Part violinist, part pedagogue and part investigator, Dr. William Herzog has devoted his career to exploring the intersection between the communicative power of music and the science of learning.

In his playing, technical facility and interpretation serve the greater purpose of bridging the gaps between audience, performer, and composer. His emotive, narrative-based approach to performance, described as “powerful and expressive” [The Music Times] and “technically dazzling” [All About the Arts], is one component in a multifaceted career devoted to contextualizing music in the greater picture of human potential and interconnectedness.

As Assistant Professor of Violin and Area Coordinator of Aural Skills at Northern Kentucky University, Dr. Herzog exercises an ever-evolving, exploratory approach to teaching, using tools from different musical subdisciplines to create a broad and nuanced approach to musical learning. Applied music classes are enriched by gamification, mental practice, and projects customized from class input, while private lesson students benefit from creative rhythm and aural skills exercises, custom-composed etudes, and a focus on fostering independence. Dr. Herzog’s approach to pedagogy, continually developing to serve the needs of each specific student, is fueled by the alchemy of watching his students do more than they thought possible.  In the words of former student Will Ejzak: “Dr. Herzog’s deep understanding of the technical, psychological, and emotional aspects of violin-playing, and his ability to communicate this knowledge clearly and empathetically is unparalleled, even among the many excellent teachers I’ve had.”

Beyond expanding the contents of his pedagogical toolbox, Dr. Herzog is also committed to making teaching techniques and resources accessible to a wider audience. His dedication to spreading knowledge has led to publications and presentations in a wide variety of journals and professional conferences, including Strad Magazine, American Music Teacher, American String Teacher, the Kentucky Music Educators Association conference, and the American String Teachers’ Association national conference. Dr. Herzog has a particular interest in elucidating the process of musical memorization. His guest lectures and workshops on musical memory have met with enthusiasm at universities across the United States and Canada. He is currently developing a scientific study on musical memorization in collaboration with Dr. Kalif Vaughn and the NKU Department of Psychological Science.