Faculty Profiles


Faculty Profile Variant

Dr. Beth A. Bauer, D.M.E., NCTM

Special Needs/Prep Piano


630.752.5567



CSA Instructor since 2005

Dr. Beth A. Bauer received her doctorate of music education from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Her dissertation is titled "What is an appropriate approach to piano instruction for students with Down syndrome?" Additional degree work includes a Master of Music from Northern Illinois University where she studied with Bill Koehler, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music where she was a student of Daniel P. Horn. Additional pedagogy instruction occurred with Karin Edwards, Larry Rast, and Karen Taylor. At the Wheaton College, she currently teaches Music to Special Learners, oversees pedagogy student teachers and music internships, and is the academic advisor and instructor for the pedagogy degree program. In addition to her faculty work in the Conservatory, Dr. Bauer coordinates Beethoven's Buddies, a music program for children with developmental delays at the Community School of the Arts, Wheaton College, and teaches pre-college piano to beginning to advanced students in the Community School of the Arts.

Prior to her work at Wheaton College, Dr. Bauer was a visiting guest instructor in music education at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She also was the assistant to the director and an instructor in the Young Pianists Program at Indiana University. Additional positions included the Education Director at the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and the Program Director at the Suzuki-Orff School for Young Musicians in Chicago.

Her work with students with special needs has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, the Indiana University Alumni Magazine, The Daily Herald, and the Wheaton College Alumni Magazine. Dr. Bauer is a sought after clinician and speaker to professional teacher's organizations and parent groups. She has been teaching piano for more than 20 years and working with students with special needs for more than 13 years. Dr. Bauer recently received the National Certification for the Music Teachers National Association.

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
D.M.E.

Northern Illinois University
M.M.

Wheaton College Conservatory of Music
B.A.

  • National Conference of Keyboard Pedagogy, Special Needs Research Committee Chair (NCKP)
  • Music Teachers National Association, Special Needs Research Committee Co-Chair (MTNA)