Biography
Dr. Ann Glazer Niren teaches the four music history and literature courses at IUS. In addition, she has taught rudiments of music, piano, and humanities, and often serves as an accompanist for student juries and recitals. She is the recipient of two awards at IUS for her pedagogical skills. She established the Music History Award for excellence in student research and writing. For over two decades, Niren presided as music director at Temple Shalom in Louisville, Kentucky.
Dr. Niren completed her Ph.D. in musicology at the University of Kentucky in 2013, with a dissertation entitled “The Relationship Between Solomon Braslavsky, Congregation Mishkan Tefila, and Leonard Bernstein.” While at the University of Kentucky, she was a finalist in their inaugural “Three-Minute Thesis Competition,” in which participants must distill their research into non-technical language in a very brief presentation. Niren is the recipient of the Women’s Club Centennial Fellowship at UK, which enabled her to do dissertation field research. She has published articles in Journal of Synagogue Music, American Jewish Archives Journal, and in the College Music Symposium, as well as in several encyclopedias. In addition to Leonard Bernstein and Jewish music, her other research interests include jazz pianist/composer Marian McPartland and minimalist Terry Riley.
Academic Background
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Doctorate
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, U.S.A.
- Ph.D. in Musicology, Major in Musicology
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Masters
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, U.S.A.
- Masters in Music Theory, Major in Music Theory
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Bachelors
- Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, U.S.A.
- Bachelor's in Music Composition, Major in Composition with a concentration in Piano
Professional Interests
Teaching
I teach the four music history/literature classes. In the past, I have taught piano, music fundamentals, and humanities.
Research
My research focuses on the music of Leonard Bernstein, specifically Jewish influences. I also research general Jewish music, jazz, and music minimalism.
