Andrea Creech
Professor, Associate Dean, Academic and Student Affairs (Sabbatical leave, Fall '24/Winter '25)
![Andrea Creech Andrea Creech](https://www.mcgill.ca/music/files/music/styles/medium_focal__220_x_220_/public/web-profile_creecha.png?itok=En01B8Zi)
Dr Andrea Creech is Professor of Music Pedagogy at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University. She formerly held the post of Professor in Didactique Instrumentale at the Faculty of Music, Université Laval (2016-2020), where she held a Canada Research Chair in music in community (funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada). Following an international orchestral and teaching career Andrea was awarded a PhD in Psychology in Education from the Institute of Education, University of London, where she subsequently worked, promoted to Reader in Education, in 2013.
Andrea’s research has covered a wide range of issues in formal and informal music education contexts, including interpersonal dynamics in instrumental learning and teaching, informal learning in school music, inclusion, and music for positive youth development. Her recent research has focused on intergenerational and lifelong music-making in community contexts, addressing questions relating to the social and emotional outcomes associated with music learning and participation, as well as the pedagogies and facilitation approaches that can support positive musical experience and lifelong learning. In her new role at McGill, Andrea is very excited to be researching innovative pedagogies and practices within tertiary music education. As part of this research strand, she is collaborating with international colleagues at Monash University, Australia, exploring signature pedagogies in creative collaboration.
Andrea has presented at international conferences and published widely on topics concerned with musical development and lifelong learning and participation in the arts, including the Music for Life Project, funded by the UK Research Councils and winner of the Royal Society for Public Health’s award for research in Arts and Health, 2014. She is Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy; Editor of Psychology of Music and Chair of the Scientific Committee for the International Society for Music Education World Conferences 2020 and 2022. She is co-author of Active Ageing with Music, and co-editor of Music Education in the 21st Century in the UK. Andrea's most recent book (2020) is Contexts for Music Learning and Participation: Developing and Sustaining Musical Possible Selves, where she and her co-authors explore the intersections between formal, non-formal and informal contexts and pedagogies in lifelong music education, and their implications for our musical possible selves. She has also co-edited the forthcoming Routledge International Handbook of Music Psychology in Education and the Community (in press).
Teaching for Learning @ McGill University | Giving and Receiving Feedback: A Feature of a Musical Life (January 13, 2022)
Books
Creech, A, Varvarigou, M., & Hallam, S. (2020). Contexts for Music Learning and Participation - Developing and Sustaining Musical Possible Selves. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Springer Nature. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1182516538
Creech, A., Hodges, D. & Hallam, S., (Eds.). (2021, in press). Routledge International Handbook of Music Psychology in Education and the Community. London: Routledge.
Creech, A., Hallam, S., McQueen, H., & Varvarigou, M. (2014). Active ageing with music: Supporting wellbeing in the Third and Fourth Ages. London: IOE Press. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/883698836
Hallam, S., & Creech, A. (Eds.). (2010). Music education in the 21st century in the United Kingdom: Achievements, analysis and aspirations. London: Institute of Education, London. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/60953846
Book chapters
Creech, A. (in press). Instrumental music teaching: Contemporary research perspectives. In G. Spruce & N. Beach (Eds.), Instrumental music teaching: Perspectives and challenges. Trinity College Press.
