Biography

Music Education; Coordinator of Music Education​

Childers Hall, Room 3028
(202) 806-7099
benita.gladney@howard.edu

Benita Gladney joined the Howard University faculty in Fall 2014. She earned her D.M.A. degree at the University of Georgia, and holds a Master of Music Education degree from Howard University and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.

Dr. Gladney has over ten years of teaching experience in high school band programs and elementary general music, primarily in Atlanta and Chicago Public Schools.  As a band director, her performing groups consistently received superior ratings in music festivals.  Along with her teaching duties, she has served as an adjudicator for both concert and jazz band festivals.  

In 2010, Dr. Gladney established a band program at Moi Girls’ High School in Eldoret, Kenya.  ‘Kenya Play It’ has provided over 30 wind band instruments to the school.  Since band instruments are uncommon in Kenya, she travels every summer to the school to teach instrumental music lessons.  Thanks to her efforts, this project has provided these Kenyan students with an opportunity to learn to play a band instrument in a school setting.  

At Howard, Dr. Gladney teaches music education courses, supervises practicum and student teachers, and advises music education students.  Her primary research interests include music improvisation, urban music education and music teacher preparation.

Dr. Gladney is a member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and is currently serving as 2015-2016 president of the Washington DC Music Educators Association, a federated state association of NAfME. She is also a member of College Music Society, Jazz Education Network, and College Band Directors National Association.