Training: Summer Institute Instructors
Dr. Robert Damm
Dr. Robert Damm has served with distinction as a creative musician and a caring teacher in the Department of Music at Mississippi State University for 14 years. As Director of Music Education Partnerships, he displays exemplary dedication to upholding and reflecting the MSU principle of promoting cultural diversity and understanding through music.
He teaches a class called African American Music through which he explores the roots, culture, and traditions of African American Music. It is clear that Robert is passionate about learning and teaching the music and cultures from many countries. In fact, Robert is so well thought of that he teaches a course in fine arts for our elementary teachers in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Special Education. Within this course, he models a multicultural approach to integrating music with the study of people, places, and cultures. He also creates a learning environment which contributes to the self esteem of all the students.
Robert never loses sight of his important mission of music education or his concern for making the world a place without prejudice and one of peace and compassion. He consistently brings his expertise, enthusiasm, and knowledge to students of all ages and backgrounds. Recent examples include facilitating recreational drumming sessions for teenage boys and girls sentenced to the Juvenile Detention Center, and directing a Brazilian Percussion Ensemble for middle school students, a children’s African Drum Ensemble for a community Kwanzaa celebration, Native American Programs at area elementary schools, a Celebration of African Heritage, teaching about African music and culture for Girl Scouts of Northeast MS, and performing with legendary blues guitarist Jesse Robinson in K-12 schools.
He has studied music and dance in Cuba and Ghana and now presents programs at public schools throughout Mississippi sharing the skills and information he gained through his travels. He also works closely with the African Student Association to offer high quality cultural programs such as their annual African Night. The African students refer to him as Babatunde, which means “father who has come back to us.” He is loved by and respected by faculty and students. In short, Robert embodies the qualities that reflect Mississippi State University’s spirit of commitment to diversity.
