Crystal Berner

Visiting Assistant Professor
Music Education

Crystal Berner, Ph.D. is a visiting assistant professor of music education at Oakland University, where she teaches undergraduate music education courses including elementary general methods and educational psychology and music learning, and supervises student teachers in their internships.

Berner recently completed her Ph.D. in Music Education at Florida State University. She received her Bachelor of Music Education in 2009 and Masters of Music Education 2018, both from Florida State University. She has been teaching choral and elementary general music in Florida for 16 years, but is excited to begin teaching in Michigan.

An avid scholar and presenter, Berner’s research centers around timbre perception and cognition, music teacher identity development, and music teacher education. She is currently conducting research on music educator professional development and trauma-informed pedagogy. Berner enjoys presenting regularly at national, regional, and state conferences. She especially enjoys bringing large groups of musicians together to form a community and believes in the truly transformative power of “musicking.”