Dr. Lonnie Easter II
Lecturer of Music
(Music Education and Jazz Studies)
Office: Catlett Music Center 228
Dr. Lonnie Easter II, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, earned his PhD in Music Education from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Arts Education with a concentration in Music Education from Langston University.
Dr. Easter began teaching at the University of Oklahoma in the Fall of 2020. He previously served as Director of Bands/Instructor of Music Education at Langston University (OK), and additionally served as a public-school band director in the Omaha (NE) and Oklahoma City (OK) school districts. As a public-school music educator, he had the privilege of providing a quality music education to students in multiple low socio-economic status music programs. He earned a reputation for effective teaching and leadership as his programs, both traditional and jazz, flourished. He remains a frequent director and clinician in and is particularly interested in the cross-pollination of research and practice in instrumental music education.
Dr. Easters' primary research interests are in jazz education. He is particularly interested in developing methodologies and pedagogy that will significantly raise students' ability, self-efficacy, and practice room efficiency in jazz improvisation, primarily at the beginner level. Additionally, his research demonstrates the critical need to improve the ways music education teacher preparation programs teach jazz pedagogy to undergraduate music education students. His work has been published in multiple journals including Jazz Education in Research and Practice and he has presented at research and professional development conferences across the United States.
- PhD Music Education - University of Oklahoma
- MM Jazz Studies - University of Central Oklahoma
- BA Education (Music Education) - Langston University
