Luke Dahn, Teaching & Research

Jump down to: Course Evaluations, Formal Reviews/Peer Observations, Teaching Philosophy, or Research

TEACHING

Teaching is my passion, and the most meaningful thing I do. In 2011, I was awarded the Northwestern College Teaching Excellence Award, the youngest recipient of the award at the time. Below are some of the things my students have said about my classes. Below that are student course evaluations from my years at the University of Utah, as well as a statement of teaching philosophy and other materials.

WHAT MY STUDENTS HAVE SAID

(since Fall 2015):

"Dr. Dahn is the best teacher at the school of music! He cares about each students understanding of course materials and is always available for outside help." (Theory II, Spring 2017, Utah)

"Professor Dahn is by far the best theory/general music course teacher I’ve had at my time at the U (and I’ve had a several theory teachers here). His explanations and the way he structures the class make an effective and understandable learning environment--have him teach more classes and get more professors like him so first and second years can have a strong theory foundation!" (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 3), Spring 2017, Utah)

"Dr. Dahn is fantastic! He is so patient and is willing to go through a concept several times in several different ways until we understood it. He definitely deserves a raise." (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 3), Spring 2017, Utah)

"Luke has been one of my favorite teachers at the music school. He makes himself very accessible for students during class and outside of class. He presents the information efficiently with no fluff in a way that is very easy to understand." (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 3), Spring 2017, Utah)

"Best theory type class teacher that i ever had! He is always willing to go above and beyond fro his students, so very talanted." (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 3), Spring 2017, Utah)

"Great instructor who is really understanding & good at listening. He’s good at getting to the problem of why you don’t understand the issue, and he’s good at teaching you and explaining things to you in a way you understand." (Theory II, Spring 2017, Utah)

"Dr. Dahn does a great job at taking difficult concepts and making them understandable to all students with different learning abilities." (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 1), Spring 2017, Utah)

"Dr. Dahn has been the best theory professor I’ve had. His passion for music and composition is clearly evident and definitely influences his teaching. He is always engaging and well–prepared. He listens to students’ concerns and ideas and creates a welcoming space for sharing these. He works with us and genuinely wants to find ways to help us all succeed, learn, and develop an interest in music theory." (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 1), Spring 2022, Utah)

"Best theory class I’ve ever had, taking this has convinced me that if I were to write music, this is the style I would write in. I thoroughly enjoyed the semester." (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 1), Spring 2017, Utah)

"Professor Dahn is a fantastic professor. He is very honest and takes time to listen to his students. He always explained things in a way that everyone in the class would understand. The set up for his class and his syllabus were realistic and I learned more from him that from any other theory professor." (Theory III, Fall 2016, Utah)

"I loved studying with Dr. Dahn, he’s a great mentor and teacher and was very helpful with my composition projects. He was a great resource for feedback, and was always willing to help me see things from a different perspective." (Private Composition, Fall 2019, Utah)

"dr.dahn is an exceptional teacher. always willing to answer questions, and works to make sure you are learning the material. dr. dahn is exactly what a higher level educator should be loved the class and loved him!" (Theory III, Fall 2016, Utah)

"He really cares about the students and learning. The environment of the classroom is always comfortable, and learning-conducive. (Post–Tonal Theory, Spring 2018, Utah)

"Doctor Dahn is one of the best teachers that I have had at the U. His lessons are very well organized and presented in an interesting and applicable way. He is extremely talented as a musician and has so much knowledge that he shares with his students. He is also very supportive and treats everyone with great respect and cares for your success. He is always available to help anyone. Absolutely one of my favorite classes at the U, so glad I took it from him! (Graduate Survey of Music Theory, Fall 2019)

"One of the best theory teachers that I had. Explains and presents material very successfully.Love his class, I have learned so much. He is always is happy to help and cares so much about the success of his students. Excited to take other classes from him." (Theory III, Fall 2016, Utah)

"Love Dr. Dahn!!!! He always is open to questions and answers them well. It’s always great to have a professor who truly loves the subject they are teaching." (Theory III (Section 1), Fall 2021, Utah)

