ACM Online Faculty

Dr. Lynn M. Brinckmeyer recently retired as Professor of Music, Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, and Director of Choral Music Education at Texas State University. During 2006-2008, she served as President for The National Association for Music Education (formerly MENC). Dr. Brinckmeyer’s research initiatives continue to focus on developing young voices, music from across the globe, and music advocacy. She published five books: Wander the USA with Warm-Ups! The Wonder of Music with John Jacobson, Rhythm Rescue!, Wander the World with Warm-ups with Hal Leonard Publishing, and Advocate for Music with Oxford University Press. In Washington, she conducted the Eastern Washington University Girls’ Chorus and the South Hill Children’s Chorus. During her time at Texas State University, Dr. Brinckmeyer was a co-founder/Artistic Director of the Hill Country Youth Chorus.

 

Dr. Brinckmeyer holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Music Education from Eastern New Mexico University, as well as a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Kansas. She initially taught elementary music and middle school choir in New Mexico before advancing to higher education in the Pacific Northwest. At Texas State University, she instructed both graduate and undergraduate courses in choral music education and directed the Texas State treble ensemble, Aurora Voce. Each summer, Dr. Brinckmeyer has been a dedicated staff member for the World Music Drumming workshops.

 

Dr. Brinckmeyer has directed all-state and honor choirs, lectured, given master classes, and performed in forty-nine U.S. states and over 25 countries, including China, Brazil, South Africa, Cuba, Peru, and Australia. He also serves music teachers and students worldwide. As a Life Mastery Certified Coach and Consultant, he mentors educators and professionals.

 

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 the 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. 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.

A dedicated musician, educator, and clinician/adjudicator, Ben A. Ubovich has a career spanning over thirty years. Dr. Ubovich is the President and CEO of the American College of Music, a private online graduate college committed to cultivating dedicated educators, reflective scholars, and lifelong learners. The college is focused on providing heuristic, hands-on knowledge and student-centered, research-based instruction.

 

Previous positions include adjunct Associate Professor of music education, philosophy, music theory, and research. Dr. Ubovich is also a highly sought-after clinician and adjudicator for the California School Band and Orchestra Association.

 

As the former Music Director of San Marino High School and Music Coordinator for the San Marino Unified School District, Dr. Ubovich instructed the wind ensemble, orchestra, concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, and the two fifth-grade bands at the elementary schools, as well as AP Music Theory. Under Dr. Ubovich’s musical direction, his performing groups received 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 the 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 in Chicago. His other degrees include a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance and a Master of Arts in Educational Technology from California State University, Los Angeles, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from San Diego State University. He is also the author of “Utilization and Effectiveness of Technology in Music Education,” published by ProQuest Publishing.