Dr. Jon Fessenden
Assistant Professor of Music Therapy
EMAIL: jwfessenden@muw.edu
PHONE: (662) 241-6146
About Dr. Fessenden
B.A. in Music, George Washington University
M.M. in Composition, Brooklyn College
M.S. in Music Therapy, Molloy College
Ph.D. in Music History and Theory, Stony Brook University
Music therapist, researcher, and educator, Dr. Jon Fessenden (MT-BC) is delighted to join The W faculty this Fall, 2021. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Fessenden has been practicing music therapy since 2014, in both New York and Texas. While his initial focus was in the field of adult/geriatric mental health, he later transitioned to working with children and young adults with developmental disabilities, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorder. Following his master’s degree in Music Therapy at Molloy College, Dr. Fessenden has completed advanced training in Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and Neurologic Music Therapy.
Dr. Fessenden has been an active researcher alongside his clinical work. His doctoral dissertation, “Autistic Musicality: History, Theory, and Two Case Studies,” explores how sensory, cognitive, and emotional differences among autistic subjects affect musical experience and performance. His published articles and conference presentations draw upon fields such as disability studies, auditory processing, music theory, and music therapy.
Dr. Fessenden’s instrumental focus is guitar, and he pursued jazz performance as an undergraduate. Additionally, he studied composition, and enjoys improvising and arranging music in his spare time.