Nicki S. Cohen Ph.D.,

MT-BC, FAMI
Professor

Music Therapy and Voice

Dr. Nicki Cohen has been a member of the music faculty at TWU since 1992. Dr. Cohen teaches music therapy, applied voice and world music courses.  She received the Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Kansas, the Master of Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of Denver, and the Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  In addition to her Ph.D., she earned a Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) credential and was named Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery (FAMI). 

Her publications include chapters in music therapy textbooks and research articles in professional journals such as the Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, and the Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery. Her research topics include the effects of singing on speech production for persons with neurogenic communication disorders, issues concerning graduate music therapy education, and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. Dr. Cohen is an regular presenter at professional conferences, and has been invited to lecture on music therapy both in the United States and abroad. She is regularly invited to be an external examiner for graduate theses from international universities and recently completed her tenure as Council Coordinator for the Council of Education and Clinical Training and Chairperson of the Advisory Board for Education and Training of the American Music Therapy Association.  

Dr. Cohen’s performing experience includes solo appearances with the Academy in the Woods Orchestra in Denver, Colorado, Central City Opera Company in Central City, Colorado, the Colorado Children’s Chorale, Denver, the Denver Symphony Orchestra;   and the Nittany Valley Symphony in State College, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Cohen has recently been commissioned to write an introductory textbook on music therapy for Prentice Hall Publishers.  She is completing her tenure as President of the Association for Music and Imagery, and has begun her work towards achieving primary trainer status from the Association for Music and Imagery.  Professor Cohen is also on the faculty of the Anna Maria Institute for Music and Imagery.