Nate Kruse is Professor of Music Education and Chair of the Department of Music at Case Western Reserve University. Nate joined the CWRU faculty in 2013 and teaches courses in research methods, the sociology of music education, vernacular music, and classroom guitar. Prior to his appointment at CWRU, Nate served on the music education faculty at the University of North Texas. He earned music education degrees from Butler University (BME), the University of New Mexico (MM), and Michigan State University (PhD). Nate’s research interests include lifespan learning, adult music education, and ethnographic traditions of community music.

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Prior to teaching at the collegiate level, Nate taught middle school and high school instrumental music in New Mexico and Michigan and remains an active public school colleague as a conductor, clinician, and performer. He was the Associate Conductor of the Capital City Brass Band (Lansing, Michigan) and the New Horizons Band programs in East Lansing, Michigan, and Denton, Texas. Currently, he conducts the Adult Orchestra at the Music Settlement in University Circle. Originally a brass player, Nate has performed in numerous community ensembles, including the Capital City Brass Band (flugelhorn) and the Jackson (Michigan) Brass Quintet (trumpet). More recently, Nate has played viola in Symphony West Orchestra and Euclid Symphony Orchestra.

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CWRU Bio