Dr. Benjamin C. Helton is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Case Western Reserve University and director of the Spartan Marching Band. His other duties at CWRU have included teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in music education, teaching in the SAGES program, and coordinating the student teacher seminar. Helton holds a Bachelors of Music Education from the University of Illinois, a Master of Music from Northern Illinois University, and a PhD in Music Education from the University of Illinois. Prior to teaching at CWRU, Mr. Helton was a graduate assistant at U of I where he supervised student teachers, worked with a multitude of undergraduate courses, and participated in various research groups in the College of Education specializing in evaluation and cognitive sciences in teaching. At Northern Illinois University, he worked extensively with the Huskie Marching Band and directed the Huskie Pep Band. Before working for NIU, Benjamin taught instrumental music for Bloom District #206 in Chicago Heights, Illinois and before that, at a small rural district in Mendon, Illinois.

Dr. Helton’s research interests include music education policy, adult music learners, and cognitive science approaches to beginning instrumental pedagogy. He has been published in the International Journal of Music Education and Arts Education Policy Review. Dr. Helton has presented clinics for the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic, the NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference, multiple international symposia for music education, and the AERA annual meeting. Dr. Helton remains an active public school music advocate and works to ensure that every student in Ohio has access to a quality musical education.