Jacob M. Dakon

Ph.D. The Ohio State University; M.M. Appalachian State University; B.M. University of South Carolina

Jacob M. Dakon, violinist, is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Kansas and a Research Fellow with the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Dr. Dakon earned his Ph.D. in Music Education at The Ohio State University with Dr. Robert Gillespie. He received his B.M. in Music Education from the University of South Carolina and M.M. in Violin Performance from Appalachian State University. Other pedagogical training includes pre-service teaching at the USC String Project, Suzuki pedagogy with Carrie Reuning-Hummel, and conducting with Dr. James Allen Anderson.

Dr. Dakon taught string orchestra in the public schools of South Carolina and served as adjunct faculty at the Appalachian State University Hayes School of Music in Boone, North Carolina. Other positions included String Coordinator and Violin Instructor for the ASU Community Music School and Suzuki Violin Instructor at the James C. Harper School for the Performing Arts in Lenoir, North Carolina.

As an active researcher, Dr. Dakon has presented his work nationally and internationally for music organizations such as the American String Teachers Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Mangaung String Programme. Dr. Dakon has also published in the String Research Journal, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, and the American String Teacher. His current research focuses on string pedagogy for the heterogeneous string class, the cognitive processes associated with music learning in beginning-level instrumentalist, and the history of string education.

Dr. Dakon is an active musician and conductor in chamber and orchestral settings. He has guest-conducted local and regional student honors orchestras in South Carolina, Ohio, and Kansas.

Dr. Dakon lives in Lawrence, Kansas where he enjoys being a part of the KU faculty and Lawrence community.