Contact Information
Biography
Dr. Edward Kocher brings exceptional experience, energy, and enthusiasm to the classroom, stage, and the national arts community. From 2014–2019, he served as the inaugural holder of the William Patrick Power, C.S.Sp. Endowed Faculty Chair in Academic Leadership at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. From 2000–2014, he served as Dean and Professor at Duquesne University's Mary Pappert School of Music. An accomplished trombonist, Kocher's performance credits include tours and recordings with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, on stage performances at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, a 2007 GRAMMY winning recording with Nancy Wilson on the MCG Jazz label, and a host of solo and chamber music performances in America, Europe, and Asia.
An energetic and passionate advocate for the arts, he has served in an impressive array of leadership roles including the Commission for Accreditation for the National Association of Schools of Music, President of the Board of Directors of the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society, the Board of Directors for the Belle Voci intergenerational women's chorus, and as a member of the Arts Education Collaborative Steering Committee. Currently, he serves as Board President for the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. Dr. Kocher finds great joy in teaching general studies in music for the broad university population.
Dr. Kocher has made scholarly presentations for the National Association of Schools of Music, American Educational Research Association, and the Management Workshop for Music Executives in Higher Education. His current scholarly agenda focuses on using technology to develop improvisation and performances of music for trombone and organ.
Prior to his appointment at Duquesne University, he served for two decades at DePaul University in Chicago, IL, where he earned competitive grants for technology, improvisation, and diversity initiatives. Kocher earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy Analysis-Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a Master of Arts in Trombone Performance at the University of Iowa, and a Bachelor of Music Education at Northwestern University.
Education
- Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago
- M.A., University of Iowa
- B.M.E., Northwestern University