Instructors - Music Graduate Program - Music Department - School of the Arts - Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

Michael Dove

Dr. Michael Dove has taught for over 30 years. Since 2011, he has taught general music for Shook Elementary in the Marshfield R-1 school district. Prior to this he was a Professor of Music Education for Baptist Bible College and served for four years as the Music Department Chair. There he was director of bands, taught instrumental methods and elementary music methods classes, applied saxophone, foundations of education, music and movement for early childhood, and educational psychology. He helped start The Kodály Institute of the Ozarks while serving as the Music Department Chair. He is currently serving as the adjunct Applied Saxophone professor for Evangel University and Drury University.

Dove has served as the Elementary Vice-President for the South-Central Missouri Music Educators Association, and treasurer and newsletter editor for the Ozark Mountain Orff AOSA chapter. He is currently serving as the secretary for the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education and the treasurer for Kodály of the Ozarks.

Dove holds three levels of certification in Kodaly and one level of certification in Orff-Schulwerk. He earned a B.S. Ed. in music education from Missouri State University, a M.M.E. from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory of Music, and a Ph.D. in music education from The University of Kansas.

Carol McDowell

Carol J. McDowell is a 30 year veteran music teacher for students ranging in age from preschool through graduate school. She currently teaches courses and supervises field experience and student teachers at Southeast Missouri State University.

McDowell is active in various professional organizations. She was appointed to the editorial boards of the Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education (2000- 2030), the Journal of General Music Education (2018-2024), and The Orff Echo (2008-2016). McDowell holds three levels of certification in both the Orff and Kodály teaching methods and is also certified through the American Eurhythmics Society. In addition, she is a licensed Music Rhapsody and Kindermusik early childhood music teacher.

McDowll has presented workshops and research poster sessions for national and state conventions, and her research articles have been published in various music education journals. She recently published a children’s book "Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Drum" and co-authored the textbook "Therapy Groups Using the Creative Arts," second edition. McDowell holds degrees from Southeast Missouri State University (B.M.E and B.M.) and Florida State University (M.M.E. and Ph.D.).

Vicky Scott

Vicky Scott has been an instructor of music education methodology courses at Missouri State University (MSU) since 2011. Prior to teaching full time at MSU, Scott taught elementary vocal music in the Springfield Public Schools for thirty years, retiring from Springfield Schools in 2016. She earned both her Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Music Education and her Master of Science in Music Education from Southwest Missouri State University, now MSU. In 2009, Scott earned her Kodály Certification, a culmination of successful completion of three levels of Kodály Methodology training. She has served on curriculum development and review committees multiple times, developing Major Instructional Goals, learning activities, and assessments for elementary music instruction in the Springfield Public Schools. She has also served as professional learning clinician for the Springfield elementary vocal music faculty. Scott has served as choral clinician for the South Central MMEA Elementary Honor Choir and the Kodály of the Ozarks Elementary Honor Choir.

Scott has served as Elementary Vice President of the South Central Missouri Music Educators Association, Youth and Student Activities Resource and Repertoire Chair for the Missouri Choral Directors Association, President of Kodaly of the Ozarks, and multiple terms on the Executive Board of the Springfield National Education Association. Professional memberships include the National Association for Music Education, the Missouri Music Educators Association, the Organization of American Kodaly Educators, the American Choral Directors Association, the Missouri Choral Directors Association and the National Education Association.

René Spencer

René Spencer has taught 31 years in public schools (Miller R-II and Mt. Vernon R-V) as well as 2 1/2 years at Round Grove Christian Academy. Her teaching assignments have varied from teaching 7-12 instrumental and vocal music at Miller to teaching elementary music, then intermediate music and high school choir and show choir at Mt. Vernon. She currently teaches elementary music courses at Missouri Southern State University, as well as Kodály levels courses at the Kodály Institute of The Ozarks at Missouri State University.

Spencer has served as Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) Elementary Vice-President, Founding-President of the Kodály of the Ozarks, Secretary/Treasurer of the Southwest Missouri Music Educators Association and has presented educational sessions at universities across the state, as well as for area and state conferences and workshops. In addition, Spencer serves as a clinician, honor choir conductor, and adjudicator throughout Missouri, and currently serves as a mentor for new music educators via the MMEA New Teacher Conferences.

Spencer earned her B.M.E. in music education from Southwest Baptist University, an M.S.E. in instrumental music education from Missouri State University, Orff Level 1 certification from Missouri State University, and Kodály certification (levels 1 - 4) from the University of Central Missouri.