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Biography

Timothy J. McMurray, Ph.D. is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education at The University of Utah. At The UofU, McMurray teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education and conducting, as well the music methods course of the summer MAT-FA program. In addition to his position in the School of Music, McMurray serves as Interim Director of The University of Utah String Preparatory Division, as an adjunct instructor for Salt Lake Community College, and as the Orchestra Director at Olympus High School. Prior to these appointments, McMurray served as the Master Teacher for the Weber State University String Project, and as an associate conductor for the Brigham Young University New Horizons Orchestra. 

An avid educator and performer, McMurray also maintains an active career as a violinist and chamber musician. He has a particular interest in contemporary music, regularly commissioning and premiering new works. As a chamber musician, McMurray studied extensively with the critically acclaimed Cypress String Quartet. His other mentors include Amadi Azikiwe, the Colorado String Quartet, Pegsoon Whang, and Dr. Hasse Borup. 

As a researcher, McMurray focuses on aspects of student learning, self-regulated learning behavior, and self-efficacy. McMurray has presented his research at local and national conferences. In 2022, McMurray presented his findings from a longitudinal study examining high school musicians’ practice behaviors at the 2022 UMEA and 2022 National NAfME conferences. His most recent projects have examined the relationships between musicians’ self-perceptions and their self-efficacy for error identification and error remediation.

McMurray holds a Ph.D. in Music Education from The University of Utah. He also holds a master's degree in String Performance and Pedagogy from The University of Utah, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Brigham Young University. He is an active member of the Utah Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, and the American String Teachers Association.

Courses Taught

• TBA