Frank Abrahams is Professor of Music Education Emeritus at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey. A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Abrahams holds degrees from Temple University and New England Conservatory. In addition to his work in music education and administration, he enjoys an active career as a pianist, choral conductor, and in musical theater. He is the founder and conductor laureate of the Westminster Conservatory Youth Chorale and is the founder and conductor of the Westminster Conservatory Collegiate Chorale. For 20 years, he was the director of the Summer High School Music Theatre Workshop on the main campus at Rider University. He is the former Associate Dean for the Arts in the College of Continuing Studies.
Dr. Abrahams has pioneered the development of a critical pedagogy for music education. This teaching model encourages music teachers and ensemble conductors to adapt instruction and rehearsal technique to address individual differences in learning styles and empowers students to be musicians. He has presented research papers and taught classes in the United States, China, Brazil, Taiwan, Hungary, Israel, Italy, and the UK.
Abrahams is the curriculum facilitator for the Society for Music Teacher Education. He is editor of the Westminster Conservatory Youth Chorale Jewish Music Series, published by Transcontinental Music Publications (Hal Leonard) and senior editor of Visions of Research in Music Education. He has been a member of the editorial board of the Music Educators Journal. With Paul Head, he is co-author of Case Studies in Music Education (GIA Publications), Teaching Music Through Performance in Middle School Choir (GIA Publications) and the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Choral Pedagogy (Oxford University Press). With Ryan John, he is co-author of Planning Instruction in Music (GIA Publications).