians, artists and activists interested in dementia leadership. She has published her research and films in premier research journals, organized multiple international conferences and collaborations around audiovisual ethnomusicology, and presented her research at major music, humanities, and medical conferences. More information about Gubner's research, performance background, and films can be found at www.jenniegubner.com.
Degrees
- Ph.D. Ethnomusicology
- UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States
- M.A. Ethnomusicology
- UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Everyday Forms of Musical Resistance: Gramsci, Musica Popolare, and the Southern Question in the Nebrodi Mountains of Sicily
- B.A. International and Intercultural Studies through Languages and Music
- Pitzer College, Claremont, California, United States
Work Experience
- University of Arizona, Graduate College (2020 - Ongoing)
- University of Arizona, Fred Fox School of Music (2020 - Ongoing)
- European Union Erasmus + Strategic Partnership in the Field of Education and Training (2019 - 2022)
- Global Brain Health Institute (2019)
- UCSF Division of Geriatrics (2018 - 2019)
- Indiana University, Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology (2016 - 2018)
- Colby College, Department of Music (2015 - 2016)
Awards
- Excellence in Arts and Health Education Award
- The Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (A2RU), Fall 2023
- Torchbearer Award Celebrating Outstanding Women in Medicine and Science
- Women in Medicine and Science Program, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Fall 2023
- CURE Fellowship
- University of Arizona, Spring 2022
- Experiential Learning Design Accelerator Fellowship
- Office of Instructional Assessment, University of Arizona, Spring 2022
- Interdisciplinary Research Fellowship
- College of Fine Arts, Spring 2022
- Experiential Learning Design Accelerator
- U Arizona Office of Instructional Development, Fall 2021
- Interdiscipinary Arts Research Fellowship
- CFA, Fall 2020
Interests
No activities entered.
Courses
2024-25 Courses
-
Arts and Community Health I
AIAR 524A (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health I
FCM 424A (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health I
MUS 424A (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health II
AIAR 524B (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health II
FCM 424B (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health II
MUS 424B (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health III
AIAR 524C (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health III
FCM 424C (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health III
FCM 524C (Spring 2025) -
Arts and Community Health III
MUS 424C (Spring 2025) -
Dissertation
AIAR 920 (Spring 2025) -
Independent Study
AIAR 699 (Spring 2025) -
Music, Health, Wellness Lab
MUS 429 (Spring 2025) -
Music, Health, Wellness Lab
MUS 529 (Spring 2025) -
Practicum
MUS 494 (Spring 2025) -
Dissertation
AIAR 920 (Fall 2024) -
Global Sounds
MUS 334 (Fall 2024) -
Intercultural Arts Research
AIAR 601 (Fall 2024) -
Practicum
AIAR 694 (Fall 2024) -
Practicum
MUS 494 (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
-
Arts and Community Health I
AIAR 524A (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health I
FCM 424A (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health I
MUS 424A (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health II
AIAR 524B (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health II
FCM 424B (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health II
MUS 424B (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health III
AIAR 524C (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health III
FCM 424C (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health III
FCM 524C (Spring 2024) -
Arts and Community Health III
MUS 424C (Spring 2024) -
Dissertation
AIAR 920 (Spring 2024) -
Music, Health, Wellness Lab
MUS 429 (Spring 2024) -
Music, Health, Wellness Lab
MUS 529 (Spring 2024) -
Coached Ensemble
MUS 401 (Fall 2023) -
Coached Ensemble
MUS 501 (Fall 2023) -
Dissertation
AIAR 920 (Fall 2023) -
Global Sounds
MUS 334 (Fall 2023) -
Independent Study
AIAR 699 (Fall 2023) -
Intercultural Arts Research
AIAR 601 (Fall 2023) -
Research
AIAR 900 (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
-
Dissertation
AIAR 920 (Fall 2022) -
Honors Independent Study
MUS 399H (Fall 2022) -
Independent Study
AIAR 699 (Fall 2022) -
Independent Study
MUS 499 (Fall 2022) -
Intercultural Arts Research
AIAR 601 (Fall 2022) -
Master's Thesis
