News & Events
Pan African Society for Musical Arts Education Taps
City Tech's Jesse McCarroll as U.S. Representative
McCarroll (far right) with other PASMAE 2003 convention delegates in Kisumu, Kenya
Jesse C. McCarroll, professor emeritus of music, New York City College of Technology of The City University of New York, has been named National Representative of the U.S. to the Pan African Society for Musical Arts Education (PASMAE).
The origin of PASMAE dates back to 1998, when a discussion took place at the International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference, held in Pretoria, South Africa, about the need for such an organization to coordinate the enhancement and promotion of musical arts education -- including music, dance and theatre -- throughout Africa. McCarroll attended this conference.
His appointment as PASMAE's U.S. representative came after he chaired the general session at the organization's bi-annual conference held last summer in Kisumu, Kenya. PASMAE, which is headquartered at the University of Pretoria, is affiliated with ISME, the International Music Council (IMC) and UNESCO.
"We thank you for your willingness to accept our nomination as the PASMAE national representative of the USA, taking particular responsibility for linking with and harnessing the African diaspora in the USA," said Professor Caroline Van Niekerk, Secretary-General of PASMAE.
According to McCarroll, "Citizens of the world have been influenced by African music for several centuries. However, people in the United States have a poor knowledge of the legacy of African music, compared with the Europeans, who have been involved in Africa for many years because they colonized most of the continent. My role will be to help educate people in our country as to the role of African music in the evolution of culture."
In this capacity, McCarroll will identify and pool the expertise of educators from all over the U.S. who are concerned with African music research. He will also assess and share relevant literature and learning materials, advance the increased use as well as learning of African musical instruments in practical music education.
In addition, he will help to enhance the teaching and research capabilities of music instructors by connecting them to centers in the United States, such as Columbia College in Chicago, where they can learn more about African music.
Like other PASMAE representatives, McCarroll will help dialogue with officials from departments and ministries of education here and abroad as well as curriculum planners on the importance of African music education on all levels. "Recognition of the importance of music in building cultural-national identity in the global context is badly needed in many countries," he noted.
McCarroll made his first trip to the continent of Africa 40 years ago under the auspices of Operation Crossroads Africa. He performed in a quartet on a tour of eight countries in West Africa, with special performances for the Presidents of Mauritania, Liberia and Ghana.
He has been teaching at New York City College of Technology for 34 years and is currently teaching a course in African-American/Caribbean Music. In 1999, he received the "Performance Excellence Award" for teaching and service to students. During the same year, he was honored as "Educator of the Year" by the Association of Black Educators of New York.
Other recognition he has received includes being selected "Scholar on Campus" at New York City College of Technology in 1984 and a City University of New York Scholar in 1987. In addition, he has been honored by the Black Music Caucus of New York and by the National Black Music Caucus of Music Educators National Conference.
McCarroll has been an active member of the New York State School Music Association and Music Educators National Conference for more than 40 years and has been on committees for both organizations. He is also a pianist and lecturer. Prior to teaching at the college level, he was a junior high school music teacher for seven-and-one-half years in the New York City public school system.
Currently, McCarroll, who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, is a member of the board of directors, associate treasurer and membership coordinator of the African American Jazz Caucus of the International Association of Jazz Education. He was recently appointed to the board of advisors for the Living Encyclopedia of Global African Music.
McCarroll is the co-author of Elementary Music Teacher's Almanac: Timely Music Lesson Plans for Every Day of the School Year and of Making Music Fun, Parker Publishing Company. He is also a contributing author to Teaching Jazz: A Course of Study, published by the International Association of Jazz Education and Music Educators National Conference.
Born on a farm in Dayton, Alabama, McCarroll grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He received a bachelor of music degree, in piano, from the Cleveland Institute of Music; studied in the Mannheim School of Music, Mannheim, Germany; earned a master of arts degree, a professional diploma and a doctor of education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. In 1982, he played the formal opening concert for the Saenger Performing Arts Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and was given the "Key to the City.