"I thought this instructor was truly fantastic! He absolutely knew what he was talking about and demonstrated excellent pedagogy. I hope that he becomes a permanent part of this school for a long time to come. I can’t wait to take more courses from him." (Form and Analysis, Spring 2016, Utah)

"He treated us like colleagues instead of students. He respected our opinions and encouraged class discussion. He showed many examples that were extremely applicable to the material that was being learned at the time & was very cautious about making sure we knew the material before moving on to the next subject/lesson." (Post–Tonal Theory (Section 1), Fall 2015, Utah)

"The instructor was hard working, well–organized, caring for his students, and overall an effective teacher. He explained the lessons clearly, using verbal explanation, visual representation, and audio examples, all of which were very helpful in understanding the material of the course." (Theory I, Fall 2017, Utah)

"Very kind, helpful, and engaging lecturer. He is very reasonable about class expectations and is willing to change them to fit the individual class." (Post–Tonal Theory, Spring 2018, Utah)

"He encouraged out of the box thinking and welcomed other thoughts and opinions on Analysis and interpretation. He worked with the students to make sure they understood the concepts taught by explaining them several different ways." (Theory III, Fall 2016, Utah)

"Professor Dahn made musicianship a fun and challenging course by having students do interactive activities that challenged our brains. He also asked what we needed help with every time the class met, so we were always motivated to learn. (Musicianship II, Spring 2018, Utah)

"Prof Dahn is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the material. He is always interested in hearing students’ ideas and willing to help students learn." (Special Topics in Music Theory, Spring 2016, Utah)

"The instructor was very organized and methodical in the way he presented the material, and was good at explaining things in a clear, understandable way. I loved this class!" (Theory III, Fall 2020, Utah)

"His ability to connect with the students was terrific. I appreciated that he stopped and explained when people did not understand." (Graduate Theory Review, Fall 2015, Utah)

"You are literally an awesome professor. I feel that I do truly understand theory better than ever before... even if it doesn't always seem like it based on my homework assignments." (Theory III, Section 1, Fall 2021, Utah)

"Dr. Dahn was a great teacher, both experienced in this subject and able to explain it clearly. I came to class expecting to either deepen my knowledge or learn something new, and was rarely disappointed. I loved the Composition competition we had, as well as the 12–tone score team activity and the Group quiz Competition. It really encouraged us to solidify our understanding of these concepts, and compare notes (so to speak) with other students. They were also a lot of fun, and made class interesting and enjoyable." (Post–Tonal Theory, Spring 2018, Utah)

STUDENT EVALUATIONS & SYLLABI

Formal Reviews & Peer Observations

FORMAL REVIEWS (Utah)
Spring 2023 Formal Review Report
Spring 2022 Formal Review Report
Spring 2021 Formal Review Report
Spring 2020 Formal Review Report
Spring 2019 Formal Review Report

PEER OBSERVATIONS (Utah)
2023 Peer Observation (Composition Class)
2023 Peer Observation (Graduate Tonal Theory Seminar)
2021 Peer Observation (Theory III – Zoom Class)
2021 Peer Observation (Composition Class – Zoom Class)
2020 Peer Observation (Undergraduate Special Topics in Theory – "The Chorale in Bach & Beyond")
2020 Peer Observation (Undergraduate Special Topics in Theory – "The Chorale in Bach & Beyond")

Teaching Philosophy

As I look back on my education, the teachers who I remember most are not the ones who gave easy passing grades, or those who waxed eloquently from a lectern. I remember those teachers who engaged us students, not letting us sit back and relax in class. I remember those who challenged us to think critically about the subject matter and those whose excitement about the material spilled over into the classroom. Most of all, I remember those teachers who cared deeply for their students and even took them into their lives. These teachers have influenced my own teaching philosophy, and it is these teachers I try to emulate in my classrooms.

I believe that students tend to learn best by doing rather than by hearing or seeing. I therefore attempt to find ways of putting concepts, projects, and assignments into action (e.g. composing/performing in theory class). When covering a new concept, I prefer to create an environment in which students discover the intricacies of that concept on their own rather than being simply told about them. Through this discovery process, students develop critical thinking skills and take ownership of the material. They don’t merely learn concepts; they learn how to learn.