AIAR 910 (Fall 2022) -
Music In World Cultures
MUS 334 (Fall 2022) -
Research
AIAR 900 (Fall 2022)
2021-22 Courses
-
Arts and Community Health I
AIAR 524A (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health I
FCM 424A (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health I
FCM 524A (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health I
MUS 424A (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health II
AIAR 524B (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health II
FCM 424B (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health II
FCM 524B (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health II
MUS 424B (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health III
AIAR 524C (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health III
FCM 424C (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health III
FCM 524C (Spring 2022) -
Arts and Community Health III
MUS 424C (Spring 2022) -
Coached Ensemble
MUS 401 (Spring 2022) -
Coached Ensemble
MUS 501 (Spring 2022) -
Dissertation
AIAR 920 (Spring 2022) -
Independent Study
AIAR 699 (Spring 2022) -
Thesis
MUS 910 (Spring 2022) -
Intercultural Arts Research
AIAR 601 (Fall 2021) -
Research
AIAR 900 (Fall 2021)
2020-21 Courses
-
Music In World Cultures
MUS 334 (Spring 2021) -
Practicum
AIAR 694 (Spring 2021) -
Independent Study
AIAR 699 (Fall 2020) -
Intercultural Arts Research
AIAR 601 (Fall 2020) -
Music In World Cultures
MUS 334 (Fall 2020)
2019-20 Courses
-
Internship
MUS 693 (Summer I 2020) -
Intercultural Arts Research
AIAR 601 (Spring 2020) -
Music In World Cultures
MUS 334 (Spring 2020)
Scholarly Contributions
Books
- Harbert, B. J. (2018). American Music Documentary: Five Case Studies of Ciné-Ethnomusicology.
Journals/Publications
- Allison, T. A., Gubner, J. M., Harrison, K. L., Smith, A. K., Barnes, D. E., Covinsky, K. E., Yaffe, K., & Johnson, J. K. (2023). Music engagement as part of everyday life in dementia caregiving relationships at home. The Gerontologist.More infoEmerging evidence suggests music-based interventions can improve well-being for people living with dementia, but little is known about the ways in which music might support dementia caregiving relationships as part of everyday life at home. This study examined music engagement in the context of daily life to identify patterns of music engagement and potential targets for the design of music-based interventions to support well-being.
- Leroi, I., Karanja, W., Adrion, E. R., Alladi, S., Custodio, N., Goswami, S. P., Guerchet, M., Gubner, J., Ibanez, A., Ilinica, S., Jafri, H., Lawlor, B., Mohamed, A. A., Ogunniyi, A., Robertson, I., Robinson, L., Spector, A., Varghese, M., Weidner, W., , Caramelli, P., et al. (2022). Equity and balance in applied dementia research: A charter of conduct and checklist for global collaborations. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 37(7).
- Allison, T. A., Gubner, J. M., Oh, A., Harrison, K. L., Pham, K., Barnes, D. E., Johnson, J. K., Covinsky, K. E., & Smith, A. K. (2021). Meaningful Activities and Sources of Meaning for Community-Dwelling People Living with Dementia. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.More infoTo examine how people living with dementia at home engage in meaningful activities, a critical component of quality of life.
- Smith, A. K., Gubner, J., & Allison, T. A. (2020). Meaningful Activities Among Vulnerable Older Adults Living With Dementia. Innovation in Aging, 4(Supplement_1), 838-838. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaa057.3070More infoAbstract This paper examines self-identified meaningful activities in the daily lives of 21 vulnerable older adults living with dementia and the people who care for them at home (dyads). Using ethnographic observation and interviews, we asked the dyads to identify which aspects of daily life were most meaningful and how these activities changed as dementia progressed. Results ranged from pleasure-seeking activities like cigarette smoking and eating, to spiritual or mindfulness activities like hymn-singing, prayer and tai chi. Dyads identified specific examples of the ways in which meaningful activities and meaning-making both persisted and adapted throughout the progression of dementia. Using these identifiable moments of meaning-making as a starting point for inquiry, we explore underlying questions of how to adapt to dementia progression while retaining meaning in relationships.
Presentations
- Gubner, J. M., & Streightiff, S. (2022, March). Presentation on Creative Encounters in Awe Walking at the national festival SXSW in Austin, Texas. SXSW. Austin, Texas: CFA.
