Hi there! I’m Dr. Robert (Rory) Creigh, Practicing Musician’s  Director of VP of Education.

My journey with music has been enriched by numerous teachers, mentors, students, and fellow musicians. As I delve deeper into this art form, my passion to share and help others embark on their own musical journeys grows. I am thrilled to be a part of Practicing Musician, where I see an opportunity to make a significant impact that transcends boundaries of geography, culture, and learning styles. I am committed to contributing my expertise and passion to this platform.

My academic journey has been a testament to my deep-rooted interests, specialized knowledge, and honed skills in the field of music. For instance, I have performed in rock bands, jazz ensembles, choirs, pits for musicals, and various classical ensembles, from solo pieces and early music groups to operas. The formal training I have received in college includes a Bachelor of Music (2016) in classical guitar performance, a Master of Music (2019) in music history and literature—both from Western Washington University (WWU)—and then a Doctor of Philosophy (2023) in musicology with a specialization in early music from Florida State University (FSU).

My master’s thesis and dissertation reflect some of my research interests. My thesis, “Rhythmic Structure and Style Characteristics in the Medium of the Beatles,” explores new ways of analyzing rhythm. In my dissertation, “Georg Joseph Vogler’s Samori: Representation and Difference in Early Nineteenth-Century Opera,” I use my developed Intercultural Positionality Framework (IPF) to analyze the representation of India in a German opera. If you’re interested, I’d happily share a full digital copy with you.

My distinct approach to music education comes from my experience teaching music and my involvement with the latest technology. For three years I taught guitar and ukulele at Guitar Center, where I had about twenty students per week. I then was an instructor of record at FSU for another three years, teaching undergraduate students general music history, music literature, and modern popular music. During this time, the pandemic shifted our teaching from in-person to strictly online. By the end of my teaching at FSU, we were adopting a hybrid model. By experiencing the pros and cons of each medium—through much trial and error—I have seen that Practicing Musician’s teaching methods are refined to bring out the most beneficial elements of teaching in person, online, or a combination of both.

One of my many passions is artificial intelligence (AI) and the latest technological advancements. I vividly remember having a sort of “enlightenment moment” about the future of generative AI in April 2022 when I watched Dr. Alan D. Thomson’s video on OpenAI’s DALL-E 2. I have used my research skills since that time to keep up with the latest AI trends and imagine how these technologies can best benefit humanity. With Practicing Musician’s philosophies aligning with mine, I am thrilled to work with teams within the company to bring the most bleeding-edge technology to education.

Feel free to book a time with me to chat about Practicing Musician!