Scholar Profile: David Akombo


Bio Information

Prof. David Akombo

Department of Creative and Cultural Arts Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts Dean, Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts Active 417-4776 Check out my Website!
Biography/Responsibilities/Duties:

Professor David Akombo is an internationally recognised educator, researcher, and scholar in the fields of music education and interdisciplinary research in the arts and health. An Ethnomusicologist by profession, Professor Akombo was the founding Dean of the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts at the Cave Hill Campus. He joined The UWI in 2020 with a wealth of experience from his multidisciplinary and cross-cultural groundings.
 
He holds a PhD from the University of Florida, an MMus from Bowling Green State University, Ohio; an MA from Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, and a BEd from Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. Before joining The UWI, Professor Akombo held positions in research, teaching, and administration at various prestigious institutions of higher learning in the United States, ranging from University Distinguished Diversity Fellow to Department Chair, to Associate Dean.
 
Professor Akombo’s eclectic research interests include Music Education, Ethnomusicology, Community Music, Comprehensive Musicianship, Music and Cognition, Music Technology, Psychology of Music, and interdisciplinary of Music and Biomedical Sciences. He is the author of 14 books and book chapters, over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals, and encyclopaedic entries published in The SAGE International Encyclopaedia of Music and Culture and The Encyclopaedia of Society and Culture in the Ancient World. He has also produced several non-refereed publications. These include three co-edited and two single-editor books, six Musical Performances/Compositions, and two internet publications, and he is also an Editor/Reviewer for many professional journals. His research and experience have made him a highly-sought speaker who has been invited to give lectures at Brigham Young University, Boston University, and a UNICEF-funded project in Jamaica among others.
 
Professor Akombo teaches Music Education, General Musicianship, and Research Methods in Music, Interdisciplinary Studies in Music and Health. He has co-supervised five PhD dissertations, three Master’s theses and he has also developed new courses for the Faculty. He has been the recipient of many research grants since 2011. In addition, he is a volunteer consultant in the Music and Health Research Project in Kenya, and a member of the Scientific Committee, Interdisciplinary, and Virtual Conference of Arts in Education.
 
One assessor expressed his support for Professor Akombo, stating, “… it is without any hesitation that I recommend Dr. Akombo for promotion to the rank of Full Professor. The significant professional growth he has demonstrated over the last two decades is evidenced by the continued expansion of his international reputation as a published researcher and scholar of the highest calibre, editor of professional journals and books, and frequent conference speaker. During this time, he has made a strong contribution to the music education profession beyond what many professionals would match in their professional lifetime. He brings a high level of authority, respect, and expertise to the international profession of music education.”
 

Research Interests

  1. Music Education
  2. Ethnomusicology
  3. Community Music
  4. Comprehensive Musicianship
  5. Music and Cognition
  6. Music Technology
  7. Psychology of Music
  8. Interdisplinarity of Music
  9. Biomedical Sciences

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