Having taught undergraduates, graduates and non-traditional students, having taught both music majors and non-majors at both a small liberal arts college (8 years) and at large research universities (4 years), I have worked with many different kinds of students — students with different musical goals and backgrounds. I have learned that adapting to the needs of both the student and the college or university is crucial in contributing to the success of the students. In all situations, I attempt to create a sense of community and collaboration in the classroom. It is very important to me that students be treated as maturing adults rather than "kids", for it is my experience that when they are treated as such, they respond well, seeking to meet all expectations.

I also understand that students are diversely gifted and have a variety of learning styles. Some learn best by reading, then discussing; others by small group work; and still others learn best by writing. I incorporate a variety of learning exercises and environments in order to maximize the growth of each student.

Furthermore, I have a strong commitment to diversity. As someone who is married to an immigrant, I have a strong conviction that diversity is a vital good unto itself and have experienced the value of diversity firsthand. Engaging with diverse people, cultures, and ideas is an indispensable part of the education and general growth of each individual person. The greater the exposure to ideas contrary to one’s own, the greater the capacity to understand and sympathize with others. While the disciplines of music theory and composition continue to be dominated by one particular demographic — the cisgender white male — there have been encouraging signs of change in recent years. I continue to strive to champion diversity by increasing exposure of underrepresented groups in classroom study, in guest composer visits, in any way possible.

Finally, I believe that a teacher has a duty to never stop learning, that s/he continually evaluate and reevaluate his or her performance, and that s/he lead by example, both inside and outside the classroom. I owe this much to all my students, co–workers, and to those professors whose invaluable influence and encouragement have shaped my own teaching.

RESEARCH

My recent scholarly work has been devoted to the Bach four–part chorales, much of which is featured on my new website www.bach–chorales.com. Launched in the summer of 2017, the site provides the most up–to–date research on the chorales and has quickly become a widely used and linked resource, as evidenced by its mention in the book accompanying the exhaustive new Bach 333 project featuring the work of scholars at the Leipzig Bach Archiv and a 222–CD complete edition from the Deutsche Grammophon and Decca labels. In November 2017, I presented a paper on a 1762 recently–rediscovered manuscript of Bach chorales at a conference in Lviv, Ukraine entitled "Ex Umbra in Solem," a conference celebrating the work of Bach scholar Christoph Wolff. A paper entitled "Fifth Amendments: Editorial ’Corrections’ of Consecutive Fifths in the Early Bach Chorale Collections" was also presented at the Rocky Mountain Society of Music Theory in March 2018.

While my research and resources have been migrated to the new www.bach–chorales.com site, a few of the more commonly referenced ones are linked below.

Bach Chorale Indexes

Sortable Bach Chorale Table: a table of the extant four–part Bach chorales that can be sorted by various categories. A few sorting kinks are being ironed out, but the table is quite useful as is.

Bach Chorale Tune Index: an index of the entire extant oeuvre of Bach chorales organized by hymn tune (using scale–degree numbers). Both BWV and Reimenschneider numbers are included.

Bach Chorales–By–Date Index: an index of the chorales arranged by date and liturgical occasion. BWV, Breitkopf, Dietel and Riemenschneider numbers are included.

Bach Chorales–By–Liturgical Calendar Index: an index of the chorales arranged by liturgical occasion. BWV, Breitkopf, Dietel and Riemenschneider numbers are included.

Chorales Appearing in Different Keys: an index of the sixteen chorales in the Breitkopf–Riemenschneider that appear in different keys relative to their appearances in the works from which they come.

Chorales Duplicates in Riemenschneider: an index of the 24 chorale duplicates in the Riemenschneider. BWV and Breitkopf numbers are included.

Chorales not in the Riemenschneider: an index of 69 chorales that do not appear in the Breitkopf–Riemenschneider collection.

Chorales in Vopelius: an index that gives the location of the texts and tunes from Bach’s chorales in the 1682 Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (NLGB) edited by Gottfried Vopelius.