Costa, J., & Creech, A. (2019). Teaching and Learning in Unfamiliar Territory. In G. G. Johansen, K. M. Holdhus, C. Larsson, & U. MacGlone (Eds.), Expanding the space for improvisation pedagogy. Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1097462412
Creech, A., & Tsaklagkanou, L. (2019). A National Orchestra for All: an ethos of inclusiveness within music-making for positive youth development. In B. Kaufman & L. Scripp (Eds.), Music learning as youth development. New York: Routledge. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1103440228
Hallam, S., & Creech, A. (2019). Musical Futures: Informal group music making in schools as a context for youth development. In B. Kaufman & L. Scripp (Eds.), Music learning as youth development. New York: Routledge. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1103440228
Creech, A. (2018). Community-supported music-making as a context for positive and creative ageing. Chapter 5 In L. Higgins & B.-L. Bartleet (Eds.), Oxford handbook of community music. New York: Oxford University Press. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1027119898
Creech, A., & Hallam, S. (2017). Chapter 3: Facilitating learning in small groups: Interpersonal dynamics and task dimensions. In J. Rink, H. Gaunt & A. Williamon (Eds.), Musicians in the making: Pathways to creative performance. New York: Oxford University Press. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1009623351
Creech, A., Gonzalez, P., Lorenzino, L., & Waitman, G. (2015). Social development through intensive music education: The influence of participation in El Sistema-inspired programmes on individual and community wellbeing. In S. Clift & P. Camic (Eds.), Oxford textbook of creative arts, health and wellbeing (Chapter 32). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/967257321
Creech, A. (2015). Chapter 21: Understanding professionalism: Transitions and the contemporary professional musician. In I. Papageorgi & G. Welch (Eds.), Advanced musical performance: Investigations in higher education learning. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/948604757
Creech, A., & Papageorgi, I. (2015). Chapter 7: Concepts of ideal musicians and teachers: Ideal selves and possible selves. In I. Papageorgi & G. Welch (Eds.), Advanced musical performance: Investigations in higher education learning. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/948604757
Creech, A., Lopez-Real, C., Paterson, K., & Sherry, R. (2013). Creative assessment of creativity in musical performance. In P. Burnard (Ed.), Developing creativities in higher music education: International perspectives and practices (pp. 318-329). Abingdon, Oxford: Routledge. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/841895140
Collens, P., & Creech, A. (2013). Intersubjectivity in collaborative learning in one-to-one contexts. In H. Gaunt & H. Westerlund (Eds.), Collaborative learning in higher music education: Why, what and how? (pp. 151-164). London: Ashgate. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/825978024
Creech, A., & Gaunt, H. (2012). The changing face of individual instrumental tuition: Value, purpose and potential. In G. McPherson & G. Welch (Eds.), Oxford handbook of music education (pp. 694-711). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/776538646
Journal Articles
Creech, A., Larouche, K., Generale, M., & Fortier, D. (in press, 2021). Creativity, music and quality of later-life: A systematic review. Psychology of Music. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/8652195984
Martin-Gagnon, G., & Creech, A. (2019). Cool jazz: Music performance anxiety in jazz performance students. Music Education Research, 21(4), 414–425. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2019.1605346; https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/8180139723
Creech, A. (2019). Using music technology creatively to enrich later-life: A literature review. Frontiers iPsychology - Performance Science, Online 30 January 2019 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00117
Boucher, M., Creech, A., & Dubé, F. (2019). Video feedback and the self-evaluation of college-level guitarists during individual practice. Psychology of Music, Online April 2019. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/8083924713
Hallam, S., Creech, A., Varvarigou, M., & Papageorgi, I. (2020). Are there differences in practice depending on the instrument played? Psychology of Music, 48(6), 745-765. doi:10.1177/0305735618816370; https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/8001153828
Hallam, S., Creech, A., Varvarigou, M., & Papageorgi, I. (2020). Gender differences in musical motivation at different levels of expertise. Psychology of Music, 48(5), 657-673. doi:10.1177/0305735618815955 https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/7952463613
Hallam, S., Creech, A., & McQueen, H. (2015). What impact does teaching music informally in the classroom have on teachers, and their pedagogy? Music Education Research, 1–18. JOUR. http://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2015.1122749 https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/7065566611
Creech, A., & Hallam, S. (2015). Critical geragogy: A framework for facilitating older learners in community music. London review of education. London Review of Education, 13(1), 43-57. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/8864838445
Creech, A., Varvarigou, M., Hallam, S., McQueen, H., & Gaunt, H. (2014). Scaffolding, organisational structure and interpersonal interaction in musical activities with older people. Psychology of Music, 42(3), 430-447. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/5578322163
Creech, A., Hallam, S., Varvarigou, M., Gaunt, H., McQueen, H., & Pincas, A. (2014). The role of musical possible selves in supporting subjective well-being in later life. Music Education Research, 16(1), 32-49. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/5534809528
Creech, A., Hallam, S., Varvarigou, M., & Gaunt, H. (2013). Active music making: A route to enhanced subjective well-being amongst older people. Perspectives in Public Health (Special Edition), 133(1), 36-43. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23308006/
Creech, A., Hallam, S., McQueen, H., & Varvarigou, M. (2013). The power of music in the lives of older adults. Research Studies in Music Education, 35(1), 83 - 98. https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/700686049