Maud Hickey is Associate Professor of Music Education at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Her research focus is on children's compositions and improvisations, as well as using technology to facilitate these processes. Most recent work involves using composition and improvisation with at-risk students, as well as the study of free improvisation as an ensemble experience. She is the author of chapters in several books and articles in journals such as in Music Educators Journal, General Music Today, Journal of Research in Music Education, and Research Studies in Music Education. Currently Hickey is on the advisory board of the International Society for Improvised Music and former secretary for The College Music Society.

Dr. Fred J. Rees is Professor of Music, Chair, and Advisory Board Chair of the Department of Music and Arts Technology at IUPUI. He came to Indianapolis in 1999 from the University of Northern Iowa, where he developed the first graduate music education degree program in the country to be broadcast at a distance over the state`s interactive television network. He has contributed to adapting the Master of Science in Music Technology as a live, videostreamed degree program with worldwide student enrollments. He has also designed the Bachelor of Science in Music Technology degree program, that integrates music technology throughout the curriculum. Prior academic appointments included New York University and the University of Queensland (Australia). His career interests have included distance learning, string education, double bass and piano performance, and music technology.  Dr. Rees holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a performance certificate in double bass from the Crane School of Music (SUNY-Potsdam).