Jason Mullen

Dr. Jason Mullen serves as Lecturer of Guitar at Texas Tech University's School of Music, where he bridges performance expertise in classical, popular, and experimental media art with scholarly research in musicology. His dual practice informs both curriculum development and academic discourse within the institution.

His educational trajectory includes a Bachelor of Music with German Studies emphasis from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Master of Music in Guitar Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, DMA studies at Shenandoah University under Julian Gray, and PhD in Music History and Literature from the University of Florida.

Dr. Mullen's research pioneers the study of 'gear cultures' through participant-observer methodology, examining corporate and e-commerce ecosystems of musical instrument production and consumption. His fieldwork at major retailers' headquarters and warehouses investigates intersections of music, materiality, and labor within global supply chains. This innovative work positions him at the nexus of material culture studies and contemporary music economies, with presentations at the Society for Ethnomusicology and American Musicological Society establishing his scholarly impact.

His recognition includes the Calvin A. VanderWerf Graduate Student Teaching Award, reflecting pedagogical excellence during doctoral studies.

Prior to Texas Tech, Dr. Mullen co-founded and directed Alfred University's Popular Music Ensemble while instructing. His performing career spans international venues across the United States and Europe, featuring master classes with leading guitarists and performances on instruments by Robert Ruck and Michael Thames. Teaching responsibilities encompass guitar performance, commercial music, and research methodology within the School of Music's performance programs.