- Gubner, J. M. (2021). Creative Aging through Song: Researching Music as a Tool in Healthy Aging and Dementia Care - Public Keynote Lecture. Women Conquer Alz. Online/San Francisco: Alzheimer’s Association’s Desert Southwest Chapter.
- Gubner, J. M. (2021, June). Improvisation, Belonging and Wellbeing - Reflecting on Music, Equity and Brain Health. Jazz, Equity and Brain Health - A Joint Public Research Symposium between San Francisco Conservatory of Music, The UCSF Memory and Aging Center, and the Global Brain Health Institute and Alzheimer's Association. Online/San Francisco: San Francisco Conservatory of Music, The UCSF Memory and Aging Center, and the Global Brain Health Institute and Alzheimer's Association.
- Gubner, J. M. (2021, May). "Just Me and What I Do": Meaningful Activities Among Dementia Caregiving Dyads in the Home. American Geriatrics Society Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting Presidential Session. Online: American Geriatrics Society.
- Gubner, J. M. (2021, October). Serenatas for Brain Health: Building and Documenting Culturally Diverse Strategies for Intergenerational Community Engagement and Creative Aging Education. Society for Ethnomusicology Annual Meeting. Georgia: Society for Ethnomusicology.
- Gubner, J. M. (2021, Summer). “Sounding Joy - A Conversation about Music, Sounds and Wellness.”. Lecture - Atlantic Fellowship in Health Equity, George Washington University. Online: George Washington University.
- Gubner, J. M. (2020, September). “Música, Demencia y Salud Cerebral” (Music, Dementia & Brain Health). Keynote research lecture for Alzheimer’s Awareness National event. Quito, Peru: Instituto Peruano de Neurociencias (Peruvian Neuroscience Institute).More infoThis was an exciting opportunity to give a research lecture about music and brain health and aging to 200+ Peruvian scholars, healthcare professionals, physicians, researchers and community members from across Peru.
Poster Presentations
- Gubner, J. M. (2021, Spring). Serenatas for Tucson: A House-Calls Serenade Program for Latino Older Adults. Alzheimer Association International Conference (AAIC). Online: Alzheimers Association.
Reviews
- Gubner, J. M. (2021. Review of book, American Music Documentary: Five Case Studies of Cine-Ethnomusicology by Benjamen Harbert(p. 4). Ethnomusicology.
Creative Performances
- Gubner, J. M. (2021. El SurCo (Southern Collective) - Popular and Folk music of Chile, Argentina and the Southern Cone. Tucson Meet Yourself, Arizona Senior Academy, Tohono O'Chul, The Opera Theater in Patagonia.... various locations around Tucson.More infoI started a new musical group this year that I am excited about. The group is called El SurCo (The Southern Collective) that will feature popular and folk musics of the Southern Cone in South America. We performed multiple times in the fall including at Tucson Meet Yourself, the Arizona Senior Academy, and the Opera House in Patagonia Arizona. This Spring we will play at Tohono O'Chul gardens sponsored by The Tucson Guitar Society. I see this as another way to promote the HSI designation at the University as the group includes graduate students from the guitar program, and helps us promote the vibrant musical traditions of South America here in our local community. In this group I play violin and drums and sing.
Others
- Kraehe, A., Gubner, J. M., McMahon, E., Lundy, J., Eckman, A., & Klug, J. (2021, Spring). Research in the Arts: An Emerging Discourse - White Paper. UA College of Fine Arts.
Creative Works
- Performances with South American Musical Trio El SurCo; Music; I perform regularly with the South American Folk Music Trio El SurCo. In this group we work to bring awareness and education about folk music styles from the Southern Cone to Southern Arizona. We have performed at the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival, The Opera House in Patagonia, AZ, Tohono Chul Gardens, among other locations. In this group I am a violinist, vocalist, and percussionist and a co-director of the ensemble.
- Concerts with Duo Yvapuru; Music; Since prior to working at UArizona I have had a performance duo with guitarist Maximiliano Larrea that performs popular and folk music styles from Argentina. In summer 2022 we performed at multiple locations across Washington State. In this group I am a violinist and vocalist and co-director.