He teaches courses in music history, examining the composition, production, and reception of music within the framework of various cultural and historical forces. In addition to addressing Western classical traditions, he leads students through explorations of the realms of film music, popular music, and music theatre. He makes it his mission to move past the “parade of dead composers” to engage students in a more pointed study of music as a human activity, revealing commonalities across various musical practices while at the same time asking “why this music, at this particular time, and in this particular place?”