Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Richard Niezen

Meet Dr. Richard Niezen

Degrees and Experience
  • Ph.D., Educational Leadership, Research and Policy (University of Colorado - Colorado Springs)
  • M.Mus., Music Performance (Cleveland Institute of Music)
  • B.Mus., Music History and Literature (University of Victoria)
Biography and Professional Achievements

Dr. Richard Niezen is an Associate Professor of Music at Colorado Christian University. He has been at CCU for six years, and has had the honor of providing instruction in a variety of settings within the School of Music. As an applied music faculty member, Niezen has taught violoncello and double bass, and has led the CCU Chamber Strings program. In addition, Niezen has taught String Methods, String Repertoire, as well as the string emphasis of Advanced Conducting. His dedication to training the 21st Century musician has led work and research with the International Society of Music Educators, where he has recently presented in Brazil. He has published and presented nationally and internationally on transformational learning, phenomenology, and communities of practice.

A recognized musical presence within the Denver musical community, Niezen has collaborated with a number of other CCU music faculty members during his eleven-year tenure as Music Director of the Aurora Symphony Orchestra (ASO). Upon leaving the ASO in 2012, he was awarded an official proclamation by the Aurora City Council, recognizing his positive impact in the cultural and educational communities of Aurora.

He has also served as a music director and music educator in a number of Colorado communities in the last decade, and has been an advocate for the arts in culturally underrepresented areas. In order to further arts advocacy and policy, Niezen serves on the policy group for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and is a member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) as well as the National Guild for Community Arts Education.