Bach Chorale Topical index: a comprehensive categorical indexing of the 371 Bach Chorales by category (project has been abandoned until my new edition of the chorales is complete)

Bach Chorale Settings of the Same Tune for Comparative Study:

Three chorale settings of "Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein" arranged by date. PDF
BWV: 2.6, 77.6, 153.1

Five chorale settings of Martin Luther’s "Christ lag in Todesbanden" arranged by BWV. All settings are aligned and placed in the same key for easy comparison. PDF
BWV: 4.8, 158.4, 277, 278, 279

Seven chorale settings of Louis Bourgeois’s "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele" arranged by date. PDF
BWV: 19.7, 25.6, 30.6, 32.6, 39.7, 70.7, 194.6

Four chorale settings of "Jesu, nun sei gepreiset" along with the tune’s appearance in the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch. All settings are placed in the same key for easy comparison. PDF
BWV: 41.6, 171.6, 190.7, 362

Eight chorale settings of Ahasverus Fritsch’s "O Gott, du frommer Gott" (Melody #3) arranged by date. All settings are placed in the same key for easier comparison. PDF
BWV: 45.7, 64.4, 94.8, 128.5, 129.5, 197a.7, 398; Dietel 113

Seven chorale settings of "Was mein Gott will, das gscheh allzeit" arranged by date, along with the tune’s appearance in the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch. All settings are placed in the same key for easy comparison. PDF
BWV: 65.7, 72.6, 92.9, 103.6, 111.6, 144.6, 244.25

Seven chorale settings of Georg Neumark’s tune "Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten" arranged by date. Two versions: chorales in original keys (PDF) or chorales transposed to the the same key for easier comparison (PDF).
BWV: 84.5, 88.7, 93.7, 166.6, 179.6, 197.10, 434

Five chorale settings of "Wo soll ich fliehen hin" arranged by date, along with the tune’s appearance in the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch. All settings are aligned and placed in the same key for easy comparison. PDF
BWV: 5.7, 89.6, 136.6, 148.6, 188.6

Bach Chorale Score Analysis Scans:

Chorales 1–18 (5.5MB) Chorales 19–43 (6.0MB) Chorales 44–67 (6.0MB) Chorales 68–89 (5.7MB)
Chorales 90–112 (5.9MB) Chorales 113–130 (4.9MB)

Various Essays & Projects Devoted the Music of J.S. Bach:

An analytical comparison of the Mass in B Minor "Crucifixus" with the second movement of Cantata 12 from which it originated.

See four videos featuring excerpts from the cantatas created for a lecture entitled "’Music that Drives Away the Devil’: the Catechetical Music of Johann Sebastian Bach" that was given on March 21, 2012 at Northwestern College.

A comparison of 45 different harmonizations of Sol–(Sol)–Fa–Me–Re–(Re)–Do in Bach’s chorales

A color–coded analysis of Bach’s D–flat Major Prelude from Book 2 of the Well–Tempered Clavier

"Fixing" a fascinating passage in the D major Fugue from Book 2 of Bach’s Well–Tempered Clavier

An analysis of Bach’s Chorale #29: "Mein Gott, öffne mir die Pforten"

Additional Materials

My blog: For M is Musick.

A chart indexing the chromatic harmony in Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin, complete with Italian, French, German and Neapolitan (ice cream) flags!

My tenure paper entitled "An Organ to Enlarge Prayer: Music’s Unique Nature and its Contribution to Worship", completed in October 2012.

A paper entitled "Music Composition: A Biblical Mandate or an Exercise of Self–Aggrandizement?" presented at the 2011 Northwestern College "Day of Learning" Symposium.

An analysis entitled, "Motional Devices in William Bolcom’s Non–Tonal Piano Works," looking at two etudes from Twelve New Etudes (1977–86).

A chart of the "O King" movement from Berio’s monumental Sinfonia (1968–69).

A summary and reflection on Victor Zuckerkandl’s Sound and Symbol (1956).

An essay on music and the emotions. (project in progress, largely subsumed in tenure paper linked above)