Ingrid Kovacs, an award-winning music teacher, has taught general music and orchestra in private and public school sectors for over thirty years. While living in Dallas, Texas, she taught at the prestigious St. Alcuin Montessori School, instructing students aged 5 to 13 in Kodaly and Orff Music methods. At this time, she decided to earn her Texas teaching credential and began working for the Irving Public School system as a middle school orchestra teacher. From there, she and her husband moved to Las Vegas, where her orchestra program was known for excellence and innovation for over thirteen years. Kovacs retired from public school teaching in 2014 and moved to Arroyo Grande, CA.
Dr. Kovacs earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Music (Music History) from the University of Southern California. In 2010 Kovacs completed her DMA at Boston University. Her dissertation on Phyllis Young was nominated for the Outstanding Dissertation in Music Education Award in 2010. She has worked as an online professor at Boston University, Concordia University, Rutgers University, and American Public University and is now on faculty at the American College of Music. She has taught undergraduate and graduate music and non-music students.
Dr. Kovacs is active as a presenter at state and national conventions. Her research interests included string pedagogy, classroom management, and historical studies. As an orchestra director, Kovacs is well known for her pedagogical expertise and ability to engage students of all ages. She is a certified Suzuki Violin teacher.
She is the reviews editor for the American String Teacher (AST). Her article on Robert Klotman was published in the Journal of Historical Research in Music (October 2013). Her writing on Rolland was published in the American String Teacher in 2011. She contributed an article on Phyllis Young and Dorothy Delay for the second edition of the New Grove Dictionary of American Music (Oxford University Press, 2010).
Dr. Victor Vallo, PhD
Dr. Victor Vallo’s career includes teaching trumpet, cello, music education, and orchestra at several colleges, universities, and public schools. These include Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education at the College of St. Rose (Albany), Professor of Music and Chair of the Departments of Music at Newberry College (SC), Georgia College & State University (GA) and Immaculata University (PA), and Professor of Music at Anderson University (SC), Jacksonville State University (AL), and Southern Arkansas University. Dr. Vallo received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education with Performance Honors from Syracuse University, Master of Music in Music History and Theory from George Washington University, and Ph.D. in Music Education with an emphasis in Conducting from the University of Florida, where he was the Graduate Teaching Assistant and Associate Conductor of the University of Florida Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to teaching and performing on Trumpet and Cello, Dr. Vallo has been the Music Director/Conductor of several orchestras around the country which include the Newberry Chamber Orchestra at Newberry College (SC), Oconee Regional Symphony Orchestra at Georgia College, Macon Symphony Orchestra (Guest Conductor), Anderson Symphony Orchestra at Anderson University (SC), Arkansas Festival Orchestra, Alabama All-State Orchestra, South Carolina All-State Orchestra, Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra (AL), Greenville Community Chamber Orchestra (SC), Alabama Youth Symphony, Southern Arkansas University Chamber Orchestra, Jacksonville State University Chamber Orchestra (AL), and the PMEA District XII Festival Orchestra (PA). Dr. Vallo is the Music Director/Conductor of the Syracuse Chamber Orchestra, which he formed in May 2021. In January 2022, Dr. Vallo became the new Music Director/ Conductor of the OASIS Chamber Orchestra, and in the Fall of 2022 became the new Music Director/Conductor of the Auburn Chamber Orchestra.
Dr. Norman Ludwin is a pioneer in orchestration and the study of film composition. He holds a Doctorate in Composition, is a working orchestrator in Hollywood, an in-demand session bassist, and an instructor in the UCLA Film Scoring Department, the Film Scoring Academy of Europe, and ThinkSpace Education.
Norman has worked on over 200 motion pictures, with recent credits including Spiderman No Way Home, Bad Times at the El Royale, Incredibles 2, Tag, Coco, Star Wars- Rogue One, War of the Planet of the Apes, Star Trek into Darkness, and Jurassic World.
His unique analysis system, combined with his thorough knowledge of the material, places him in an elite class. His 13 books are becoming standard textbooks in the field and are currently in use at the Berklee Music School, Eastman College of Music, UCLA, and the California Institute of the Arts.
Dr. Ludwin has lectured to enthusiastic audiences in New York City, Washington D.C, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Munich, Zurich, Sofia, Rome, Bologna, Toronto, Halifax, Quebec City, Beijing, Shanghai, Nanking, Singapore, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Dr. Ben A. Ubovich, PhD
A dedicated musician, educator, and clinician/adjudicator, Ben A. Ubovich’s career spans over thirty years. Dr. Ubovich is President and CEO of the American College of Music, a private online graduate college committed to cultivating dedicated educators, reflective scholars, and lifelong learning. The college is dedicated to providing heuristic, hands-on knowledge and student-centered, research-based instruction.
Prior appointments include adjunct Associate Professor of music education/philosophy, music theory, and research. Dr. Ubovich is also a sought-after clinician and adjudicator for the California School Band and Orchestra Association.
As former Music Director of San Marino High School and San Marino Unified School District Music Coordinator, Dr. Ubovich instructed the wind ensemble, orchestra, concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, and the two elementary school fifth-grade bands, as well as AP Music Theory. Under Dr. Ubovich’s musical direction, his performing groups garnered prestigious national and international awards.
His honors and awards include Commendation for High Standards and Outstanding Achievement in Education – Judy Chu, U.S. Congress, 2015,
2014 Grammy Music Educator Award Nominee, Co-recipient of Los Angeles County Bravo Award in Arts Education, Pre-Doctoral Scholar Award and Outstanding Achievement Award – Charter School of Education – California State University, Los Angeles, California Music Educators National Conference Award of Appreciation for outstanding performance, and the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association Meritorious Service Award
Ben Ubovich holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in music education from the American Conservatory of Music, Chicago. His other degrees include a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance and Master of Arts degree in Education Technology from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from San Diego State University. He is also the author of Utilization and Effectiveness of Technology in Music Education, ProQuest Publishing.
