Benjamin Wadsworth
Professor of Music Theory, Bailey School of Music
Dr. Ben Wadsworth teaches music theory and aural skills at KSU. Dr. Wadsworth has a degree in piano and music theory from Oberlin College, and a PhD in music theory from the Eastman School of Music.
Beyond core theory and aural skills classes, Dr. Wadsworth teaches courses in tonal analysis and music theory pedagogy. He also advises undergraduate theses in music theory.
Research interests include music theory pedagogy, Schenkerian analysis and theory, popular music, and nineteenth-century music. Publications include articles in Theory and Practice, Music Theory Online, and the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy. He has a review in Music Theory Online and an article on mashups in Music Theory Spectrum with collaborators Dr. Jeffrey Yunek and KSU music theory graduate Simon Needle. He also has an article on Kendrick Lamar with Simon Needle in Intégral. He has authored a no-cost, online aural skills textbook with Dr. Yunek and Dr. Kelly Francis. He has collaborated with Dr. Dariusz Terefenko from the Eastman School of Music on an undergraduate theory textbook for Routledge, entitled Explorations in Music Theory (2025).
His research may be found at http://facultyweb.kennesaw.edu/bwadswo2/research.php.
He served as President of the South-Central Society for Music Theory from 2016–2020. He is active as an pianist, organist, choir director, and music arranger.
Email: bwadswo2@kennesaw.edu (Image: Matt Haffner)
